La Crema
La Crema is a California winery best known for its cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, wines crafted to reflect the coastal appellations of California and Oregon. The name, loosely translated as "the best," signals the brand's focus on wines that balance richness with freshness and elegance.
The winery sources fruit from cool coastal regions where fog and ocean influence extend the growing season, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and retain acidity. La Crema has become one of the more widely recognized premium wine brands in American retail, offering a range of appellation-specific bottlings that span everyday-friendly to more focused single-region wines.
La Crema is a California winery best known for its cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, wines crafted to reflect the coastal appellations of California and Oregon.
Read more about La Crema
La Crema is a California winery best known for its cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, wines crafted to reflect the coastal appellations of California and Oregon. The name, loosely translated as "the best," signals the brand's focus on wines that balance richness with freshness and elegance.
The winery sources fruit from cool coastal regions where fog and ocean influence extend the growing season, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and retain acidity. La Crema has become one of the more widely recognized premium wine brands in American retail, offering a range of appellation-specific bottlings that span everyday-friendly to more focused single-region wines.
Background and House Style
La Crema built its reputation on Burgundian varieties — primarily Chardonnay and Pinot Noir — grown in California's cooler coastal zones. The house style favors wines shaped by cool-climate conditions: bright acidity, defined fruit, and restrained, balanced use of oak rather than heavy, overtly buttery profiles.
The brand emphasizes terroir by producing wines tied to specific appellations. This appellation-driven approach lets drinkers taste the differences between growing regions, from the fog-influenced coastal areas of Sonoma to Monterey and beyond, with each area contributing its own signature to the fruit.
The Range and What to Expect
La Crema's lineup typically centers on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir bottled by appellation, giving buyers a spectrum of styles and price points. Broader regional bottlings offer approachable, versatile everyday wines, while single-appellation and more focused releases showcase greater complexity and regional character.
Chardonnays generally show orchard and citrus fruit with a creamy texture and balancing acidity, while the Pinot Noirs tend toward red and dark berry fruit, silky tannins, and subtle spice from oak aging. Beyond the two flagship varieties, the winery has released other wines including rosé and sparkling styles at various times.
Buying and Serving
When choosing a La Crema wine, consider the appellation on the label as a guide to style and intensity — broader regional labels are ideal for casual drinking, while single-region wines reward more attention. Most bottlings are made to be enjoyed on release rather than for long-term cellaring, though quality single-appellation wines can hold for a few years.
Serve the Chardonnays lightly chilled, around 48–52°F, to highlight their freshness. Pinot Noir is best slightly below room temperature, roughly 55–60°F, which keeps the fruit lively and the tannins soft. Both varieties pair well with a wide range of dishes, from seafood and poultry to roasted vegetables and lighter meats.