The Home of the Modern Cult Wine Model
From Napa Valley's allocation-only Cabernets to Sonoma's mountain vineyards, the USA built an entirely new investment category in a single generation, not the centuries it took Europe.
A Brief History
American wine dates back to failed colonial attempts in the 17th century, when European vines struggled against native pests and disease. Prohibition then nearly destroyed the industry outright in 1920, and it took decades to properly recover.
California had been producing wine since Spanish missionaries planted vines near San Diego in 1769, and it was here that the industry's modern revival truly took hold from the 1970s onward, culminating in the world-class estates now widely regarded among America's most celebrated fine wines.
The Regions
INVESTMENT INSIGHT
The USA built a new investment category in a single generation, allocation-only Cabernet with the scarcity of a European First Growth.
The Snapshot
Key Region
California
Key Varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Zinfandel
Classifications
American Viticultural Areas (AVA), including Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, Knights Valley, and Paso Robles Willow Creek District, a system based on defined growing areas rather than the estate rankings used in France
PORTFOLIO ADVICE
Your portfolio manager can discuss current market conditions, your existing holdings and the role fine wine could play within your wider investment strategy.
