 加州的天气像它本身一样，变化多端。尽管加州以日照时间长而闻名，但在不同区域的气温、降雨量、土壤和其他自然条件有很大的不同。这也就是为什么加州有这么多不同的葡萄酒品种。
The climate in California is as diverse as the state itself. Although California is famous for its many hours of sunshine, there are large differences between regions and subregions in temperature, rainfall, soil types and other natural features. That is why there is such a diversity in wine styles in California. 加州独特的气候是由从南向北延伸的两座山脉形成。沿海的山脉是由太平洋边缘高低起伏的山脉组成，这些山脉相对比较矮，很少有超过1200米的山脉。第二个山脉是内华达山脉，它平行于海岸线，距海岸线大约160到200公里。在两山脉之间的中央谷是加州许多酿酒葡萄的故乡，能酿造出有价值葡萄酒。尽管海岸山脉西边的天气受太平洋海洋气候的影响，但加州有近2000公里的太平洋海岸线。冬暖夏凉，每日和季节温差较小，湿度相对较高是这个地区的典型特征。
California’s climate is dramatically shaped by two mountain ranges, both running roughly north-south. The Coast Range is a series of rugged forest covered ran-ges, often tumbling right to the edge of the Paciic. It’s a relatively low range with few peaks over 1200 meters. The second range is the Sierra nevada, which also parallels the coast, some 160 to 200 kilometers inland. In between the two ranges is the Central Valley, home to many of the grapes that go into the state’s value wines. along the western side of the Coast Range, the climate is dominated by the Pacific ocean. California has almost 2000 kilometers of Pacific coastline. Warm winters, moderately warm summers, small daily and seasonal temperature ranges, and high relative humidities are characteristic of this area. |
海洋气候移至内陆，海上气候影响自然减少。种植区域逐渐由海洋性气候变为大陆性气候，夏天炎热，冬季寒冷，每日和季节性的温差较大，并且湿度相对较低。大多数的葡萄种植区域位于两种气候环境的过度的地区，环境变化在两种气候的极端中间。在这些区域有酿酒葡萄生长和酿造最理想的自然条件。夏天，当凉爽的海洋气候和温暖的内陆空气接触时，就产生了一连串助长各种酿酒葡萄繁殖的微气候。由于长期的生长季节允许葡萄有缓慢成熟期，所酿成的葡萄酒带有显著的“果味”，世界各地的葡萄酒迷已将特征认定为加州葡萄酒的特殊风味。