View source for California wine

{{Short description|Wine made from grapes grown in California, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox wine region
| name = California
| image = Napa Valley Silverado Trail.jpg
| caption = Vineyards in the [[Napa Valley AVA]]
| official name = [[California|State of California]]
| other name =
| type = [[U.S. State]] [[Appellation#United States|Appellation]]<ref name="Appellation_America">{{cite web | website=Appellation America |date=2007 |url=http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/California.html|title=California: Appellation Profile |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222054/http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/California.html |archive-date=March 3, 2016 | url-status=live}}</ref>
| year =  
| wine years = {{years ago|1769}}<ref name="Misson_Grape"/>
| country = United States
| part of =
| similar =
| sub regions = [[List of American Viticultural Areas#California|List of California AVAs]]<ref name="California_AVAs">{{cite web |title=Established American Viticultural Areas |url=https://www.ttb.gov/wine/established-avas#California |website=Tax and Trade Bureau |publisher=Alcohol and Tobacco, Tax and Trade Bureau, Treasury |access-date=23 February 2024 |format=California}}</ref>
| season =
| climate region =
| heat units =
| precipitation =
| soil =
| total size = {{convert|159799|sqmi|acre|0|order=flip}}
| planted = {{convert|620000|acre|ha|0}}<ref name="Appellation_America"/>
| vineyards =
| grapes = [[Albariño]], [[Alicante Bouschet]], [[Alvarelhão]], [[Barbera]], [[Bastardo (grape)|Bastardo]], [[Black Muscat]], [[Cabernet Franc]], [[Cabernet Sauvignon]], [[Carignan]], [[Douce noir|Charbono]], [[Chardonnay]], [[Chenin blanc]], [[Cinsaut]], [[Colombard]], [[Concord (grape)|Concord]], [[Dolcetto]], [[Dornfelder]], [[Flora (grape)|Flora]], [[Freisa]], [[Gamay Beaujolais]], [[Gamay noir]], [[Gewürztraminer]], [[Grenache]], [[Malbec]], [[Malvasia]], [[Marsanne (grape)|Marsanne]], [[Merlot]], [[Mourvèdre]], [[Muscat Canelli]], [[Muscat of Alexandria]], [[Nebbiolo]], [[Niagara (grape)|Niagara]], [[Orange Muscat]], [[Palomino (grape)|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 (grape)|Symphony]], [[Syrah]], [[Tempranillo]], [[Teroldego]], [[Tinta Amarela]], [[Tinta Cao]], [[Tinta Negra Mole|Tinta Madeira]], [[Touriga Nacional]], [[Trebbiano]], [[Trousseau gris]], [[Valdiguié]], [[Verdelho]], [[Viognier]], [[Zinfandel]]<ref name="Appellation_America"/>
| varietals =
| wineries = Over 4,200<ref name="Appellation_America"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://discovercaliforniawines.com/media-trade/statistics/ | title=Statistics }}</ref>
| growers = Over 5,900
| wine produced =
| designation =
| comments =
}}

'''California wine''' production has a rich viticulture history since 1680 when [[Jesuit#Northern Spanish America|
Spanish Jesuit]] missionaries planted ''[[Vitis vinifera]]'' vines native to the [[Mediterranean Basin|Mediterranean region]] in their established [[Christian mission|missions]] to produce [[altar wine|wine]] for [[Mass (liturgy)|religious services]]. In the 1770s, [[Spanish missions in California|Spanish missionaries]] continued the practice under the direction of the [[Junípero Serra|Father Junípero Serra]] who planted California's first [[vineyard]] at [[Mission San Juan Capistrano]].<ref name="Taber pg32">{{cite book | last=Taber|first=George M.|title=The Judgment of Paris: California vs France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine | publisher=Scribner |year=2005|isbn=978-0-7432-4751-1 | url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/judgmentofparisc00tabe | page=[https://archive.org/details/judgmentofparisc00tabe/page/32/mode/2up 32]|ref=Taber2005}}</ref><ref name="Misson_Grape">{{cite web| url=https://www.wine-blog.org/index.php/2011/03/17/the-mission-grape-played-a-major-role-in-california-wine-viticultural-history/ | title=The Mission Grape Played a Major Role in California Wine Viticultural History | author1=Diaz, Jo |website=Wine Blog  | date=March 17, 2011}}</ref>

