Travel, Wine

Our Ultimate Guide to Central Valley Wines

California grows more than 50% of the nation’s produce and much of that agricultural production happens in the Central Valley - including more than half of the Golden State’s winegrapes. Read on to learn more.

You may know California’s Central Valley as the the farmland you see while crusing down I-5 or Highway 99, when driving from the Bay Area or Los Angeles. But have you ever really thought about what grows there? Spoiler alert – pretty much everything grows in the Central Valley (AKA the San Joaquin Valley), including more than half of the Golden State’s winegrapes and there are many excellent wines to be discovered here.

California’s Agricultural Heartland

California grows more than 50% of the nation’s produce including two-thirds of its fruits and nuts. Much of that agricultural production happens in the Central Valley. The San Joaquin Valley is one of the best places for farming in California, arguably the world.

The central part of the state is home to more than 4,000 farms, over 90% of which are family owned. There, you’ll find cereal grains, cotton, citrus, figs, hay, nuts, prunes, table grapes, various vegetables and yes, winegrapes (over 151,000 acres of them!). The San Joaquin Valley is by far the largest wine region in the state. Surprised? About 70% of all California wine is made with grapes grown in the Central Valley.

The Central Valley runs about 400 miles from north to south. Due to its vast size, the soils in and around the Central Valley are quite diverse. It spent the first part of its existence under an ocean and the resulting marine deposits, along with erosion from surrounding mountain ranges (Sierras to the east and the Coast Ranges to the west), have created extremely fertile soils.

Much of the valley is protected from ocean influences, meaning that summers are warm and dry and there isn’t much of a shift in temperature. The one exception is Lodi which is close enough to the Delta to benefit from the cooling Delta breezes. Signature varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, French Colombard, Merlot, Chenin Blanc, Moscato and Pinot Gris. In Madera County, there are some excellent producers of interesting dessert and fortified wines. In general, grapes grown in the Central Valley benefit from a long growing season, juicy fruit and typically high yields.

A Brief History

Like much of the Golden State, Catholic missionaries planted the first winegrapes in the Central Valley in the early 1800s. But it wasn’t until the mid to late century, as irrigation became accessible, that farming, including grape growing (both table and wine), began to flourish. The Gold Rush brought an influx of migrants who would benefit from the fertile farms in the Central Valley and they loved their “liquid gold” almost as much as the precious metal of which they were mining.

By the early 20th century, the Central Valley had vineyards stretching from Bakersfield in the south to Sacramento in the north. In 1922 Ernest and Julio Gallo’s parents bought a small vineyard near Modesto, California – the Franzia family had already settled in the region. But Prohibition put the breaks on the rapidly expanding wine industry all over California. Some winemakers were put out of business entirely, but others, including the Gallos and Franzias, did very well by selling their grapes to home winemakers nationwide. They also leveraged a loophole in the law and produced “sacramental” and “medicinal” wines. By 1927, the San Joaquin Valley was producing over 72% of winegrapes in the state.

Where to Taste Wine in the San Joaquin Valley

Today there are five American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) within the San Joaquin Valley. The most well-known tasting region is Lodi. Further south is Madera Wine Trail where you’ll find unique dessert wines and fortified wines like port and vermouth.

Madera Wine Trail

For a fun and relaxed wine-tasting experience, visit the Madera Wine Trail. Even though Madera is one of the oldest winemaking regions in the Golden State, it’s still considered to be “up and coming.” People started making wine there in the 1920s, but there are also several new boutique wineries hitting the scene. There are a surprising number of award-winning wineries that are part of the Madera AVA. Check out the Madera Wine Trail Map for reference.

Heading to Yosemite? Be sure to visit some Mariposa Wineries on your way up the mountain!

See our list of wineries.

Where to eat when you’re visiting the Madera Wine Trail

Thanks to the many regional farms, chefs in the Central Valley have access to the freshest food around. Fresno and Madera have several noteworthy restaurants featuring farm-to-table cuisine and local wines. Whether you’re craving homestyle comfort food or looking for an upscale restaurant to celebrate a special occasion, you’ll find what you need in the Central Valley.

Here’s an article with ideas on where to eat and what to do in the Central Valley.

So the next time you’re planning a trip, consider tasting some unique and delicious Central Valley wines and enjoy locally-grown food. You’ll find the wines as friendly and genuine as the people who make them.

About the Author

From an early age, Alison Needham has been pondering life's one big question — what's for dinner? She's been a content creator, recipe developer and food photographer for more than two decades. Alison lives in Southern California with her husband, an assortment of quirky pets and occasionally one (or all three) of her young adult children.