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The Napa Valley AVA now joins the ONLINE ranks with The Mendocino County AVA and The Sierra Foothills AVA pages! Click on the links in the navigation bar to visit those pages. Explore Cabernet Sauvignon |
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This page is all about Cabernet Sauvignon, its character and uniqueness because of the places the grape is grown in California. Cabernet has a wide growing range in California and its character is marked by the terroir of those regions. It is well worth while to investigate California's different nooks and crannies to experience their impact on Cabernet Sauvignon's character. Black currant, mocha, red or black cherry, and cedar are CLASSIC flavors and aromas of Cabernet Sauvignon. These characteristics will be found in the warmer regions of California that more closely match those in Bordeaux France. Other areas of California may bring out spicy character or perhaps more bright fruit. It is all in discovering what you like and where you can find the wine that best matches your preferences. These pages will guide you on that quest.
These pages will provide the tools you need to create your own self guided tour. Your exploration can focus on one region or follow a route to sample the highlights of several. Find links in the navigation bar to the left to move back and forth between California AVA regions which are listed in the tables below. Those will take you to pages that list all of the sub AVAs with lists of wineries and links to additional information about food, lodging and area highlights. Stay tuned as, over time, we will provide additional first hand information to give you more finely honed information for your own use. Right now The Sierra Foothills pages are available online. Click on the Sierra Foothills link to the left to go down to the table of AVA's and to more information from there.
Cabernet is marked by high levels of tannins which are softened by age and so this is a wine that can be cellared for at least five to ten years. Some Cabernet Sauvignon can age for even longer. Often Merlot or Cabernet Franc are blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to add complexity and to soften the tannins.
Many who are new to the world of wine may not like the tannic character of Cabernet Sauvignon and may dismiss it as a wine of choice. This is unfortunate because Cabernet Sauvignon can be an experience to drink since it can offer such complexity and richness. Oxygen softens tannins so younger wines can be decanted (poured into another container) or simply open the bottle for several hours (or even days) before serving. Others may not like the potential dense quality that Cabernet can exhibit. However, the fruit quality that is typical of Cabernet can be very satisfying. Read the label. Look for the order in which the characteristics are listed because typically this is the order in which you will experience the wine.
Terroir
You have terroir in your glass! Rocks and sand, sendiment scraped from ocean floors and pushed to mountaintops millions of years ago or river floodplains contribute to your wine. Your wine brings you the aromas and flavors of the sun that beats on grapes and vines day after day or the fog, creeping through valleys, that refreshes at night.
Understanding terroir will help you choose wines that you like. Explore Cabernet Sauvignon's diverse growing range through these pages. Each area is a tour of its own and each offers unique highlights of history and topography. These tours are about discovering that uniqueness. Click on the AVA links in the navigation bar on the left to go down the page to the sub-AVA of your interest listed in the table below. There you will find links to specific information about that region including lists of wineries plus links for area food, lodging and other local highlights.
A wine's terrior is the result of topography: mountains, valleys, rugged wind blown coast, unique soils: sand, volcanic, alluvial and granitic. Cabernet Sauvignon prefers a slightly warmer climate so it finds success in the regions of Sonoma County, Napa County, the Central Valley and The Sierra Foothills. Microclimates in other regions, either with sunny mountaintops or snuggled in protected valleys, create prime conditions for world class Cabernet Sauvignon.
While Napa County AVA (Napa Valley) is a region known world wide for its classic Cabernet Sauvignon but make sure you look through this whole page to see Cabernet Sauvignon's diverse growing range in California. Each area is a tour of its own and each offers it own world class Cabernet to experience plus unique highlights of history and topography. These tours are about discovering that uniqueness. It is part of the adventure to explore these varied regions of California wine country. Highlights of these regions are introduced below.
A Little History
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the "noble grapes" which is a French reference to the 6 grape varieties (Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) that have produced world class wines. The term is somewhat defunct as other grape varietals have grown on a world wide scale. Cabernet Sauvignon's heritage is from Bordeaux in France. In fact, Cabernet Sauvignon is the offspring of Sauvignon Blanc (Fume Blanc) and Cabernet Franc.
