Californian Wines

Wine from California is produced largely by the Northern region of the state. The Wine Country is made up of the valleys in the north of San Francisco such as Napa Valley, the Sonoma Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Bennett Valley, Atlas Peak and Mount Veeder AVAs.

The wine growing practices in the region has started since the 18th century when Spanish missionaries in the place planted the very first vineyard to make wine for to be utilised for Holy Mass in 1770. More than 1,200 wineries are operating in the Wine Country of California from little boutiques to huge corporations.

The state of California is three quarters of the total size of France. The wine from California accounts for 90 percent of the total wine production of the United States. It is one of the biggest draws for tourists in the state. The Californian wine is one third bigger than the production of entire Australia. California alone produces the fourth biggest volume of wine in the world.

The California wine underwent a number of setbacks. First was when insects infested the vineyards in 1890s. The other one was the Prohibition which declared wine making as illegal in the state. This effectively killed the industry until it was lifted in 1933. A revival of the wine-making industry began in the 1970s when Americans realised the joy of food and wine pairings. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot grape varieties found their way into the Californian vineyeards.

In 1976, wine from California was entered in an international competition called Judgment of Paris where the wines joined a blind tasting competition. Californian wines defeated its French competitors in the whites and reds categories. The award resurrected the ailing wine industry and gave the necessary boost to the wine from California in the international market.