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solid investment - until phylloxera made a catastrophic comeback, and infected vines
across the state had to be dug out from the roots. But disaster brought breakthroughs:
winemakers rethought their approach from the ground up, replanting organically and trial-
ing biodynamic methods to keep the soil healthy and pests at bay.
Sustainable winemaking processes have now become widespread across California, es-
tablishing regional rules for 'green' winemaking and pursuing international Demeter certi-
fication for biodynamic wines. Renegade winemakers are experimenting with natural-pro-
cess winemaking methods such as wild-yeast fermentation, bringing the thrill of the unex-
pected to their tasting rooms. Owls for pest management, sheep for weed control and solar
panels atop LEED-certified buildings are all increasingly common features of California's
eco-savvy wineries.
California's Other Wine Countries
Every year California sells more than 500 million gallons of wine - enough to fill over 780
Olympic-sized swimming pools - and California wines now account for nearly 60% of all
the wine consumed in the US. What may surprise visitors and wine-tasting neophytes is
that most of California's grapes are not grown and most of its wines are not made in the
uber-famous Napa and Sonoma Valleys. In fact, California has more than 110 distinct
American Viticulture Areas (AVAs), which are known for different varietals and have de-
veloped distinct winemaking styles.
Standout lesser-known NorCal wine regions are just a grape's throw (OK, about an
hour's drive) from movie-star Napa and Sonoma. In northern Sonoma County, Healdsburg
is the gateway to the Alexander Valley, known for its cellar-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon
and Chardonnay, while the Dry Creek Valley favors Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc. West
of Hwy 101 closer to the coast, the Russian River Valley bottles fruit-forward Pinot Noir,
accounting for about one in five bottles of that varietal sold statewide. Farther north in
Mendocino County, follow back roads through the rural Anderson Valley to taste more
delicate, soft-spoken Pinot Noir, Riesling and Gewürztraminer.
Down on the Central Coast, the Santa Cruz Mountains produce complex Cabernet
Sauvignon and Pinot Noir and shelter some of California's oldest wineries. Around Santa
Barbara County, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Rhône varietals are blessed with sun, cooling
ocean breezes and morning mists. In Paso Robles, one of California's fastest-growing wine
regions, risk-taking producers are making the most of their vineyards' sunny dispositions
with bold Zinfandel, Syrah and renegade red blends. Around Monterey County and in San
