Though less than half a century old, and remarkably young compared to its European counterparts, the wine industry in California has managed to enchant the country’s wine buying public as well as receive accolades from “across the pond.” This may be because of two realities. First is the undeniable quality of the wines—remarkably fruity, full and satisfying, rarely too austere or tannic to be savored from the first day. The second is the “buy American” angle. A very high number of American wine buyers simply prefer domestic to foreign wines.
The state plays host to an enormous range of microclimates and soils as well as a lot of sunshine, hot summer days and dry harvests. All these factors contribute to healthy ripe fruits that make European producers, in less dependable climates, green with envy. More than three out of every four years, California’s best sites produces excellent wines.
The U.S. is not protectionist when it comes to taxing imported wines compared to many other countries, but the California wine industry is inherently protected because of consumers wanting to buy American.
To most people, the Napa Valley is the home of California wine, and Cabernet is the clear king in Napa. Burgundy varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have moved to cooler areas, for the most part closer to the Pacific. This includes the western stretches of Sonoma County, the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County, and the Santa Maria and Santa Ynez valleys of Santa Barbara County. In regions as contrasting as Mendocino County, the Sonoma coast, Carneros, Paso Robles, and Santa Maria Valley, Syrah vines have yielded interesting wines. Excellent Zinfandel is also produced all over the state and may be the only California wine emulated abroad.
Wine Spectator, 92 points: Sleek and expressive, with floral strawberry and spicy vanilla aromas and delicately layered flavors of apple and lemon zest, accented by hints of ginger and spice. Drink now. 8,480 cases made. –TF
Wine Spectator, 91 points: A rich version, loaded with spicy cinnamon notes. Bold apple aromas, with a whiff of yeast, lead to complex, layered pear, crème brûlée and baked apple flavors that linger. Drink now. 80,000 cases made.
Wine Enthusiast, 95 points: Editors' Choice. This is a well-aged, reserve-style sparkling wine that is one of California's best. It delivers abundant and distinctive flavors without losing its cool. The wine has attractively smoky, toasty and...
Connoisseur's Guide, 91 points: Suggestions of tart cherries merge with those of green apples in the very fresh and definitively yeasty aromas of this wonderfully refined, somewhat lighter-leaning pink, and, if less than emphatic about Rosé vinosity...
Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: A stunning wine, exactly 50-50 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. This vintage was a successful one for Iron Horse, proven again with their release of this LD, after aging on the lees for nine years. The mouthfeel is soft and...
Wine Spectator, 92 points: A luxurious sparkler, with toasty brioche, mineral and lemon brûlée aromas and rich, complex flavors of crisp apple and raspberry, showing accents of fresh ginger and spice. Drink now through 2017. — T.F.
Wine Enthusiast, 92 points: This rosé seems elegant all the way through. The color is a light salmon, the aromas are slightly earthy, with touches of baking spices, jasmine and fresh baked bread. A grand blend of rich flavors spreads across the...
Connoisseur's Guide, 92 points: Finding a place at the lighter end of the Rosé spectrum and, in fact, a wine that could easily pass for a Blanc de Noirs, this lightly yeasty version fixes on energetic, slightly juicy, young fruit as its main motif. It...
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