Next month will be the 50th Anniversary of the Judgment of Paris, the blind tasting in the French capital on May 24 1976, when the late wine merchant, Steven Spurrier pitted the best California Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays against the finest wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy. It was a bloodbath. In one morning, the Americans swept the board, destroying the hitherto unchallenged authority of French wine.
But it was never always thus. Even though the Californian wine industry can trace its roots back to the viticultural efforts of Spanish monks in the 18th century and enjoyed something of a heyday in the Gold Rush of the mid-19th century, Californian wine had a patchy history and struggled to achieve momentum.
The first commercial winery opened in 1857, but the region’s trajectory was interrupted by the double whammy of Phylloxera, the vine-destroying parasite, and Prohibition. Phylloxera was eventually overcome, but not before many vineyards were decimated; while the 14 years of Prohibition saw the number of wineries reduced from 800 to just 140. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the sector began to motor.
Since then, it hasn’t looked back. Today California is home to some 1,200 wineries, covering nearly 200,000 hectares in 107 wine growing areas. It makes 80% of US wine and is the world’s fourth largest wine producer, making around 3.6 billion bottles a year.
The wine nerds will tell you that California winemaking is highly affected by the presence of mountains and coastal influences. The state is geologically diverse, with both Mediterranean and Continental climates, while the numerous bays, and the overall effect of the Pacific Ocean, provide cooling winds and fog to temper the heat ensuring the grapes retain acidity and develop complexity.
Napa Valley is the jewel in the crown. Thirty miles long with 17,401 hectares of vineyards, it is without doubt now considered one of the premium wine growing areas in the world, even if it only represents 5% of California’s total production. Nearly all the wineries are family-owned, and the emphasis is on quality wines made mostly with Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, but also Merlot, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.
The top reds have won their reputation, not only because they have phenomenal aging potential, but also because of scarcity of production; strong brand recognition and healthy demand among collectors that is comparable to the Premier Crus of Bordeaux.