– The legendary land of golden rush, extravagance and adventure
What do you think first when we say „The Golden State“?
Is it the iconic Golden Bridge in San Francisco? The magnificent Yosemite National Park or one of the wonders of the world Grand Canoyon? Many imagine the exuberant life of Las Vegas or the luxury beaches of Santa Monica.
The story of winemaking in California begins with the story of the Spanish in California in 17th century, when vineyards were planted so there would be wine for communion. However, classic viticulture as we know it today did not flourish until the first half of the 19th century, when Southern California was considered to be the epicenter of viticulture. Settlers, mainly colonists from France and Italy, were inspired to head north during the Gold Rush (1848-1855) and lay the foundations for today's famous regions such as Napa and Sonoma. They brought with them not just European varieties, but especially the desire to grow the vines. In the years 1918-1933, thanks to a strong prohibition in the United States, viticulture withdrew from its development. However, it has been experiencing a huge rise again since the early 1970s and is still gaining momentum. California is gradually becoming one of the world's dominant wine regions.
The California land offers a numbers of surprises and much greater diversity than it might be seem at first glance. It is often considered as mainly sunny and warm country. However, there is a significant differences in climate and terrain. From flat plains and rolling hills to mountain slopes and valleys protected from the elements. This provides a range of soils and microclimate, from coastal areas that help cool climates grapes such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, to warm, sunny inland areas that are ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. The geographical distribution of California is as follows: the Nord Coast, Sierra Foothills, Central Coast, South Coast and Central Valley, which is one of the sunniest wine regions in the world. Probably the most famous California AVA is the Napa Valley, where some of the best California wines come from. Other important areas are Sonoma, Mendocino and Carneros.
The GI system is referred to herein as the American Viticulture Area (AVA) and means that each bottle of California wine indicates the geographical origin where the grapes were grown. In order for a wine to have the name AVA on its label, at least 85% of the grapes must be grown in that AVA; for the region designation it is 75%. And any wine bearing the name "California" or any California AVA label guarantees that 100% of the grapes are grown in California.
The traditional problem of California winemaking is water shortages. There have been regulations and disputes over irrigation many times in the past. California summers tend to be much drier than summers in most of Europe's wine regions. Average precipitation is not exceptionally low, but it is usually concentrated in the first months of the year. The winemakers came up with a way to at least partially solve the problems. The rain fills the tanks, which are then used for irrigation during the dry summer.
California winemaking is often celebrated for their red wines. They are made with a focus on the softness of "the final taste", where the grapes remain on the vines during long autumn until the tannin is ripe enough to delight the palate. They have a very intense fruity aroma and a very delicate taste. Today, however, we can already find white wines that can boldly compete with the best French white wines.
Whether you are an enthusiastic beginner in the wine world who likes to discover new tastes or you are an experienced connoisseur and wine lover… California is one of the wine region you should not miss.
It has a lot to offer…
Cheers!
„We've always taken an active role to preserve the health of the land. Our first obligation is to produce delicious wines and we believe this is maximally achieved through healthy vines.“
- Founding Winemaker / CEO, Eileen Crane, Domaine Carneros
„People want to do the right things but need a roadmap to get there. Now we have that map; how we use it to take the next step is entirely up to us.“
- Hugh Davies, president of Schramsberg Vineyards
„This is how we have always farmed. It's the only way to do it right.“
- Brooke Shenk, winemaker St. Supéry Estate
The trend of viticulture, which primarily takes into responsibility for healthy soil and sustainable farming, has been close to California winemakers since the very beginning of vine growing. Nevertheless, their "Green Farming" system has been constantly improving over the years.
In 1998 the Environmental Protection Agency declared the Napa River impaired and the State Water Board set reduction standards for “Total Maximum Daily Load” or TMDL of fine sediment into the river. In response, the Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) trade association led collaborative efforts with industry partners, community nonprofits, regulatory officials and Fish Friendly Farming to develop Napa Green Certified Land. The first property was certified in 2004.
In 2007, building on the success of the Napa Green Land program, NVV collaborated with Napa County and the California Green Business Program to develop the Napa Green Certified Winery program, creating a comprehensive, soil-to-bottle sustainability certification.
Napa Green serves as a catalyst and facilitator to grow certified sustainable, responsible businesses committed to environmental stewardship and climate action in Napa County.
"Sustainable" refers to several different practices that are not only environmentally helthy, but also economically viable and socially responsible. Within this general classification, there are several essential procedures that certified winemakers follow.
For example, the use of purely natural products for weed and pest control is important, with winemakers paying special attention to the natural health and biodiversity of the soil. They also practice fish-friendly farming practices, covering crops to minimize erosion and sedimentation of local waterways. Winemakers are also incorporating 50 percent of biodiesel into their agricultural operations to reduce total carbon emissions.
No less emphasis is placed on social justice and sustainability, care for workers, relations with their surroundings and a return to a healthy community.
 | WHAT IS NAPA GREEN VINEYARD?Napa Green Vineyard certification provides a pathway for growers to improve soil health, become carbon neutral to negative within six to nine years, and increase the resilience of vineyards, businesses, and our community. The Napa Green Vineyard certification standards have six core elements:
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| WHAT IS NAPA GREEN WINERY?Napa Green is one of only four sustainable winegrowing programs nationwide offering the opportunity for comprehensive soil-to-bottle certification in both the vineyard and winery. 40% of all of the certified sustainable wineries in CA are in Napa County. Napa Green wineries implement more
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