Top 100 red wines of California
Discover the top 100 best red wines of California as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the red wines that are popular of California and the best vintages to taste in this region.
Discovering the wine region of California
California is the largest and most important wine region in the United States. It represents the southern two-thirds (850 miles or 1,370 kilometers) of the country's west coast. (Oregon and Washington make up the rest. ) The state also spans nearly 10 degrees of latitude.
With its mountains, valleys, plains and plateaus, California's topography is as Complex as its Climate, offering winemakers a bewildering array of terroirs. California wines have only gained worldwide recognition in recent decades (especially after the 1976 Paris ruling). However, the state's wine history goes back more than 200 years. European vines were first planted in the 18th century, when settlers and missionaries moved up and down the West Coast.
Discover the grape variety: Zinfandel
From Croatia where it is called crljenak kastelanski or pribidrag. According to genetic analyses carried out by Professor Carole Meredith of California University in Davis (United States), it is related to the Croatian plavac mali and Zinfandel. It is also found in South Africa, New Zealand, Chile, Brazil, Germany, Bulgaria, Albania, Italy under the name of Primitivo, Malta, Greece, Portugal and to some extent in Croatia. In the United States (California), it is one of the most widely planted grape varieties, having been introduced in the 1830s well before Primitivo. In France, it is registered in the official catalogue of vine varieties on the A1 list under the name Primitivo.
Food and wine pairing with a red wine of California
red wines from the region of California go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of salmon with cream sauce, rack of lamb in a salt crust or rabbit with cream sauce anne's way.
Organoleptic analysis of red wine of California
On the nose in the region of California often reveals types of flavors of cherry, oaky or smoke and sometimes also flavors of earthy, blackberry or blueberry. In the mouth in the region of California is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
Top wines in regions and sub-regions of California
The best wines of California in other styles
- The best wines natural sweet of California in other styles
- The best wines other of California in other styles
- The best wines pink of California in other styles
- The best wines sparkling of California in other styles
- The best wines sweet of California in other styles
- The best wines white of California in other styles