After decades of false starts, Italian grape varieties are gaining traction in California. Above, Sam Bilbro of Idlewild Wines (photo by Joshua Harding, courtesy of Overshine Wines).
Thirty years ago, the descriptor ‘Cal-Ital’ could often trigger a shudder of revulsion for an informed buyer of American wine. Many were scarred by inexpensive, high-volume efforts by the state’s largest wine producers eager to discover the next big thing. The Cal-Ital movement died something of a merciful death in the early 2000s, leaving behind little trace save for a moderate American affinity for Pinot Grigio that supports around 15,000 acres (6,000...