16 United States of America Flashcards
When was the sparkling wine production started in the USA?
in the nineteenth century (companies: Haraszthy and F. Korbel & Bros
When was the modern period started?
- 1965: Schamsberg produced a Blanc de Blanc Brut (first commercial Chardonnay in America for sparkling)
- 1970s: a number of Champagne and Cava houses set up the to make traditional method (e.g Moet & Chandon (Domaine Chandon in 1973))
Which styles of sparkling are produced?
- traditional method
- tank method
- small amount of Pet Nat
Which are the states are producing sparkling
- California (more than 50% of production)
- Oregon
- Washington State
Describe the style of a traditional method sparkling made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
- medium intensity
- aromas of ripe apple and lemon
- toasty autolytic notes
- medium (+) acidity
- good to outstanding quality
- mid to super-premium price
- typically Brut
Which are the grape varieties typically used for traditional method sparkling wines?
- Chardonnay (mostly)
- Pinot Noir (mostly)
- Meunier (less common)
Where are the grapes for the premium sparkling wines grown in California?
coastal region
Describe the climatic conditions in the coastal region
- cool air form the coast is drawn towards the hotter Central Valley
- cool breezes and/or fog are present in areas close to the coast, along river valleys and gaps in the coastal mountains
Which are the grape varieties typically used for tank method sparkling wines?
- Chardonay
- Pinot Noir
- Pinot Gris
- Pinot Blanc
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Viognier
- Syrah
- Tempranillo
Name the most important areas for sparkling wine production in California
- Anderson Valley (Mendocino Country) (morst important)
- Russian River Valley (Sonoma County) (most important)
- Carneros (Sonoma and Napa counties) (most important)
- Napa Valley (Napa County)
- Monterey (Monterey County)
- Edan Vally and Arroyo (San Luis Obispo County)
- Santa Maria Valley and Sea. Hills (Santa Barbara County)
- Lodi (San Joaquin County)
Name facts of the AVA Anderson Valley (Mendocino County)
- cool ocean breezes and fog along the Navarro river valley (moderate temperatures and reduced sunshine hours)
- wide diurnal temperature range
- located estate: Roederer Estate
Name facts of the Russian River Valley (Sonoma County)
- cool breezes and fog from the river and through the Petaluma Gap mountain range
- located estate: Korbel
Name facts of Carneros (Sonoma and Napa counties)
- not on the coast
- getting significant cooling from the San Pablo Bay
- located estates: Gloria Ferrer (founded by Freixenet) and Domaine Carneros (founded by Taittinger)
Name facts of Napa Valley (Napa County)
- most of Napa is too hot for growing sparkling wine grapes but still growing
- some important wineries founded
- located estates: Schramsberg (source grapes from cooler areas)
Name facts of Monterey (Monterey County)
- 1940 introduction of the Heat Summation Scale of the University of California, Davis (professor Winkler and Amerine)
- identified large portions of cool zone 1-2 in Monterey (suitable for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir)
- main influence is the Salinas valley (open to the ocean and cold due to a deep canyon in the ocean floor (high diurnal range))
Name facts of the Edan Valley and Arroyo Grande (San Luis Obispa County)
coolest parts of the San Luis Obispo due to the proximity to the coast and the ocean
Name facts of the Santa Maria Valley and Sta. Rita Hills (Santa Barbara County)
- also identified as cool zone 1-2 from Winkler and Amerine
- Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley (east-west running) form channels, allowing cool breezes and fog coming into Santa Barbara County
Name facts of Lodi (San Joaquin County)
- Central Valley and Lodi are too warm for premium sparkling grapes growing
- large volumes of tank method and flavored sparkling wines were produced
- located estate: Weibel
Name fact of the Washington State region
- second largest producer in the USA
- the northerly latitude and the high diurnal range contribute to grapes with high acidity
- blends of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunieur are produced
- also Blanc de Blanc and Blanc de Noir
- other used varieties: Müller Thurgau, Riesling and Gewurtztraminer
- mid-priced wines
- biggest located producer: Chateau Ste. Michelle
Name fact of the Oregon region
- cool climate in Willamette Valley (slow ripening fruits with retained acidity)
- increasing production of sparkling from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
- companies like Radiant Sparkling Wine support wineries that are not specialized in sparkling with technical support for the traditional method
Which production technique is done for premium and which for inexpensive sparkling wines?
premium -> traditional method
inexpensive -> tank method
What is the difference from the production of Blanc de Noir in the USA and Europe?
- there are no specific regulations for the production of Blanc de Noir like in Europe
- some producers use a small percentage of white grapes (e.g. Schramsberg: Blanc de Noir has 10% Chardonnay)
How can small producers also produce sparkling wine without invest a lot of money?
they use special custom crush facilities for the whole sparkling know how and production
How is sparkling wine in the USA typically named if the US brand is established before 2006?
California Champagne
US brand after 2006 are not allowed to use the term
Name different types of sparkling wine producing companies
- specialist sparkling wine companies often founded by Champagne or Cava houses (distribution across the USA, export small quantities (e.g. Roederer Estate))
- wine companies with small batches of premium sparking sold at the cellar door or in restaurants (e.g. Schramsberg)
- large wine companies with an inexpensive sparkling wine range and a national and international distribution (e.g. Barefoot and Cupcake)
How many sparkling wine were produced in 2020?
- 12,500,500 cases in USA (83% in California)
- 45% of the total shipment of sparkling in the USA
Why has California sparkling wine lost market share?
- California spk wines lost market to Prosecco
- Millennials see foreign wines as more authentic and open to foreign spk wines
