Wines of USA Archives

September is “California Wine Month” – here’s how you can celebrate!

September is “California Wine Month” this is the time to celebrate the annual harvest and raise a glass to their vibrant wine community.

California’s wine industry has played a vital role in the state’s culture and economy for over 250 years. California makes up 81% of wine production in the United States and 95% of exports. Within the state’s 147 distinct winegrowing regions are 621,000 acres of vineyards, 4,800 bonded wineries and nearly 6,000 winegrowers.

Here are three exciting ways to celebrate California Wine Month

Participate in Events and Experiences at California Wineries

Over 24 million people from around the globe visit the California winegrowing regions each year. Visit wineries across the state 40+ harvest-themed events, activities and experiences — and more will continue to be added throughout September. These include behind-the-scenes vineyard and crush pad tours, grape-stomping competitions, wine and food festivals, hands-on harvest experiences, charity wine auctions and more.

“California’s diverse and expansive wine country is one of its top tourism draws,” said Caroline Beteta, Visit California president and CEO. “From high-end pairings and legendary wineries to sustainable vineyards and neighborly barn tastings, there’s an experience — and a wine — for everyone to enjoy.”

Pair Iconic California Recipes with California Wine

It’s no coincidence that California wine pairs perfectly with the state’s farm-fresh produce and trend-setting cuisine. To help consumers experience this delicious culinary connection at home, Discover California Wines has partnered with California Grown and Visit California to create the free “Iconic California Dishes to Celebrate California Wine Month” e-book. The book features recipes for dishes that evoke the state’s sunny and relaxed vibe — all paired with California wine and creative, wine-based cocktails. Bring harvest home with recipes including Avocado Salad with Hidden Valley Ranch-Style Dressing, Wine Country Chicken Salad and the California 75, a classic wine-based lemon cocktail with a literal and figurative twist.

“We say what grows together goes together,” said Cher Watte Angulo, executive director of California Grown. “Since California provides over 50% of the nation’s produce and over 80% of the wine, it makes sense that people celebrate with both a sip and a bite of the Golden State.”

Discover and Enjoy California Wine

Whether visiting wineries in person or online, there’s no better time than California Wine Month to pick up a few bottles of wine to share with friends and family. It’s also easy to find a great selection of California wine at your local grocery store or wine shop.

For the latest details on offerings, visit the Discover California Wines website.

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Pacific Wines embraces bricks and mortar specializing in US Wines

The online retailer Pacific Wines has just announced plans to open an inaugural store in London at the end of August. The store will be located on Islington High Street and will exclusively offer wines from the US, including boutique labels from California and Oregon.

The business was set-up by former math teacher Rachel Gilbert and her father, Graham Gilbert. The father and daughter team have been successful with online sales for the past nine months, and after a recent trip to California, Rachel decided to move into exclusively US wine.

“Pacific Wines will boast a range of wines from California, with Napa and Sonoma well represented, including Napa Cellars and DeLoach Vineyards, as well as some lesser-known wineries such as Keep Wines and Field Recordings” States Rachel Gilbert and Graham Gilbert

There will also be a wide selection of labels from Oregon, giving wine drinkers a chance to discover some of the state’s excellent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

In addition to listing over 150 different wines, the US-inspired store will also offer an events space at the back which can hold up to 30 people.

“This is a very exciting time for us. We are the first UK retailer to focus exclusively on North American wines and I’m very excited to share my passion for wines from the area with others,” said co-founder Rachel Gilbert.

“Lockdown gave us the opportunity to set up Pacific Wines online and start to develop our range of wines, and living locally, I had my heart set on opening a store in Islington. When this store became available, I knew the time was right.”

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Arizona adds another viticulture area “Verde Valley”

Arizona’s Verde Valley is often referred to as the state’s second Grand Canyon. It now has a new distinction as an American Viticultural Area designating the unique geography, topography, soils, and climate as a recognized grape growing area.

Now the third AVA in Arizona, Verde Valley joins Sonoita and Willcox. Verde Valley Wine Consortium president Tom Schumacher, first submitted a petition in 2017, called it a reason to cheer and “a fruitful end to an arduous effort.”

Michael Pierce, director of Viticulture and Enology at Yavapai College, adds: “It was five years in the making, so we’re very relieved it’s finally accomplished.”

Located in the geographic center of the state, the Verde Valley AVA encompasses about 220 square miles near Oak Creek and the Verde River. The Verde Valley Wine Trail shows 19 commercial vineyards farming 135-plus acres of wine grapes with another 25 acres planned for upcoming planting. The region boasts 25 tasting rooms.

Today, vineyards in the AVA grow over 40 wine grape varieties from Malvasia Blanca, Viognier, and Chardonnay on the white side to reds like Syrah, Petite Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The AVA is surrounded by higher elevations and steeper slopes like the Mogollon Rim and the Black Hills. “Verde Valley AVA’s topography positively affects viticulture,” according to published reports.

“The gentle slopes allow for easier vineyard management as cooler air draining from the higher elevations provides a diurnal temperature swing that slows the maturity of wine grapes, extends the growing season, and leads to more complex wine flavors.”

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