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California

California wine guide: the wine-producing country in USA, its Cabernet Sauvignon, the red wine and white wine it makes, and what to pour it with.

Country
USA
Climate
Mediterranean
Signature grape
Cabernet Sauvignon
Styles
red · white · rosé
5
Signature grapes
5
Producers listed
5
Sub-regions
8
Bottles to find

Wine from California comes out of USA, where it sits as a wine-producing country.

Cabernet Sauvignon leads the plantings, with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel alongside it.

Vines root into clay, loam and sand.

The climate is mediterranean, running fog-prone.

The vineyards themselves read as mountains and valley floor.

Red wine, white wine and rosé wine, plus two more is what the region is known for, and in the glass it shows showcasing a fruit-forward character, depending on the variety, vibrant and celebratory and light and fruity, plus one more.

Quality is codified by the AVA (American Viticultural Area), which is worth reading off the label.

The named areas within are Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Central Coast, Paso Robles and Santa Barbara.

Producers worth knowing include Caymus Vineyards, Dominus Estate, Harlan Estate and Opus One.

Pour them alongside grilled meats, seafood, pasta and cheese.

Rewards decades in the cellar.

Soil
ClayLoamSand
Climate
MediterraneanFog-prone
Terrain
MountainsValley floor
Styles
redwhiterosésparklingfortified

In the glass.

Red: Showcasing a fruit-forward character.

White: Depending on the variety.

Sparkling: Vibrant and celebratory.

Rosé: Light and fruity, Perfect for warm-weather sipping.

Grapes planted here.

Classifications.

  • AVA (American Viticultural Area)

Producers worth knowing.

01 Caymus Vineyards
02 Dominus Estate
03 Harlan Estate
04 Opus One
05 Screaming Eagle

Bottles to look for.

  • Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, USA
  • Beaulieu Vineyard BV Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA
  • Beringer Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA
  • Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA
  • Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA
  • Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Napa Valley, USA
  • Chateau Montelena The Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA
  • Colgin Cellars IX Estate Red, Napa Valley, USA

At the table.

  • Grilled meats
  • Seafood
  • Pasta
  • Cheese
  • Desserts

Serving and cellaring.

  • Rewards decades in the cellar.

Inside the region.

Nearby regions.

California: common questions

01.
What grapes is California known for?
+
Cabernet Sauvignon is the signature grape of California. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel are also planted here.
02.
What kind of wine does California make?
+
California produces red wine, white wine, rosé wine and sparkling wine, plus one more.
03.
Where is California?
+
California is a wine-producing country in USA.
04.
What food goes with California wine?
+
Try grilled meats, seafood, pasta, cheese and desserts.
05.
How long does California wine age?
+
Rewards decades in the cellar, though it varies by producer and vintage.

More from here: every wine region in USA.

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