Cheers! California Wine Regions

Wine is one of the most popular drinks throughout the centuries. It was first pervasively enjoyed in Europe and eventually spread in every continent of the world. For years, it has been a symbol for victory and camaraderie. Wine also has become an important part of many religious ceremonies and serves as a great flavor enhancer for most European and Mediterranean cuisines. Further, recent studies show that wine has several beneficial health effects. Regular consumption of wine has reduced the risk of corollary heart disease and ovarian cancer in women.

Accordingly, finding a place conducive to start a vineyard is one of the most important considerations in the wine-making industry. The type of soil and the climate determines the quality of grapes that will be produced for wine-making.

If looking for the best place for vineyards, probably the most suitable place in the United States is California (http://www.caonsale.com). It is one of the largest producers of the best quality wines around the world. It's rich, fertile soils and variances in climate have nurtured several vineyards for centuries. Accordingly, caonsale list available properties in various wine regions of California. It provides information on lots and lands for sale, which are best-suited for growing wine-type grapes.

From Napa to Temecula, California has been a haven of the finest wine available today. About 46 out of 56 counties in the state grow wine-type grapes. California also has more or less 93 American Viticultural Areas or AVA's showing the variance in the type of grapes grown in the region to produce different kinds of wine. These vineyards supplies about 90 percent of wines in the United States and fourth in terms of world production.

The vineyards and wineries also served as major tourist destinations in the region. They also have picturesque sceneries and majestic natural landscapes. Wine tasting and educational tours are also available in most wineries. Accordingly, the following are the major wine regions in California.

Napa Valley

Probably the most famous wine region in California is Napa Valley. It is home to several wineries, which produced some of the finest wines in the world. The world-renowned Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most popular wines produced in this region. Most of the wineries here are situated in beautiful estates, mansions and European-style castles. These wineries offer free tours and wine-tasting that attracts tourists around the world.

Sonoma County

Located around 30 miles north of San Francisco Bay, Sonoma County is known for growing quality wine-type grapes amidst the harsh climate. It is divided into several sub districts, such as Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, Alexander valley, and the famous Sonoma Valley. Sonoma Mountain is located west of the county and is home for the world-renowned Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aside from its wineries and vineyards, tourists are also accommodated to inns, spas and restaurants.

Central Valley

This region produces the majority of the wine in the region. It is also famous for its Zinfandel due to the cool breeze from the bay and abundant sunshine, conducive to producing this type of wine.

Lake County

The warm climate and volcanic soils made Red Hills AVA conducive in producing the finest Cabernet Sauvignon wine. The other wineries can also be found in Guenoc Valley such as the Langry Estate. The region also features wine tasting tours for tourists.

Sierra Foothills

Amidst the mountainous terrain and cold climate, Sierra Foothills Wine County produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Syrah, Merlot, Barbera, and Sauvignon Blanc. In Fiddletown AVA, wineries produce Zinfandel, which has high-alcohol content, dark pigments and strong tannins.

Santa Barbara

This wine region offers diverse types of wine, which includes Pinoit Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. This is due to the difference in climate within the wine region. Babcock Vineyards and Sanford Winery are two of the most established wineries in the county.

Mendocino County

This county has seven AVA, which accounts for the difference in the wine-type grapes grown in the vineyards of the wineries. The prices of wine here, though of the finest quality, are lower due to the lower prices of land.

Temecula Valley

This wine region is home to about 20 wineries with 3,000 acres of vineyards. Originally not conducive to growing grapes, the drip system allowed wineries in the region to flourish. These wineries have great tasting rooms where most of the vintage wines are sold.

San Francisco Bay Area

This area region has several diverse AVA. Most famous wineries include Beauregard Vineyards, Crooked Vine Winery, McHenry Vineyard, Hallcrest Vineyards, Cedar Mountain Winery, Concannon Vineyard, Wente Vineyards and Zanger Vineyards.