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California (Wine Region)

Vineyards in the Napa Valley AVA
Official name State of California
Appellation type U.S. state
Year established 1850
Years of wine industry 1769-present
Country United States
Sub-regions List of California AVAs
Total area 158,302 square miles (410,000 km²)
Size of planted vineyards 480,000 acres (1,942 km²)[1]
Grapes produced Albariño, Alicante Bouschet, Alvarelhão, Barbera, Bastardo, Black Muscat, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Charbono, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Cinsaut, Colombard, Concord, Dolcetto, Dornfelder, Flora, Freisa, Gamay Beaujolais, Gamay Noir, Gewürztraminer, Grenache, Malbec, Malvasia, Marsanne, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Muscat Canelli, Muscat of Alexandria, Nebbiolo, Niagara, Orange Muscat, Palomino, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Primitivo, Riesling, Roussanne, Rubired, Ruby Cabernet, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Souzão, Symphony, Syrah, Tempranillo, Teroldego, Tinta Amerela, Tinta Cao, Tinta Madeira, Touriga Nacional, Trebbiano, Valdiguié, Verdelho, Viognier, Zinfandel[1]
No. Napa Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Napa County, California, USA. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The United States of America —commonly referred to as the An American Viticultural Area is a designated Wine Grape -growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features with boundaries Albariño (/ˌalbaˈɾiːɲo/ &ndash Galician) or Alvarinho (/ˌal Alicante Bouschet is a Wine Grape variety that has been widely cultivated since 1866 Alvarelhão is a red Wine Grape grown in northern Portugal. History Alvarelhão must have originated in northern Portugal but little Barbera is a red Wine Grape variety that is the second most-planted variety in Italy (the first is Sangiovese) Bastardo ( Trousseau Noir, Tressot) is an old variety of red wine Grape. Black Muscat is a Vitis vinifera grape variety derived from the crossing of the Schiava Grossa and Muscat of Alexandria varieties Cabernet Franc is one of the major varieties of red Wine Grape in Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red Wine grape varieties. Carignan is a red Wine grape that originated in Cariñena Aragon and was later transplanted to Sardinia, elsewhere in Italy, France Charbono is a Grape variety found in California. It is not very common in California but is the second most commonly grown variety in Argentina, where Chardonnay is a green-skinned Grape variety used to make white Wine. Chenin blanc, or Pineau de la Loire, is a variety of white Wine Grape from the Loire valley of France Cinsaut or Cinsault (pronounced "san-so" is a red Wine Grape, whose heat tolerance and productivity make it important in Languedoc-Roussillon Colombard is an early fruiting white variety of Wine Grape, better known as French Colombard in North America. Concord grapes are a Cultivar derived from the Grape species Vitis labrusca (a Dolcetto is a black Wine Grape variety widely grown in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. Dornfelder is a dark-skinned variety of Grape of German origin used for red Wine. Freisa is a Wine Grape variety grown in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy primarily in Monferrato and in the Langhe, but also Gamay Beaujolais is a varietal designation for a Californian Grape variety that is an early ripening clone of Pinot noir. Gamay is a purple-colored Grape variety used to make Red wines most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours Gewürztraminer (ɡəˈvʏrtstraˈminɚ guh-VURTS-trah-MEE-ner in English is an aromatic Wine Grape variety that performs best in cooler climates Grenache (pronounced gren-ash) (in Spanish, Garnacha, in Catalan, Garnatxa) is probably the most widely planted variety of red wine Malbec is a variety of Grape used in making Red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark colour and robust Tannins Long known as one of the Malvasia (also known as Malvazia) is a group of wine Grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region and the island of Madeira Marsanne is a white Wine Grape, most commonly found in the northern Rhône, where it is often blended with Roussanne. Merlot ('MERL-oh' in British English mer-LOH in American English and standard French is a red Wine Grape that is used as both a blending grape and for Mourvèdre, is a variety of red Wine Grape grown around the world Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is a white Wine Grape that is a member of the Muscat family of Vitis vinifera. Muscat of Alexandria is a white Wine Grape that is a member of the Muscat family of Vitis vinifera. The Nebbiolo ( Italian) or Nebieul ( Piedmontese) is one of the most important wine Grape varieties of Italy 's Piedmont Niagara grapes are a variety of the North American Grape species Vitis labrusca and are used as Table grapes and for Wines The muscat family of Grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is widely grown for Wine, Raisins and Table grapes Their color Palomino is a white Grape widely grown in Spain and South Africa, and best known for its use in the manufacture of Sherry. Petit verdot is a variety of red Wine Grape, principally used in classic Bordeaux blends Durif is a variety of Red wine Grape primarily grown in California, Australia, France, and Israel. Pinot blanc is a white Wine Grape. It is a Genetic mutation of Pinot gris, which is itself a mutation of Pinot noir. Pinot meunier, also known as Meunier, Schwarzriesling, Müllerrebe, and Miller's Burgundy, is a variety of black Wine Grape Pinot noir ('pino nwar is a red Wine Grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Zinfandel is a variety of red Grape planted in over 10 percent of California wine vineyards Riesling is a white Grape variety which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. Roussanne is a white Wine Grape grown originally in the Rhône wine region in France, where it is often blended with Marsanne Rubired is a variety of red Grape used to make Red wine in several Australia vineyards Ruby Cabernet is a red Wine grape variety that is valued for its drought resistance if not for the quality of its wines Sangiovese is a Red wine Grape variety originating in Italy whose name derives from sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jove " Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned Grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. Sémillon is a golden-skinned Grape used to make dry and sweet white Wines most notably in France and Australia. Souzão (or Sousao is Portuguese Wine Grape that is used in the production of Port wine. The Symphony Grape is one of dozens of new grapes bred by Dr Harold Olmo, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California Syrah is a dark-skinned variety of Grape used in Wine. Syrah is grown in many countries and is primarily used to produce powerful Red wines which enjoy Tempranillo is a variety of black Grape widely grown to make full-bodied red wines Its name is the Diminutive of the Spanish temprano ("early" Teroldego is a red Italian grape variety grown primarily in the northeastern region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. Tinta Cao is a Portuguese red Wine Grape that has been grown primarily in the Douro region since the sixteenth century Touriga Nacional is a variety of red Wine Grape, considered by many to be Portugal 's finest Trebbiano is a Grape variety that probably makes more white wine in the world than any other Valdiguié is a red Wine Grape grown primarily in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France, where it is generally known by the alias Verdelho is a white Wine Grape grown throughout Portugal, though most associated with the island of Madeira, and also gives its name to one of Viognier (vee-ohn-yay is a white Wine Grape. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley Zinfandel is a variety of red Grape planted in over 10 percent of California wine vineyards of wineries Over 1,200[1]
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California wine is wine made in the U.S. state of California. Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Nearly three-quarters the size of France, California accounts for nearly 90 percent of entire American wine production. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. American wine has been produced for over 300 years Today Wine production is performed in all fifty states with California leading the way in wine production followed The production in California alone is one third larger than that of Australia; if California were a separate country, it would be the world's fourth-largest wine producer. The Australian wine industry is the fourth-largest exporter in the world exporting over 400 million litres a year to a large international export market that includes "old world" [2] The state's viticultural history dates back to the 18th century when Spanish missionaries planted the first vineyards to produce wine for Mass. Viticulture (from the Latin word for Vine) is the Science, production and study of Grapes which deals with the series of The Spanish missions in California comprise a series of Religious outposts established by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order between Sacramental wine or Altar wine is Wine prepared for use in Christian Liturgy as part of the celebration of the Eucharist or the The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church.

