While county history is steeped with tales of immigrants searching for gold, it soon became apparent that the true wealth of the region is its farmland. Now, visitors can follow the Sierra Oro Farm Trail and visit farmers and grape growers who have changed how America eats and drinks.

     For many Americans in the mid-1800s and early-1900s, the first almonds, walnuts, olives, peaches, oranges or...

     This winegrowing region of France is best known for its bright, fresh, exuberant wines that are released on the third Thursday in November -- wines known as Beaujolais Nouveau.

     These are the first wines of the Northern Hemisphere vintage. The grapes are harvested, fermented and...

     But the season was winding down and little negative impact is anticipated, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation said.

     In most regions, the crop was larger than expected and overall quality was "very good to excellent," said the...

     Considering a bud break that was three weeks late and bloom that was equivalently late, hang times predicted that harvest would not commence until at least the first week of October anyway. The average hang time between bloom and harvest for Pinot Noir is in the 105- to 115-day range.

     Although it is dangerous to draw parallels or predict quality levels at this stage, most folks have...

     Some of California's finest vineyards call the S.L.H. home, with more than 30 winegrowers cultivating 2,500 acres of Pinot Noir there.  
 
     At the Pisoni Vineyard, Gary Pisoni is very happy with the quality of his just-completed...

     This winegrowing region of France is best known for its bright, fresh, exuberant wines that are released on the third Thursday in November - wines known as Beaujolais Nouveau.

     These are the first wines of the Northern Hemisphere vintage. The grapes are harvested, fermented and bottled all within a...

     Rolling hills covered with vineyards, expansive views reaching to 11,000-foot-high mountains, air swept by ocean breezes and world-class wines make Temecula Valley an exciting place to visit for wine lovers.

     Twenty-one wineries produce award-winning wines, made possible by a unique microclimate and well-drained granitic soils. The 1,500-foot elevation makes for cool summer nights, and breezes come through the...

     Last season's record crop of winegrapes is expected to be surpassed by nearly 12 percent. But instead of a surplus that could drive down prices, demand continues to grow as the wine industry expands, according to Paul Champoux, who grows 180 acres of grapes south of Prosser.

     All that bodes well for the state's $3 billion wine industry, which includes growers, winemakers and a...

     Given the wild weather leading up to September, it's hard to believe the grape harvest in Kendall-Jackson's coastal estate vineyards began so uneventfully. Most of Northern California experienced heavy winter rains in January and February. This was followed by an unusually dry spring, highlighted by 28 bone-chilling nights at, or below, the freezing mark.

     Then there was a June heat wave and lightning storms, setting off more than 1,000 brush fires statewide. By August, things began to...

     "We experienced the worst frost season in many decades and a very dry spring," said Duff Bevill, past president of the WDCV and owner of Bevill Vineyard Management LLC.

     After the rains stopped in March, the ground warmed quickly and the vine shoots were branching out when the extended frosts hit in April, affecting many vineyards that had...