California wine production grew steadily after [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Olmsted |first1=Kathryn |last2=Rauchway |first2=Eric |date=2024 |title=A New Deal for Wine |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-policy-history/article/new-deal-for-wine/32DF1F0C06DD712EF61C0CFC793B3131 |journal=Journal of Policy History |language=en |volume=36 |issue=3 |pages=260–280 |doi=10.1017/S0898030623000337 |issn=0898-0306|url-access=subscription }}</ref> but was known mostly for its [[sweetness of wine|sweet]], [[port wine|port-style]] and [[jug wine|jug]] wine products. As the market favored [[French wine|French brands]], California's [[table wine]] business grew modestly,<ref name="Taber pg40">[[#Taber2005|Taber (2005)]], p. [https://archive.org/details/judgmentofparisc00tabe/page/40/mode/2up 40].</ref> but quickly gained international prominence at the [[Judgment of Paris (wine)|Paris Wine Tasting of 1976]], when renowned French [[Oenophilia|oenophiles]], in a [[blind tasting]], ranked the California wines higher than the premier French labels in the [[Chardonnay|Chardonnay (white)]] and [[Cabernet Sauvignon|Cabernet Sauvignon (red)]] categories.<ref name="Taber pg216">[[#Taber2005|Taber (2005)]], pp. [https://archive.org/details/judgmentofparisc00tabe/page/216/mode/2up 216–220].</ref>  The result caused a [[Bottle Shock|'shock']] in viticulture industry since France was regarded as foremost producer of the world's finest table wines. This event contributed to expanding the recognition and prestige of vintners in the [[New World wine|New World]], specifically, the "Golden State".<ref name="BusWeek">{{cite news |author=Peterson, Thane| url=http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/may2001/nf2001058_228.htm |title=The Day California Wines Came of Age |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018051609/http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/may2001/nf2001058_228.htm |archive-date=October 18, 2007 |work=Business Week |date=May 8, 2001 |format=Movable Feast |access-date=July 19, 2006}}</ref>

The state produces about ninety percent of the [[American wine]] supply and is the fourth largest wine producer among the world's independent nations.<ref name="MacNeil pg 636-643">{{cite book |first=Karen |last=MacNeil | title=The Wine Bible | pages=[https://archive.org/details/winebible00kare/page/636/mode/2up 636–643] | publisher=Workman Publishing | year=2000 | isbn=978-1-56305-434-1 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/winebible00kare/ |ref=MacNeill2000}}</ref><ref name="Sotheby pg 462">{{cite book | last=Stevenson | first=Tom | year=2011 | title=Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia | edition=5th | publisher=Dorling Kindersley | page=[https://archive.org/details/newsothebyswinee0000stev/page/462/mode/2up 462] | isbn= 978-0-7566-8684-0 | url=https://archive.org/details/newsothebyswinee0000stev|ref=Sotheby2011}}</ref>  California has more than 4,200 wineries ranging from home-grown and small boutiques to large corporations with international distribution, and even more vineyards and growers, at close to 6,000.<ref name="MacNeil pg 636-643"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://discovercaliforniawines.com/media-trade/statistics/|title= Statistics - California Wine Profile 2021 |website=California Wine Institute}}</ref> [[Wine Country]], in Northern California, is an internationally recognized premier wine-growing region.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Califórnia é o novo paraíso dos vinhos {{!}} Exame |url=https://exame.com/casual/a-california-e-o-novo-paraiso-dos-vinhos/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241216192835/https://exame.com/casual/a-california-e-o-novo-paraiso-dos-vinhos/ |archive-date=December 16, 2024 |access-date=December 16, 2024 |website=[[Exame (magazine)|Exame]] |language=pt-br}}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|History of California wine}}
[[File:Vancouver-Carlos-mission.jpg|left|thumb|220px|[[Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo|Spanish mission of St. Carlos]] founded near [[Monterey, California|Monterey]]]]
The state of California was first introduced to ''[[Vitis vinifera]]'' vines, a species of wine grapes native to the Mediterranean region, in the 18th century by the Spanish missionaries, who planted vineyards with each [[Spanish missions in California|mission]] they established. The wine was used for religious [[Eucharist|sacraments]] as well as for daily life. [[Cutting (plant)|Cuttings]] from the vine of the "common black grape" (as it was known) brought to the [[New World]] by [[Hernán Cortés]] in 1520 were used to start the vineyards of [[Mexico]]. 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.<ref name="MacNeil pg 636-643"/>

