Carnows (Napa) Many otheres

In the beginning God created Burgundy. But unlike his former creations, this one required the assistance of the wine-loving Romans, who, according to tradition, planted vines all through the Rh�ne Valley and into the region we now call Burgundy. Written documents dating back to 312 A.D. extol the C�te d'Or for its excellent wines. For as long as anyone can remember, the dominant wines of Burgundy were unblended Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. All other grapes were considered inferior, so the winemaker's art became focussed on coaxing the maximum nobility out of their already superior fruit.
Bordeaux, in contrast, is a relative upstart. There are no records of winemaking in that region before Eleanor of Aquitaine got fed up with her unfulfilling marriage to monkly Louis VII, had the marriage annulled, and married Henry II of England. This action gave the English control over Bordeaux, and since the English of that era were known to be inveterate winebibbers, a new chapter of wine history began.

The Bordelais, however, didn't mimic the Burgundians. For reasons no longer known, their quest for enological Nirvana led them to "assemble" their wines from several different varietials. The best wines of the region, even up to the present, are blends of up to five grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Typically, all the grapes used in a Bordeaux blend are grown in the same vineyard.

The history of wine styles in California has no parallel. It was born of the soil and spirit of the wild West - a spirit which would allow huddled masses of European immigrants to make unremarkable wines from "second rate" varietals (Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cinsault, French Colombard, Thompson Seedless, et al) and call them "Burgundy," "Claret," "Chablis," and "Rhine Wine." Small pockets of Cabernet Sauvignon production appeared in Napa Valley, but few could even spell Chardonnay, let alone make it.

Reeling from the economic effects of Prohibition, the California wine industry's coming of age was postponed to the late 1960s. California enologists began to marry science to the traditional art of the winemaker. Viticultural areas became classified; some best suited to "cool climate" grapes, such as Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Chardonnay; others to the classic Bordeaux varietals. The search was on to find the best varietals for California and the most favorable locations in which to grow them.

Cabernet Sauvignon soon became the darling of the California wine industry and all the best Napa Valley wineries were releasing 100% varietal Cabernet Sauvignon. Beaulieu Vineyards - one of the finest producers of the 60s and 70s - advertized the fact that their Cabernet was unblended by announcing it in red on the back label. California's Cabernets got better and better as science led the way to excellence.