Elegant White Wines of California

California produces more wine than any other state in the US. California vineyards are collectively trending towards growing more red grapes, and thus producing more red wine varieties. This means that white wines from California will be slightly harder to find as time goes on. However, the demand for elegant white wines of California will probably never diminish, so they are likely to stay on your store shelves for many years to come.

Wines of California come from varietals of white grapes. The most widely planted varietal that produces elegant white wines of California is chardonnay. This varietal grows well in coastal regions and is appealing because of its fruity flavors. The trend of chardonnay growers has been to produce a more delicate chardonnay to improve sales of the wine. French Colombard varietal is most common in inexpensive wines. Sauvignon blanc is another type of varietal that is known for its tartness. Some connoisseurs say that this varietal has a "grassy" or "herbaceous" taste.

California white wines can also be table wines. A cheap table wine known as chenin blanc is grown mostly in the flat, expansive Central Valley. Chenin blanc is also produced on the coast to vintners who want to expand their selection of varietals. This wine has a delicate taste that some would describe as refreshing. One of the most elegant white wines of California is pinot gris, also known as pinot grigio.

This wine has a fruitier taste and is considered very flavorful. Sparkling wines produced in California use similar techniques to those used in the Champagne region of France. Perfect growing conditions for these wines exist in the cooler areas of California. These wines use pinot noir and chardonnay grape varietals in their manufacture.