The wines you see above are two of my favorites. They both come from the North Coast region of California, which I am convinced, is the best place on earth for growing grapes. I would recommend trying these two wines in either a Cabernet Sauvignon, which goes well with just about any occasion and any meal, or a Merlot, which goes good with a romantic dinner, for which I would recommend serving a chicken dish or italian pasta dish. It would even go great with pizza! Feel free to write to me and ask questions if you would like some help on choosing a wine or to find out what would be a good dinner to serve with the wine you already have.

The first important vinifera variety, Mission, was planted by Franciscan monks in the 18th century. Early plantings were within the vicinity of Los Angeles but following the annexation of California in 1847 and the Gold Rush of 1849 grape growing spread throughout the state.By the end of the century the focus of production had shifted to the northern part of the state (around San Francisco) and the Central Valley. In 1894 the California Wine Association (CWA) was formed to assist in the distibution of Californian wines at home and overseas and to help control prices.The University of California, Davis, became important in the development of the state's wine industry. Post Prohibition and until after World War II California relied on the production of bulk wines with generic names like Sauternes and Chablis. The 1970s saw a new boom in winemaking in California with greater expertise and local and foreign investment. California now accounts for 90% of total production in the USA.

Wine grapes are grown in 47 California counties from the northern to the southern borders covering over 130,000 hectares. There are five principal regions: The North Coast which includes Mendocino and Lake Counties, Sonoma and Napa all of which are north of San Francisco. The Central Coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles which includes from north to south Alameda, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbera. The South Coast which includes Riverside County's Temecula area and San Diego County's San Pasqual Valley. The Central Valley which acccounts for over half the wine produced in California and which is centered on the San Joaquin Valley. The Sierra Foothills with vineyards located between Placerville and Plymouth.