When the Rivers Ran Red by Vivienne Sosnowski

An Amazing Story of Courage and Triumph in America's Wine Country

Nov 10, 2009

When the Rivers Ran Red offers readers a look at Prohibition from the viewpoint of the winemakers and vineyard owners in California's Napa and Sonoma counties.

Author, Vivienne Sosnowski, provides a look at Prohibition from the side of the Wets. Her writing is based on recent interviews with those who still have memories of many incidents caused by the passage of the 18th Amendment and locating numerous articles written and published during Prohibition and up until now. Sosnowski offers readers a view of how Prohibition negatively affected not only the winemakers and their families but the nation as well.

The prologue offers an intense description of thousands of gallons of wine released from a winery's tank. This description draws the reader into wanting to read more. While the general population understands what Prohibition was, few during that time understood what was happening in Sonoma and Napa Valley.

Vineyards Were Sacred

In the first chapter, Sosnowski describes the importance of the land the winemakers owned. "The land was sacred to these families.... Many of the winemakers could recall their immigrant fathers' stories about the early years..." and the hard work and struggle to tame the land.

18th Amendment Enforced by Prohibition Agents

Sosnowski covers the efforts of the Drys to get the 18th Amendment past, the political shenanigans, Prohibition agents activities – legal and otherwise – and the emotions and hardships of those winemakers and their families who felt terrorized for trying to continue their livelihood.

Selling Grapes Not Wine

Interestingly according to Sosnowski, the first few years of Prohibition were profitable for wineries. When the 18th Amendment was passed, consumers were still allowed to make their own wine up to 200 gallons. This resulted in tons of grapes being shipped to the east and prices were high. After a few years these profits went down to almost nothing as more grapes were being sent east from Central Valley and Italy. Sosnowski sites an example of a winery receiving 17 cents for a load of grapes.

What do you do when your livelihood is taken from you and you have no means to support your family or pay the taxes on your land? Some felt they were forced by the 18th Amendment to break the law. Others tried to wait out the government in hopes that the amendment would be changed. Others lost their stored wine to Federal agents or after many years to spoilage. Details of specific events are used throughout the book.

Some readers may be disappointed that the book is not written in a fictional manner. However, the book was intended to present the side of the people whose livelihoods were torn from them by the enforcement of the 18th Amendment and how they managed to survive. There is no surprise ending as Prohibition ended in 1933.

What is surprising is the amount of harassment Prohibition agents provided as well as the bribery and theft that was accepted by these same agents. The politicians were no less guilty in the passage of the 18th Amendment as they flaunted public opinion.

Recommendation

Those interested in the human perspective of Prohibition will undoubtedly enjoy reading When the Rivers Ran Red. Be prepared for detailed accounts throughout the text. Keep in mind this is a nonfiction book.

Author, Vivienne Sosnowski

Vivienne Sosnowski, a photographer, has been involved as a newspaper editorial director for numerous organizations. Her experience includes editorial director for the San Francisco Examiner and the Washington Examiner.

The copyright of the article When the Rivers Ran Red by Vivienne Sosnowski in Reference Books is owned by Kathleen Sullivan. Permission to republish When the Rivers Ran Red by Vivienne Sosnowski in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.