California
With its sheer size and the diversity of its terroirs, California is a source of everything from the most basic to some of the world’s most ambitious wines. Among the key regions here is the Napa Valley (which itself varies dramatically from the valley floor to the rugged slopes of Stags' Leap and Howell Mountain) where Cabernet Sauvignon is king. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir thrive in the cool coastal vineyards of Sonoma, in the far north of the state, and Santa Barbara in the south; these regions’ best wines can be comparable stylistically and in terms of quality to those of Burgundy.
