The United States, of course, is such a huge country that its citizens"?? loyalties are even more specific. Texans buy a dramatic amount of their own product, while the people of Oregon and Washington ensure everyone knows their grape juice is the best.
The overwhelming majority of Americans, however, favor California wine above all others grown domestically. This isn"??t surprising when you consider the long history of wine in California. More than 75 percent of the wine grown in this nation is from the Golden State.
There is no debate that California can produce some lovely wines, but what does it do best?
For starters, the state"??s size is the same or nearly the same as most of Europe"??s established wine-producing countries. California has a vast coastline with several microclimates ideal for winegrowing, and a number of fertile valleys that run along that coastline. The state"??s incredible weather means it"??s almost never too hot or too cold - a good thing for grapes since they don"??t enjoy extreme temperatures. This makes the land there a remarkable place to plant vines, a place of rich soil and abundant sunshine, a place that minimizes many of the challenges to growing exceptional wine. California wine has a much higher batting average then most of the world.
These conditions have shaped the state"??s distinctive style of wine: a dynamic mix of ripe fruit, approachable tannins and youthful exuberance. These traits attract a wide array of drinkers, take on the flavors of oak beautifully and ensure the wines show well in infancy. California excels with four red grapes in particular: Cabernet (Napa, Sonoma), Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley, Carneros, Russian River, Sonoma Coast, Central Coast), Merlot (Napa, Sonoma, Central Coast) and Zinfandel (Napa, Sonoma, Carneros, Paso Robles, Mendocino, Lodi).
Zinfandel, it can be argued, is native to California. Its decadent fruit, spice and overall robustness make it the quintessential California wine and a varietal that no one outside the U.S has been able to mimic successfully. For whites, Chardonnay is unquestionably the king and grown throughout the state. Other well-received whites include Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and some tremendous sparkling wines.
Yet you don"??t drink California wine if you are in need of mineral-laden, structured and distinctly acidic wine, because the state lacks the cool climates and old soils of Europe. The idea of terroir - wine expressing a sense of place - is harder to find in the easy-to-grow world of California. Also, the state lacks a sense of tradition, as its rise to stardom took less than a generation.
Although California wine may still be a work in progress, there is no denying the region excels at producing a variety of fruit-forward, accessible wines.
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Wesley Dumas is a wine specialist residing in the city of Los Angeles. Visit Supplewine.com for more information on wine videos.
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