Following a wine renaissance in the mid-20th century, Californian wine entered the international stage at the 1976 Judgment of Paris wine competition when Californian wines beat out French wines in both red and white wine categories. The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 or the Judgment of Paris was a Wine competition organized in Paris on 24 May 1976 by Steven Spurrier, a British A wine competition is an organized event in which trained judges or consumers competitively rate different vintages or bands of wine French wine is produced in several regions throughout France, on over 800000 Hectares (over 2 million Acres of Vineyards and in a typical Today there are more than 1,200 wineries in the state, ranging from small boutique wineries to large corporations like E & J Gallo Winery with distribution across the globe. E & J Gallo Winery was founded in 1933 by Ernest Gallo and Julio Gallo in Modesto California. [3]

Contents

History

Main article: History of Californian wine
Spanish mission of St. Carlos founded near Monterey
Spanish mission of St. California wine has a long and continuing history, and in the late twentieth century became recognized as producing some of the world's finest Wine Carlos founded near Monterey

The state of California was first introduced to Vitis vinifera vines in the 18th century by the Spanish, who planted vineyards with each mission they established. Vitis vinifera ( Common Grape Vine) is a species of Vitis, native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and The Spanish missions in California comprise a series of Religious outposts established by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order between The wine was used for religious sacraments as well as for daily life. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those The vine cuttings used came from Mexico and were the descendant of the "common black grape" (as it was known) brought to the New World by Hernán Cortés in 1520. Plant cutting, also known as striking/cloning is a technique for vegetatively (asexually propagating plants in whicha piece of the source plant containing at least one The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia. Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro 1st Marqués del Valle de Oaxaca ( 1485&ndash December 2, The grape's association with the church caused it to become known as the Mission grape, which was to become the dominant grape variety in California until the 20th century. Mission grapes are a variety of Vitis vinifera introduced from Spain to the western coasts of North and South America in the 1500s [3]

The California Gold Rush in the mid-19th century brought waves of new settlers to the region, increasing the population and local demand for wine. The California Gold Rush (1848&ndash1855 began on January 24 1848 when Gold was discovered by James Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California The newly growing wine industry took hold in Northern California around the valleys of Sonoma and Napa. Northern California is the northern portion of the US state of California. Sonoma Valley is the birthplace of the California Wine industry and often called The Valley of the Moon Napa Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Napa County, California, USA. During this period some of California's oldest wineries were founded including Buena Vista Winery, Charles Krug Winery, Inglenook Winery and Schramsberg Vineyard. Buena Vista Winery (now Buena Vista Carneros) located in Sonoma Valley, is the oldest commercial winery in California. The Inglenook Winery produced estate bottled wines in Rutherford California in the Napa Valley. Chinese immigrants played a prominent role in the developing of the Californian wine industry during this period-building wineries, planting vineyards, digging the underground cellars and harvesting grapes. Chinese immigration to the United States consists of three major waves with the first beginning in the early 19th century Wine caves are subterranean structures for the storage and aging of Wine. The Harvesting of Wine Grapes is one of the most crucial steps in the process of Winemaking. Some even assisted as winemakers prior to the passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act which severely affected the Chinese community in favor of encouraging "white labor. Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of Wine, starting with selection of the Grapes and ending with bottling the finished wine The Chinese Exclusion Act was a United States federal law passed on May 6 1882 following revisions made in 1880 to the Burlingame Treaty of 1868 " By 1890, most of the Chinese were out of the wine industry. [3]

Phylloxera and Prohibition

The late 19th century also saw the advent of the phylloxera epidemic which had already ravaged French and other European vineyards. This article is about the grape phylloxera For the Genus, see Phylloxera (genus. The Great French Wine Blight was a severe Blight of the mid-19th century that destroyed many of the Vineyards in France and laid to waste the Wine Vineyards were destroyed and many smaller operations went out of business. Fortunately the remedy of grafting resistant American rootstock was well known and the Californian wine industry was able to quickly rebound and utilized the opportunity to expand the plantings of new grape varieties. Grafting is a method of asexual Plant propagation widely used in Agriculture and Horticulture where the tissues of one Plant are encouraged to A rootstock is a Plant, and sometimes just the Stump, which already has an established healthy root system, used for Grafting a cutting or This is a list of varieties of cultivated Grapes whether used for Wine, or eating as a Table grape, fresh or dried ( Raisin, currant, sultana By the turn of the 20th century nearly 300 grape varieties were being grown in the state, supplying its nearly 800 wineries. Worldwide recognition seemed imminent until January 16, 1919 when the 18th Amendment ushered in the beginning of Prohibition. Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Amendment XVIII (the Eighteenth Amendment) of the United States Constitution, along with the Volstead Act (which defined "intoxicating liquors" In the United States, the term Prohibition refers to the period from 1920 to 1933 during which the sale manufacture and transportation of alcohol for consumption Vineyards were ordered to be uprooted and cellars were destroyed. Some vineyards and wineries were able to survive by converting to table grape or grape juice production. Table grapes are Grapes intended for consumption while they are fresh as opposed to grapes grown for Wine production Juice production or for drying into Grape juice is a Juice obtained from crushing Grapes The juice is often fermented and made into Wine, Brandy, or Vinegar A few more were able to stay in operation in order to continue to provide churches sacramental wine, an allowed exception to the Prohibition laws. But most went out of business. By the time that Prohibition was repealed in 1933, only 140 wineries were still in operation. This article discusses the repeal of (alcohol Prohibition in the United States. [3]

