An iconic American barn in a Napa Valley vineyard.

The famous 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting, when a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa won top place over Grand Cru white Burgundy and Premier Cru Bordeaux, firmly sealed Napa’s ambition to be recognized as one of the premier wine regions of the world. Since that heady day, this 30-mile long valley hasn’t let the side down, now counting a lion’s share of the most prestigious U.S. estates between its low flanking ranges.

Put simply, Napa is home to some of the world’s greatest Cabernet/Merlot and Chardonnay wines, with a fine smattering of Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and others for good measure. Names like Duckhorn, Heitz, Frog’s Leap, Joseph Phelps, Quintessa, Beaulieu, Opus One, Harlan, Stag’s Leap, Shafer, Screaming Eagle and many others beside roll off the tongue, pointing to the quality and diversity of styles contained within this legendary strip of vines.

Prices often match the celebrity attached to the most feted labels. Dubbed ‘Blue Chip’ wines, with tiny volumes of production and waiting lists to actually become a customer, only the lucky (and wealthy) few will ever taste some of these most sought-after wines. Though never cheap, fortunately Napa also produces some rather more widely-sold wines that encapsulate the heady mix of concentration and elegance that this region delivers so well.

At first, driving up the valley from the city of Napa to Calistoga at the northern end, the pretty, vine-clad countryside appears fairly uniform to the average sightseeing eye. But this gentle impression belies the dramatic difference in microclimates, soils and positioning of vines that accounts for the surprisingly varied possibilities for wine. Napa also benefits from a longish history, being first developed by German winemakers such as Krug and Beringer in the late 19th century and since then has continued to explore and develop the very best sites for its vines.

To the south, where the valley broadens out towards the Carneros region, cool coastal influences mean that Pinot Noir and Chardonnay dominate, producing restrained, complex wines. As you move north up the valley the climate warms and so Cabernet and Merlot come into their element. On the broader valley floor, these varieties tend to deliver richer, more velvety styles, while the vineyards that creep up the cooler hillsides produce wines with greater structure and tannin. Within this broad generalization, though, are hotspots and cool spots for wine. These most famously including the warm Rutherford and Oakville benches, well-drained fans of alluvial soil that stretch out across the valley and home to some of the most famous estates, plus the undulating geography of Stags Leap, and cooler, higher altitude vineyards like those of Howell Mountain which can produce beautifully aromatic wines.  [ top ]

Rolling vineyards pepper the Sonoma countryside.

If Napa is rightly considered to be the slick prima donna of California wine, then its near neighbor Sonoma must count as its bucolic country cousin. First planted by Italian farmers such as Seghesio and Pedroncelli, much of the current vinescape however remained primarily an orchard landscape of walnuts, almonds, pears and prunes right into the early 1970s, with many of the existing vineyards geared to bulk wines. However, Sonoma’s potential to produce high quality wines became increasingly apparent as names like Kistler, Clos du Bois, Peter Michael, Sonoma-Cutrer, Arrowood, Ravenswood, La Crema, Flowers, Marimar Torres, Gallo Sonoma and others established their reputations in the region. Sonoma retains a pretty, rural feel but a tour of the region leaves one in no doubt as to the diversity it offers.

Sonoma County and the broad Sonoma Coast appellation are in fact home to several AVAs or distinct sub-regions within regions, of which Sonoma Valley, Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley and Dry Creek Valley are perhaps the best known. To varying degrees, the cool coastal fogs and breezes that roll in across this charming region help define the styles of wine and varieties grown. And, as such a diverse region, it benefits from being able to deliver a myriad of styles at prices to suit most palates and wallets.

Towards the south of the Sonoma Valley itself, the cooling fogs and ocean breezes deliver a climate that favors poised, fresh Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot, with Zinfandel also delivering a tighter, black fruit style that can be very appealing. Beyond the fog line, towards the slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains to the east, Cabernets and Zinfandels show themselves to be concentrated, sun-ripened, ebullient wines.

To the north lie the Russian River, Dry Creek and Alexander valleys, which vary enormously in their climate, elevation and soils. Russian River Valley is the most famous, not least for its succulent, strawberryish, ripe Pinot Noirs which benefit from a long ripening time on the vine courtesy of those famous Pacific fogs that roll up the valley. Chardonnay does well here too, with Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc also liking the cooler climate, while Zinfandel weighs in with juicy, ripe aplomb in the warmer eastern end of the valley.

