After promising beginnings in the nineteenth century, American viticulture suffered the full blast Prohibition between 1919 and 1933. In full revival since the 1970s, the US vineyard is ranked fourth in the world and California, which concentrates the production, has become one of the most exciting wine regions on the planet. Alongside a mass production embodied by the giant Gallo, modern independent and dynamic areas produce wines of very high level that are now part of world standards. Influenced by the cold current of the Pacific and by the coastal reliefs, the climate is much more nuanced than we think and allows to produce wines both ripe and refined in some of the appellations (or AVA) most view like Napa Valley, Carneros or Sonoma, among others. The merits of the great Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are not to be disassembled but California is now also distinguished by its Pinot Noir, Zinfandel or Syrah increasingly convincing. In addition to California, Oregon and Washington are the other most prominent states.
