A lot can be said about both white and red varieties of wine grapes. The class that gets the most press is red grapes, they are responsible for the most sought after blends, and of course in California’s coastal regions, Cabernet Sauvignon is popular in producing great high value wines. Cab Sauv has a beautiful texture, berry and cherry characteristics and pairs so well with the oak aging in making top tier, expensive wines.
But what about stuff off the beaten track, if you want to try white grapes, or red grapes what does California produce that is not often talked about. I will unveil my 3 favorite varieties that grow really well in California and are easy to obtain, and why you should give these a try.
Three of my favorite white varieties:
Viognier – this variety is just lovely and is grown all over the state and West Coast into Washington State. Viognier is not a wimpy grape, it produces full bodied wine, and the higher alcohol is complemented by the (stone) fruit flavors (peach, flowers, and tropical citrus), making it a crowd pleaser. Viognier is produced more and more in California, and is especially good in the Sierra Foothills. If you can’t find California Viognier, don’t be afraid to try one from Australia, or other parts of the USA. From California, with good availability, both Sobon Estate and Stags Leap produce good representations of this variety.
Sauvignon Blanc – this variety is a go to variety for so many, and tons and tons of this grape grown in California. Of the 3 varieties here, this is the most common to find, and lots of this wine comes from Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties. It is excellent as a pairing with Seafood, Chicken, Cheeses or just as a sipper. Honig Sauvignon Blanc is very popular from Napa Valley. For a truly special Sauvignon Blanc, look no further than Grigch a grandfather winery of the Napa Valley.
Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio (grey Pinot) – this grape is very extensively available in Oregon, but California grows a large amount of it as well. At 17,000+ acres it is one of the top 5 white grapes grown in California. You can find excellent Pinot Gris all up and down the USA West Coast, but certainly plenty of it from California. It is dry, fresh, acidic, and full of life. Flavors of honeysuckle, almonds and some spiciness to it is often in the glass. It is a lovely grape. A nice white wine only winemaker that offers a number of Pinot Grigio’s is Massican. Make sure you try some Pinot Gris from either California, Oregon or even Alsace France as these places have great Pinot Gris, that is much different (better?) than say that average $17 Pinot Grigio from Italy.
Let’s move onto special red varieties with so much to offer:
Merlot – this is a special grape that is truly loved in France, but less so in the USA. It is a medium to full bodied grape that can do wonders in the lead role. I love it, especially special ones from Napa Valley where the grape does exceptionally well. My favorite Merlot and most likely the most expensive wines I own, comes from the Sullivan Collection. Delicious, so complex, and almost worthy of that lofty price. If you want a more introductory Merlot, try a bottle of Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot, which is about $100. Or look at this post on the Comeback of Merlot in California, which offers really excellent suggestions. Thanks WE!
Zinfandel – If you have not tried really well made Zinfandel from California you should. It is perhaps the most versatile of the grape varieties in this blog. It can go from elegant, and crisp and light, to very rich, dark and brooding, so the variety has a tremendous spectrum. Usually the wines in the store are big and tannic, and are referred to as jammy. I would recommend you try a really special winemaker team that exists at Turley wine cellars. Turley specializes in the very best old vine vineyards of Zinfandel across California and their selections are so good. I buy from them, whenever I feel I need more 5 star Zinfandel. Turley can be found in the best restaurants where the sommelier really knows their stuff, and many of the wines are under $100 a bottle, which compared to Bordeaux blends out of Napa, is a bargain.
Pinot Noir (or Grenache) – Pinot Noir is extensively grown on the West Coast, and with superior results. This grape really loves the cool climate of the coastal Pacific of North America, we are so blessed out here. The interior version of Pinot Noir is Grenache and to a lesser extent other varietals of Rhone. Why? because of their fruity profile yet strong acidity (from elevation) and full body (from thick skins). These are all fruit forward varieties and if you like more fruit forward and less heavy oak or thick tannins, then these two grape varieties are for you. There is so much good Pinot Noir all across both California and (especially) Oregon. Pinot Noir is like the most heralded grape from Oregon, as is the Pinot Gris mentioned above. I think any fairly expensive Pinot Noir from the West Coast is going to do you well, I have found some great ones from Edna Valley and of course Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino to get you going. I am going to send you to this Pinot Noir landing page, at my favorite Wine Enthusiast, where good information is generally free. Enjoy a Pinot Noir tonight in fact, it’s a really luscious, fruit filled grape. Yes you can even try Meiomi which is probably the most well known supermarket Pinot Noir that exists across North America. But many wonder, is that Pinot Noir?