Red Varieties
Merlot, Cabernet Franc
A Comprehensive Guide to American Wine
The USA is currently the fourth largest producer of wine in the world. However, the history of wine across the pond has been on somewhat of a rollercoaster! Prohibition, the Great Depression and major wars have all played a rather difficult part in the progression of American wine over the past few centuries. But as time has gone on, and with European settlers bringing with them swathes of viticultural knowledge, the nation has battled on tirelessly to cement its name on the reputable wine scene.
Across every state in America, an abundance of seriously good wine is being produced from a wide range of grape varieties. Most notably, dry and sweet styles of white Zinfandel have become big-hitters worldwide, while fruit-forward Cabernet Sauvignon from inland California has earned an envious reputation for its concentrated, dark fruit flavours. The States has also successfully implemented regional appellations, much like the French, using the American Viticultural Area (AVA) system which has helped to create a flying wine tourism industry.
Learn About the History, Grape Varieties, Climate and Wines of Each American Wine Region Below:
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New York
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California
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Oregon
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Washington
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New York
Shop American WineAn Introduction to New York
Located in the North East of America, New York is the third largest US wine producing region behind California and Washington. Still relatively young, it is widely considered a developing region and is definitely one to look out for. The first New York vineyards date back as far as the 17th century, though commercial viticulture didn’t begin until the mid-1900s. Today, there are more than 1,600 family vineyards and over 400 wineries spread across 11 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). More than 80% of the grapes grown in New York are Labrusca grapes, which are primarily used to make grape juice. Riesling, the region’s flagship wine grape, is commonly produced in a crisp and dry style, though it’s also used to make inherently sweet wines too. Other white grapes of Seyval Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc are quite prominent, along with the red varietals of Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
Climate and Geography
The region’s soils are heavily influenced by the last ice age, with most of the region consisting of gravel and shale with sandy or clay deposits. The key natural element for wine production in New York is the large bodies of water in and around the State. Vineyards rely on the Pacific coast to the East and the host of rivers and lakes within its borders to temper the cool, frost-susceptible climate. Without this influence, growing seasons would be considerably shorter and vineyards would struggle to survive the cold winters. Around the rivers and lakes inland, you will typically find fine examples of white grape varieties such as Riesling, Chardonnay and even Gewürztraminer. However, towards the East of the region in the water surrounded Long Island AVA, red varietals of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are well produced.
White Varieties
Riesling, Seyval Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc
Climate
Continental (west), maritime (east)
Landscape
Coastal, riverbank locations
Soil
Sand, shale
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California
Shop American WineAn Introduction to California
California is by far the largest wine region in the USA, responsible for around 81% of the nation’s wine production. To give you an idea of scale, if you withdrew Cali’ as its own country, it would be the fourth largest wine producing country in the world! More than 100 grape varieties (both red and white) are grown across the State, with Cabernet Sauvignon the leading red and Chardonnay the leading white. Generally speaking, white grapes are better suited to the cooler coastal regions where they benefit from the Pacific Ocean’s cool breeze. Red grape varieties tend to flourish in the warmer inland areas, and Californian reds have deservedly earned international acclaim over the past few decades.
Climate and Geography
The North Coast
The North Coast (AVA) of California is home to some of the country’s most reputable and prestigious AVA sub-regions, spanning the counties of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Solano and Lake. While some of these sub-regions aren’t technically situated on the coast, the North Coast nametag is used to separate them from the warm and dry inland areas. Generally quite mountainous, these counties rely on the cool breeze of the Pacific to balance out the Californian sunshine, providing perfect growing grounds for Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.
The Central Coast
The Central Coast (AVA) stretches from Santa Barbara in the South to San Francisco in the North. It covers more than 40 AVA sub-regions across the counties of Santa Cruz, Monterey, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo and more. Most of the vineyards here lay open to the Pacific Ocean, where the cool breeze partially protects vines from the sun and forms some magically-misty morning scenery. From the predominately limestone soils across the region you can expect fine expressions of Pinot Noir and rich Chardonnay, though warmer climate reds start to take dominance further in-land.
