Wine prognostication - a taste of the mystical

(SFGate) - It's January and crystal-ball time again. Here are my five wine themes for 2014:

1) California rising: It has been for several years, actually, but last January, I predicted that the state's new raft of producers and wine styles would hit the mainstream. It did just that. Whether you believe there's a tectonic shift in styles or simply a blip in diversity, what's clear is that wine buyers across the country are vibing on California in a way they haven't for years.

In addition to the diversity, some other things are in the mix for 2014. We're about to enjoy a handful of bountiful, ripe vintages; even if you doubted the quality of cold 2011, there's a raft of good wine from 2012 and 2013 about to hit the market.

We're also witnessing a raft of vineyard replanting. It's visible all over Napa, but there's also a scramble to replant in more industrial San Joaquin vineyards - as well as growing competition with more water-stingy crops like almonds, given the persistent drought. On the numbers, these might sound bad. But they also present an opportunity for quality to go up. Any which way, it's a golden moment for California wine.

2) Sparkling wine gets serious: For one, it's clear that Champagne is finally starting to be appreciated as a wine, rather than just bling in a bottle. This includes the continuing surge of grower Champagnes (made by the farmer rather than by a large house) that has continued for nearly two decades. But even the large houses are taking themselves more seriously, drying out the style of their often slightly sweet wines.

Add to that the rise of serious cava, the popularity of artisan ciders and even an improbable boost for Italian Franciacorta. Perhaps most auspiciously, a handful of small California labels, mostly focused on single-vineyard bubbles, are set to pop this year, including the Under the Wire project and a wine from Wenzlau in Santa Barbara made with a hand from Champagne's Cedric Bouchard.