Presse & Handel

Fans of Chardonnay are familiar with the wine's classic descriptors: green apple, fig and citrus flavors, a complex aroma, and high acidity for a crisp wine. The wine is often aged in oak to produce toasty, vanilla and buttery overtones.

The Chardonnay Grape

Genetic studies have identified Chardonnay as a cross between Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc. Historical references note California plantings of Chardonnay dating back to the late 1800s, but production remained limited because of the grape's low yields. Most Chardonnay vineyards were uprooted during Prohibition when growers replaced them with thick-skinned varieties that could be shipped cross country. Small plantings in the Livermore Valley and Santa Cruz Mountains survived Prohibition. It was not until the 1970s and thereafter that Chardonnay plantings boomed as the wine became increasingly popular.

Top 10 California Counties for Chardonnay Acreage, 2017

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service

California Chardonnay Grape Crush Tonnage

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service

What is the reason for Merlot's popularity? Industry observers offer possible explanations. Consumers continue to try red wine because of news reports linking moderate drinking to a healthy lifestyle. Also, white and blush drinkers may be expanding their preferences to red. Merlot may be the choice in both instances because of the soft, approachable and luscious character that is appealing to new and regular red wine drinkers. In restaurants, Merlot's average price is similar to the average price of the widely popular Chardonnay varietal.

The Merlot Grape

Merlot is one of the principal winegrape varieties of the Bordeaux region in France, and was brought to California in the mid-19th century. Historically, vintners have used Merlot as a blending grape to soften a wine, usually with Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot tannins are less forceful than Cabernet Sauvignon, so Merlot wine tends to mature earlier. Merlot is now primarily popular as a varietal wine. Most of the Merlot vines are planted in Lodi/San Joaquin County, followed by Napa Valley, Monterey, and Sonoma counties.

Top California Counties for Merlot Acreage, 2016

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service

California Merlot Grape Crush Tonnage

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service

The Muscat Grape

The Muscat grape has been grown around the Mediterranean for many centuries. In fact, Muscat Blanc may be the oldest known winegrape variety. Muscat grapes comes in wine, table and raisin varieties. In addition to Muscat Blanc, which makes the majority of wine in California, other Muscat varieties include Muscat of Alexandria, Orange Muscat, Muscat Gaillo, sometimes called Giallo, Diamond Muscat, and Summer Muscat.

According to Nielsen Company U.S. Supermarket data, 5 percent of the wine sold by volume in U.S. food stores in 2016 was Moscato. The 2016 total crush for all California Muscat grapes came in at 200,602 tons, more than double that of 2011.

Grape Crush Tonnage by Muscat Variety

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service. Summer Muscat and Diamond Muscat not reported 2015 or 2016.

The popularity of Pinot Grigio has risen in recent years. The acreage in California was reported at 2,835 in the year 2001 and has increased to 16,718 acres in 2016, becoming the third-leading white variety behind Chardonnay (94,532 acres) and French Colombard (18,961 acres). according to the California Grape Acreage Report.

Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio acreage is largest in San Joaquin County with 5,040 acres, representing nearly a third of the state’s 16,718 acres. San Joaquin, along with Fresno, Sacramento and Monterey counties, are responsible for more than half of the state’s total. Today Pinot Grigio is spreading into nearly all the state’s major wine growing counties.

Top 10 California Counties for Pinot Grigio Acreage, 2016

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service.

California Pinot Grigio Grape Crush Tonnage

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service

The Pinot Noir Grape

Pinot Noir can be complex, elusive and difficult to grow. Yet many winemakers will make Pinot Noir because the resulting wines can reap a reward as great as the challenge. This noble red wine variety is ancient, described by Romans in 100 A.D. and cultivated in the Burgundy region of France as early as the 4th century. Pinot Noir is prone to genetic variation, and has more clones than any other variety. The University of California, Davis, has some 100 registered Pinot Noir clones. The variety does well in the coolest growing areas where it develops excellent color and flavor.

Top 10 California Counties for Pinot Noir Acreage, 2016

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service.

California Pinot Noir Grape Crush Tonnage

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service.

In California, Riesling is also known by its botanical name or synonym White Riesling. The ice wine, late harvest, and botrytized Rieslings are among the most prized and age-worthy wines in the world.

The acreage of Riesling has grown over the last decade in California to 4,009 acres. Monterey County is by far the leader with 1,651 acres.

Top 10 California Counties for Riesling Acreage, 2016

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service

California Riesling Grape Crush Tonnage

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service

White Zinfandel accounts for the majority of blush wine consumed in the U.S. A favorite since the 1970s, these crisp, slightly sweet (generally 2.5% residual sugar) wines have introduced many consumers to the enjoyment of wine. For 52 weeks ending June 17, 2017, pink wines accounted for 9.3% of the volume sold in large volume food stores and other large volume outlets in the U.S., according to Nielsen figures.

The other wines in the pink genre are the bone-dry rosés and blanc de noirs. Gaining accolades and market share, these beautiful dry wines have high acidity, and complex aromas and fruit flavors. From a smaller base, dry rosés gained over 26% volume share of the blush category last year, per Nielsen.