California American Viticultural Areas (AVAs)
American Viticultural Areas are unique legally designated grape growing areas that are defined by the ATF. These regions are most often defined by their topography, soil types, climate and sometimes historical relevance.
| North Coast | Mendocino County, Lake County, Sonoma County, Napa Valley, Marin County and Solono County |
| Sierra Foothills | North Yuba, El Dorado, Fair Play, CA Shenandoah Valley, Fiddletown |
| Inland | Yolo County, Madera County, Sacramento County, |
| Delta | San Joaquin County, Siskiyou County, Stanislaus County |
| Central Coast | Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, San Benito, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara Santa Cruz |
| South Coast | Los Angeles County, Riverside & San Bernardino, San Diego County |
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The Mendocino County AVA is located in the California North Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA) which includes Napa Valley, Sonoma and Lake Counties plus some of Marin and Solano Counties. This is a spectacular region that includes the high, rocky, Pacific Ocean wave pounded bluffs in the west. The Coastal Ranges form the eastern border of the county. Mendocino County is where the San Andreas fault veers off into the ocean. Most of the wine grapes are grown in the Coastal Ranges where the vineyards are sheltered in the interior valleys that protect warmth loving vines from cool ocean breezes. There are 56 wineries in Mendocino County and 250 growers. This is a very beautiful and interesting region and well worth the trek to explore. In the pages under development, we hope to provide information to help you to narrow your focus in this large area.
The Mendocino County AVA Cabernet Sauvignon page is NOW ONLINE! Click on the logo to go to the Mendocino Cabernet Sauvignon page for detailed information about each sub-AVA including lists of wineries. There are additional links to food and lodging opportunities in Mendocino County.
| Mendocino Ridge | Mendocino |
| Anderson Valley | Redwood Valley |
| Potter Valley | Cole Ranch |
| McDowell Valley | Yorkville Highlands |
| Dos Rios |
The Lake County AVA surrounds Clear Lake, California's biggest natural lake. Lake County is next door to and east of Mendocino. This is a growing viticultural area. There are fourteen wineries that produce mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Topographically, the elevation is between 1,370 feet at the valley floor and the 2,000 foot extinct volcano, Mount Konocti. The soil is rich alluvial sediment in the valley and red volcanic soil is found at the higher elevations.
The pages about these locations are under development.
| Benmore Valley | Clear Lake |
| Guenoc Valley | High Valley |
| Red Hills-California |
The Sonoma County AVA is located in the California North Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA) Sonoma is Mendocino's southern neighbor and Napa Valley's western neighbor. Like Mendocino, Sonoma's western border is formed by rugged, Pacific Ocean wave pounded bluffs. The Mayacamas Mountain Ranges form Sonoma's eastern border. Coastal regions are cooled by the cold waters and breezes from the Pacific Ocean. Inland, the days are warm but the nights are cooled as breezes and fog from the ocean filter through the Petaluma Gap and Russian River. Route 12 runs the length of the Valley from Santa Rosa to Glen Ellen. Sonoma County was part of an inland sea but plate tectonics pushed up the coastal ranges. Volcanoes laid down ash and lava amongst the ocean sediment creating a mosaic of soil types in the region. There are 260 wineries in the County. In the pages under development, we hope to provide information to help you to narrow your focus in this large area. The Sonoma AVAs below are listed in rough order from north to south.
Cabernet Sauvignon is second after, Chardonnay, among the most widely planted grapes in Sonoma.
Please check back since the Sonoma County AVA is in the works and will be available soon!!!
| Sonoma Coast | Alexander Valley |
| Dry Creek Valley | Northern Sonoma |
| Russian River Valley | Chalk Hill |
| Knights Valley | Green Valley |
| Bennett Valley | Sonoma Valley |
| Sonoma Mountain | Los Carneros |
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The Napa Valley AVA is next door to Sonoma County, is the next stop on our journey south in the California North Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA). The region is mostly commonly referred to as "Napa Valley" since most of its area is in a valley nestled between the Mayacamas Mountains to the west and the Vaca mountains in the east. The 4,343 foot Mt. St. Helena and the town of Calistoga mark its northern border. Surprisingly, this northern region of Napa this is the warmest because it is sheltered from ocean influences. South, is the city of Napa and San Pablo Bay which connects to San Francisco Bay. The bays are conduits for cool air that moderates the temperatures in this southern portion of Napa. Evenings and mornings bring fog that filters its way from the ocean, through the bays up to the furthest reaches of the valley.
