An Introduction to California Wineries
Introduction
California is the largest and most important wine region in the USA. It accounts for the southern two-thirds of the country's west coast and spans almost ten degrees of latitude. With mountains, valleys, plains and plateaus, California's topography is as complex as its climate, offering winegrowers an abundant number of terroir (soils) from which to grow grapes and produce a diverse variety of wines.
Today, California hosts some of the world's largest wine companies and is also home to hundreds of boutique wineries, some of which attract astronomical prices for their vintages. Whether through mass production or single-vineyard artisanal winemaking, California produces 90 percent of American-made wine, supplies more than 60 percent of all wine consumed in the country, and is home to 43% of American wineries.
About California Winery Guides
How Our Wineries Guide Works
Our easy to use and comprehensive winery guide for the 21st century that has no equal. We believe you’re the best critic, so we provide you with the most essential and up-to-date information for each winery so you can make your own decisions. As to which wineries we list? We list all of them, provided they have “posted” and “defined” tasting schedules and meet the criteria below.
The 9 Wine Regions of California
This California wineries guidebook is part of a series of guidebooks covering the nine wine growing regions in California. In many wine enthusiast circles, there’s a consensus on the boundaries of some of the wine region—but for others, there is no unifying consensus.
Wineries Guidebook Promotion and Updates
Please note for every winery who actively promotes our winery guides to their guests, membership, subscribers, etc.—will receive a free epub and pdf version every year for as long as they continue do this. All that’s required is to proudly display your region’s wineries guidebook in a visible location in your tasting room as pictured above.
California Wine History & Industry
The California wine industry literally put down its roots in 1769, when Padre Junipero Serra began his chain of missions in San Diego by planting grape seeds and vines. Eventually it stretched to Sonoma, more than 650 miles to the north.
The Modern Wine Industry
There are now more than 100 grape varieties grown in California, including a mix of the most popular French, Italian and Spanish grapes. Moreover, California wineries now produce all types of wine, including sparkling, dessert and fortified wines.
American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in California
In the United States, the legal term for a wine appellation is an American Viticultural Area, or AVA, and corresponds to a unique geographical grapegrowing area that has officially been given appellation status by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ABC).
California Wine Regions
California wine country is a big draw for luxury travelers, according to a new report from the Wine Institute. Between its stunning fruit-filled vineyards and wealth of standout sips, it’s no secret why California is such a popular destination for wine lovers.
Highlights
The profile of the California wine country visitor is consistent with wine drinker demographics. The average age of visitors to California wine country is 43.9 years old, with Baby Boomers accounting for 39.5 percent, Gen Xers 21.9 percent and Millennials 36.1 percent.
Climate & Soil
Have you ever wondered how this sun-kissed state is able to produce such a wide array of high-quality wines? The terroir and geography differ considerably throughout the state, ranging from warm inland valleys to cooler coastal areas.
California winegrowing conditions are governed by proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Cold ocean air turns to fog as it moves up the valleys to cool the land. The cycle of hot days followed by cool, foggy nights lengthens the ripening period and increases the flavor intensity of grapes.
