Californian producers are finally making a selection of quality Italian grape variety wines. See Decanter expert Jon Bonne's top picks.
The history of Italian grapes in California has been, to be candid, a near-total failure. Its greatest success was found in the mid-20th century, when jugs of not-quite-Chianti were made from Carignan, Zinfandel and many other varieites California had inherited.
But the Californians success has changed when they thought less about copying Italy and more about incorporating the right grapes into its Pacific culture.
Jon Bonne gives us his top 10 picks of the best Italian varieties in California: