The Magical World of California Terroir
A brief breakdown of California terroir and some producers you should know about!
US domestic wine industry has been in conversation recently, specifically on the topic of supporting independent US wineries. It comes at an interesting time, as I have been working on a piece about California wine. Early on in my natural wine drinking career, I decided to dedicate my efforts to California (and other domestic) wines. When I first started making Tik Toks about natural wine, it was because I found fewer people talking about US wines (compared to natty bros on reddit going on and on about European cult classics) and wanted to shine a light on some of the magic happening stateside. I also remember reading an article in a wine zine (I think it was Glou Glou in 2020) where the sommelier they interviewed said something along the lines of, “if you really want to be sustainable, then you better start drinking local wine.” His argument was that if you shop at the farmers market for health or sustainability reasons, you should be thinking the same way about the beverages consume (including wine). If you’re not okay with your groceries being flown or driven thousands of miles to your table, you should rethink the wines you drink. This a bit of an extremist approach, and obviously nuanced, but his point resonated with me enough to prioritize domestic wines when I can.
There are 2900 wineries registered in California and over 100 varietals grown in this expansive, Golden State, yet most of the world only thinks of the big Napa Cabs and buttery Chardonnay of the 1980s. While a large number of California wines exported around the world hail from here, it only scratches the surface of what is possible for California wines. The range of Californian terroir is just as vast as the state.
Napa Valley's terroir is likened to that of the Mediterranean, with its peaks and valleys trapping heat and keeping it warm, making it a great place for red wines. To the east is the central valley, a 400-mile stretch and the heart of California's agricultural industry. The valley is protected from harsh temperature changes by the mountains, maintaining a warm, dry climate almost all year round, allowing for a large variety of grapes to be grown.
Above the famed Napa, are more rugged and wet terroirs like Mendocino County, which benefit from cool maritime climates and a variety of soil types like sandstone and volcanic. The intersection of all these elements lend itself to clean, elegant, organic wines (in fact, Mendocino is home to one third of California's organic vineyards)-- many of which are inspired by its Italian-immigrant heritage.
South of San Francisco begins the central coast region, a 350-mile stretch marked by the pacific coast on one side and mountain ranges on the other. Vineyards here are heavily influenced by the maritime fog and cool temperatures, allowing for slow ripening and high-acid fruit.
Finally, in Southern California, the AVAs here range from the Malibu area all the way down to Mexico, and are known for sunny days, varying temperatures and a variety of soil types like shale in the north and granite in the south.
To isolate California wine only to Napa, is frankly, an injustice to wine and the incredible winemakers and farmers who have made a living here, adapting their winemaking styles to the land and honing their craft. I once had someone tell me that there are no good wines in California. That's impossible, I thought. They surely are not drinking enough wine. For a region that is considered the fourth largest wine producer in the world, there must be a wine we can convince him is worthy.
California Wines You Should Know About
I’ll keep this list short and sweet because there are just too many to name here, plus I’m working on the above mentioned piece where I’ll dive deeper into the topic. But for now, I hope you’ll try these wines that capture California’s diverse terroir:
Seis Soles Tempranillo from Lodi—Latino produced!
Anything and everything from Say When Wine
Wonderwerk’s experimental ferments, like this YuzuCo collab treasure!
Unturned Stone Wine (the Rhythm Selection) is magical and beautiful.
Emme Wines (Tell Your Sister I Said Hi was the first viral orange wine on Tiktok).
Ashanta Wine, 3rd gen winemaker and Black, woman owned wine!
Little Trouble Wine Co., carbonic Zin is one of those bottles I relive in my memory again and again.
There are many more! Follow me on IG for Mas Vino suggestions ;)
What I Ate/What I Drank
Queen St. is one of the sexiest restaurants in town and a white burgundy is the perfect pairing to pretty much everything on their menu. Crab louie, shrimp cocktail, French fries, and the most insane shrimp burger I’ve ever had (actually, the only shrimp burger I’ve ever had but also so happens to be THE BEST). This crisp, fresh Aligote was like freshly pressed linen on a summer day. Breezy, bright, but just enough weight to make it feel rich.
A Wine Bar You Should Check Out
Little Ripper in Glassel Park! Day-to-night coffee and wine bars are all the rage and Little Ripper just opened their wine bar concept in their cozy coffee shop. They have a beautiful selection of wines (including Rhyme Cellars Her Vermentino! One of my faves!) and menu full of Spanish-inspired tapas. It’s the perfect neighborhood wine bar for an apero and their front patio is going to be perfect for long summer afternoons.
That’s all for today! Podcast coming mañana! xo
I've been to LR for breakfast and wanted to go back for evening wine and nibbles. Now I obviously have to!