California: The Home Of Sunshine & Decadent Wine  California – home of the Sunshine State, legendary beaches, exceptional national parks and some of the best American wine available on the market.  When it comes to describing this U.S state, most individuals would usually say that the words relaxed and easy-going immediately come to mind. While the lifestyle in California certainly encourages you to enjoy a slower, appreciative pace there is one thing that they take very seriously: winemaking.  If you are looking to tick the Golden State off your wine travel list, you won’t be disappointed. This part of the world offers a rich history in winemaking, decadent wine styles and to top it all off, beautiful sunshine.  Brief History Of California Wine & Winemaking  Winemaking tradition began in California with the arrival of the Spanish missionaries in 1769. The first Spanish mission was established in San Diego by the Franciscan monk, Father Junipero Serra. As he moved further north, 21 additional missions were established. To each mission, the monk also brought the cultivation of grapes and the first Californian vineyards.  Criolla grapes were initially used to produce wine intended for sacramental purposes and daily table needs. In the 1830s, the first European grape varieties were introduced to Californian wine regions by Jean Louis Vignes. Shortly after, numerous vineyards and wineries were opened all over the state that heavily represented European influences from countries such as Germany, Italy, and France. The Californian wine industry and its popularity grew rapidly in the decades that followed, except for a brief period during Prohibition from 1919 to 1932. The region was initially slow to recover, but starting in the early 1960s a new generation of winemakers approached the business with a passion which inevitably improved wine quality immensely and helped them to become international competitors in the global wine market.  Today, California is responsible for producing over 90% of the United States wine and is the fourth largest wine producer in the world.  Best Wine Regions Of California  While California is full of highly-acclaimed wine regions and wineries, there are a select few that are certainly worthy of such high praise.  North Coast – Napa Valley Located just north of San Francisco, Napa Valley is arguably California’s best-known wine region. Incomparable vistas pair seamlessly with many generations of passionate winemakers that produce incredible wines.  Set among rolling hills, small family-run wineries to large-scale estates produce ultra-premium wines that are often sold on allocation. Cabernet Sauvignon is the key variety in this valley, and its ability to ripen consistently from year to year has helped contribute to this popularity. “Napa Cab” is rich and opulent, with complex fruit supported by toasty and spicy oak. It offers aromas of blackcurrant, vanilla, boysenberry, licorice and bittersweet chocolate.  Napa Valley is by no means a secret and welcomes many tourists each year who are looking to experience this wine region in the flesh. A must-visit for anyone looking to sample wines from California.  Central Coast – Santa …

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  Although it isn’t Italy’s largest region in size, the Veneto is by far the largest wine-producing region in Italy, producing almost 20% of this prestigious nation’s wine. The Veneto is an area to the northeast of Italy, which stretches from the Dolomite Mountains all the way to the Adriatic Sea. Its capital is the beautiful lagoon city of Venice. The diversity of the ecosystem is responsible for the area’s many unique wines, all of which have their own history and heritage. Within the Veneto, there are areas that have been given the distinction of being designated as DOC or DOCG (Denomination of Controlled Origin and Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin, respectively). These designations were intended to single out Italy’s best wines. Veneto Wine: A Brief History The Veneto has been a wealthy and prosperous region dating back to the rise of the former Venetian Republic in the late 7th century. This republic grew rich as it was populated with merchants and traders, who began seriously cultivating the grapes that have been growing in the area since the Bronze Age. In the Middle Ages, the area’s vital glass-blowing industry began to lend the local wine producers even more prestige when they sold them specialty blown glass bottles to package their wine in. This led to even greater demand for the region’s wine. The Appassimento Method  Another reason why wines from Veneto have been popular for centuries is because of the region’s unique wine-making heritage. One of the most well-known techniques is the Appassimento method. This process involves grapes left out to dry on racks or mats in order to concentrate their flavour. This method is best known for producing Amarone, one of the world’s most famous red wines.   Appassimento wines have become so popular that winemakers in the Veneto began to take the leftover skins of the grapes used for making Amarone and put them back in the Valpolicella wine. There is enough sugar left on the skins to trigger a second fermentation and the Valpolicella gets a little more alcohol and body as well as bigger and bolder flavours. This process, known as ripasso, is described as the marriage of a king (Amarone) and a commoner (Valpolicella). It produces one of the most popular wines in North America today. Common Grape Varieties Of The Veneto Wine Region  Italy has hundreds of indigenous grape varieties that are perfectly adapted to the local climate but rarely seen elsewhere. The Veneto is no exception. Here are some of the local grapes that make Veneto wines so incredible.   Corvina The Veneto’s most important red grape is Corvina. It is the dominant grape in Valpolicella, Ripasso, Amarone and Recioto della Valpolicella. This high-yielding variety produces wines that are fruity and low in tannins, with lots of pleasant acidity. Its sour cherry flavour is one of this grape’s most commonly cited characteristics. This grape variety, in particular, lends itself very well to the Appassimento method. Its thick skin allows for an extended drying period …