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 newly growing wine industry took hold in [[Northern California]] around the counties of [[Sonoma County AVA|Sonoma]] and [[Napa Valley AVA|Napa]]. The first commercial winery in California, [[Buena Vista Winery]], was founded in 1857 by [[Agoston Haraszthy]] and is located in [[Sonoma, California]]. [[John Patchett]] opened the first commercial winery in the area that is now [[Napa County]] in 1859.<ref>{{Cite news
  | last = Brennen
  | first = Nancy
  | title = John Patchett: Introducing one of Napa's pioneers
  | work = [[Napa Valley Register]]
  | publisher = Lee Enterprises, Inc.
  | location = Napa, CA
  | date = November 21, 2010
  | url = https://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/real-napa/john-patchett-introducing-one-of-napa-s-pioneers/article_b2750390-f509-11df-9ea4-001cc4c03286.html
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180917175257/https://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/real-napa/john-patchett-introducing-one-of-napa-s-pioneers/article_b2750390-f509-11df-9ea4-001cc4c03286.html
  | archive-date = September 17, 2018
  | url-status = live
  | access-date = September 30, 2011}}</ref>  During this period some of California's oldest wineries were founded including [[Buena Vista Winery]], [[Gundlach Bundschu]], [[Inglenook Winery]], [[Markham Vineyards]] and [[Schramsberg Vineyards]]. [[Chinese immigration to the United States|Chinese immigrants]] played a prominent role in developing the Californian wine industry during this period - building wineries, planting vineyards, digging the [[wine cave|underground cellars]] and [[harvest (wine)|harvesting]] grapes. Some even assisted as [[winemaker]]s before the passing of the [[Chinese Exclusion Act (United States)|Chinese Exclusion Act]], which severely affected the Chinese community in favor of encouraging "white labor". By 1890, most of the Chinese workers were out of the wine industry.<ref name="MacNeil pg 636-643"/>

===Phylloxera and Prohibition===
The late 19th century also saw the advent of the [[phylloxera]] epidemic, a type of parasite similar to [[aphid]]s, which had already [[Great French Wine Blight|ravaged France and other European vineyards]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sollitto |first=André |date=March 3, 2024 |title=A região da Europa que se tornou o paraíso das vinhas velhas |url=https://veja.abril.com.br/gastronomia/a-regiao-da-europa-que-se-tornou-o-paraiso-das-vinhas-velhas |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526024454/https://veja.abril.com.br/gastronomia/a-regiao-da-europa-que-se-tornou-o-paraiso-das-vinhas-velhas |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |access-date=December 17, 2024 |website=[[Veja (magazine)|Veja]] |language=pt-BR}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|date=1972 |first=George |language=en |last=Ordish |publisher=Dent |title=The Great Wine Blight |isbn=978-0-460-03948-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6chJAAAAYAAJ}}<!-- auto-translated from Portuguese by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> Vineyards were destroyed, and many smaller operations went out of business. The remedy of [[grafting]] resistant American [[rootstock]] was well known, and the Californian wine industry was able to rebound quickly, utilizing the opportunity to expand the plantings of new [[List of grape varieties|grape varieties]]. By the turn of the 20th century, nearly 300 grape varieties were being grown in the state, supplying approximately 800 wineries.

Worldwide recognition seemed imminent until January 16, 1919, when the [[Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|18th Amendment]] ushered in the beginning of [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]]. 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. A few more were able to stay in operation to continue to provide churches [[sacramental wine]], an allowed exception to the Prohibition laws. By the time [[Repeal of Prohibition|Prohibition was repealed]] in 1933, only 140 wineries were still in operation.<ref name="MacNeil pg 636-643"/>

===Modern era===

[[File:Robert Mondavi entrance closeup.jpg|right|thumb|The Robert Mondavi Winery was designed to reflect the winemaking history of the Spanish missions.]]

The Californian wine industry slowly recovered from Prohibition. By the 1960s, it was primarily known for its [[sweetness of wine|sweet]] [[port wine|port-style]] wines made from [[Carignan]] and [[Thompson Seedless]] grapes and [[jug wine]]s. A new wave of vintners emerged ushering in a renaissance period in California wine production with techniques strengthening the grape production, fermentation and bottling processes. Several well-known wineries began in this decade, including [[Robert Mondavi]], [[Heitz Wine Cellars]], and [[David Bruce Winery]] in the [[Santa Cruz Mountains AVA|Santa Cruz Mountains]]. As the quality of Californian wine improved, the region started to receive international attention.  A [[wikt:Watershed|watershed]] event in the viticulture industry occurred in 1976 to celebrate the [[United States Bicentennial]]. [[United Kingdom|British]] wine connoisseur, merchant and founder of France's first private wine school, ''[[Academie du Vin|L'Academie du Vin]]'', [[Steven Spurrier (wine)|Steven Spurrier]], organized the [[Judgment of Paris (wine)|Paris Wine Tasting of 1976]] where renowned French [[oenophiles]] participated in a [[blind tasting]] to judge the best [[table wine|wines]] from [[Napa Valley AVA|California's wine regions]] and France's prestigious [[Bordeaux wine|Bordeaux]] and [[Burgundy wine|Burgundy]] regions.<ref name="Taber pg216"/> George Taber, the sole journalist who attended the event, penned the article "Judgment of Paris" in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine reporting the shocking results when the local judges ranked the California vintages higher than the premier French labels in both [[Chardonnay|Chardonnay (white)]] and [[Cabernet Sauvignon|Cabernet Sauvignon (red)]] categories. As Jim Barrett, general manager/part owner of [[Chateau Montelena]] whose 1973 Chardonnay ranked the [[Judgment of Paris (wine)#The results|highest]], said: "Not bad for kids from the sticks."<ref name="Time_1976">{{cite magazine |author-link=George M. Taber |author=Taber, George M. |title=Modern Living: Judgment of Paris|url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,947719,00.html |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=June 7, 1976 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151108131748/http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,947719,00.html | archive-date=November 8, 2015 | url-status=live}}</ref>  The 1976 event led to expanding the recognition and prestige of vintners in the New World, specifically, California.<ref name="BusWeek"/>

