California Wine For Dummies

Discover the nuances of California wines and increase your drinking pleasure Want to be a California wine connoisseur? This friendly guide gives you the knowledge you need to appreciate these fine wines, showing you how to taste them, select a good bottle, pair wine with food, and much more. You′ll see why certain wine regions are renowned and how to further enrich your wine–drinking experience. California wine 101 — understand the range of California wines, what makes them unique, and what a varietal wine is Review the regions — explore the major wine regions of California and what makes each one special, from the soil to the climate Open the bottle — become fluent in the Big Six: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel Go beyond the basics — appreciate Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Syrah, sparkling wines, and more Round out your wine experience — pair and share wines, learn about the proper glassware and serving temperatures, and prepare for a winery visit Open the book and find: An overview of California wine today Wine recommendations for all budgets Explanations of wine label language A map of wine regions Tips for aging and collecting California wines Winery tasting etiquette The ins and outs of recent vintages Top wine country travel destinations

Introduction  1 Part I: The Big Picture of California Wine  9 Chapter 1: Introducing California Wines  11 Chapter 2: What’s in the Bottle  25 Chapter 3: Decoding the Label  41 Chapter 4: California’s Major Wine Regions  57 Part II: The Headliners  85 Chapter 5: Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc  87 Chapter 6: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Their Blends  111 Chapter 7: Pinot Noir  135 Chapter 8: Zinfandel  159 Part III: More Reds, Whites, Pinks, and Bubblies  171 Chapter 9: Pinot Grigio, Rhône–Style Whites, and Other California Whites  173 Chapter 10: Syrah, Petite Sirah, Other Varietal Reds, and Red Blends  185 Chapter 11: Bubbly, Rosé, and Dessert Wines  207 Part IV: Enjoying California Wines  217 Chapter 12: Pairing and Sharing California Wines  219 Chapter 13: Making a Winery Pilgrimage  231 Part V: The Part of Tens  241 Chapter 14: Answers to Ten Common Questions about California Wine  243 Chapter 15: Ten Top Travel Destinations and Attractions  249 Index  257

Ed McCarthy, CWE, is a wine columnist for WineReviewOnline.com and for Beverage Media. Mary Ewing–Mulligan, MW, is President of the International Wine Center in New York. Together, they are the authors of many For Dummies wine guides, including the perennial bestseller Wine For Dummies.