It just seems like some things go so well together, you just know that they are a product of the same region or culture. This can really be said for California's music and wines. They both oose a truly feel good factor about them and it's almost possible to feel the sunshine as you listen or drink the fruits of California's labours.
The music can be summed up by one bank that is a product of California and that has to be the Beach Boys. Sometimes referred to as 'America's Band' they were formed back in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. Originally the goup was made up of three Wilson brothers, their cousin Mike Love and a mutual friend by the name of Al Jardine.
Brian Wilson wrote, or co-wrote the majority of the early songs recorded by the band which became popular around the world and turning the group into one of the biggest names of the '60's.
Their use of close vocal harmonies and lyrics were clearly reflections of the southern California youth culture of the time of surfing, cars and romance.
Some of their best loved songs include Help Me Rhonda, Surfer Girl, Fun Fun Fun, I Get Around and of course, California Girls.
While the youth of the day were enjoying the carefree sounds of the Beach Boys, the wineries in the same region were busily improving and refining their Californian Wine production.
California's wine growers were enjoying the same golden sunshine and long hours of warmth to begin creating what would later become some of the world's best loved fruity, warm reds and soft clean white wines.
Wine growers used the same inspirations as the Beach Boys to hone their wine growing skills and coming up with some great results.
Unfortunately the Beach Boys would enter a melt-down period with the temporary loss of Brian Wilson's song writing input due to personal issues and demons.
California's wine growers were not plagued by such problems and have continued to grow in both number and quality of output year by year.
Seasons of low rainfall meant that growers needed to be more resourceful and address irrigation in the southern wine producing areas of California. However, the end product did not suffer any adverse effects.
And, like the Beach Boys, Californian wines have received critical acclaim from around the world. The band announced a full-scale reunion in late 2011 and recorded their 29th studio album, 'That's Why God Made the Radio' which they released in June 2012.
With over 100 million albums sold worldwide since their debut in 1961 and included at 12 on Rolling Stone magazine's 2004 list of '100 Greatest Artists of All Time' The Beach Boys are one of California's greatest musical exports which is exactly what can be said of California's selection of Wines.
Martin Wynn
