USA

Californian wine was historically produced in a very obvious style, with abundant fruit, lashings of oak and often a fair lick of residual sugar. The state remains a major player in the UK wine market, thanks to a few big brands that still offer this style, along with the syrupy rosés that are more alcopop than wine. This shouldn’t detract from the real quality and, contrary to perception, value, that the state offers further up the scale. Increasingly obvious is the shift to more elegant wine styles and a greater emphasis on regionality.