Three Californian wines that exemplify New World innovation

California is at the cutting edge of the entertainment and technology industries. The state is just as innovative when it comes to winemaking. Unhampered by the regulatory restrictions of the Old World, Californian producers enjoy freedom to experiment. “California is always trying to do something different,” says Yvonne Cheung, director of wine for Swire Hotels.

Nature also plays a crucial role: the enviable climate for which California is renowned means almost all grape varieties can be grown there.

Here are three wines that exhibit audacious Californian style.

Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs 2013, North Coast
Schramsberg was established on Diamond Mountain in 1862 by German immigrant Jacob Schram. It was bought by Jack and Jamie Davies in 1965, and is now being run by the second generation of the Davies family.

The estate’s iconic Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine received world attention in 1972, when United States President Richard Nixon used it for his “toast to peace” with Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing.

The wine is made entirely from chardonnay, with 21 per cent fermented in barrels. Aged on yeast lees for two years before release.