The Robert Mondavi Winery was designed to reflect the winemaking history of the Spanish missions.
The Robert Mondavi Winery was designed to reflect the winemaking history of the Spanish missions.

It took some time for the Californian wine industry to recover from this set back. By the 1960s, California was primarily known for its sweet port-style wines made from Carignan and Thompson Seedless grapes. The sweetness of a Wine is defined by the level of residual sugar (or RS in the fermentation proces Port wine (also known as Vinho do Porto, Oporto, Porto, and often simply Port) is a Portuguese, Fortified Carignan is a red Wine grape that originated in Cariñena Aragon and was later transplanted to Sardinia, elsewhere in Italy, France The sultana (also called the sultanina or sultani) is a type of White, Seedless Grape of Turkish or Iranian origin However a new wave of winemakers soon emerged and helped usher in a renaissance period in California wine with a focus on new winemaking technologies and an emphasis on quality. Several well known wineries were founded in this decade including Robert Mondavi, Heitz Wine Cellars and David Bruce Winery. Robert Gerald Mondavi ( June 18, 1913 – May 16, 2008) was a leading American Vineyard operator whose technical improvements Heitz Wine Cellars is a winery in California ’s Napa Valley with of Vineyards including its “Martha’s Vineyard” in the Oakville AVA David Bruce Winery is located at about elevation in the Santa Cruz Mountains above Silicon Valley in Northern California. As the quality of Californian wine improved, the region started to receive more international attention. A watershed moment for the industry occurred in 1976 when British wine merchant Steven Spurrier invited several Californian wineries to participate in a blind tasting event in Paris. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Steven Spurrier (born 1944 is the British wine authority and former merchant in Paris France who organized the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, which unexpectedly shattered the Wine tasting (often in wine circles simply tasting) is the sensory examination and evaluation of Wine. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city It was to compare the best of California with the best of Bordeaux and Burgundy. A Bordeaux wine is any Wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Burgundy wine ( is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France. In an event known as The Judgment of Paris, Californian wines shocked the world by sweeping the wine competition in both the red and white wine categories. A wine competition is an organized event in which trained judges or consumers competitively rate different vintages or bands of wine Throughout the wine world, perspectives about the potential of California wines started to change. The state's wine industry continued to grow as California emerged to become one of the world's premier wine regions. [3]

Climate and geography

See also: Geography of California
Landmass and elevations of California
Landmass and elevations of California

California is very geologically diverse region and is equally varied in the range of climates and terroirs that can be found. The geography of California is rich and diverse There are alpine mountains foggy coastlines hot deserts and a fertile central valley Terroir (/t̪εʁwaʁ/ in French (terruño pago was originally a French term in Wine, Coffee and Tea used to denote the special characteristics Most of the state's wine regions are found between the Pacific coast and the Central Valley. A country's Pacific coast is the part of its Coast facing the Pacific Ocean. The Central Valley is a large flat valley that dominates the central portion of the U The Pacific Oceans and large bays, like San Francisco Bay serve as tempering influences to the wine regions nearby providing cool winds and fog that balance the heat and sunshine. San Francisco Bay is a shallow productive Estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento Fog is a cloud that is in contact with the ground Stratus clouds are usually the only clouds that touch the ground [3] While drought can be a viticultural hazard, most areas of California receive sufficient amounts of rainfall with the annual rainfall of wine regions north of San Francisco between 24-45 inches (615-1150 mm) and the more southern regions receiving 13-20 inches. A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. Winters are mild with little threat of frost damage though springtime frost can be a hazard. Frost is the solid deposition of Water vapor from saturated air To curb the threat of frost, vineyard owners will often employ the use of wind machines, sprinklers and smudge pots to protect the vines. A smudge pot (also known as a choofa or orchard heater) is an Oil -burning device used to prevent Frost on fruit trees. [4]

