California

If California were a country of its own, it would be the 4th largest wine producer in the world. With over 1200 wineries, California is known for everything from affordable wine to collector “cult Cabernet”. While the rest of the world was making advances in grape growing and wine making, the United States was unfortunately enforcing prohibition. This 14-year temperance period set American winemaking back hundreds of years. Like most of North America, the region continues to work at creating a wine culture.

It wasn’t until the 1976 Judgment of Paris, the famou French wine tasting competition, where California beat out French wines in a blind tasting that the wines of California received international respect. California wines are known for their oak aging, malolatic fermentation, higher alcohol, and fruit forward flavors; all techniques that make California wines highly enjoyable.