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Vineyards for Sale in California
California Wine Country: The Perfect Location for a Vineyard of Your Own
Each year beginning in August in California wine country, the grape harvest begins. Grapes are picked by hand and often at night. The first grapes are harvested early August to create sparkling wines. The next grapes harvested are used to make still white wines. Beginning in October and November grapes are harvested for red varieties with harvest time often continuing until December for late harvest dessert wines. You could be a part of the exciting and rewarding work of harvesting grapes in order to create beautiful wines to share with the world. There are many vineyards for sale in California. Your biggest challenge may be choosing which area you would like to put down roots. Below you will find 3 very different and wonderful regions.
Napa Valley
Napa Valley is the state’s largest and best known wine region. Napa Valley is a beautiful area located in Northern California 50 miles northeast of San Francisco. Napa is the most densely concentrated winery region in the world. It spans 30 miles between Napa and Calistoga and is home to 240 wineries. The fertile soil and pleasant weather create the perfect environment in which to grow the quality grapes that create Napa’s most famous wine: Cabernet Sauvignon. Napa Valley’s beautiful rolling green hills and vineyards go on as far as the eye can see and buying a winery in this region may be as close as you can get to owning a Tuscany Vineyard without actually going to Tuscany. Although Napa Valley is synonymous with wine country now, the area did not begin commercial production until 1861 and it wasn’t until the 1976 Paris Wine Tasting that Napa Valley gained worldwide recognition. Today when you think of Napa Valley one thing springs to mind – wine.
Sonoma Valley
Drive about an hour south west of Napa Valley and you will end up in Sonoma Valley located in the North Bay Region of San Francisco. Although Napa may be the most well known California wine region, Sonoma Valley is where California wine history began. In 1832 Padre Jose Altimira planted several thousand grapevines at his order’s northernmost mission and the rest is history. Now Sonoma is home to 60,000 acres of vineyards and 400 wineries located between the Pacific in the west and the Mayacamas mountains in the east. Long, dry sunny summers and ocean fog create the perfect environment for producing amazing Chardonnay and Pinot grapes. You will find some of California’s oldest wineries located in the beautiful Sonoma Valley region including Buena Vista and Gundlach Bundsclau. Both vineyards were established in 1857 just months apart.
Even more California Winery Regions
Anderson Valley
100 miles north of San Francisco you will find Anderson Valley, a small community of villages set amongst lush hills. This lovely area is surrounded by forest and National parks with the rocky pacific coastline located just a few miles away. The story of Anderson Valley’s success as a wine destination begins in 1964 when Donald Edmeades planted 24 acres of vines and created Edmeades Folly. Yet it wasn’t until 1982 when Louis Roederer created Roederer Estates to produce sparkling wine that things really started to take off. There are now 90 wineries located in the region. Many of these wineries are family owned and use sustainable, eco friendly and organic practices for growing their grapes. Though off the beaten path, this area offers a less crowded environment than Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley in which to relax and explore the great wines of the region in a cozy charming atmosphere. While attending a tasting in an Anderson Valley Vineyard there is a very good chance that you will be discussing the subtleties of the wine with the winery’s founder. The area is best known for its Pinot Noir and Alsace varieties of Pinot Gris and Riesling.
Each of these beautiful Northern California wine regions have their own feel and beauty. When looking at vineyards for sale in California’s wine country, keep in mind the distinct feel of each area. Napa Valley – well established, popular and bustling with excitement. Sonoma Valley – beautiful, serene and full of history or Anderson Valley – lovely, relaxed, small and personal.
Becoming a vintner can be a wonderful and rewarding experience. With hard work and determination you can become part of a creative community that takes pride in the creation of a product from beginning to end. Creating a sense of community through sharing your wine will bring joy and a sense of purpose. Deciding in which of these beautiful valleys your vineyard should be located may be the most difficult decision that you make all day.