Trends in California Viticulture

VITICULTURE has been a component in California agriculture for more than two centuries. Regional viticultural associations in the state have responded to the changing fortunes, consumer habits, and socioeconomic circumstances. Geographical analyses of the ever-changing patterns of in the state have been minimal, although viticulture undoubtedly is the most geographically expressive of all agricultural industries.' The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of changes primarily since 1970 in the geography of in California. The focus is on the principal responses to the steadily rising demand for California wines. Sweeping geographical changes have occurred in a search for sites for new vineyards to produce more and better wine grapes. Production of wine has expanded in traditional grape-growing areas, and new areas have been brought into production.2 These changes have led to the designation of official viticultural areas. Primarily shaped by topography and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the changing pattern of in California can best be understood by examination of the shifting distributions of selected varieties of premium grapes. Two native species of grapes grow in California, but is associated with imported European varieties. Viticulture began in the second half of the eighteenth century when Spanish missionaries from Mexico introduced a variety of Vitis vinifera, popularly known now as the mission grape, to make wine for their communion rites. The industry that resulted from this introduction grew erratically during the next two centuries. The current upswing in California began in the 1960s, although the greatest changes have occurred since 1970. Of primary importance in the recent history of California was the opening of a winery by Robert Mondavi near Oakville in the Napa Valley (Fig. 1). This winery represented the first important commercial use of technological innovations that had revolutionized wine making since the mid-1960s. A primary change was the use of stainless steel containers for fermentation together with temperature control during the process, especially for white wines (Fig. 2). Slow, cool fermentation maintains fruitiness in white wines as well as other types like blanc de noir that have become very popular in California. These innovations diffused quickly to wine-making regions in Europe, Australia, and

Biology · Geography · Viticulture · Wine · Fermentation and Sensory Analysis · Horticultural and Viticultural Research · Wine Industry and Tourism

• Applying Geospatial Tools and Techniques to Viticulture

  Open Access•Adam J Mathews•Geography Compass•2013

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