North of Russian River, Dry Creek is generally warmer, with herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc and Rhône varietals among the styles that work best, plus juicy Zinfandel in the hotter parts. To the east, running off towards Napa, Alexander Valley is further still from the maritime influences yet its warmer climate delivers some excellent, fruit-packed Chardonnays and Sauvignons, plus bold and juicy Cabernets. The real feather in its cap, though, must be the intense, powerful, juice-laden Zinfandel produced around the hot heart of the region at Geyserville where Ridge makes one of the most famous and accomplished examples of this wonderful, all-American wine.  [ top ]

A Gold Rush era roundhouse keeps vigil over this Mendocino County vineyard.

Some 90 miles north of San Francisco, swathed in impressive redwood forests and boasting a ruggedly wild feeling coastline, Mendocino feels a world away from its immediate southern neighbors of Napa and Sonoma. First established by Italians in the 1860s, Mendocino’s fledgling wine industry was all but wiped out during Prohibition and it was really only with the creation of Fetzer in 1968 that this region began to regenerate. It is now home to several wineries large and small, including fellow big player Kendall-Jackson, and is used as a source of quality fruit by companies ranging from Mondavi and Gallo to Beringer and Duckhorn.

Climatically, and so also in terms of wine, Mendocino can be roughly divided in three, with cool coastal spots contrasting with the heat further inland and also the fog-free heights of the coastal mountains. The cooler spots, including the celebrated Anderson Valley, are chilled as air from the Pacific Ocean floods into the valley floors. Here lean, aromatic Pinot Noir and Chardonnay create the buzz, being used to produce some of California’s best sparkling wines. French Champagne house Roederer has a high quality operation here and many wineries from further south buy in fruit for their top sparkling wines.

It’s all change as you rise up on to the ridges above the valley. Here, on the Mendocino Ridge, the sun shines strong above the fog line and vineyard elevations of 1,300 to 2,200 feet ensure that fresh days are balanced with cooler nights, delivering aromatic and vibrantly intense qualities to the wines. Zinfandel, Pinot Noir and Syrah are among the varieties that are proving their mettle in this exciting, recently created AVA.

Further inland, and away from the Anderson Valley, the story changes again. The height of the coastal range blocks out the cool ocean air and the thermometer rises. Ripe, bold Cabernet Sauvignon and big rich Zinfandels best express the climate, with varieties like Syrah and Grenache and even Italian varieties also now delivering very encouraging results. Whites, too, have made their mark, generally further to the south where the Russian River meanders down towards Sonoma and some cooler ocean air still penetrates up the valley. On the white front, Mendocino is best known for crisp, fresh Chardonnay, but the promise of varieties as diverse as Viognier, Gewürztraminer and Arneis have captured various winemaker’s attention.   [ top ]

Lush Cabernet Sauvignon grapes readying for crush in a Livermore, California vineyard.

Diversity and value are two words that spring to mind when considering the wines from around San Francisco’s Bay area and south to Monterey. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel all feature prominently here, as do varieties like the spicy Syrah, which leads the ‘Rhone Rangers’ movement that has swept the Central Coast. Creamy textured Pinot Noir, fruity Sauvignon Blanc and ripe Semillon can also be very good. Meanwhile, some truly world-class estates produce wines to rival the best of Napa and Sonoma.

Head out of San Francisco across the bay to Oakland and drive in a broad arc past Livermore to San Jose and then on to laid-back Santa Cruz and you will have passed through three historically important Californian vineyard areas. As ever, the elevation and aspect of the vineyards, plus the influence of wind, fog and sunshine, all play their part in determining the quality and style of the wines.

Livermore Valley, with its gravelly soils and abundant sunshine, does experience some cooling breezes from the coast but is essentially a warmish region that produces bold Cabernet Sauvignons and ripe and fruity Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Sweeping further south, the cooling maritime influence increases in the Santa Clara Valley where the Fathers at Santa Clara Mission first planted vines as long ago as 1780. However, it was the later import of French vines and profound influence of one Paul Masson that helped transform Santa Clara into a major wine region. Today, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are most prominent, with some good quality Pinot Noir also being grown.

The dramatic Santa Cruz Mountains offer a different story altogether. Here vineyards are scattered among the numerous ridges of the region, rising from fog line level to heights of almost 2,000 feet, providing warm, clear days for ripening and cool nights that help the grapes retain their aromatic qualities. It’s no surprise that the Santa Cruz Mountains are home to one of California’s ‘first growth’ wines, the impressive, complex, long-lived Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon from Ridge.

