France is one of the oldest wine producing regions in Europe, and the production of wine in France actually has its origins as far back as in the 6th century BC. When it comes to French wine there are several major regions of France that are especially significant, including Alsace, Beaujolais, Bergerac, Jura, Champagne, Loire Valley and Rhone Valley.

French Wine

French wines are not industrial products, but rather they are the product of a combination of different factors, including grape variety, climate, soil and the wine grower’s care for the vineyards. There are a few different varieties of French wine in particular that are particularly significant, and which are generally separated into the black grape wine and white grape wine categories.

The black grape French wine varieties have a light colored pulp, similar to the white varieties, however it is their dark colored skin which contains the grape’s pigments and tannins which will be imparted to the wine during fertilization.

Cabernet Franc is one of the most well known black grape French wine types, and it is truly considered as being the shining star of Loire reds. This robust and early-ripening wine does not have much in common with the similar named Cabernet Sauvignon, although many people believe this is so.

The Cabernet Sauvignon French wines have become extremely well known worldwide, and they come primarily from Medoc, where the wine’s optimum expression can easily be obtained by blending it with Merlot. This wine offers a very aromatic complexity and an aging potential which is provided by its firm tannins. It is also often used to produce Vins de Pays, and is successfully fermented on the grape pulp in areas like Languedoc to produce a wine that is excellent even when consumed young.

Another of the most major French wine types is Carignan, which is a variety that has actually suffered greatly from image problems. It offers naturally high yields, and has been long used for mass produced wines and lower quality table wines. It is frost resistant and yet it must be planted in warm climates as it has a long growing season and thus may not be able to ripen fully otherwise.

France is definitely one of the most respected and predominant areas in the world when it comes to wine, and so next time you are out choosing a wine try one from the France locale and enjoy the ripened, delicious aged flavor.

In a state that produces 90% of all US wine, the vineyards of Sonoma and Napa in Northern California are justly famous. But they have no monopoly on quality, the wines from the newer Southern California wineries are an equal match for any of their northern sisters.

Most Southern California wine is produced in one of two areas: the wineries near Santa Barbara or those near San Diego, 100 miles north and south of Los Angeles respectively.

Each area has participated actively in the growth of the California wine industry which now ships over 450 million gallons a year to the US and elsewhere.

SANTA BARBARA

The east-west orientation of the coastal mountains forms valleys that open directly onto the Pacific Ocean. This produces a flow of fog and breezes that produce the conditions for growing world class varietals and wines.

Home to several micro-climates near the Pacific Coast and the Pala Mesa Mountains, the area enjoys moderate temperatures throughout the growing season, with warm days and cool nights. The environment provides favorable conditions for producing grapes with optimal sugar and acid levels.

The fifty mile stretch from Point Conception to Rincon form the longest east-west arrow of shoreline from Alaska down to Cape Horn. Here lie vines that grow on everything from wind-swept hillsides to rolling valleys where summer temperatures often hover around 100F (38C).

The climate allows working the vineyards year round, with pruning and weeding in winter, new planting in springtime, canopy management in summer and harvest in the fall.

The area mirrors to a large extent the RhÙne Valley area of France and vintners have responded accordingly. One hillside vineyard resides 1,000 feet above sea level with northern exposure, making it ideal for the RhÙne varietals grown here.

There is Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sangiovese and Syrah — a cornucopia of European grapes. The wide variety is made possible by the numerous micro-climates of the region with occasional snow on some of the mountains where cool-climate Chardonnay does well and the heat soaking Syrah in others.

And never ones to take the easy path, growers even took on the notoriously difficult Pinot Noir to produce a wine luscious with strawberry and herbal tones.

Twenty-five years ago there were almost no vineyards in the area, but today wine is a $100 million business in the county, which include the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria valleys. These two areas alone grew to 8,000 acres under cultivation in just the twenty years between 1975 and 1995. In the five years following that 8,000 jumped to 18,000. Today there are over 21,000 acres of vineyards, over half of the grapes being shipped to winemakers outside the county.

TEMECULA

The friendly rivalry between Northern and Southern California is mirrored in the wine business. A young upstart, most of the southern vineyards didn’t exist twenty years ago. The first Temecula wines were produced in 1971.

The 1,400-foot Temecula plateau is nestled 22 miles from the Pacific Ocean between peaks of the Coastal Mountain range. The cool afternoon breeze helps keep the smog away and the unique micro-climate also enjoys a higher solar intensity than Napa Valley.

Temecula’s vineyards are irrigated from enormous underground aquifers that feed soils high in decomposed granite, which helps drainage and to keep it free of Phylloxera — an invasive insect that devastated entire European wine regions in centuries past and remains a concern today.

Not far away is the highest vineyard in California, Shadow Mountain, growing Cabernet Sauvignon in the mountains above San Diego at an elevation of 4,400 feet above sea level.

Everything grows here from Chardonnay and white RhÙne to Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet and the Italian Nebbiolo harvested as late as November. The result is a wonderfully fresh fruit character without the woodiness common to other California regions.

The roots of Southern California winemaking go back almost 200 years when the padres of Mission San Juan Capistrano produced the first vintages. But today business is better than ever, with 1,800 acres in commercial vineyards, thanks to the partnership of sophisticated oenologists and passionate vintners.

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Looking for a gift which will be appreciated this holiday season? Wine makes a thoughtful and personalized gift.

Personalized Wine Gift Boxes Arrive Just in Time for the Holidays - MarketWatch reports:

“Impersonal gifts baskets from big box retailers just got kicked to the curb with the debut of personalized wine and food gift boxes from Signature Wines & Beverages. Whether the lucky recipient is a client, a business partner, an employee or family and friends, a personalized gift box makes the perfect gift, starting at around $40. In a couple of simple steps, a laser engraved wood box with matching engraved glassware can be on its’ way to anywhere.”