SACRAMENTO – To help celebrate September 2010 as California Wine Month, proclaimed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for the sixth consecutive year, many of the Golden State's wineries, winegrape growers and regional associations are hosting special consumer events surrounding the state's signature beverage.

"California has long been known for our production of superior, award-winning wines," said Governor Schwarzenegger in his proclamation. "The Judgment of Paris in 1976 brought California wine to the world stage and established our wine producers as respected masters of their craft. This month is dedicated to celebrating our rich history of wine-making and the bright future of this important industry."

For a copy of the proclamation, go to www.discovercaliforniawine.com/learn/governors-proclamation.

From special tastings and harvest tours, to wine education classes and major wine festivals, consumers can participate in many celebration events in all regions of the state. To find the latest events in September, visit www.discovercaliforniawine.com/learn/september-wine-events  to view 30 wineevents throughout California. Events are being updated regularly.

California is now home to more than 4,600 grape growers and 3,000 bonded wineries, its fertile land accounting for approximately 90 percent of wine production in the United States.

For the month of September, Governor Schwarzenegger encourages consumers  to take advantage of California Wine Month events – such as taking a tour or enrolling in a class – and become more familiar with this rich and unique part of the California culture.

An important part of this culture, Governor Schwarzenegger mentions, is the California wine community's long term commitment to promoting socially and environmentally responsible farming practices, something that is of interest to more and more consumers.

California has a widely adopted sustainable winegrowing and winemaking program, and all of the regions hosting California Wine Month events participate in it.

The state's vintners and growers, along with California's 80,000 restaurants, have helped make the Golden State a top destination for culinary travelers from around the world, attracting nearly 21 million visitors each year to its wine regions. The wine industry supports 820,000 jobs across the nation, including 330,000 in California.

California Wine Month, created and coordinated by Wine Institute (www.wineinstitute.org) and the California Association of Winegrape Growers (www.cawg.org), is also supported by several hotel, restaurant, retail and association partners including the California Travel and Tourism Commission, California Restaurant Association, Safeway, Von's and Pavilions, Kimpton Hotels, Lark Creek Restaurant Group, Joie de Vivre Hotels, Ritz Carlton/J.W. Marriott (LA), Tavistock Restaurant Group, California Wine Merchants (NYC), Patina Restaurant Group, Revival Cafe & Bar, 1300 on Fillmore, Amtrak, Vino Volo and Tony's Fine Foods.