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

Powerful, sunny reds: dense Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (blackcurrant, chocolate, tobacco, ample tannins), spicy, jammy Zinfandel from the Sierra Foothills, silky red-fruited Pinot Noir on the cool coast (Sonoma, Russian River, Central Coast). Opulent, buttery Chardonnay, notes of yellow fruit and vanilla. Varied climate, from the hot interior to the Pacific-cooled coast. 80% of US production, 139 AVAs including Napa (1st AVA, 1981).

Fleshy, exuberant wines, cellar bottles.

Discover the grape variety: Charbono

Deep-coloured, fruity reds with a sustained purple colour, firm yet rounded tannins and a dense, fresh palate; signature aromas of black fruits (blackberry, blackcurrant), red fruits (cherry), spices and herbal notes. Grown in California as Charbono and in Argentina as Bonarda for characterful reds. Indigenous Italian black grape from Piedmont (Douce Noir), identical to Argentina's Bonarda by DNA analysis.

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 beef fillet in a crust, lamb chops with lemon and herbs or rabbit italian style.

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.