The Essentials Of Growing Grapes And Making Great Wine In California.
Wine is essentially the product of two ingredients: grape juice and yeast. Grapes provide the flavor, color, aroma, and body of wine. The fermentation process relies on yeast. Everything else is left to the careful guidance and traditional methods of the winemaker. That is why the quality of the grapes is so crucial in determining the overall character of a wine.
Over a hundred types of grapes grow around the world but nearly all California wines come from about a dozen types of grapes. These varieties of grapes, simply referred to as “varietals”, are most often used in blends. Distinct grape varietals are blended together to create wines of complex character with a pleasing bouquet. But the best way to understand where a wine’s flavor comes from is by tasting a bottle of wine from a single varietal. This allows you to compare specific flavors of grapes. In some varietals you will experience flavors of berries or citrus fruits, while in others you might taste woody or floral notes on the “finish”. Federal law requires that 75% of the grapes must be of a single varietal in order for this designation to be indicated on the label.
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling are popular white wine grape varietals. Some of the best-known red wines come from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Syrah, Pinot Noir, or Zinfandel grapes.
You may be surprised to learn that some white wines come from red grapes. Think of a grape as a fruit like an apple. The skin may be green or red but beneath the skin the pulp is white and the juice that comes from the fruit is clear. There are, of course, some red grapes with a dark pulp full of red juice. However, most of California’s red wine comes from red grapes with clear juice. The red color comes from crushing the skin of the red grapes and leaving the skins in the barrel during fermentation. The grape skins are eventually removed, and the wine that remains is a beautiful, deep red color.
The Napa Valley produces excellent wines from both red and green grapes. And the wineries you visit will offer tastings of white and red wines from several grape varietals. One whole vineyard may be devoted to growing one varietal. Certain varietals grow better in some locations called appellations and winemakers maximize their vineyards to grow the best quality grapes possible. Often grape varietals from different fields and appellations are blended together and aged before the finished product is bottled.
The best way to experience the different varietals and appellations is by using the SelfTour GPS guided U-drive App to tour both the Napa and Sonoma valleys. Visiting the various wineries along the tour is a great way to learn all about wine-making.
Check out our Napa & Sonoma Valley Tour page for more information.
