It’s easy to see why people refer to California as “Wine Country”; with nearly 2300 wineries California commands 90 percent of US wine production. A new promotion at LCBO stores called California Style coincides with the Santé Wine Festival, and includes a variety of special events and in-store tastings.

“California Style” features more than 140 wines, including 65 brands in the $6.90 to $19.95 price range, from a variety of producers. In addition, the Vintages release on April 26th featured premium and super-premium wines from Napa Valley and Sonoma County.

This past Friday, I attended an event at Brookfield Place where the foods and wines of California were offered in a Malibu pool-party setting, complete with celebrity look-alikes. And while the Johnny Depp look-alike proved that only the real Depp can get away with that “Snoopy’s cousin Spike” look, complete with floppy fedora, the opportunity to try some of the featured wines paired with food such as California-style sandwich wraps and sushi was worth putting up with the kitschy stunt.

Here are my thoughts on the four wines I sampled:

Little Black Dress Merlot 2004 – I’m not generally a fan of things that appear to be marketed specifically to women, and didn’t have high hopes for this based on the label, but the cherry and blackcurrant notes of this wine make it a nice, straightforward merlot that would go well paired with burgers or chocolate.

Smoking Loon Chardonnay 2005 – This didn’t move me particularly (I was crammed next to someone wearing too much perfume when I was tasting this wine), but the tasting notes provided indicate it has complex floral, herbal and spicy aromas. Tropical fruit, spice and citrus flavours.

Fetzer Valley Oaks Pinot Grigio – This is a dry medium-bodied white with a hint of ripe melon. Paired with a chicken satay, it was bright and summery.

Sterling Vintner’s Merlot 2004 – Like a basket of blackberries - to the nose and the palate. The suggested pairing is pepper steak, but it was being offered with a spicy sausage and sharp mustard which enhanced the berry tang.

And one not offered at the event, but currently one of my favourite California wines, Blackstone Syrah 2005, is fruity and spicy, with notes of plum and blueberry and a peppery finish I adore.

The California Style promotion continues at 600 LCBO stores until May 25th. With so many choices, California offers something for everyone, whether their style leans toward Malibu or San Francisco.