While California's wine regions can be generally classified as having a Mediterranean climate, there are also regions with more continental climates. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide Continental climate is a Climate that is characterized by Winter Temperatures cold enough to support a fixed period of Snow cover each Year Proximity to the Pacific or bays as well as unobstructed access to the cool currents that come off them will dictate the relative coolness of the wine region. Wind is the flow of Air or other Gases that compose an Atmosphere (including but not limited to the Earth's) Areas surrounded by mountain barriers, like some parts of Napa County will be warmer due to the lack of this cooling influence. A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak Napa County is a County located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U The soil types and landforms of California vary greatly, having been influenced by the plate tectonics of the North American and Pacific Plates. Plate tectonics (from Greek τέκτων tektōn "builder" or "mason" describes the large scale motions of Earth 's Lithosphere The North American Plate is a Tectonic plate covering most of North America, Greenland and part of Siberia. The Pacific Plate is an oceanic Tectonic plate beneath the Pacific Ocean. In some areas the soils can be so diverse that vineyards will establish blocks of the same vine variety planted on different soils for purpose of identifying different blending components. This diversity is one of the reasons why California has so many different and distinct American Viticultural Areas. An American Viticultural Area is a designated Wine Grape -growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features with boundaries [4]

Wine regions

See also: List of California AVAs
General locations of California's wine regions
General locations of California's wine regions

California has over 427,000 acres (1,730 km²) planted under vines mostly located in a stretch of land covering over 700 miles (1,100 km) from Mendocino County to the southwestern tip of Riverside County. An American Viticultural Area is a designated Wine Grape -growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features with boundaries The Mendocino County wine is an Appellation that designates Wine made from Grapes grown mostly in Mendocino County, California Riverside County is a County located in the southeastern part of the U There are over 107 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), including the well known Napa, Russian River Valley, Rutherford and Sonoma Valley AVAs. Napa Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Napa County, California, USA. The Russian River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California. The Rutherford AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA and centered around the town of Rutherford, California The Sonoma Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California, USA which centers on the Sonoma Valley (also The Central Valley is California's largest wine region stretching for 300 miles (480 km) from the Sacramento Valley south to the San Joaquin Valley. This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant Growing regions where Vineyards are planted The Sacramento Valley is the portion of the California Central Valley that lies to the north of the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta in the U The San Joaquin Valley (ˌsæn wɑːˈkiːn refers to the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta This one region produces nearly 75% of all California wine grapes and includes many of California's bulk, box and jug wine producers like Gallo, Franzia and Bronco Wine Company. A box wine (or cask wine, bladder pack Cheap cask wine is also known as "goon" in Australia and also New Zealand ("goon" is diminutive slang Jug wine is a term in the United States for inexpensive table Wine (or "bulk wine" typically bottled in a glass jug Franzia is a brand of Wine produced by The Wine Group, known for its 5-liter " wine in a box " The Bronco Wine Company is a Vintner that produces Wines under several brands and is based in Ceres California. [3]

The wine regions of California are often divided into 4 main regions-[5]

Grapes and wines

Old vine Cabernet Sauvignon from Chateau Montelena in Napa Valley
Old vine Cabernet Sauvignon from Chateau Montelena in Napa Valley

Over a hundred grape varieties are grown in California including French, Italian and Spanish wine varietals as well as hybrid grapes and new vitis vinifera varieties developed at the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology. Chateau Montelena is a Napa Valley Winery most famous for winning the white wine section of the historic "Judgement of Paris" Wine competition French wine is produced in several regions throughout France, on over 800000 Hectares (over 2 million Acres of Vineyards and in a typical Italian wine is Wine produced in Italy, a Country which is home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world Spanish wines are wines produced in the southwestern European country of Spain. Varietal describes Wines made primarily from a single named Grape variety. Hybrid grapes refer commonly to those Grape varieties which are the product of a crossing between two or more different Vitis Species The seven leading grape varieties are:[3]

