Located along the western coast of the United States, California has emerged as one of the leading wine regions in the world, renowned for its geographical diversity and the wide range of grape varieties cultivated. With approximately 250,000 hectares of vineyards and an annual production of about 17 million hectoliters of wine, California is the primary wine-producing area in the United States, accounting for 90% of the country’s total production, with a steady growth over time.
California boasts exceptional terrain and climate, allowing for the cultivation of a wide range of grape varieties. The most important Californian American Viticultural Areas (AVA) define a variety of microclimates and terroirs that influence wine production.
Chardonnay is the most representative and widely cultivated grape variety in the region, while among black grape varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon is the most predominant, followed by Zinfandel (known as Primitivo in Italy), Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.
In conclusion, Californian wines embody the land and climate that produce them: sunny, embracing, powerful, and of high quality.
Let’s take a closer look at the production areas:
1.North Coast
With one of the coolest climates in our state, this region is home to more than half of california’s wineries, including many of most celebrated.
2.Central Coast
Grapes here are among the oldest in the state, planted by Franciscan monks as they made their way north on El Camino Real in the late 1700s.
3.Sierra Foothills
Beautiful scenery pairs well with a glass of wine. Local vineyards in the Sierra Foothills serve up wines of abundant flavor and variety.
4.Inland Valleys
California’s sunny inland valleys are great for grapes. This region is also one of the most fertile farmlands in the world.
5.Southern California
The stars of southern California wine share the blue skies and sunshine of our famous beaches, but the lifestyle is more serene.
6.Far North California
There’s no shortage of beauty as you approach California’s northern border, with rocky rambling coastlines and teeming wildlife.
Interview with Marco Tiggelman – Program Manager Europe California wines
“In California’s diverse wine landscape, a modern rosé inspired by Provence is making a notable appearance.”
Marco Tiggelman
So what is the difference between theses areas from the North to South?
Their geology is very different. In California due to volcanic soils, there’s a lot of tectonic movement between different plates on the Pacific side and in the countryside. And also the Pacific Ocean exerts a lot of influence from the maritime climate that comes from the north, from the Alaska area and the Poles. There are big cold currents all the way down to California. So the beaches are actually quite cold in California.
So how many kinds of grapes do you we have in California?
We have about 110 or 120 different grape varieties. A lot of them planted to Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon Zinfandel as to it’s a local grape variety in California, similar to the Primitivo you have in Italy.
But we have different grape varieties. We also have a lot of the older French varieties, like Marsanne, Roussanne. We have Riesling and different kinds of soils and different kinds of terroir. So we produce a lot.
And how many bottles you produce and export?
Oh, that’s a lot. Too much to count. But we are in fact, I think we’re the fourth largest producer in the world after Italy, France and Spain.
And we have about 250,000 hectares on vineyards. So it’s an important part. But the majority of the wines that we produce in the US that stays in California, we export less than 10% to the world.
