California Wine

The Golden State is known for its glorious weather, stunning coastlines and world-class wine regions, including the Napa Valley and Sonoma County.

California is the heartland of American wine production and is responsible for over 90% of the wine made in the United States. Over 4,000 wineries in California produce countless wines with diverse styles and characters.

Whether you’re a fan of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel or something completely different, California wine has something to offer everyone.

California is known for a wide variety of wine styles, from full-bodied, jammy reds and creamy white wines to sparkling wines made in the Champagne style and fortified wines. The state is also home to many experimental wine styles, including orange and natural wines. With such a diverse range of wine styles and varieties, California will surely have something to offer every wine lover.

California grows over 100 grape varieties that are used to create world-class wines. The state’s most widely planted grape varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Zinfandel. These varieties account for a significant portion of California’s wine production. Other popular grape varieties in California include Grenache, Malbec, Riesling, Sangiovese and Barbera.

While many of California’s wine regions enjoy a Mediterranean-style climate, characterized by warm,dry summers and mild, wet winters, other regions have drier climates. Vineyards near the Pacific Ocean benefit from cooling sea breezes, while some areas are sheltered by mountains and experience warmer temperatures.

Winemakers have called California home from as early as the 18th century. Still, Californian wine didn’t take centerstage internationally until 1976, when California winemakers entered a blind-tasting contest with the French, otherwise known as the “Judgment of Paris.” The judging panel ranked California white wine and California red wine as the highest in all categories. Since then, the demand for Californian wines has soared, and the state is home to many of the world’s most exclusive vineyards.

• Napa Valley: Napa Valley, located on the state’s northern coast, is probably the most well-known region in California, and it’s not surprising why. Napa boasts over 400 wineries in and around breathtaking mountain scenery. Enviable microclimates surround its fertile soil, and the region is world-famous for Cabernet Sauvignon. We think you’ll love the voluptuous black fruit and spice notes of Raymond Library Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2000.
• Sonoma County: To the west of Napa Valley, you’ll find Sonoma County. Sonoma’s breathtaking coastline and rural landscape give winemakers the ideal microclimates to grow over 50 grape varieties. If you love Pinot Noir, you can be pretty sure it was produced in Sonoma County, as this area is renowned for producing wonderful examples of the fruity red.
• Le Roi Pinot Noir 2019 is a delicious example of a Sonoma County Pinot Noir, offering juicy, silky red berry flavors to savor.
• Santa Cruz: The majestic Santa Cruz Mountains (AVA) are south of San Francisco and the Central Valley. These vineyards take an Old World approach to winemaking, since grapes are grown at high elevations in smaller, more exclusive vineyards, leading to wines with firm tannins. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes are grown facing the ocean to benefit from the cool Pacific breeze, and grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are grown inland, where the climate is notably warmer.
• Santa Barbara County: Santa Barbara, located along the central coast, boasts a unique geographic landscape of rolling coastal mountains. The valleys have an unusual eccentric east-west orientation, which allows sea breezes to travel inland and thus cool and humidify the area. Santa Barbara is considered the coolest region for grape growing in California, which helps it produce charming and fruitful wines like Syrah (also known as Shiraz).