The Wine Gift Shop

Northern California has a climate and terrain that reminds many people of the rural areas of France making it perfect for wine production. The Napa valley, which produces some of the finest wines in America, is only 35 miles long. It is also only 5 miles wide and there are only a couple hundred wineries situated here. Mendocino has only 30 wineries though the 3500 sq miles it encompasses has a cooler climate allowing for an excellent Chardonnay and pinot Noir.

Over the past 200 years, since the vines were first planted, wineries of this region have had a difficult time However; they have produced wines that are quickly becoming the rivals of the best that France and Italy have to offer. During the 1920s, there were more than 250 wineries. However, the Prohibition reduced that number to less than 50. Over the decades since the Prohibition, however the area has recovered. In Sonoma there is a production rate of over 150,000 tons spread over 49,000 acres and 200 wineries. Half of these wineries are less than 20 years in age.

One of the reasons for this massive production in such a small area is the temperate climate. There are moderate winters and the summers are a range from warm to hot. The area produces primarily Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.

These wineries produce more than 500 million gallons of wine based on 2004 production numbers. The total production of wine in the US is only 668 million gallons. California’s production retails at $15 billion dollars with an economic impact of $45 billion.

The Northern California wineries are second only to Disneyland as a tourist attraction and the area attracts just fewer than 15 million visitors per year. The area does produce award-winning wines from its 96,500 acres of Chardonnay and 75,000 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon.

California is also known for its red. They are filled with the rich tastes of black currant for the Merlot or the Syrah, which has blackberry, and plum undertones followed by the Pinot Noir filled with a cherry and violet lingering taste.

For whites there is a Chardonnay or even a Riesling with a touch of peach and apricot. The Pinot Grigio and the Chenin both are on par with those produced by wineries in Italy and France.

If you are looking for something a little closer to home or you are just looking to try something that is produced in, the Americas consider the wines produced by Northern California. They are award winning and while the wineries and vineyards are relatively new to the world of wine making compared to the areas of France and Italy which have been producing wine for centuries they still provide an excellent sampling of wine and bring a variety to any collection. They are not to be missed whether you are just learning about wine or are looking to branch out into other areas and flavors of some of the world’s finest wines.

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