Further south again, Monterey, with its cold, sweeping winds that run in off the Bay, proves an excellent source of white grapes, with big names like Mondavi, Kendall-Jackson, Phelps and Caymus owning vineyards. This cool air pushes on into the Salinas Valley, but as you head south its influence wanes so varieties like Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir are joined by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Outstanding wines are found here in smaller AVAs such as Arroya Seco, the one estate AVA Chalone and neighboring areas such as Santa Lucia Highlands and Carmel Valley.  [ top ]

Worn, vintage winemaking equipment now decorates the entrance to a Santa Barbara area vineyard.

Stretching from Paso Robles in the north down to Santa Barbara County, the South Central Coast vineyards inhabit an amazingly diverse range of valleys and ridges and with a range of soil types. Where the cooling breezes and summer fogs of the Pacific penetrate inland, they significantly influence the temperature in what would otherwise be a hot and parched country. Chardonnay is widely planted across the region, but it’s the distinct areas where Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir and others individually excel that really gives lie to the myriad possibilities for vines. And the possibilities are still being discovered given that much of this region only began to bask in the limelight as recently as the 1990s.

Paso Robles is best known for big Zinfandels and ripe Cabernet Sauvignon. Buffered from the cool of the ocean by the Santa Lucia Range, but with vineyards up to 900 feet and more, grapes ripen well while retaining their aromas, producing wines of great flavor and depth. Some of the best Zinfandel is found on patches of limestone soil in the area and Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache, plus a smattering of Italian reds, are also making waves. Push on south, though, and closer to the ocean, luscious Chardonnays and rich, but supple Pinot Noirs from Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande Valley show their mettle. This is some of the coolest Pinot Noir country in the state and it clearly shows in the wines.

Following Highway 101 down into Santa Barbara County, the excitement continues with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay taking center stage. The cool Santa Maria Valley has fast gained a reputation for producing Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs with an almost Burgundian complexity, showing elegance and intensity to rival the best in the world. The Rhone variety Syrah also produces some stunning wines here, showing a spicy, savory intensity that harks back to the Old World. The nearby Santa Ynez Valley, and the more compact Santa Rita Hills AVA, also add to the roll call of highly respected wine estates in the county, again producing remarkable, ebullient Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  [ top ]

An early morning stroll through a misty Amador County vineyard.

This is where the California Gold Rush began in 1848 and when the ‘Mother Lode’ was discovered in these quiet, folding hills. And when the gold ran out, many of the immigrants, Italians, Spanish and French among them, swapped their goldlust for farming and stayed. Vineyards that had originally slaked the thirst of miners in Amador County and elsewhere, soon showed that they could deliver powerful, explosively flavorful wines, from Zinfandel and other robust red varieties. Indeed, some of the best wines still come from a legacy of very old Zinfandel vines.

Visiting the area reveals an unmistakable rustic charm, with evidence of the old gold rush days to be found in the saloons and houses of the quiet towns. Coupled with the hilly terrain, this is an area that favours small, family-sized producers and, with one or two exceptions, this is what you find. Summer days are hot, but at night the altitude means that cool air flowing down from the Sierras chills the vines and this, coupled with the poor rocky soils, imparts an intensity of flavor to the wines.

While the foothills are best known for punchy, black-fruit-lined Zinfandels, French and Italian varieties, including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sangiovese and Barbera, also produce some notable wines. It tends to be a little warm for Chardonnay here, but fruity, full-flavored Sauvignon Blanc has fared better. However, the foothills are likely to remain predominantly red wine territory. The classic, robust style of the foothills, and some of the oldest Zinfandel, is best found in and around Amador County, with the Shenandoah Valley AVA boasting a Zinfandel vineyard planted in the 1860s. Wines from the neighbouring El Dorado AVA, with its higher vineyards, tend to show more freshness and elegance when compared with the blockbuster styles of Shenandoah.

The foothills have an exciting future as a largely niche producer of exceedingly characterful wines. Descend into the Central Valley below, however, and the difference couldn’t be more extreme. This vast, fertile area produces the fruit for four out of every five bottles in California and the huge wineries that suck up this fruit often produce more wine than the smaller winemaking nations. The point here, though, is that grapes ripen evenly in the hot sun, allowing the big wine companies to deliver consistency and fruit-driven ease in their big brands of wine.  [ top ]