Most California wine on our shelves that sells for less than $15 is from the general "California" designation -- wines could be sourced from anywhere in the state. This is fairly common -- it's the equivalent of buying a wine from "Bordeaux" or "South Australia." While there are some decent values to be had in this range, it's the more region-specific wines that deliver more character and style.

Napa County's western border is shared with Sonoma County. Sonoma produces more wine grapes than Napa, with 1,100 growers and around 250 wineries, but is less renowned. Many Sonoma wineries specify which American Viticultural Area (AVA) region their wines come from, whereas most Napa wines are simply labeled "Napa." Chardonnay and Pinot Noir do well in cooler Sonoma regions like the Russian River Valley and Carneros AVAs -- the latter also produces some great sparkling wines. The Knights Valley and Alexander Valley AVAs produce more Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.