Other important red wine grapes include Barbera, Cabernet franc, Carignane, Grenache, Malbec, Mouvedre, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot and Sangiovese. Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red Wine grape varieties. Chardonnay is a green-skinned Grape variety used to make white Wine. Merlot ('MERL-oh' in British English mer-LOH in American English and standard French is a red Wine Grape that is used as both a blending grape and for Pinot noir ('pino nwar is a red Wine Grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned Grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. Syrah is a dark-skinned variety of Grape used in Wine. Syrah is grown in many countries and is primarily used to produce powerful Red wines which enjoy Zinfandel is a variety of red Grape planted in over 10 percent of California wine vineyards Barbera is a red Wine Grape variety that is the second most-planted variety in Italy (the first is Sangiovese) Cabernet Franc is one of the major varieties of red Wine Grape in Bordeaux Grenache (pronounced gren-ash) (in Spanish, Garnacha, in Catalan, Garnatxa) is probably the most widely planted variety of red wine Malbec is a variety of Grape used in making Red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark colour and robust Tannins Long known as one of the Mourvèdre, is a variety of red Wine Grape grown around the world Durif is a variety of Red wine Grape primarily grown in California, Australia, France, and Israel. Petit verdot is a variety of red Wine Grape, principally used in classic Bordeaux blends Sangiovese is a Red wine Grape variety originating in Italy whose name derives from sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jove " Important white wine varietals include Chenin blanc, French Colombard, Gewürztraminer, Marsanne, Muscat Canelli, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Riesling, Roussane, Sémillon, and Viognier. Chenin blanc, or Pineau de la Loire, is a variety of white Wine Grape from the Loire valley of France Colombard is an early fruiting white variety of Wine Grape, better known as French Colombard in North America. Gewürztraminer (ɡəˈvʏrtstraˈminɚ guh-VURTS-trah-MEE-ner in English is an aromatic Wine Grape variety that performs best in cooler climates Marsanne is a white Wine Grape, most commonly found in the northern Rhône, where it is often blended with Roussanne. Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is a white Wine Grape that is a member of the Muscat family of Vitis vinifera. Pinot blanc is a white Wine Grape. It is a Genetic mutation of Pinot gris, which is itself a mutation of Pinot noir. Riesling is a white Grape variety which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. Roussanne is a white Wine Grape grown originally in the Rhône wine region in France, where it is often blended with Marsanne Sémillon is a golden-skinned Grape used to make dry and sweet white Wines most notably in France and Australia. Viognier (vee-ohn-yay is a white Wine Grape. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley [6]

Up until the late 1980s, the Californian wine industry was dominated by the Bordeaux varietals and Chardonnay. Sales began to drop as wine drinkers grew bored with the familiarity of these wines. Groups of winemakers like Rhône Rangers and a new wine wave of Italian winemakers dubbed "Cal-Ital" reinvigorated the industry with new wine styles made from different varietals like Syrah, Viognier, Sangiovese and Pinot grigio. The Rhone Rangers are a group of Winemakers who promote the use of Grape varieties from the Rhône Valley in the south of France. The Santa Cruz based Bonny Doon Vineyard was one of first wineries to actively promote these more obscure grape varieties. Bonny Doon Vineyard is a winery based in the Santa Cruz mountains of California The large variety of wine grape also encourages a large variety of wines. California produces wines made in nearly every single known wine style including sparkling, dessert and fortified wines. Dessert wines (or pudding wines BrE) are sweet Wines typically served with Dessert, such as Sauternes and Tokaji Fortified wine is Wine to which alcohol (usually Brandy) has been added [3]

