As regular readers know, I write a free, twice monthly wine column that’s distributed to newspapers across the country.

These columns are hosted by Grape Collective. If you don’t see my column in your local newspaper, please send an email to your paper’s editor and CC me (David – at – Terroirist.com).

In my latest column, I explain that there’s more to California wine than Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. And I highlight the movement that seeks to reclaim California’s diversity.

Reclaiming California’s Diversity

If you ask a typical wine consumer to imagine a California red, they’ll almost certainly think of Cabernet Sauvignon. If you ask that same consumer to imagine a white, they’ll almost certainly think of Chardonnay.

This is understandable. More than 500,000 acres of California farmland are dedicated to wine grapes, and Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are the most widely planted. More than a quarter of the state’s red wine grape plantings are Cabernet Sauvignon. And more than half of all white wine grape plantings are Chardonnay.

Once upon a time, however, California’s landscape was much more diverse. And thanks to a group of renegade vintners, California is reclaiming this diversity — and producing more and more wines that are reminiscent of a bygone era.

Check out the rest of the piece on Grape Collective!