California is the largest producer of wine of any state in the U.S.A. Each year it produces many millions of liters of excellent quality table wines and an increasingly large volume of high quality vintage wines. The best-known wine growing regions in the state are the Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley, which are located 50 miles north of San Francisco.
A Brief History of California Wineries
A unique combination of plate tectonics, volcanoes, erosion and other forces came together millions of years ago to create the soil conditions that allow California vintners to produce world-class wines. The early settlers began the transition of agriculture to what is today an almost exclusive emphasis on a single crop which is known as wine grapes.
The quality and availability of premium wines from California has become an increasingly large market throughout the world. Today, people visit California from all over the world to experience the beauty of California wine tours and taste their magnificent wines. It is like nowhere else on earth, there is a passion for wine that runs generations deep.
California Wines
The varied terrain of California with its mountains, valleys, and deserts provides an almost limitless array of climates suitable for growing nearly every variety of grape. California wineries produce many different types of wines, and growers are constantly experimenting with new varieties. The climates and soils in California are extremely well suited for growing a few specific types of grapes that produce outstanding wines.
California Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc make excellent white wines, while Cabernet Sauvignon produces an outstanding red wine. Zinfandel is a distinctive California grape variety that creates a great red wine. You will learn about many of these different types of wines and how they are made if you take a California wine tour.
California Wine Country
A California wine tour in California wine country can be quite interesting and a lot of fun. Many California wine tours offer free wine tastings and plenty of fascinating information. You can spend a pleasant day touring one of the wine districts and stopping to sample the local vintages.
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