New World wine styles

Californian red and white wine
Californian red and white wine

While Californian winemakers increasingly craft wines in more "Old World" or European wine styles, most Californian wines (along with Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina) favor simpler, more fruit dominant New World wines. New World wines are those Wines produced outside the traditional wine-growing areas of Europe, in particular from Argentina, Australia, Canada The reliably warm weather allows many wineries to use very ripe fruit which brings up a more fruit forward rather than earthy or mineralic style of wine. The use of Wine tasting descriptors allow the taster an opportunity to put into words the Aromas and Flavors that they experience and can be used in assessing It also creates the opportunity for higher alcohol levels with many Californian wines having over 13. Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as abv or ABV) is a standard measure of how much alcohol ( Ethanol) is contained in an Alcoholic beverage 5%. The style of Californian Chardonnay differs greatly from wines like Chablis (wine) with Californian winemakers frequently using malolactic fermentation and oak aging to make buttery, full bodied wines. The Chablis region is the northernmost Wine district of Burgundy, France. Malolactic fermentation (or sometimes malolactic conversion) is a process of a change used in Winemaking where tart-tasting Malic acid, naturally present The use of Oak in Wine plays a significant role in Winemaking and can have a profound effect on the resulting wine impacting the color flavor [3] Californian Sauvignon blancs are not as herbaceous as wines from the Loire Valley or New Zealand but do have racy acidity and fresh, floral notes. The Loire Valley wine region includes the French wine regions situated along the Loire River from the Muscadet region near the city of Nantes New Zealand wine is largely produced in ten major wine growing regions spanning latitudes 36° to 45° South and extending 1600 km (1000 miles Some Sauvignon blanc are giving time in oak which can dramatically change the profile of the wine. Robert Mondavi first pioneered this style as a Fume blanc which other Californian winemakers have adopted. However, that style is not strictly defined to mean an oak wine. [6]

The style of California Cabernet Sauvignon that first put California on the world's wine map at the Judgment of Paris is still a trademark style today. The wines are known for their concentration of fruits and structured which produces lush, rich wines that can age well. Merlot became widely planted in the 1990s due to its wide popularity, and is still the highest selling of all varietal wines in the country. Many sites that were ill suited for the grape began to produce harsh, characterless wines trying to model Cabernet. Merlot planted on better sites tend to produce a plush, concentrated style. The profile of Californian Pinot noir generally favors a more intense, fruity style than the subtler, more elegant wines of Burgundy or Oregon With the region generally being too warm for the variety, the cooler areas with more maritime influence are favored. The state of Oregon in the United States has established an international reputation for its production of Wine. Until being passed by Cabernet in 1998, Zinfandel was the most widely planted red wine grape in California. This was due in part to the wide popularity of White Zinfandel. White Zinfandel, often abbreviated as White Zin, is an off-dry to sweet pink-colored Rosé wine. Despite being made from the same grape, the only similarity between White and Red Zinfandel is the name. Red Zinfandel is a powerful, fruity wine with high levels of acidity and a jammy type flavor. White Zinfandel is a thin, slightly sweet blush wine. While the grape does have European origins, Zinfandel is considered a unique American style grape. [6]

Sparkling and dessert wines

Sparkling wines produced by Domaine Carneros
Sparkling wines produced by Domaine Carneros

California sparkling wine traces its roots to Sonoma in the 1880s with the founding of Korbel Champagne Cellars. Korbel Champagne Cellars F Korbel Brothers Inc is a winery based in Sonoma County California The Korbel brothers made sparkling wine according to the méthode champenoise from Riesling, Chasselas, Muscatel and Traminer. There are three main methods of sparkling wine production The first is simple injection of Carbon dioxide (CO2 the process used in Soft drinks, Chasselas is a Wine Grape variety grown in Switzerland, France, Germany, Portugal and New Zealand. The muscat family of Grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is widely grown for Wine, Raisins and Table grapes Their color Savagnin or Savagnin Blanc is a variety of white Wine Grape with green-skinned berries Today most California sparkling wine is largely made from the same grapes used in Champagne-Chardonany, Pinot noir and some Pinot meunier. Champagne is a Sparkling wine produced by inducing the in-bottle Secondary fermentation of Wine to effect Carbonation. Pinot meunier, also known as Meunier, Schwarzriesling, Müllerrebe, and Miller's Burgundy, is a variety of black Wine Grape Some wineries will also use Pinot blanc, Chenin blanc and French Colombard. The premium quality producers still use the méthode champenoise (or traditional method) while some low cost producers, like Gallo's Andre brand or Constellation Brands' Cook's, will use the Charmat method. Constellation Brands Inc, headquartered in Fairport New York, is a large international producer and marketer of beverage alcohol brands with a large portfolio of There are three main methods of sparkling wine production The first is simple injection of Carbon dioxide (CO2 the process used in Soft drinks, [7]