In 2010, it was reported that, for the first time in 16 years, California wine sales were down. This was not due to a decrease in drinking wine as much as it was a decrease in customers' willingness to spend large amounts on wine. Jon Fredrikson, president of Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates, said that although sales of $3 to $6 a bottle of wine and $9 to $12 wine had seen growth, sales of wine over $20 had stagnated. Much of this loss in the market was occurring in overseas sales, as opposed to U.S. sales in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |author=Bonné, Jon |title=Why California wines aren't selling |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/wine/detail?blogid=54&entry_id=56321 |work=SFGate.com |date=January 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729141150/https://blog.sfgate.com/wine/2010/01/29/why-california-wines-arent-selling/| archive-date=July 29, 2017}}</ref> California wine export volume has shown impressive growth and demonstrating increased popularity in a highly competitive global market. Its vintages continue to perform around the world, especially in Southeast Asia, Mexico and the EU. California vintners represent 80% of U.S. wine production and 95% of U.S. wine exports. Honore Comfort, Wine Institute vice president of international marketing commented, "...there is no doubt that California wines will remain a top choice for wine drinkers around the world."<ref name="Exports_Wine_Institute">{{cite web |author1=DiCaro, Gino |title=California Wine Exports Resilient in Global Markets, Led by Strong Growth in Mexico, Key Asian Markets and the EU |url=https://wineinstitute.org/press-releases/california-wine-exports-resilient-in-global-markets-led-by-strong-growth-in-mexico-key-asian-markets-and-the-eu/ |website=Wine Institute |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231120022013/https://wineinstitute.org/press-releases/california-wine-exports-resilient-in-global-markets-led-by-strong-growth-in-mexico-key-asian-markets-and-the-eu/ |archive-date=2023-11-20 |location=San Francisco |format=Despite market challenges, California’s global wine sales on the rise |date=2023-03-21 |url-status=live}}</ref> Demand for U.S. wine began to flatten in 2018 but [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]] distorted sales and shipments as consumers temporarily bought more.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Morgan |first=Tyne |date=August 14, 2024 |title=Grape Growers Desperately Need You to Drink More Wine as They Grapple With a Glut of Uncontracted Grapes |url=https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/harvest/grape-growers-desperately-need-you-drink-more-wine-they-grapple-glut |work=AgWeb}}</ref> In 2024, as much as 500,000 tons of grapes went unharvested as demand decreased.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yurong |first=Dale |date=2024-10-12 |title=Growers consider removing vineyards as wine consumption declines |url=https://abc30.com/post/growers-consider-removing-vineyards-wine-consumption-declines/15419172/ |access-date=2024-10-15 |website=ABC30 Fresno |language=en}}</ref>

==Climate and geography==
{{See also|Geography of California}}
[[File:Digital-elevation-map-california.png|left|thumb|Landmass and elevations of California]]
California is a very geologically diverse region and varies greatly in the range of climates and ''[[terroir]]s'' that can be found. Most of the state's wine regions are found between the [[Pacific coast]] and the [[Central Valley (California)|Central Valley]]. The Pacific Ocean and large bays, like [[San Francisco Bay|San Francisco]] and [[Monterey Bay]]s, serve as tempering influences to the wine regions nearby providing cool winds and [[fog]] that balance the heat and sunshine.<ref name="MacNeil pg 636-643"/> While [[drought]] can be a vinicultural hazard, most areas of California receive sufficient amounts of rainfall with the annual precipitation in regions north of [[San Francisco]] between {{convert|24|and(-)|45|in|mm|0}} and southern areas receiving {{convert|13|to(-)|20|in|mm|0}}. Winters are mild with little threat of [[frost]] damage though springtime. To curb the threat of frost, vineyard owners will often employ the use of wind machines, sprinklers and [[smudge pot]]s to protect the vines.<ref name="Oxford pg 126-127">{{cite book|editor-first=Jancis|editor-last=Robinson|title=The Oxford Companion to Wine|edition=3|pages=[https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00janc/page/126 126–127]|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2006|isbn=978-0-19-860990-2|url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00janc/page/126}}</ref>

