California wine is basically all about sunlight and softness; most European wines are all about clouds and crispness.
Though it’s infinitely more complicated than this, these two statements could well sum up what separates California wines from those made on the northern European continent. It all comes down to what Mother Nature permits and how the wines historically play out with their nearby populaces.
The so-called continental climate that has been recognized for centuries in Northern Europe is based on less sun exposure on grapes than elsewhere. (The Alps are cold.) The closer vines are to the equator, the more sunlight and heat change winemaking’s results.
By contrast, California and several other areas along the West Coast are bathed in so much sun that it once was said, “Every year in California is a vintage year,” implying that vintages were always great—that everything ripens every year.
California’s climate is more Mediterranean. The last time a damaging rainfall occurred during a California harvest season was 1972, 51 years ago.
The more sunlight that grapevines get, the more likely the resulting grapes will lead to higher alcohols, lower acids, and softer wines. This leads to wines that may be sipped alone. Cooler, less-sunny areas of Europe make wines with more acidity and thus are crisper and better with food.
Much has changed in the last 50 years in both regions. Recently, it’s been observed that excessive sunlight on grapes can be detrimental to wine quality. For one thing, excess sun changes historical models. It’s now known that what winemakers call “dappled sunlight” on grapes is better for balanced wine than is full, direct sunlight.
Sunlight vs. clouds isn’t the only major factor in determining the kinds of wines each region produces.
Over decades, the fact that sunlight wasn’t as pervasive in most of northern Europe taught European wine buyers to appreciate more structured, balanced, food-oriented wines. This predates out-of-area shipping. Wine once was made primarily for locals.
Similarly, California wines appealed most to those who appreciated what once never was shipped out of state; most of it was sold primarily to Californians. Softer, more approachable wine was preferred in California more than was the hard-to-find European wine.
Cross-nation shipping of California wine was extremely limited from the end of Prohibition in 1933 until the 1960s—until after the federal highway system was completed and trucking (cheaper than rail) could become an important means of getting wine to the East Coast.
One result was that the wine culture that grew up on the East Coast was, for generations, far more oriented toward northern European-styled wines. That was reinforced in 1945, when American troops came home from war duty in Europe. Most had tasted and liked European-styled wines. Only recently has California wine made an impact on the East Coast.
Far more modern transportation of wines in bottles as well as in bulk permitted European wines to be shipped thousands of miles. But several generations of Californians had cut their teeth on the more sun-washed, softer California styles of wine, and many were slow to understand the tarter old-world classics.
California wines now sell well throughout the country. Their softer, approachable, fruit-driven styles appeal to a wide range of wine newcomers. More classic European wines continue to find new buyers among adventuresome U.S. millennials who seek unique flavors that are difficult to find in West Coast producers’ houses.
