California's history with winemaking began in Franciscan monasteries in the late 18th century, but it wasn't until a seminal 1976 wine tasting that the state's offering was considered world-class. Winemaking styles vary greatly with the state's diverse topography and culture.
California produces 90 percent of U.S. wine and is the fourth-largest worldwide producer after France, Italy and Spain. In 2008, California sold 196 million cases of wine with an estimated retail value of $18.5 billion.
California's wine country is frequently broken into four major regions, each with widely known subregions: North Coast, north of San Francisco Bay; Central Coast, south and west of San Francisco Bay to Santa Barbara County; South Coast, south of Los Angeles; and Central Valley. Notable subregions include Napa County, Sonoma County and Paso Robles.
Wine grapes are harvested and crushed from late August to early November.
Some popular California wine events include the Harvest Wine Country Weekend from Sept. 12-14; Winesong from Sept. 11-12; Flight of Napa from Sept. 26-28; and Westfest of Paso Robles on Sept. 13.
Summer is the most popular time to visit California's wine country, but it is advisable to visit in the late summer or early fall during the harvest.