While California's wine regions can be generally classified as a [[Mediterranean climate (wine)|Mediterranean climate]], there are also regions with more [[continental climate (wine)|continental dry climates]]. Proximity to the Pacific and unobstructed access to the coastal [[wind]] and [[fog]] dictates the relative coolness of a wine region.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Clarke |first1=Oz |title=Wine atlas: wines and wine regions of the world |last2=Gage |first2=Keith |last3=Gage |first3=Sue |date=2007 |publisher=Pavilion |isbn=978-1-86205-782-1 |edition=Rev. and updated |location=London}}</ref> Areas surrounded by [[mountain]] barriers, like some parts of [[Sonoma County, California|Sonoma]] and [[Napa County, California|Napa]] counties will be warmer due to the lack of this cooling influence. The soil types and landforms of California vary greatly, having been influenced by the [[plate tectonics]] of the [[North American Plate|North American]] and [[Pacific Plate]]s. 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 Area]]s.<ref name="Oxford pg 126-127"/>

===Water and irrigation===
The average vineyard in California uses 318 gallons of water to produce a single gallon of wine through [[irrigation]]. The average depends, in part, on the region where the grapes are grown, with 243 gallons of water per wine gallon in the North Coast region to 471 gallons per on the Central Coast.<ref>{{cite news |last=Heller |first=Marc |url=https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060787567 |title=Water shortages force a reckoning in Calif. wine country |work=E&E News |publisher=Environment & Energy Publishing, LLC |date=July 25, 2019 |access-date=July 29, 2019 }}</ref>

==Wine regions==
[[File:California wine region map en.JPG|right|thumb|250px|General locations of California's wine regions]]
California has over {{convert|427000|acre|km2}} planted under vines mostly located in a stretch of land covering over {{convert|700|mi|km}} from [[Mendocino County wine|Mendocino County]] to the southwestern tip of [[Riverside County, California|Riverside County]]. There are  147 [[American Viticultural Areas]] (AVAs), including the well-known [[Napa Valley AVA|Napa]], [[Russian River Valley AVA|Russian River Valley]], [[Rutherford AVA|Rutherford]] and [[Sonoma Valley AVA]]s. The Central Valley is California's largest [[List of wine producing regions|wine region]] stretching for {{convert|300|mi|km}} from the [[Sacramento Valley]] south to the [[San Joaquin Valley]]. This one region produces nearly 75% of all California wine grapes and includes many of California's bulk, [[box wine|box]] and [[jug wine]] producers like Gallo, [[Franzia]] and [[Bronco Wine Company]].<ref name="MacNeil pg 636-643"/>

California is often divided into four main regions:<ref name="Sotheby pg 469-473">{{cite book|first=Tom|last=Stevenson|title=Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia|pages=[https://archive.org/details/sothebyswineency00stev/page/469 469–473]|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|year=2007|edition=4|isbn=978-0-7566-3164-2|url=https://archive.org/details/sothebyswineency00stev/page/469}}</ref>
* '''North Coast''' – Includes most of [[North Coast, California]], north of San Francisco Bay. The large [[North Coast AVA]] covers most of the region. Notable wine regions include historical [[Napa Valley wine|Napa]] and [[Sonoma County wine|Sonoma Counties]] with the  AVAs within them. [[Mendocino County wine|Mendocino]] and [[Lake County wine|Lake Counties]] also reside in this region.
* '''Central Coast''' – Includes most of the [[Central Coast of California]] and the area surrounding San Francisco Bay extending south through the renowned [[Monterey County wine|Monterey]], [[San Luis Obispo County wine|San Luis Obispo]] and [[Santa Barbara County wine|Santa Barbara Counties]]. The vast [[Central Coast AVA]] encompasses the area containing notable wine regions [[Livermore Valley AVA]], [[Santa Clara Valley AVA]], [[San Francisco Bay AVA]], [[Santa Cruz Mountains AVA]], [[Monterey AVA]], [[Paso Robles AVA]], [[SLO Coast AVA]], [[Santa Maria Valley AVA]] and [[Santa Ynez Valley AVA]].
* '''South Coast''' – Includes portion of [[Southern California]], namely the coastal regions south of [[Los Angeles]] down to the border with Mexico. Notable wine regions in this area include [[Temecula Valley AVA]], [[Antelope Valley of the California High Desert AVA|Antelope Valley]]/[[Leona Valley AVA]], [[San Pasqual Valley AVA]] and [[Ramona Valley AVA]]. Local vintiers recently succeeded to have the [[San Luis Rey AVA|San Luis Rey]] established as a viticultural area.<ref name="San_Luis_Rey_Establish">{{cite journal |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-08-30/pdf/2024-19578.pdf | journal=[[Federal Register]] | title=Establishment of the San Luis Rey Viticultural Area | publisher=[[Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau | Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)]], [[United States Department of the Treasury|Treasury]]|format=27 CFR Part 9 [Docket No. TTB–2023–0007; T.D. TTB–195; Re: Notice No. 225] RIN 1513–AD03 Final Rule | volume=89 |issue=169 |pages=70487–70490 |date=2024-08-30}}{{PD-notice}}</ref>
* '''Central Valley''' – Includes [[Central Valley (California)|California's Central Valley]] and the [[Sierra Foothills AVA]]. Notable wine regions in this area include the [[Lodi AVA|Lodi]], [[Madera AVA|Madera]] and [[Squaw Valley-Miramonte AVA]]s.

