Californian Fine wine

Californian wine FAQs

Is Napa Valley still the premier Californian wine region?

Napa famously produces just 4% of California’s wines, but seems to carry the state’s vinous reputation with it. That’s largely due to its pre-eminence when it comes to fine wines, notably the rich, powerful, ageworthy Cabernet Sauvignons that dominate the landscape within the valley and have proven to be some of the most coveted wines in many collectors’ cellars. And while many of these wines have been tweaked to incorporate other varieties, and other regions such as Sonoma and Santa Cruz Mountains have proven themselves sources of more varied ranges, the majority of the state’s – and the country’s – most renowned fine wines still tend to be Napa Cabs of one sort of another.

Aren’t most Californian wines just big, bold, blockbusters?

That was certainly the traditional stereotype. And at the very top end – think Napa Cabernet – it was largely accurate back in the early part of this century, when the verdicts of uber-critic Robert Parker, who loved such wines, held huge sway. Things have changed since his retirement, though – and not just because he’s no longer so influential. Critical and consumer tastes seem to be moving away from power towards elegance, while producers themselves have responded to concerns over the ageability of such wines by favouring acidity over ripeness and producing more nuanced, elegant fare (Harlan Estate, one of Napa’s top names, now harvests a month earlier than it used to, to avoid over-ripe grapes). Climate change has also had a huge impact, with many winemakers taking measures to mitigate the impact of higher temperatures in a bid to produce more restrained wines. The cooler Sonoma, meanwhile, is an increasingly acclaimed source of fine Pinot Noir.