Daily Wine Tidbits-How did California become what it is?

So, how did California become a world class producer of wine in only 40 years? There are many factors that have made Cali what it is today. All a series of factors that almost made up the perfect formula for creating wine country. One of these factors is location. Both Napa Valley and Sonoma are less than a 2 hour drive from the populated San Francisco. Many, many people drive out to the valleys from San Fran. every weekend. Another factor is the weather. There is abundant sunshine, warm daytime temperatures and cool evenings, all of which makes for a longer growing season. The third factor are the schools. Both the University of California at Davis and Fresno State University are out in California and have been the training grounds for students who want to study the scientific aspect of winemaking. The last factor is money and marketing strategies. Everyone has seen the commercials advertising for Napa Valley and we all know there's money out there. All of these factors have made Cali what it is today, and most likely will continue to thrive.