Californian White Wines

The State of California is just another international region known for its wine production.

The popular wine areas Napa Valley and Sonoma can be found here, amongst a wealth of other regions through the United States. (See Californian Wine Regions)

California is loved for both red and white wines, so here are some Californian white wine facts in more detail, starting with the most popular Chardonnay.

The Californian Chardonnay wine produced here (88.5 thousand acres) is a versatile white wine. Its taste will depend on the wine region it was produced in and will pair well with almost any meal, especially poultry, fish and certain pasta dishes. It can be a dry serious wine or a light and fruity wine, either way being utterly delectable.

Sauvignon Blanc is another sought after Californian white wine (11,312 acres). Usually light bodied this wine can be dry or sweet, depending on producer. The colour is usually light yellow, but this can also vary, dependent on the specific wine. Best paired with seafood, poultry and pasta dishes.

Another wine produced in this area is Riesling (2,522 acres). Again, this is a wine which will vary depending on producer. It is generally a sweet, easy drinking wine though. This light wine is best paired with seafood or poultry as the wine will compliment the dish and vice versa, although it can be drunk with many other meals. (See Food and Wine matching)

Californian White Zinfandel can also be found in the Californian white wine region. This is another wine which can be paired with a number of different dishes and this is probably why it is such a popular wine. Many varieties of white Zinfandel have a rose tint to them but they remain in the white wine section. This is an easy drinking, crisp wine with lovely flavour to it.

Chenin Blanc is a cheap table wine generally produced on the coast by vintners who want to expand their selection of varietals. Mostly grown in the flat, expansive Central Valley, this wine has a delicate, refreshing taste.

A ‘not-so-cheap’ wine from California would have to be the elegant Pinot Gris. This is a flavourful and fruity wine. (See Wine Facts)

Californian Sparkling wines are produced in the cooler areas of California. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grape varietals are used for this purpose and the techniques used to produce sparkling wines in California are much the same as those used in the Champagne region of France. (See French Wine Regions)