The potential for quality sparkling wine has attracted Champagne houses to open up wineries in California. The Champagne wine region ( archaic Champany is a historic province within the Champagne administrative province in the northeast of France. These include Moët et Chandon's Domaine Chandon, Taittinger's Domaine Carneros and Louis Roederer's Roederer Estate. Moët et Chandon (moɛt‿e ʃɑ̃ˈdɔ̃ Moët et Chandon was established in 1743 by Claude Moët, and today owns more than 1500 acres (6 Domaine Chandon is a Winery and Restaurant located in Napa Valley, California. The Taittinger family are a French family who are famous producers of champagne. Louis Roederer is one of the largest remaining independent Champagne Houses owned by the Rouzaud family since it was founded in 1776 Despite being made with mostly the same grapes and with the same production techniques, California sparkling wines do not set out to be imitators of Champagne but rather to forge their own distinctive style. Instead of having the "biscuity", yeasty quality that distinguishes most high quality Champagnes, premium California sparkling wines show clarity of fruit flavors without being heavily "fruity". The wines strive for finesse and elegance. The optimal climate condition allows most sparkling wine producers to make a vintage dated wine every year while in Champagne this would only happen in exceptional years. [7]

Following Prohibition, California's wine industry had a reputation for producing low quality port-style wine. Since the wine renaissance of the 1960s, the quality of California's dessert and fortified wines have been dramatically improved. Beringer was one of the first to create a botrytized wine from Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon. Foster's Group is a beer group with interests in Brewing, Wine-making and Soft drinks. Botrytis cinerea is a Fungus that affects many plant species although its most notable hosts may be Wine Grapes In Viticulture Sémillon is a golden-skinned Grape used to make dry and sweet white Wines most notably in France and Australia. Though unlike in Sauternes, Beringer's wine was made of grapes regularly harvested and then introduced at the winery to Botrytis cinerea spores created in a laboratory. Sauternes is a French Dessert wine from the Sauternais region of the Graves section in Bordeaux. Since then California winemakers in places like the Anderson Valley AVA have found vineyards were this noble rot can occur naturally on the grapes. The Anderson Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area centered around the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County California. Noble rot (French pourriture noble; German Edelfäule) is the benevolent form of a grey Fungus, Botrytis cinerea, affecting The Anderson and Alexander Valley AVAs have also developed a reputation for their Late Harvest wines made from Riesling. The Alexander Valley is an American Viticultural Area located north of Healdsburg in Sonoma County, California. Late harvest is a term applied to Wines made from Grapes left on the Vine longer than usual Several French and Italian style Muscat wines are produced throughout California and are known for their intense aromatics and balanced acidity. The muscat family of Grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is widely grown for Wine, Raisins and Table grapes Their color The port-style wines in California are often made from the traditional Portuguese wine grapes like Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cão and Tinta Roriz. Portuguese wine is part of the ancient traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations such as the Phoenicians Carthaginians Greeks, and mostly Touriga Nacional is a variety of red Wine Grape, considered by many to be Portugal 's finest Tinta Cao is a Portuguese red Wine Grape that has been grown primarily in the Douro region since the sixteenth century Tempranillo is a variety of black Grape widely grown to make full-bodied red wines Its name is the Diminutive of the Spanish temprano ("early" Some uniquely Californian styles are also made from Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. [7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Appellation America (2007). The Wine Country is a region of Northern California in the United States known worldwide as a premium Wine -growing region "California: Appellation Description". Retrieved Nov. 16, 2007.
  2. ^ Stevenson, T. (2005). The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, 4th ed. Dorling Kindersly, 462. ISBN 0756613248.  
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j MacNeil, K. (2001). The Wine Bible. Workman Publishing, 636-643. ISBN 1563054345.  
  4. ^ a b J. Robinson (ed) "The Oxford Companion to Wine" Third Edition pg 126-127 Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0198609906
  5. ^ T. Stevenson "The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia" pg 469-473 Dorling Kindersley 2005 ISBN 0756613248
  6. ^ a b c MacNeil. The Wine Bible, 644-651.  
  7. ^ a b c MacNeil. The Wine Bible, 652-657.  

External links

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