![]() wine exports, more than 95% from California, reached $1.29 billion in winery revenues and 377 million liters (41.9 million cases) in 2020, according to Wine Institute using Trade Data Monitor. Total exports were up 1.1% in volume and down 6.4% in value versus the prior year. ![]() Orfila in the bucolic hills of Escondido is leading the way with superb Pinot, Sangiovese, and Zinfandel, while Hawkwatch in the high altitude Warner Springs is one to watch with its delicious Rhône and Bordeaux styles.US Wine Exports Total $1.29 Billion in 2020 Wine varieties here are as eclectic as almost every other AVA along the micro-climate-rich coast. With 115 wineries, mostly smaller, family-run affairs dedicated to quality, San Diego’s boutique wine scene is in the midst of doing just that. Grapes, however, are being grown all over this sprawling area, up from glistening sea level into the cool mountains at over 4,000 feet.įor San Diego, it’s been a matter of refocusing attention on the south of the state after the riotous success of the north. Today, there are two AVA’s entirely within San Diego County – Ramona County and the more established San Pasqual Valley. One of the state’s most historic wine counties, vines were first planted in California in 1769 at Mission San Diego De Alcala, now a part of the city of San Diego. Tablas Creek is particularly symbolic of the success of this French-American fusion: a trailblazing vineyard partnership between French winemakers the Perrins and the American Hass family. Southern Rhône-style wines tend to be blends of varietals hailing from that region – think Grenache, Syrah or Viognier – and offer spice and intensity in the glass. Add in geology similar to the Rhône Valley in France, and it was only a matter of time before the Rhône Rangers – as the US producer-advocates of these Old World grapes are known – rode into town. Paso Robles enjoys cooler, wetter conditions than many areas in the state, especially in the higher elevation Adelaida District. Located in easygoing San Luis Obispo County, vine cultivation here dates back to the Spanish missionaries. This breadth of quality, as well as the town’s charming historic area, has made Paso Robles (or “Paso” to its locals) one of the best wine regions in California to explore. Napa CountyĪs a longstanding destination for quality Zinfandel, Paso Robles – south of Monterey and about an hour from popular Hearst Castle – has also managed to develop a reputation for excellent Rhône-style wines. Here’s a north-to-south guide to the best California wine regions and what else to see and do between tastings. You’ll find flights waiting for you in the expansive tasting rooms of historic family-owned estates or on the barrel tables of fledgling operations working out of converted barns. However, coastal American Viticultural Areas (prime grape-growing land parcels) in particular have ideal conditions for the growth of straw-yellow Chardonnay and ruby Pinot Noir. You’ll find an abundant variety of grapes grown from its arid south to misty north. Its abundance of sunshine and minimal risk of frost ensure an extensive fruiting season. If taken alone from the rest of the USA, the state is the world’s fourth-largest producer of wine in the world (after Italy, Spain, and France). The winning bottles are now stored in the Smithsonian Museum, but don’t fret: California has plenty more. ![]() However the undeniable quality of a Californian Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Stags Leap – both Napa Valley labels – paved the way for the greatest upset in wine history. ![]()
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