Top 30 Californian white wines for summer

California has definitely seen a rollercoaster ride of changing styles and tastes over the last few decades. In the 1980s when phylloxera returned, completely devastating vines planted on AXR1 rootstocks, a rethink and replanting programme turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as grape varieties were matched to more suitable sites.

At a similar time, powerful critics were influencing winemaking styles, and California producers were moving into huge, oaky, high-alcohol wines – the bigger the better, when it came to chasing higher scores. Jump forward to 2004 and the wine-themed movie Sideways was released, promoting elegant and ethereal Pinot Noir, when in reality many in California were making brutish Pinot that was more akin to Syrah. Perhaps the time for change was coming…

The US is the fourth largest producer of wines in the world, with the majority made in California. While mainstream markets, both in the US and the rest of the world, may have a taste for the richer, riper style of wines, with some residual sugar, oak and warm alcohol, here I want to showcase a selection of wines more likely to be of interest to Decanter readers, from established names who have always valued elegance and finesse over power, and from a new wave of producers who share the same philosophy.

Scroll down to see Sayburn’s top 30 Californian whites to try

Chardonnay is the most widely planted white variety. Flavour-wise it’s the chicken of the wine world – a blank canvas that winemakers are free to write upon. To oak, semi-oak or not to oak at all, to allow partial or full malolactic fermentation, or to add richness and texture by lees stirring – these are all factors a winemaker has to consider in choosing whether to create a Chablisien style of high acidity, no oak and minerality, or a full-blown, buttery, vanilla, textured style.

Coastal Sonoma and Santa Barbara County are certainly the standout areas for the linear, mineral-driven, refined styles of Chardonnay. Elegant and tight, they deliver flavours that would make a Burgundian proud. Sauvignon Blanc, the second most-planted white grape variety, is now coming into its own, showing great potential in high-altitude, mountainous areas of Napa, and moving away from very ripe, tropical fruits and closer to the leaner Bordelaise styles of gently oaked, floral wines.

A diverse mix of Italian, Spanish and Austrian varieties are also becoming popular, along with traditional plantings of Rhône varieties in the Central Coast. Elevated prices are, sadly, a feature common to many of these wines; high costs of labour and land – and perhaps ego – are typical reasons that lie behind some hefty pricing.

A discernible and welcome change is apparent in the way that many winemakers in California are operating. Critics’ scores today have a lot less impact than in the past; skilled winemakers are buying carefully selected fruit from good growers; and, in terms of style, there is a clear shift away from power, mainstream and manipulation towards elegance, eclectic and minimum intervention. Overall, this is a very exciting time for Californian wines.

See Sayburn’s pick of the best 30 Californian whites to try

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Ronan Sayburn MS holds the position of Chief Operations Officer for the Court of Master Sommeliers’ European chapter. He runs his own consultancy and wine training company – The RS Wine Academy, specialising in managing private portfolios, wine training to the trade and public and wine events. He is a Master Sommelier, previous winner of the UK Sommelier of the Year competition and competed twice representing the UK in the European Sommelier Competition.He is also Head of Wine for a private members’ club in St James, specialising in fine wines, known as 67 Pall Mall, which has a collection of close to 5,000 references by the bottle and 500 wines by the glass. He stepped into the role of Regional Chair for USA at the 2019 Decanter World Wine Awards, he first judged the competition in 2004.

Top 30 Californian white wines for summer

Scroll down to see Sayburn’s top 30 Californian whites to try

See Sayburn’s pick of the best 30 Californian whites to try

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Future wine legends: Decanter 100-point wines

From the archive: California Cabernet 2011 panel tasting results

Arnot-Roberts, Trout Gulch Vineyard Chardonnay, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA, 2015

Kongsgaard, Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California, USA, 2015

Kutch, Chardonnay, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast, California, USA, 2015

Lutum, Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County, Sta Rita Hills, California, USA, 2015

Failla, Haynes Vineyard Chardonnay, Napa Valley, Coombsville, California, USA, 2012

Kunin Wines, Jurassic Park Chenin Blanc, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Valley, California, USA, 2014

Peter Michael, L’Après-Midi Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County, Knights Valley, California, USA, 2015

Sandhi, Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County, Sta Rita Hills, California, USA, 2015

Wind Gap, Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard Trousseau Gris, Sonoma County, California, USA, 2015

Accendo Cellars, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California, USA, 2015

Arnot-Roberts, Chardonnay, Napa Valley, Coombsville, California, USA, 2016

Liquid Farm, Four Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County, Sta Rita Hills, California, USA, 2015

Rochioli Vineyard & Winery, Chardonnay, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley, California, USA, 2014

Tatomer, Vandenberg Riesling, Santa Barbara County, California, USA, 2014

Fog Monster, Chenin Blanc, Amador County, California, USA, 2013

Broc Cellars, Love White, Madera, California, USA, 2017

DeSante, The Old Vines White, Napa Valley, California, USA, 2014

Kesner, Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast, California, USA, 2014

Marimar Estate, Albariño, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley, California, USA, 2015

Qupé, Marsanne, Santa Barbara County, California, USA, 2015

Red Car, Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast, California, USA, 2013

Tatomer, Meeresboden Grüner Veltliner, Santa Barbara County, California, USA, 2014

Hunt & Harvest, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California, USA, 2014

Trefethen Family Vineyards, Estate Dry Riesling, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll, California, USA, 2015

Varner, El Camino Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County, California, USA, 2013

Au Bon Climat, Hildegard, Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria Valley, California, USA, 2014

Birichino, Malvasia Bianca, Monterey County, Monterey, California, USA, 2014

Matthiasson, Ribolla Gialla, Napa Valley, California, USA, 2015

Chronic Cellars, Eunice X, Central Coast, California, USA, 2015

Snowden Vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, Rutherford, California, USA, 2015