Southern California
Southern California (as it’s loosely titled) encompasses numerous smaller AVA sub-regions across San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside and Los Angeles. A lot of the vineyards here are situated on the western side of mountain ranges, reaping the benefits of a warm Mediterranean climate moderated by the cool, moist breeze from the Pacific Ocean. Rocky and sandy soils tend to dominate, providing effective drainage for vines of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay (among others).
The Central Valley
The Central Valley is by far the busiest region in California for all agricultural produce, not just wine. It covers AVA sub-regions spread across the counties of Sacramento, San Joaquin, Madera, Stanislaus and Fresno. Sandwiched between coastal mountain ranges to the West and the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the East, the warm and dry conditions here support higher yields, with a lot of the areas produce used for bulk wine. Grape varieties with natural high acidity are more suited to the conditions in these fertile lands, with some of the stand-out performers including Chenin Blanc, Zinfandel, French Colombard, Chardonnay and Barbera.
Red Varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel
White Varieties
Chardonnay, French Colombard, Pinot Gris
Climate
Moderate, mediterranean, coastal influences
Landscape
Mountains, valleys
Soil
Sand, granite, loam
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Oregon
Shop American WineAn Introduction to Oregon
Wine only became a serious commercial industry in Oregon during the 1960s, despite grapes being grown in the state for more than a century before that. It now lays claim to 18 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), six of which are situated inside the world renowned Willamette Valley AVA. Many of the 760 wineries across Oregon are small, family-run ventures, producing small quantities of quality wine to slightly stricter guidelines than the rest of the States. However, it’s their shared passion and vision to continuously produce greater wines that propels the wine industry’s growth and improvement. Today, there are more than 1,100 vineyards in the state producing 72 different grape varieties, although there is definitely a keen focus on Pinot Noir – for which they’ve earned quite a reputation over the years.
Climate and Geography
Oregon has a moderate, maritime climate with diurnal temperature fluctuations. Its warm daytime temperatures are lowered in the evenings by the Pacific Ocean’s cool breeze entering the valleys – perfect for maintaining acidity in wine grapes. The region also sees lengthy, warm and dry summers, with its northerly latitude providing additional sunlight throughout growing season. This combination of factors allows Oregon winemakers to produce evenly ripe, well-balanced grapes of exceptional quality. Resulting wines tend to be more delicate in comparison to its southern neighbour California, with a definite ripe and earthy character. It’s no wonder a host of reputable Burgundian wine producers have started to plant vines over in Oregon!
Red Varieties
Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon
White Varieties
Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling
Climate
Moderate, maritime
Landscape
Valleys
Soil
Volcanic, loam, loess
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Washington
Shop American WineAn Introduction to Washington
Washington is situated just above Oregon in the North-West corner of the United States. While still relatively young, it currently holds the title of second largest wine producing region in the US, behind California. In comparison with other American wine regions, Washington tends to supply a more premium market, with most of its wine occupying a slightly higher price bracket. This is primarily because of the ideal terroir, but also because the majority of winemakers here are small, family-run businesses with a focus on quality rather than quantity. There are more than 400 vintners spread across the regions 14 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), producing 70 plus different grape varieties. Red grapes tend to be favoured in Washington, namely Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, however white varietals aren’t too far behind with Riesling and Chardonnay the top performers.
Climate and Geography
Conditions vary quite dramatically across Washington. Rainfall in the West is roughly four to five times higher than in the East and soil types also vary between sub-regions, though free-draining sandy soils tend to be more common. Key to the regions terroir are its many natural rivers. They serve wine production by both cooling the warm air and providing effective irrigation, without which wine production here wouldn’t be possible. Washington actually has shorter growing seasons in comparison to the main US wine producing region of California, however their northerly latitude means they have longer days and thus more sunlight over the vines. Winemakers capitalise on this by planting vineyards on west-facing slopes, providing optimal sunshine for the grapes to ripen with the added benefit of natural drainage.
Red Varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah
White Varieties
Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris
Climate
Maritime (west), continental (east)
Landscape
Valleys, rivers
Soil
Sand, rock
