The Wine Map of California

The various wine regions of California during the mid-1980s.

This ostensibly authoritative wine map of California was designed and illustrated by Barbara Phillips and published in 1984 by the San Francisco-based H. Shenson International, a global exporter best known for its beef. Prominent wineries and vineyards are noted across seven different regions – Lake & Mendocino, Sonoma, South Coast, Central Coast, Napa Valley, Sierra Foothills, and Central Valley. Notable examples include Robert Mondavi, Stag’s Leap, Opus One, and Joseph Phelps Vineyards. A key map in the lower right shows the statewide expanse of the wine-producing areas.

California began earning national attention for high-quality wine in the early 20th century, but its global reputation did not solidify until much later. The turning point came in 1976, when California wines famously beat top French bottles in the “Judgment of Paris,” proving they could rival Old World producers. From that moment on, places like Sonoma and Napa Valley began to become known worldwide.