Every state in the United States has its own state drink. The drink of most countries is milk (21 counties) or flavor milk. The first country that designed state drink was Ohio in 1965, and they declared tomato juice for their official beverage. When we talk about California it is wine, red wine. Alabama, Virginia, and California have alcoholic beverages for their state beverages.
California always has a party reputation, and it is no surprise that residents of the Golden State drink the most wine. Also, California is well-known for the beaches, sunshine, and beautiful vineyards in the Napa Valley. One of the most famous wines producing regions is Napa Valley, 86% of the wineries are located here.
The most widely planted grape through Napa Valley is Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay with its varieties, to be precise three dozen grape varieties in the region. Napa Valle has the Mediterranean climate which is perfect for the making the most beautiful grapes which will end up in wine. The most wanted red wines in the United States are from this region in California. If you want to find out more about Californian reds just keep reading this article. Those are the wines which you must taste if you visit this region full of sun and beaches.
Cabernet Sauvignon
This is the king of all red grapes in Napa Valley, and it makes 40% of the area’s production. These grapes you can see where ever you go in the sunny valley, every vineyard has this kind of crop. Cabernet Sauvignon is a bold type of red wine, but it will mellow out with age in the cellar. The notes you will smell and taste are associated with plums and cherries.
Merlot
The second most common grape crop is Merlot in Napa Valley since 1970, and it is a perfect mix with Cabernet Sauvignon. This is one of the most respected red wines in sunny California. Every vineyard in the Golden state has this beautiful grape, and at the same time, the flavor is light and full.
Pinot Noir
The wine experts claim that Pinot Noir from the Napa Valley in California is the best red pinot in the whole world. Pinot Noir grapes are thin-skinned, fickle, and fragile fruit, and because of that wine is lighter in color, and the maceration process is much longer for this fruit.
Cabernet Franc
This type of grape is closely related to the Cabernet Sauvignon, and it is from the Bordeaux style blend variety. We can say that Cabernet Franc is Cabernet Sauvignon with personality.
Petite Sirah
This kind of grapes is thick skinned and it means that results with syrupy wine. When you put this skin to juice in fermentation, and after that a several years in oak you will get the rich and complex wine with the flavor of the dark chocolate.
Zinfandel
This is a variety of the black-skinned wine grape, also known by the name of Primitivo, and 10% of the Californian vineyards has this crop of the grape. From this grape crop, you can make a premium quality red wine, but most of the crop was ripped off during the Prohibition years. This is the most popular grapes among the home winemakers.
Sauvignon Blanc
California is the main producer of this wine type, and it is also known by the name of Fume Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc was first made in 1968 in Napa Valley, but it had a poor reputation because of the aggressive aromas. The aggressive aromas can be tame with aging in barrels. On the market, you will find under the same name both oaked and unoaked Sauvignon Blanc. The Californian Sauvignon Blanc does not have a tropical flavor like the same wine in New Zealand.
So, the conclusion is simple; if you are planning the trip to California you must try some red wine.
