All You Need to Know About the California Wine Country

Wine lovers around the world recognize California as prime wine country. The northern regions of Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley and Alexander Valley are some of the finest wine producing regions in the world. With a huge variety of grapes grown and excellent growing conditions it is no wonder that California Wine Country is also prime Wine Tourism Country.

While there are many areas in the United States that produce excellent wine, California's northern regions are unique in their productivity. With the perfect niche climates an amazing range of grapes flourish through Napa, Alexander and Sonoma valleys. Warm days and cooler nights allow the vines to produce large crops with excellent flavor. Wineries are famed for the quality of the wines produced in the area and have been awarded many prizes at world-wide wine competitions.

Grapes have grown naturally in California for years before anyone considered cultivating them for wine production. The first person to produce grapes specifically for wine was George Calvert Yount. His vineyard in Napa Valley was the first of many. In 1861 the first commercial vineyard was opened in Napa Valley and the region never looked back.

Despite the region's small size, the number of vineyards and wineries has grown immensely with over 400 in operation at this time. Many of these are open to tourist, making Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley highly desirable locations for wine lovers. In fact, the tourist trade has grown so much that it is hard to tell which is more important to the region's economy - tourism or wine making. They are so deeply linked that it seems that neither could survive without the other.

Tourists are welcomed to Wine Country with a grand offering of wine tours and tastings. Special events are scheduled on a regular basis to highlight the sampling of wines and to celebrate the rich history of the region. Some wineries offer courses to visitors and encourage tourists to learn more about wines and wine making. Others take pleasure in educating visitors of the joys in pairing wines with gourmet food choices.

Because Wine Country is so popular it is a good idea to book your accommodations in advance. Whether you choose a hotel or a comfy inn, there are lots of types of accommodations available for your selection. Some visitors choose bed and breakfast options, while others prefer to camp out or rent a cottage for their visit. If you plan to travel throughout the regions you should look into a range of accommodations to get a better feel of the area and the rich heritage that surrounds it.

In between tastings and wine tours, be sure to check out the other attractions of the regions including spa treatments in Calistoga, select shopping experiences, picturesque hiking trails, sightseeing tours and luxury train rides. California's Wine Country has something to offer everyone, wine lover or not. By planning your trip in advance you can take advantage of everything the wine country has to offer and have the trip of a lifetime.