Courtesy NewsUSA:
The next time you pour a glass, impress your guests with these facts about California wine, provided by Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers:
Fact #1 -- California makes about 90 percent of all American wine. The state's size and diverse climate and soils allow over 100 winegrape varieties to grow in the state, covering 526,600 vineyard acres.
Fact #2 -- The church brought wine to California. Specifically, a Franciscan missionary named Father Junipero Serra started planting grapes at Mission San Diego de Alcala in 1769.
Fact #3 -- California wine is earth-friendly. California vintners and growers have the most widely adopted green winegrowing and winemaking program in the world, one that has won Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's top environmental award.
Fact #4 -- Many celebrities own or co-own wineries. Some names you might recognize? Olympic Gold Medal figure skater Peggy Fleming, racecar driver Randy Lewis and "The Bachelor" reality star Andrew Firestone all own or co-own wineries.
For more information, visit www.discovercaliforniawine.com.
