California dreamin': six impressive Californian wines

1.Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon

Handford Wines, £58.50

It has the region’s famous rich, sun-kissed berry fruit and juicy, supple tannins. That’s from the warmer top of the valley.

2. Anthony Truchard’s Merlot

Iconic Wines, £24.99

Anthony Truchard’s Merlot is from the cooler south, giving it elegance, more cedar, and a fresh berry/plum flavour.

3. Waitrose Blueprint Californian Chardonnay

Waitrose, £6.99

Waitrose Blueprint Californian Chardonnay is a gem: fresh, fruity, and filled with Golden State sunshine ripeness.

4. Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2019

Berry Bros. & Rudd, £28.50

This Chardonnay is one of the state’s most celebrated wines, grown further south towards Los Angeles. You taste each fruit flavour with pinpoint clarity, and it has a vibrant lift and energy.

5. Oak Farm Barbera 2018

James Hocking Wine, £23.35

This wine from Lodi is a fragrant red with a light touch, but fruitier style than you find in Italy.

6. Lagier Meredith Tribidrag

North and South Wines, £41.99

A spicy, brambly and complex wine. Tribidrag is an old European name for the black-skinned grape zinfandel from the Middle Ages.

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