The World's Top Ten Most Famous Wine Regions and Wine Holiday Destinations Part 3: CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.

THE WORLD'S TOP TEN MOST FAMOUS WINE REGIONS AND WINE HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS.

3. CALIFORNIA - USA.

California Wine Regions.

California is a vast state in the USA covering approxemately 163,707 square miles of land mass. With its fertile valleys and counties and mild climate, California is the most prominent wine producer as a region in The USA. It came to the forefront and to the world's attention as a major, premium wine producing region in May, 1976, when Californian Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons won that famous wine, blind tasting competion known as the Paris Tasting of 1976, against the best French wines of the same variety, and judged as the best by a panel of French judges.

Napa Valley sign.

Napa Valley has long been synonymous with superb wine and striking scenery, both of which draw millions of wine lovers to the region each year. Napa valley is home to some 400 unique wineries. The valley has a Mediterranean climate that is ideal for growing a variety of grapes from Cabernet Sauvignon for the red wines to premium Chardonnay for the white wines.

The Sonoma Valley in Sonoma County, nicknamed the "Valley of the Moon", features amazing vineyards, producing remarkable whites from varieties such as Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer and Riesling, as well as beautiful scenery and charming towns.

California Cabernet Sauvignon
grape cluster.

California, incidentally like Australia, South Africa and Chile, does not have its own indegenous grape varieties, although some wild grapes do exist in some regions, but international grape varieties planted from prime root stock over a long period of years, together with its superb climatic conditions for grape growing and cultivation, rewarded vineyard owners with world class Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zindfandel (Primitivo in Italy), as well as Chardonnay, Riesling and Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Ribolla Gialla and Semillon to name the most popular.




Of course there are several other famous wine regions in California, and these would include: Lake County; Santa Barbara; Monterey County; San Diego; Central Valley; Mendocino County; San Luis Obispo; Marin County; Paso Robles; and the Siene Foothills. These all offer magnificent scenery, very good hotels, exceptional food choice and exquisite wine in the traditional American way and style.




California Zinfandel.

Wine tours in California are offered by a maltitude of operators in each region, and the best deal for overseas visitors would be simply to travel to the States on a normal holiday, and then book your wine tours and holidays directly whilst you are there. If one shops around, one could get a magnificent holiday at half the price that would otherwise have to be paid for, if it is booked from country of origin. All in all an exclusive wine holiday in California can be coupled with a myriard of other tours outside the sphere of the wine world.