Grape Production

California’s coastline is roughly 840 miles and, thus, offers various regions that are perfect for the production of a variety of grapes made for producing wine.

 

Central Coast – Santa Barbara, Paso Robles, Monterey, Livermore and Santa Cruz, offers cooling fog and afternoon breezes that are perfect for slow-ripening pinot noir and chardonnay.

 

North Coast – Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Marin, Mendocino Counties, and more, are known the world over for their exquisite wines.

 

Sacramento Valley – Thanks to the Mediterranean-style climate of the Sacramento Valley , you’ll find thriving vineyards throughout Lodi, Sacramento, Yolo County, Solano County, Stockton and Clarksburg whose grapes are bursting with flavor.

 

San Joaquin Valley – San Joaquin Valley is also known as the state’s fruit basket due to it’s the agriculturally rich valleys.  The vineyards in Modesto, Fresno and Madera are known for the intense fruitiness of their wines.

 

Sierra Foothills – El Dorado, Calaveras, Placerville, Murphys, and Amador, are all regions of the Sierra Foothills whose grapes are planted in elevations of up to 3,000 feet.

 

South Coast – Illustrious winegrowing areas in California’s South Coastal region include San Diego County, Ventura, Malibu, Temecula, Riverside, Cucamonga and Los Angeles.  The region’s warm days and cool, misty nights provide for exceptional grape crops.

 

Location, location, location…

As in real estate, location is extremely important to the production of wine.  Grapes require plenty of sunlight and lots of air.  You also do not want the grapes to be too close to trees or other structures.  Poor ventilation and minimal sunlight are major contributing factors for fungal diseases.

As indicated above, different regions produce different varieties of grapes.  The taste and quality of the grape is contributed by the type of soil and climate it is produced in.  Grapes do not like areas with heavy rainfalls, so, soil that drains well is an ideal location (hence why they are often planted along hillsides).  Also, believe it or not, grapes do not require soil rich with nutrients.  In fact, they will stop producing fruit if the soil contains too many nutrients.  This is also a reason why grapes grown on hillsides due to the erosion factor.

 

Planting…

Grapes are best if they are planted in rows as this allows for proper ventilation; however, the actual layout of the vineyard is dependent on the layout of the land.  Running the rows North and South will help the vines receive maximum sunlight and ventilation.  Early spring is the ideal time to plant the vines due to it being the rainy season and will give the vines a chance to settle into their new home before growing season begins.