Southern California's coastal hills sit in roughly the same latitude band as Provence and the southern Rhone. The marine influence is similar. The summer dry season is similar. The soil profiles, sandy granite over decomposed limestone in many local vineyard sites, are remarkably close to what the southern Rhone grows on. The match is not accidental. The growers who planted Rhone varietals here did so because the climate told them to.
Which grapes traveled
Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan, and Counoise on the red side. Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Picpoul, and Picardan on the white side. Most of these are nearly invisible in chain retail. All of them ripen well in the local climate. Many of them have been grown here for fifteen to thirty years by small producers who never made the marketing investment to become household names.
Why not Cabernet
Cabernet grows here. The wines are not bad. They are simply not what the climate does best. Cabernet wants the day-night thermal swing of Napa or Paso. The local growers we work with chose Rhone varietals because the climate matches. The wines are honest answers to the place.
What the wines taste like
Brighter than the southern Rhone, in our experience. The fruit is a touch more forward. The acidity is meaningful, particularly in the whites. The reds carry tannin without surrendering freshness. The wines remind us of the Rhone but are not impersonations. They are Southern California wines using Rhone varietals.