Winemakers use nearly all types of red grapes to produce these wines. For rosés, well-colored grape skins are allowed only brief contact with the clear juice after crushing to produce the light crimson hues of a rosé wine, generally an average of six to 24 hours of skin contact. Blanc de noir wines, a term applied to white wines from black grapes, also known as vin gris-style wines, are also produced by quickly separating the clear juice from the color-laden grape skins, but immediately after crushing so that only the barest blush of pale color remains in the wine. Both rosé and blanc de noir wines are then made like white wines.

Table Wine Trends in U.S. Food Stores and Other Large Outlets

Source: Nielsen Company. Wine sales in U.S. food stores and other off-premise measured channels from all domestic and foreign producers
* Includes White Zinfandel, White Grenache, White Merlot, and Other Blush

The grape variety was first planted in California in the Livermore Valley in the 19th century. According to the 2016 California Grape Acreage Report, Sauvignon Blanc has almost 15,000 acres in California. It is the fourth-leading white wine variety behind Chardonnay (94,532 acres), French Colombard (18,961 acres), and Pinot Gris (16,718 acres).

Top California Counties for Sauvignon Blanc Acreage, 2016

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service

California Sauvignon Blanc Grape Crush Tonnage

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service

Several U.S. producers label their sparkling wines “champagne,” and the U.S. government allows the use of the champagne term on U.S. brands established on or before March 2006 as long as the geographic origin accompanies the champagne term on the label. New U.S. brands after this date are not allowed to use the champagne term. Traditional winegrape varieties used in California sparkling wine/champagne production are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, though many other varieties are used, depending upon the style, production process and price point.

Major Production Processes

Following are the two most common methods used for sparkling wine production:

Méthode champenoise—Still wine is used as a base wine in the process. A blend of base wine, yeast nutrient and a sugar source is added to the base wine. The mixture is sealed, fermented a second time and aged in the bottle, which captures the carbon dioxide released in the fermenting process producing the bubbles.

Charmat process—Still wines are fermented in a pressurized tank. Sugar and yeast are added for a second fermentation, but the wine remains in the tank for this stage of the process and is not fermented in individual bottles.

Styles

Sparkling wine ranges in style from very dry (Natural), dry (Brut), and slightly sweet (Extra Dry) to sweet (Sec and Demi-Sec). (Wines with no noticeable sweetness are described as “dry.”) Many sparkling wines are also identified as “Blanc de Blancs” (wines made from Chardonnay grapes), “Blanc de Noirs” (wines produced from black grapes), or rosé or pink sparkling wine/champagnes (small amount of red wine added to the blend or wine that is allowed brief skin contact with color-laden grape skins).

Top 10 U.S. Metro Markets for Sparkling Wine/Champagne in 2015:

(Thousands (000) of 9-liter cases)

Source: 2016 The Beverage Information Group.

Top 10 States for Consumption of Sparkling Wine/Champagne in 2015:

(9-liter cases)

Source: 2016 The Beverage Information Group.

The Syrah Grape

Through DNA testing, Syrah has shown to be a cross of a black variety, Dureza, and a white variety, Mondeuse, both with origins in France's Rhône region and earlier fabled origins in the Middle East. The grape is also known as Sirah, and in Australia and South Africa, it is called Shiraz. It should not be confused with Petite Sirah, which is altogether a different grape variety, identified more recently as Durif through DNA testing.

Although Syrah acreage has existed in California for some time, such as the pre-Prohibition plantings in Mendocino County, substantial plantings have occurred in the 1990s. Today, as of 2016, the most acreage is in San Luis Obispo County with 2,346 acres, followed by San Joaquin County, 1,852 acres, and Sonoma County, 1,691 acres. Syrah’s grape crush of 108,355 tons in 2016 accounted for 2.6 percent of the total state winegrape crush.

Top 10 California Counties for Syrah Acreage, 2016

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service

California Syrah Grape Crush Tonnage

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service.

Studies indicate that the grape used for making California Zinfandel probably originated in Croatia. Historians believe that in the 1820s, a nursery owner brought Zinfandel cuttings that were Croatian in origin to the United States from an Austrian collection. The Zinfandel name, however, is truly American—the earliest and only documented use of the name is in America where a Boston nursery owner advertised Zinfandel for sale in 1832.

Zinfandel was introduced to California during the Gold Rush somewhere between 1852 and 1857 and became widely planted because it thrived so well in the state’s climate and soil. Today, Zinfandel is the third-leading winegrape variety in California, with more than 44,400 acres planted and 416,615 tons crushed in 2016, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. It is grown in 45 of California’s 58 counties. Although Zinfandel is a red winegrape, the majority of Zinfandel grapes is used to make a rosé (blush) wine called White Zinfandel. Promoted to the world by the state’s vintners for more than 130 years, Zinfandel has grown beyond cult status and is now internationally recognized due to the unique character and high quality wines that are produced only in the Golden State.

Popular descriptors for red Zinfandel include blackberry, raspberry, boysenberry, cherry, as well as black pepper, cloves, anise and herbs.

Advocacy Group: Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP) is a nonprofit association that organizes seminars, educational programs and wine tastings across the U.S. to promote Zinfandel and its high quality reputation. Their annual Zinfandel Experience in January in San Francisco is the largest single varietal tasting of its kind. ZAP supports research surrounding the history and origins of the Zinfandel grape. Web site: www.zinfandel.org.

Top California Counties for Zinfandel Acreage 2016

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service

California Zinfandel Winegrape Crush

Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service