==Grapes and wines==
[[File:California Zin.jpg|left|thumb|A California Zinfandel]]
Over one hundred grape varieties are grown in California including [[French wine|French]], [[Italian wine|Italian]] and [[Spanish wine|Spanish]]  as well as [[hybrid grape]]s and new ''Vitis vinifera'' varieties developed at the [[UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology]]. The seven leading grape varieties are:<ref name="MacNeil pg 636-643"/>
* [[Cabernet Sauvignon]]
* [[Chardonnay]]
* [[Merlot]]
* [[Pinot noir]]
* [[Sauvignon blanc]]
* [[Syrah]]
* [[Zinfandel]]

Other important red wine grapes include [[Barbera]], [[Cabernet Franc]], [[Carignan]], [[Grenache]], [[Malbec]], [[Mourvèdre]], [[Petite Sirah]], [[Petit Verdot]], [[Sangiovese]], and [[Tannat]]. Important white wine varietals include [[Chenin blanc]], [[French Colombard]], [[Gewürztraminer]], [[Marsanne]], [[Muscat Canelli]], [[Pinot blanc]], [[Pinot gris]], [[Riesling]], [[Roussane]], [[Sémillon]], [[Trousseau gris]], and [[Viognier]].<ref name="MacNeil pg 644-651">[[#MacNeill2000|MacNeil (2000)]], pp.[https://archive.org/details/winebible00kare/page/664 644–651]</ref>

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{{Citation needed|date=October 2019}} with the familiarity of these wines. Groups of winemakers like [[Rhône Rangers]] and a new wave of Italian winemakers dubbed "Cal-Ital" reinvigorated the industry with new wine styles made from different varieties like Syrah, Viognier, Sangiovese and Pinot grigio. The Santa Cruz-based [[Bonny Doon Vineyard]] was one of the first wineries to promote these grape varieties in California actively. The large variety of wine grapes also encourages a large variety of wines. California produces wines made in nearly every single known wine style including [[sparkling wine|sparkling]], [[dessert wine|dessert]] and [[fortified wine]]s.<ref name="MacNeil pg 636-643"/> In the early 21st century, vintners have begun reviving [[Heirloom variety|heirloom grape varieties]], such as [[Trousseau gris]] and [[Valdiguié]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2013/07/24/california-wine-gets-back-to-its-roots/ |title=California wine gets back to its roots |work=CNN|author1=van der Vink, Julia |date=July 23, 2013 |access-date=July 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140216130413/http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2013/07/24/california-wine-gets-back-to-its-roots/ |archive-date=February 16, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===New World wine styles===
[[File:Barrel fermented California Chard.jpg|right|thumb|A barrel-fermented California Chardonnay.]]
While Californian winemakers do craft wines in more "Old World" or European wine styles, most Californian wines favor simpler, more fruit dominant [[New World wine]]s. The reliably warm weather allows many wineries to use [[very ripe fruit (wine)|very ripe fruit]] which creates a more [[fruit forward]] rather than earthy or mineralic style of wine. It also creates the opportunity for higher [[alcohol level]]s with many Californian wines having over 13.5 percent alcohol content. The style of Californian Chardonnay differs greatly from wines like [[Chablis (wine)|Chablis]] with Californian winemakers frequently using [[malolactic fermentation]] and [[oak (wine)|oak]] aging to make buttery, full bodied wines.<ref name="MacNeil pg 636-643"/> Californian Sauvignon blancs are not as herbaceous as wines from the [[Loire Valley (wine)|Loire Valley]] or [[New Zealand wine|New Zealand]] and are more acidic. Some Sauvignon blanc are given 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.<ref name="MacNeil pg 644-651"/>

