California table wines

Lactic Fermentation in California Table Wines, Amer. ]. Enol. Viticult. (1960) 11,160-163. 

Table V. Bottled California Table Wines Shipped to Market in 1000...

A tremendous increase has occurred in the shipment and sales of California table wines, which are those wines referred to in statistical studies as being not over 14 percent ethanol by volume. From 1967 to 1970, shipments (2) of this category of wines increased from 61.6 million to 111 million gallons, while in the same period the sale of wines over 14 percent ethanol (primarily dessert wines) decreased from 82.6 million to 70.5 million gallons. 

B) Without normally distinguishable varietal aromas California (etc) dry red table wine (burgundy, claret, chianti), Carignane, Charbono, Cinsaut, Malvoisie, Mourastel, Valdepenas. 

Not containing obvious sugar California (etc) dry white table wines (chabHs, rhine, etc), Buarger, Colombard, Ugni blanc (Trebbiano), etc... 

Containing considerable sugar California (etc) sweet white table wines ("chateau" types, etc), various proprietarily labeled types... 

Considering the complexity of the classes of wine already described, only general descriptions can be given (23,24). Because they represent such a large portion of total U.S. wine production (Tables 5 and 7), table wines and the practices in California are emphasized. 

BATF permits no more acetic acid than 1.4 g/L in ted table and 1.2 g/L in white and dessert wines, Califotnia and the European Union slightly less. California requites a minimum fixed acidity as tartaric of 4.0 g/L for ted table, 3.0 g/L for white table, and 2.5 g/L for dessert wines. Califotnia also requites a minimum extract in dry wines of 18 g/L for ted and 17 g/L for white, but other states generally do not specify a minimum. In the United States, maximum total sulfur dioxide is 350 mg/L. Fat less is usually used today. European maxima ate lower for dry wines and higher for sweet table wines. 

San Joaquin Valley (Calif.) table wines (wines with less than 14% ethanol) represent about 80% of wine production in California. In two large wineries there, the malo-lactic fermentation is inhibited and does... 

The 55% ethanol extracted 6.91% of the weight of average oven-dry American oak (Table III). In flavoring 1 liter of California port wine for one taster, an average of 575 mg of this wood, 38 mg of its solid, or 13 mg of its phenols extractable by 55% alcohol produced a just detectable difference. A series of five samples of European oak in comparable analyses averaged 11.37% extractable solids, and 1 liter of the same port wine was just detectably flavored by 515 mg of oven-dry wood, 51 mg of extractable solid, or 30 mg of phenol. The fact that European oak contributes more extract and more tannin to wine and yet, per unit of extract or phenol, less flavor is clear from these data. This agrees with tasters opinions and is believed to be because American oak contributes considerably more oak odor per unit of tannin. The amount of flavor per unit of wood is about the same, but the European oak counteracts less flavor per unit of extract by its high extract content. In other tests, 12% alcohol removed 49% as much extract as did 55% alcohol from American oak and 71% as much from French. In earlier tests (47) about 63% as much extract was obtained from American oak by 12% alcohol as by 55% alcohol. Whether these extracts would have the same flavor value has not yet been studied. 

Amerine, M. A., Joslyn, M. A., Table Wines, University of California... 

The development of an oxidized odor in white table wines was common. However, those who burnt sulfur freely in their casks (to produce SO2) had no trouble. Film yeast growth on dry white wines was also a problem, indicating poor cellar practice. The baking of wine to produce sherry was practiced already in California in 1884—in sherry houses. ... 

White Table Wine Production in California s North Coast Region... 

The North Coast area of California is well known for the excellence of its white table wines. Climate factors, primarily the cooling effects of the bays and ocean, provide optimum conditions for production of grapes and wines of distinctive character and proper balance. A history of wine production in the area has provided time for development and improvement of viticultural and vinification techniques. Recent substantial increase in demand for varietal white table wines has encouraged further development of new and improved winemaking techniques and has resulted in increased plantings of white wine grapes. 

Trends in White Wine Consumption. The 1970s have brought increasing consumer interest in white table wines. In 1979, California wineries shipped 114 million gallons of white wine to markets, up from 38 million in 1974. The 1979 shipments represented 53 percent of the total table wine shipped that year (Table V). 

Cooke, G.M. Berg, H.W. Varietal Table Wine Practices in California. II. 

Most of the best California red table wines come from the coastal counties of California. The counties north of San Francisco Bay generally are considered to be the premier areas for the production of quality red wines. To help understand the reasons for this, a short review of the growing characteristics and history of these areas would be helpful. 

As indicated earlier (p. 8), a number of importations of vines from the wine growing areas of Europe were made into California. Those of Agoston Haraszthy were planted near the town of Sonoma, about fifty miles north of San Francisco. His and other importations helped lay the foundation for the wine industry of the coastal counties. Most of these varieties flourished in the soil and climate of Sonoma and soon spread throughout northern California. However, it was in the counties of Napa and Sonoma that the red table wine grapes were particularly well suited to the climate and soil of the area. 

In 1979, the California Department of Health lowered the minimum alcohol requirements for red table wines from 10.5 percent to the federal standard of 7 percent. This opened the door for the production of a completely new style of red table wine. Friedrich (13) calls this soft wine and it is made with ethanol contents of from 7 percent to 10 percent, usually... 

For a generalized flow diagram of current red table wine production in California, see Figure 8. 

No report on the advancements made on the production of red table wines in the coastal counties of California would be complete without mentioning the contribution made by young enologists and viticulturalists entering the industry during the past two decades. 

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