CALIFORNIAN Gold

In North America, California is the biggest producer of wine in the US making about 84 per cent of the country’s drops. It is known for its warmweather varieties including cabernet sauvignon, merlot and sauvignon blanc as well as cool-climate wines such as chardonnay and pinot noir. Two of the most well-known wine regions, the Napa Valley and Sonoma, produce amazing award-winning wines that are revered by wine lovers.

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The Napa Valley with its dry Mediterranean climate is perfect for grape growing and has more than 400 wineries. Napa’s peak tourist time corresponds with the harvest season from August to October when wine lovers descend for a winery hop, to taste the bounty. It is home to some of the world’s most renowned wineries with V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena, one of the most visited wineries in all of Napa.

Neighbouring Sonoma is renowned for its cabernet sauvignon and also chardonnay, syrah and pinot noir. Sonoma far outproduces the Napa Valley in wine production and some of the most popular vineyards include Scribe Winery, Hanzell Vineyards, Viansa Sonoma Winery and Buena Vista Winery.