This is a 30 mile stretch of complicated geologic history as over millions of years, tectonic plates collided causing volcanic activity spewing lava and ash. During that time ocean levels rose and fell and water infiltrated from the bays to lay down layers of ocean soils. This has contributed to more than 30 different soils making up the ground of Napa. Once again, terroir is created by the variety of soils and the numerous microclimates. These contribute to the success of Cabernet Sauvignon.
There are more than 400 wineries in Napa Valley. This is an exceedingly diverse area and there are several little known regions that are well worth the effort to explore.
| Howell Mountain | St. Helena |
| Chiles Valley | Spring Mountain |
| Rutherford | Oakville |
| Mt. Veeder | Yountville |
| Stags Leap | Atlas Peak |
| Oak Knoll | Los Carneros |
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Click the logo to learn more about Cabernet Sauvignon in The Sierra Foothills. The Sierra Foothills AVA is on the Western slopes of the Sierra Nevada. There are 5 sub-AVAs (listed below) that make up the Foothills. The vineyards in the Sierra Foothills are relatively remote and are found at elevations between 1,200 to 3,600 feet above sea level which is well above the fog line. This makes for long, sunny summer days. The soils from 1,200 to about 2,000 foot levels are made of decomposed granite and at elevations above the 3,000 foot level there is crushed volcanic rock. Both soil types provide good drainage but lack many nutrients.
The Sierra Foothills Cabernet Sauvignon page provides more information about the unique qualities of this region's Cabernet Sauvignon. You will find hints about food pairings, lists of wineries and links to associations and Chambers of Commerce for more information about restaurants, lodging and local highlights. Sierra Foothills Cabernet Sauvignon is marked by unusual spiciness imparted by the granite/volcanic rock of the region.
| North Yuba | El Dorado |
| Fair Play | Fiddletown |
| CA Shenandoah Valley |
The Inland region is not an AVA but it is a region located east of San Francisco Bay and the Coastal Ranges and west of the Sierra Nevada Foothills. The town of Red Bluff is on the northern end and Sacramento, the state capital, marks the southern border. This 120 mile long valley is protected from ocean breezes and fogs by the Coastal Ranges. Chardonnay and Zinfandel are the most widely grown grapes. Many of the sub-AVAs in this region are one vineyard enterprises so they have been grouped together under the county heading.
Stay tuned for more information about these regions including lists of wineries and specific terroir information per AVA as well as links for area food, lodging and points of interest.
| Yolo County | Madera County |
| Sacramento County |
The Delta region is not an AVA but we have collected the following counties geographically into this category. This is an area that contains some of the most fertile soils in the world. The Delta region is located east of San Francisco Bay and the Coastal Ranges and west of the Sierra Nevada Foothills in the west. The San Joaquin Valley is cooled by ocean breezes and fogs filtering through the San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the most widely grown grapes.
Stay tuned for information about these sub-AVAs.
| San Joaquin County | Siskiyou County |
| Stanislaus County |
The Bay Area AVA is marked by great diversity in geography and microclimates influenced by mountains, by the ocean and by valleys. Each region produces equal diversity in the character of the wines. The upper elevations of of the Santa Cruz Mountains, combined with the cool ocean breezes create dense, spicy fruitful wines. Valley regions have climates moderated by ocean fog that is blown into them.
Stay tuned for more information abou the Bay Area AVA.
| Ben Lamond Mountain | Livermore |
| San Francisco Bay | San Ysidro District |
| Santa Clara Valley | Santa Cruz Mountains |
The Central Coast AVA is one of the largest and it stretches from San Francisco County south to Santa Barbara County making this AVA 250 miles long and 25 miles wide. This region mostly features Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir all of which favor the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco Bay and Monterey Bay. Paso Robles is distinct within the region being 20 miles inland which allows for warm days but the topography brings ocean filtered air to cool the nights. This is an area of diverse topography creating the magical microclimates that allow for a diversity of varietals to thrive.
These pages will be available soon.
| Alameda | Contra Costa |
| Monterey | San Benito |
| San Francisco | San Luis Obispo |
| San Mateo | Santa Barbara |
| Santa Clara | Santa Cruz |
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