Does California Make Good Wine?

First, very few wineries have a long track record of making great wine. Secondly, while California is diverse, it does not have the diversity of climates and terroir and grape varietals of France. Still, it does produce some of the best wines in the world and any wine lover should make it a point to try as many of them as they can.

Yep, the Golden State again. The truth is, if you love wine, you should give thanks you live in a world that has California in it—especially right now, when a good glass of wine (at home, of course) is one of the best ways to lower stress and take a reprieve from an endless barrage of dire coronavirus news.

More than 17 million gallons of wine are made in California each year. California’s wine production accounts for nearly 90% of the entire American wine production, and to put this in perspective, if California were its own country, it would be the fourth largest producer in the world.

Winemakers in California have been producing sparkling wine since the 1860s. These sparkling wines were typically labeled as Champagne, along with some indication that they were made in California.

635,000 acres/256,975 hectares of winegrapes Winegrapes are grown in 49 of 58 counties in California; 141 federally approved American Viticultural Areas. 3.92 million tons/3.56 million tonnes harvested of winegrapes More than 110 winegrape varieties.

The Treaty of Versailles, which brought an end to the war, is where the loophole was unintentionally opened that allows the continued existence of California Champagne. Article 275 of the treaty was designed – in part – to establish that only sparkling wine from Champagne could be labeled as Champagne:

What is the most popular wine in California?

The most popular grapes in California are: Chardonnay: Char donnay is the most popular white wine in the world. The green-skinned grape originated in the Burgundy region of France but now grows in almost all major wine regions across the globe, from Chile to New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. Cabernet Sauvignon: Cabernet sauvignon is …

The history of California’s wine regions traces back to the arrival of the Spanish. Origin: The history of winemaking in California began around 1770 when Spanish missionaries planted the first wine grapes. Their Mission grapes remained the dominant grape in the area until the mid-nineteenth century, …

In California, regional designations are less important because the state’s native grapes are not suitable for winemaking, so all of the state’s world-class wines come from international grape varieties.

The short-lived constitutional alcohol ban decimated the state’s wine industry, bringing the number of wineries from 2,500 to less than 100. Revival: Shortly after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, the Wine Institute of California was established to help rebuild the state’s wine industry.

Pinot noir grapes are light red and translucent because of the water they retain while on the vine. Syrah: Syrah is an international red grape variety used to make high-quality wine. Syrah is the sixth-most grown grape in the world.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Cabernet sauvignon is a full-bodied, acidic wine made from the international red wine grape variety of the same name. Zinfandel: Zinfandel is a red wine grape variety that is commonly grown in California. The grape makes robust, aromatic, juicy wines that are high in alcohol. Merlot: Merlot fares well in various climates …

Central California encompasses both the Central Coast (renowned for its high-end wines and tasting rooms) and the Central Valley (an important agricultural area known for mass-produced bottles). Significant AVAs, from north to south, include: