California | Natural Wine from California
In regards to natural wine, California is the most prominent wine region for production in the United States with producers like Subject to Change, Old World Winery, Ruth Lewandowski, Martha Stouman and Populis leading the wave of natural wine production. Interesting about the Californian natural wine producers we have met, is how little of them do their wine proeuction full time - many are instead wine reps for the big distributors and do wine making on the side. The land in America is simply too expensive...
The temperate Mediterranean climate of California provides the perfect growing conditions for a wide variety of wine grapes. From the cool coastal areas to the warmer inland valleys, winemakers have the opportunity to cultivate a range of grape varieties that thrive in different microclimates. This diversity allows for the production of an array of high-quality wines with distinctive characteristics.
The region is home to a multitude of wine grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Zinfandel, better known in Europe as Primitivo. However, many of the natural wine producers favour new styles too, so often blend red and white grapes together and experiment more with skin contact maceration to not produce the style of big bodied wines the Californian region is known for.