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Although Portuguese grapes grow in relatively close proximity to those from Spain, France, and other notable wine-producing regions in Europe, wines from Portugal remain intriguingly unique. There are so many different grape varietals in Portugal that are rarely cultivated anywhere else in the world. This is partially due to their relative obscurity. However, some regions, such as Bordeaux and Napa Valley are starting to experiment with Portuguese grapes because of their capacity to ripen and retain flavour and acidity in the heat, something they are concerned about with climate change. In order to protect this incredible heritage, UNESCO has designated two of Portugal’s historical wine regions as UNESCO World Heritage. Visiting either the Douro Valley or Pico Island will introduce you to incredible vintages that have been cultivated in those regions for centuries. Wines From Portugal: The History Of Portuguese Winemaking In order to understand the appeal of Portuguese wine, it helps to understand the region’s rich winemaking history.  Archaeological digs have shown evidence of early winemaking in the area as far back as the 4th century, and later the Roman Empire aggressively expanded viticulture throughout that region.  Although wine production did decrease during the 12th and 13th centuries after the area fell under the control of Muslim leaders, it never disappeared completely. Grapes were cultivated through the Reconquista period, and many of the best Portuguese wines use these ancient varietals today.   Portugal’s Grapes: Exploring Their Indigenous Varieties   It shouldn’t surprise you to pick up a bottle of wine from Portugal and be faced with a completely new grape varietal. Many of their most popular wines use varietals that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.  Some of the most popular indigenous grape varietals include: Alicante Bouschet Touriga Nacional Baga Alfrochiero If you have a preference for Chardonnay, try the Encruzado grape varietal from the northern-central Dao region. Or, if you prefer a Malbec, consider trying the Touriga Franca grape varietal which is the most widely grown grape in the Douro valley.  Top 4 Portuguese Wine Regions In Portugal, grape varietals vary widely from the north end of the country to the south. Portuguese winemakers are passionate about protecting their historical wines and grape varietals and have designated three separate levels of wine quality.  The highest level of wine is known as DOC (Denominação de Origem Controlada), which means that the wine comes from a specific geographic area, and only uses the region’s native grapes, which are cultivated under strict quality controls. Here are some of the top Portuguese wine regions, some of which are designed as their own DOC area.  Douro Valley The Douro Valley is known for its fortified Port wine, but the regular, unfortified wine that comes from this region is equally delicious. There has been wine cultivated in this region since the 4th century. The temperate, dry region can be divided into three unique geographical areas — Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo, and Douro Superior. The Douro Valley region is home to grapes like Bastardo, Tinta …

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Italian Wines: A Taste Of Viticultural Passion Italy has enjoyed a rich and passionate relationship with wine and food over many thousands of years and plays an integral part in Italian gastronomical culture. The country’s wide variety of climates and soil conditions has helped it produce some of the world’s most loved wines.  To get a true taste of the perfect fusion of wine, food and culture that Italy achieves so well, there are a number of Italian wine regions that all enophiles should experience. Below, in our guide to wines from Italy, we will walk you through Italy’s history with wine production and the top Italian wine regions to try at your next wine tasting.  Wines From Italy: A Brief History Italy’s wine history dates back to over 4000 years ago and has helped it become one of the most diverse winemaking countries in the world. It wasn’t until the Greeks introduced their wine-producing skills to the Italians that the love affair with viticulture truly began. Italy had a long history with wine prior to the arrival of the Greeks. However, they began to improve on and refine the winemaking techniques introduced by the Greeks. This succeeded in cementing their own reputation for making a wide variety of beautiful wines. The Romans played a large part in this and with their influence, many winemakers across Italy adopted new vinicultural methods.  In the early nineteenth century, quantity over quality was top of mind for Italian wine producers and the country became known as a global source of inexpensive table wines. Now with new wine quality laws in place since the 1960s, the country has become more popular than ever for the wide variety of red, white and sparkling wines that it has perfected over the years. Leading it to claim its stake as one of the top five world leaders in wine.  The Top 5 Italian Wine Regions You Should Explore Each of these wine regions in Italy boasts its own winemaking culture, grape varietals and most importantly, personality. When looking for wine inspiration at your next wine tasting, turn to these wine regions.  Puglia If you are looking for fruit-forward, full-bodied red wines from Italy at budget prices then choosing a wine from Italy’s Puglia region is a wise choice. Located in the southeast of Italy, this wine region offers a varying difference in terrain and grape varieties.  Puglia is a leading region in olive oil production and is also known well known for its production of red wines. The most important red grapes grown here are Negroamaro, Primitivo and Uva di Troia. This Italian wine region has a relatively hot and dry climate which is tempered by cool breezes due to the surrounding waters. This results in expressive and voluptuous red wines, the ideal climate for the red wine. Veneto Located in the northeast of the country, the Veneto wine region is one of the most substantial of the Italian wine regions. Although smaller than some of its …

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