Sangiovese

Ten percent of Italy's wine grape crop is Sangiovese. A bottle of Chianti has to contain at least 80% Sangiovese. Brunello from Tuscany is made from a particular Sangiovese clone, is often highly rated, and  can cost north of $100.

Sangiovese has great acid, making it ideal for foods with tomatoes. Spaghetti and meatballs, anyone? The wines are savory -- savory being the opposite of sweet -- so rather than pronounced red fruit flavors found in many New World wines they're more earthy, maybe mushrooms, peppers, or tobacco. You often get red cherries from California Sangi. 

Sangiovese has never quite caught on big as a varietal in the U.S.

Barbera

The most widely planted grapes in Italy are Sangiovese, Montepulciano, and Barbera so be glad I'm talking about the one that's easiest to pronounce.  :)  

Barbera is a dry red wine of low tannins (that mouth-drying sensation you might get from a young Cabernet). It also is a wine of high acid (that refreshing sensation you get from sparkling wine or Sauvignon Blanc). Barbera has a dark color like a Syrah, rich taste like a Zinfandel, but lighter bodied like a Pinot Noir.

Growing Wine Grapes in 2050

Less than 30 years from now, growing grapes will be a lot more automated. This will save a significant amount of money now spent on vineyard management. There will be probes, sensors and drones checking on things like soil moisture and the vineyard canopy (managing the vines, shoots, and fruit). 

Another Reason to Buy from Small Family Wineries

Until the end of 2020 a chemical called chlorpyrifos was legal to use in agriculture. It's a very dangerous chemical related to chemical weapons developed by the Nazis during WWII. It's used to kill pests by acting on their nervous system. Another fine product from Dow Chemical put into production after their other fine product, DDT, was banned.

Celebrity Wines

Read all about celeb wines of the North Bay (Napa, Sonoma, and Lake Counties) from the Press Democrat.

Note that some might say something like, "based in Napa Valley" which doesn't mean their grapes necessarily come from Napa. 19 Crimes wines, for instance, are labeled as California (meaning the grapes can come from anywhere in the state) or even Australia, as the 19 Crimes label is owned by Treasury Wine Estates, based in Australia.

The list is not completely up-to-date, as Andretti Winery is now permanently closed. Francis Ford Coppola recently sold his namesake winery, but still has a financial interest. Both men are 82 years old, so it was probably time to cut back!

Wines, and Wine Styles, That Are No Longer Popular

  Wine trends come and go. They can be certain varietals, like Merlot falling and Malbec rising. They can be wine styles like oaky, buttery Chardonnay or tannic Cabernet. The ones described here are much older. Maybe some will come back someday.

Shopping Wine by Appellation

  Often when shopping for a bottle, you don't recognize the name of the winery on the label. That's because there are about 4,700 wineries in California alone. Assuming you've figured out what varietal you are looking for, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, heck, maybe even Petit Verdot, one way to help you select is by appellation. Sonoma County has 18 at last count. 

  Following is a list of major wine types and where you might find them appellation-wise. They will grow other places in the county and outside of Sonoma, of course, but this is a way to help point you towards a bottle.

A Story From the '72 Harvest

  There are tons of stories from the old days when the California wine biz was much smaller and run by families, where many are now corporate owned. This one is from Dry Creek Vineyard. The founder, David Stare, is receiving lots of local attention on the 50th anniversary of the winery because of his influence on Sonoma County's wine business. His daughter now runs the winery.