[[File:California Sauvignon blanc.jpg|left|thumb|A Sauvignon blanc from California.]]
The style of California Cabernet Sauvignon that first put California on the world's wine map at the [[Judgment of Paris (wine)|Judgment of Paris]] is still a trademark style today. The wines are known for their concentration of fruits which produces lush, rich wines. 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, when planted on better sites tend to produce a plush, concentrated style. The profile of Californian Pinot noir generally takes on a more intense, fruity style than the subtler, more elegant wines of Burgundy or [[Oregon wine|Oregon]]. Until being passed up 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]]. Despite being made from the same grape, the only similarity between White and Red Zinfandel is the name. Zinfandel is a powerful, fruity wine with high levels of acidity and a jam-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.<ref name="MacNeil pg 644-651"/>

===Sparkling and dessert wines===
[[File:Domaine Carneros sparkling wines.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Sparkling wines produced by [[Domaine Carneros]]]]
California sparkling wine traces its roots to Sonoma in the 1880s with the founding of [[Korbel Champagne Cellars]]. The Korbel brothers made sparkling wine according to the ''[[méthode champenoise]]'' from Riesling, [[Chasselas]], [[Muscatel]] and [[Traminer]]. Today most California sparkling wine is largely made from the same grapes used in [[Champagne (wine)|Champagne]]: Chardonnay, Pinot noir and some [[Pinot Meunier]]. 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 [[E & J Gallo Winery|Gallo]]'s Andre brand or [[Constellation Brands]]' Cook's, will use the [[Charmat method]].<ref name="MacNeil pg 652-657">[[#MacNeill2000|MacNeil (2000)]], pp.[https://archive.org/details/winebible00kare/page/652 652–667].</ref>

The potential for quality sparkling wine has attracted [[Champagne (wine region)|Champagne houses]] to open up wineries in California. These include [[Moët et Chandon]]'s [[Domaine Chandon California]], [[Taittinger]]'s Domaine Carneros and [[Louis Roederer]]'s [[Roederer Estate]]. 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.<ref name="MacNeil pg 652-657"/>

Since the wine renaissance of the 1960s, the quality of California's [[dessert wine|dessert]] and [[fortified wine]]s have been dramatically improved. [[Beringer Vineyards|Beringer]] was one of the first to create a [[botrytized]] wine from [[Sauvignon blanc]] and [[Sémillon]]. Though unlike in [[Sauternes (wine)|Sauternes]], Beringer's wine was made of grapes regularly harvested and then introduced at the winery to ''Botrytis cinerea'' spores created in a laboratory. Since then California winemakers in places like the [[Anderson Valley AVA]] have found vineyards where this [[noble rot]] can occur naturally on the grapes. The Anderson and [[Alexander Valley AVA]]s have also developed a reputation for their [[Late Harvest wine]]s made from Riesling. Several French and Italian style [[Muscat (grape and wine)|Muscat]] wines are produced throughout California and are known for their intense aromatics and balanced acidity. The port-style wines in California are often made from the traditional [[Portuguese wine]] grapes like [[Touriga Nacional]], [[Tinta Cão]] and [[Tinta Roriz]]. Some uniquely Californian styles are also made from Zinfandel and Petite Sirah.<ref name="MacNeil pg 652-657"/>

== In popular culture ==
Due to its significance and influence in the U.S. market, California wine has been frequently referenced in various cultural productions:

=== Literature ===

* ''[[The Grapes of Wrath]]'': John Steinbeck's 1939 novel evokes the hardships of the [[Great Depression]] faced by rural workers, with California as its backdrop, including mentions of the region's vineyards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Grapes-of-Wrath|title=The Grapes of Wrath {{!}} Summary, Assessment, & Facts {{!}} Britannica|date=2024-10-25|access-date=2024-12-18|website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241215091459/https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Grapes-of-Wrath|archive-date=2024-12-15|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.macrobertandcanals.com/en/10634-2/|title=John Steinbeck: The Grapes of Wrath|date=2023-02-23|access-date=2024-12-18|website=MacRobert and Canals|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240908131413/https://www.macrobertandcanals.com/en/10634-2/|archive-date=2024-09-08|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Film ===

* ''[[Sideways]]'': This film not only highlighted California's wine country but also significantly influenced public taste for Pinot Noir.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wienscellars.com/pop-cultures-influence-on-wine-regions/|title=Pop Culture’s Influence on Wine Regions - Wiens Cellars|date=2024-05-31|access-date=2024-12-18|website=Wiens Cellars|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241218135219/https://www.wienscellars.com/pop-cultures-influence-on-wine-regions/|archive-date=2024-12-18|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Hartke|first=Kristen|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/07/05/535038513/the-sideways-effect-how-a-wine-obsessed-film-reshaped-the-industry|title='The Sideways Effect': How A Wine-Obsessed Film Reshaped The Industry|date=2017-07-05|access-date=2024-12-18|website=[[National Public Radio]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705203211/https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/07/05/535038513/the-sideways-effect-how-a-wine-obsessed-film-reshaped-the-industry|archive-date=2017-07-05|url-status=live}}</ref>
* ''[[Bottle Shock]]'': This movie portrays the emergence of Napa Valley's wine industry during the 1970s, focusing on California's Chateau Montelena's historic victory at the 1976 Judgment of Paris, which established the region as a premier wine producer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.napavalley.com/blog/bottle-shock-movie-fact-vs-fiction/|title=Bottle Shock: Fact vs. Fiction {{!}} Napa Valley|date=2024-02-21|access-date=2024-12-18|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621141440/https://www.napavalley.com/blog/bottle-shock-movie-fact-vs-fiction/|archive-date=2024-06-21|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishnews.com.br/materias/2013/02/28/72303-o-julgamento-de-paris-a-vida-parece-um-filme|title=O Julgamento de Paris – A Vida Parece Um Filme|date=2013-02-28|access-date=2024-12-18|website=PublishNews|language=pt-br|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031110411/https://www.publishnews.com.br/materias/2013/02/28/72303-o-julgamento-de-paris-a-vida-parece-um-filme|archive-date=2020-10-31|url-status=live}}</ref>
* ''[[The Grapes of Wrath (film)|The Grapes of Wrath]]'': A 1940 film adaptation of Steinbeck's novel.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Froehlich|first=Cliff|url=https://www.stlpr.org/arts-culture/2014-03-31/reflection-vintage-wine-of-the-grapes-of-wrath-remains-fresh-and-piquant|title=Reflection: Vintage Wine Of ‘The Grapes Of Wrath’ Remains Fresh And Piquant|date=2014-04-01|access-date=2024-12-18|website=STLPR|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204005534/https://www.stlpr.org/arts-culture/2014-03-31/reflection-vintage-wine-of-the-grapes-of-wrath-remains-fresh-and-piquant|archive-date=2023-12-04|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Music ===

* "[[Sweet Virginia]]" by [[The Rolling Stones]]: Featured on the 1972 album ''[[Exile on Main St.]]'', the song by [[Mick Jagger]] and [[Keith Richards]] expresses gratitude for California's wine production.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Connelly|first=Jim|url=https://medialoper.com/certain-songs-2067-the-rolling-stones-sweet-virginia/|title=Certain Songs #2067: The Rolling Stones - 'Sweet Virginia'|date=2021-03-25|access-date=2024-12-18|website=Medialoper|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523091053/https://medialoper.com/certain-songs-2067-the-rolling-stones-sweet-virginia/|archive-date=2024-05-23|url-status=live}}</ref>
* "[[Hotel California]]" by [[Eagles (band)|Eagles]]: Released in 1976, the song references "pink champagne on ice", symbolizing California's luxurious and hedonistic atmosphere, tied to the state's wine culture.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/the-story-behind-the-song-hotel-california/|title=The Story Behind 'Hotel California'|date=2024-05-05|access-date=2024-12-18|website=UDiscover Music|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505000000/https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/the-story-behind-the-song-hotel-california/|archive-date=2024-05-05|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Wine|California}}
{{Culture of California}}
{{Category see also|LABEL=''See also''|California wine|Wineries in California}}
* [[Agriculture in California]]
* [[California Association of Winegrape Growers]]
* [[California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control]]
* [[Wine Country]]
* [[Wine Institute (California)|Wine Institute]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
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{{Commons}}
* [http://www.discovercaliforniawine.com Discover California Wine] - [[California Wine Institute]]
* [https://wineinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CA-AVAs_FINAL-FOR-WEBSITE_8.31.2023.pdf American Viticultural Areas of California (Source: Wine Institute using Federal Register)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070206005216/http://www.winefiles.org/ WineFiles.org] - publicly searchable archives of the Sonoma County wine library
* [https://www.ttb.gov/ava  TTB AVA Map]
{{American wine}}
{{Agriculture in the United States}}
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[[Category:California wine| ]]