What are America’s most important wines? Not necessarily the best wines, since these will vary from vintage to vintage, but the most important, the wines that in some way have made a significant difference. Below are my “top ten.” Although each ranks among the finest in its class, not all classes are equal, and the list undoubtedly reflects my own prejudices as much as anything else. All these wines, however, are or have been groundbreaking, making them leading players in the twenty-five-year drama of the rise of American wine.

Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon

Long-time Napa Valley grape grower Charlie Wagner started Caymus Vineyards in 1972 and released the first Special Selection Cabernet with the 1975 vintage. The wine lived up to its name from the start. Unlike many California Cabernets, it never was modeled on Bordeaux. Instead Wagner and his son Chuck emphasized the ripe, intense black fruit flavor that came from their own vineyards. In doing so, they helped define New World style at the highest level—so much so that Caymus Special Selection is widely regarded today as one of the top red wines made anywhere in the world.

Columbia Crest Merlot

As much as any other, this Washington State wine is responsible for Merlot’s becoming the darling of red wine drinkers in the 1990s. Originally a second label of the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery, Columbia Crest released its first line of varietal wines in 1987. Merlot, made from grapes grown in the Columbia River Valley, immediately became the company’s signature offering —a soft, accessible, and, above all, tasty wine that sold at a reasonable price. Now, ten years later, hundreds of wineries all across the country are trying to make Merlot that can match this combination of quality and value. Few succeed.

Horton Vineyards Viognier

Who makes the East Coast’s most important wine? Perhaps Dr. Konstantin Frank, who demonstrated that vinifera vines could survive the bitterly cold winters of New York’s Finger Lakes. Perhaps Louisa and Alex Hargrave, who pioneered fine winemaking on Long Island. But my vote goes to Dennis and Sharon Horton in Orange County, Virginia, who with their 1993 Viognier produced arguably the finest American wine yet made from this Rhône grape variety. Its quality, like that of Frank’s Riesling and Hargrave’s Chardonnay, suggests that Thomas Jefferson’s dream of world-class wine from Eastern vineyards is at long last coming true.

Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay

Fruity and more than a touch sweet, this mass-market wine epitomizes the style that millions of people want today when they order a glass of Chardonnay. It helped define that style upon its release in 1981, and it has been remarkably successful ever since. Over that time Chardonnay replaced “Chablis” and other generic labels as America’s most popular white wine. Kendall-Jackson, with winemaking inspired by consumer taste preferences more than by European models, led the way.