Why are California wines named for the grape while european grapes are named for the region?

Answer 1

Because there's a huge proprietal thing about wines. Grapes grown here are only similar to the original. Sure some are actually grown from cuttings of the original grapes in Europe, but because they're grown in different soil and at different latitudes, we aren't allowed to use the same names.

It's a really long story as to why, but that's the short version.

Answer 2

Because many different varieties of grapes grow well in California. The regions of France typically grow one or 2 varieties. So the regions of France will tell you the kind of grape...usually.

On a side note, back at the turn of the 20th century there was a grape disease that ran rampant through the vineyards of France. The vines in California were resistant to that disease. Many vineyards in France today are there still only because cuttings from the California vines were sent to France.

Answer 3

The differences between wine from California and wine from the Old World stalwarts like France, Italy and Germany cannot be overstated. Over the last thirty years, California has asserted its individuality in that old fashioned American tradition of breaking the rules and doing things its own way.

Often to the disdain of European wine makers, vineyards in California have made an art-form out of blending grapes trucked in from different locations all over the state. The Europeans, on the other hand, favor making wine from the grapes grown only in one vineyard. In wine growing, they call this the concept of terroir. It is the idea that a unique wine is made special by a singular combination of soil, climate and terrain that cannot be found anywhere else on Earth except for that particular vineyard. California wine makers like to create a certain style that wine drinkers will like and come back to year after year, so to keep this style consistent they have to blend grapes from multiple vineyards so the differences in vintages from year to year can be smoothed out.

Think of it as listening to the orchestra versus the soloist. California wines typically have many different players that go into a single bottle: if one player misses a note, the rest of the members can easily make up for it. European wine growers prefer the Yo-Yo Ma model: listening to the individual style and personality of a single maestro is prized above everything else.

Is one better than the other? Of course not, it all depends on your tastes and what you're in the mood for. But California is ready to shift gears, and some of its major wine makers are positioning themselves to make single-vineyard wines. The reason is that more and more wine consumers are seeking them out. Some of the best wines that come out of California happen to be from small, single-vineyard wine makers, but these are often made in medium to small supply and carry a higher price. Demand is increasing for soloist style wines that are distinct and affordable.

Even Robert Mondavi's behemoth bargain label Woodbridge is releasing a single-vineyard series that will hit the shelves at $10.99.

The New World and the Old World can argue all they want over which way is better. Do you prefer the team or the athlete? The band leader or the band? Most would agree that it depends on the mood. We're just happy to have the option.

Answer 4

American wine laws specifically mention the percentage of a grape variety that goes into making a wine. A minimum of 75% of a particular grape has to go into a wine to make it a varietal. Now with the flavour of that particular grape being dominant it is obvious that the wine will be named after that particular grape.

Moreover the new world wine producing countries like the US are more well known for the grape varieties that they produce than the region themselves, unlike in the case of old world countries like France, Italy and Spain where one can easily identify with a wine coming from Bordeaux, Tuscany or Rioja. The wines from these countries sell on the might of the regions from where they come. the wine laws in these countries are highly well defined and the particular regions are synonymous with particular grape varieties like Bordeaux for the Cabernet and Merlot and the Rhone valley for the syrah. So it is but obvious that the region itself speaks for the quality of the wine.

Answer 5

In California there are regions however most people wouldn't know them We're too young compared to France.

The French system of defining and regulating winegrowing regions is called Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (“controlled name of origin”) or AOC. The French system has been the model for most of the other appellation laws in Europe.

Under AOC regulations, France’s winegrowing areas are divided into:

Regions
Districts
Villages, towns, or communes
Individual vineyards or crus ("growths").
These geographic designations serve as the basis for labeling French wines

this is why the French do it the way they do.

Answer 6

Hi there,
Here is a good resource about how to grow grape vines http://www.downloadita.it/r/rd.asp?gid=419.
I had 0 experience and now I have a nice vine in my backyard.
Cheers.

Answer 7

Many wineries in California name them after the region.

Answer 8

Custom.