Southern California's Vineyard Conditions

We don't just want to take you on a wine tour, we enjoy educating you about the growing process and what you can expect as a client. Our greatest enjoyment is taking groups to vineyard country, in one of our luxury limousines for a day they will never forget. 

There is something about mixing wine tasting with a nice day out in a limousine, that is truly amazing. If you haven't been on a wine-tasting trip, definitely add it to your bucket list... It's a must-do! And also as easy as ever; just contact our Los Angeles limo service today and one of our specialists will help you plan and set up your trip to the vineyard of your choice.

An Intro

For a winemaker, different climates are measured using a method known as heat summation (Winkler Scale), which categorizes climates into regions on a scale from 1-5 depending on how warm the average daily temperature is during the vine’s main growing season from April to October. Different grapes grow and ripen best in each climate region. If California were a country, it would be one of the very few on earth that have areas corresponding to all five types of growing regions, which means there are ideal climate and weather conditions for almost all types of grapes. 

Winemakers here also have an easier job out here than their colleagues in many parts of the world, maybe particularly in Southern Europe, because rainfall is almost nonexistent for much of the summer, so grapes can ripen in the plentiful sun and avoid humid- or damp-related fungal disease like mildew. Similarly, damaging winds and hail are almost unheard of - especially in the great wine country of Southern California - during the summer. Most rain in Santa Barbara falls between November and April, and apart from the rare summer thunderstorm and late spring shower, it is generally dry from late May through October. Contact a provider of limos for rent today for more information on Santa Barbara wine tours in beautifully picturesque Santa Ynez Valley.

California Weather

Rosenthal in Malibu Canyon

One of the defining aspects of the weather along the California Coast is the fog. Chilly marine fog creeps inland from the cold Pacific Ocean during summer and it goes through every gap it can find in the SoCal mountains. Maybe no aspect of the weather here is more crucial than this dampness. It really takes the edge off the sometimes vicious and intense summer heat we so often experience in Santa Barbara, Malibu, and all of Southern California. 

The marine fog also helps to keep the nights cool and slow the ripening of grapes to a great tempo. The factors that generate this fog start hundreds of miles north in the Central Valley region. As the temperatures there rise on hot summer days, so does the air, lowering the atmospheric pressure near the ground. Something has to replace the multitude of rising air. Cool air from the Pacific Ocean is pulled in over Southern California to do just that. Because the Pacific is so cold outside our shores, caused by chilly Alaskan currents, it condenses water from the air (just as cold air does to your breath), creating a deep bank of fog that winds caused by the inland sun drag fog onto the gorgeous California coast found in for instance Malibu.

California Wine Country

Sunstone Winery in the Santa Ynez Valley

The combination of diverse soils and microclimates found in for instance the Malibu Canyon, Santa Ynez Valley, and Santa Barbara, our favorite LA wine tour destinations, offers everything a winemaker could want. There are very few grapes that have not proven able to grow somewhere in California, and the current diversity of grape varietals has more to do with marketing than weather conditions. 

A French term is used to describe the unique conditions of a place where a grape is grown: terroir. Terroir is the combination of weather- and climate-related aspects of the land, as well as geographical- and geological patterns. It includes everything from soil, temperature, slope, wind levels, elevation, and sunlight exposure. California has a vast amount of distinct terroirs, which explains why wine grapes grown in one vineyard will make a variety that tastes dramatically different from that made from grapes in an adjacent vineyard. Vineyard-designated wines sourced from a specific vineyard rather than multiple vineyards take advantage of that difference. There can also be a difference in the wines made from different sections of the land, or blocks, of an individual vineyard. 

While on a trip visiting the Malibu Canyons’ Malibu Family Wines, you will quickly see how the winemakers here allow for some varietals to grow in direct sunlight, on top of the hills, while other grapes are grown with less sun- and wind exposure at lower elevations. Our exclusive Malibu wine-tasting trip is provided by our Malibu limousine company, which is a top-rated provider of luxury vehicles in the Malibu area.

Soil & Irrigation

Zaca Mesa Vineyards in Los Olivos

Without exceptions, the ideal soils for vineyard growing are well-drained and infertile to a certain degree. Drainage is crucially important to prevent the grapes and the vines from becoming too wet, damp, or humid, which could lead to rotting. It is important to grow the vines at deep roots in search of a more stable water source for the dry SoCal summers. Some of the oldest vines are known to send roots as deep as a hundred feet down. Drip-irrigation systems are common in Southern California vineyards, but might not be as vital as you think. 

Without the artificial water, the vines are most likely to survive but wouldn’t look close to as lush with plump grapes and leaves at the end of the summer. The irrigation has in other words more to do with growing a financially viable quantity of grapes per acre than keeping the vines alive. The lack of fertility is a fairly unimportant factor in winemaking, and it is not by chance that some of the most flavorful and distinctive Southern California vineyards thrive on rocky lands, such as the steep mountainsides of the Malibu Canyons, where even the endemic California-native plants struggle to grow. Our Santa Ynez Valley-, Malibu-, LA wine tours, and our Santa Barbara wine tours are all ideal for truly getting to appreciate the perfect wine-tasting experience. Hiring limos for rent might also be the most stylish, comfortable, luxurious, and unforgettable way to truly experience the region's wine country.

Stressed Wine

Grape growers are trying to produce what is known as a stressed wine. That one has to search for water and survive on meager nutrients. A stressed vine will make smaller and fewer grapes but they will have a much more concentrated flavor. Climate conditions play an equally crucial role in how specific wines turn out, determining how fast a grape ripens and the level of ripeness as measured by its sugar content. Day- and nighttime temperatures are affected by wind- and sun exposure. Climate helps explain why a cabernet made from vineyards on the west-facing slopes of the Santa Ynez Valley that gets sun much of the warmest part of the day will taste differently from that made from a vineyard on an east-facing slope that might receive less sun exposure as well as less morning fog.

Now you got the info... are you ready for your LA wine tour, Malibu wine tour, Santa Barbara Wine Tour, or Santa Ynez Valley wine tour? At our Los Angeles limo service, we specialize in each of the SoCal destinations.  Book your exclusive trip today! Our reservation specialists are standing by to help you plan your adventure! Feel free to call us toll-free 24/7 or check out our websites!

Koehler Winery in the Santa Ynez Valley

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google Plus

About Nicolai Edgar Andersen

This is a short description in the author block about the author. You edit it by entering text in the "Biographical Info" field in the user admin panel.