The California Wine Region - It's A Fabulous Experience

For most people throughout the world, they think of the wine countries of Europe. There is so much tradition surrounding the famous wineries throughout France and Italy. Even so, half way around the world is California. It's a major wine region that has represented the wine industry with many award winning wines for over 100 years.

For anyone remotely familiar with California, the first place that comes to mind is the Napa valley for it's rich tradition of quality wines. Surprisingly, California has 15 major wine regions in the state. The many regions produce all types from Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay to a range of sparkling wines.

Here's a description of some of the major regions and what you'll find in each.

The Napa Valley

Like it was mentioned previously, this is not only the finest wine region in California, but throughout the world. Napa Valley wines rival the premiere regions in France.

The finest Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnays are produced in the valley. The country side is breathtaking and you don't have to travel very far to hop from one winery to the next.

Mendocino

This is a very quaint and unique coastal town up the northern coast. They also have excellent wineries. They are smaller, but still very excellent. The tasting rooms are uncrowded and it's a relaxing place to stay. With great restaurants and equally excellent lodging, Many people flock to Mendocino for the weekend and vacations. The only downside to this area would be the coastal fog that settles in the area during the summer months.

The Wine Region of Paso Robles

This wine region is located farther down the coast. The climate varies so the wines produced also vary. Again, it's another uncrowded and peaceful atmosphere with uncrowded tasting rooms and a chance to just relax and enjoy the climate and scenery.

Although this is a great destination, it's not conveniently located to any major cities. Also, the restaurants and accommodations are lacking. If you're the type of person that likes to explore out of the way locations, this can be an excellent place to visit.

Santa Barbara Wine Region

This region boasts some excellent Pinot Noir and Syrah wines. Santa Barbara is a beautiful city and beautiful countryside with a blend of major wineries as well as smaller mom and pop varieties. If you do choose to visit Santa Barbara, be prepared to drive a little longer between wineries and pay between $5 and $10 for wine tasting fees.

Some of the other regions include the Santa Cruz mountains, Sierra Foothills, Russian River/Sonoma County and Sonoma Valley regions . Every one of these additional regions bring their own climate, culture and wines that are unique to each region.

The wines in California are diverse and phenomenal. The beauty of each region is equal to the excellent wines that you'll experience tasting. It's well worth the time and effort to plan a trip to California to experience the world renowned wines and also the beauty and unique culture of the state.