Carneros Wines

Carneros, with vineyards first established in the 1830s, is arguably one of the most important regions on the north coast of California, located between San Pablo Bay and overlapping both Sonoma and Napa counties. It produces some of the highest quality wines in the region. Fog and cold winds keep the region cool in the morning, but are usually burnt off in the day giving way to warmer conditions. This provides the ideal cool climate for the production of seriously top quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with some dedicated to sparkling wine production. Champagne Taittinger set up Domaines Carneros here in the 1980s, and other international sparkling wine producers have since developed in this region also.

Wines from here are either labelled as ‘Los Carneros’ or ‘Carneros’. Because it overlaps Sonoma and Napa, grapes from each respective side may also show their county on the label. If they come from both counties, it can only be called ‘Carneros’. In proof of the region's quality, many large companies based elsewhere in California own vineyards in the area or buy in the grapes to make their own ‘Carneros’ labelled wines.