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WSET Diploma D3 - Wines of the World > 23. California - Central Coast, Central Valley, Sierra Foothills & South Coast > Flashcards

23. California - Central Coast, Central Valley, Sierra Foothills & South Coast Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the two northern Central Coast AVAs?

A

1) Livermore Valley AVA
2) Santa Cruz Mountains AVA

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2
Q

Why is Livermore Valley AVA subjected to afternoon winds?

A

Hot air rises from the inland Central Valley to the east, which sucks in cool air from the San Fran Bay

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3
Q

What are the soils of Livermore Valley AVA?

A

Stony, free-draining

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4
Q

Where are the vineyards of Santa Cruz Mountains AVA generally planted?

A

Along an 800masl ridgeline providing moderating influence on day-night temperatures

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5
Q

How do the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA vineyards generally avoid frost?

A

Cool night air descends and forces warm air upwards maintaining relatively warm night temperatures

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6
Q

Name five AVAs within Monterey County

A

1) Monterey County AVA
2) Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
3) Arroyo Seco AVA
4) Chalone AVA
5) Carmel Valley AVA

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7
Q

What is the main geological feature of Monterey County?

A

The Salinas River Valley

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8
Q

What effect does the The Salinas River Valley have on Monterey?

A

It opens onto Monterey Bay in the north, which has a particularly deep canyon resulting in cold waters that lower temperatures of the air and wind funneled through the valley.

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9
Q

What are the vineyard plantings in the north of Monterey AVA compared with the south?

A

North - Pinot Noir and Riesling
South - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel

Chardonnay grown throughout

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10
Q

What are the soils of Monterey AVA?

A

Free-draining sandy loam and gravel meaning irrigation is essential due to low growing season rainfall

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11
Q

Describe the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA

A

30km strip of south-east facing alluvial terraces overlooking the Salinas Valley located near Monterey Bay

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12
Q

What is a weather hazard in Santa Lucia Highlands AVA?

A

It can sometimes be so windy the vine’s stomata close, slowing ripening

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13
Q

What are the three key varieties of Santa Lucia Highlands AVA?

A

1) Chardonnay
2) Pinot Noir
3) Syrah

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14
Q

Why are the Arroyo Seco AVA vineyards within the canyon more suited to Cabernet, Syrah and Zinfandel?

A

It is more sheltered from coastal influence

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15
Q

Why are the Arroyo Seco AVA vineyards on the plain more suited to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir?

A

They’re exposed to afternoon breezes

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16
Q

Explain the growing conditions of Chalone AVA

A

1) Within the Gabilan Mountain Range at 550m
2) Above the fog line with warm, sunny days and cooler nights
3) Granite and limestone soils

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17
Q

What varieties is Chalone AVA best known for?

A

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Also Chenin, Pinot Blanc and Syrah

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18
Q

Why are Carmel Valley AVA vineyards amongst the warmest in Monterey?

A

Depending on aspect, they can be sheltered from coastal influence and are above the fog line.

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19
Q

Name three AVAs of San Luis Obispo County

A

1) Paso Robles AVA
2) Edna Valley AVA
3) Arroyo Grande Valley AVA

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20
Q

What style of wine do vineyards in the east of Paso Robles AVA produce and why?

A

Full-bodied wines with concentrated, ripe fruit flavours due to its warmer climate

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21
Q

What is the Templeton Gap and what effect does it have on Paso Robles AVA’s westerly vineyards?

A

It is low point in the Coastal Range that allows the Pacific Ocean’s air to reach further inland,
providing a moderating influence on temperatures of the westerly sub-AVAs.

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22
Q

What is unusual about Paso Robles’ soils compared with most of California?

A

Calcareous soil

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23
Q

What soil component in parts of Paso Robles AVA permits dry grown vineyards?

A

Clay

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24
Q

What are four common black grape varieties of Paso Robles AVA?

A

Cabernet
Syrah
Merlot
Zinfandel

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25
Q

Name a significant producer of Paso Robles AVA

A

Tablas Creek

26
Q

Why is the Edna Valley AVA considered one of the coolest in California?

A

It’s about eight kilometres from the Pacific Ocean and receives cool fog and wind from Morro Bay

27
Q

Describe the Aroya Grande Valley AVA

A

Warm and sunny days but the valley lies northeast-southwest,
which funnels in cool Pacific fog and wind up into the valley from the southwest, and cools temperatures at night, resulting in ripe grapes with high acidity

28
Q

What are the two main varieties of Edna Valley AVA and Arroyo Grande Valley AVA?

A

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

29
Q

What are the two key AVAs of Santa Barbara County?

A

1) Santa Maria Valley
2) Santa Ynez Valley

30
Q

What are the four sub-AVAs of Santa Ynez Valley AVA?

A

1) Rita Hills
2) Ballard Canyon
3) Los Olivos District
4) Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara

31
Q

What are the Transverse Ranges and where are they?

A

An east-west orientation of the Southern Coast Ranges formed by plate tectonic shifts.

Santa Barbara County

32
Q

Describe the effect of the Transverse Ranges

A

The western side of the valleys face the Pacific Ocean and funnel in the cooling breezes and fog eastward into the vineyards, lowering
temperatures significantly.

33
Q

What are the two most common grape varieties in Santa Barbara County?

A

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

34
Q

Name a key producer of Santa Barbara County?

A

Mail Road Wines

35
Q

What legislation is there in Santa Barbara County?

A

Legislation prevents wineries from setting up cellar doors on the site of their winery. Any cellar door or tasting room must be in a town or city.

36
Q

Describe the Santa Maria Valley AVA (3)

A

1) In the north of the Santa Barbara County
2) The valley runs west to east, funnelling cool Pacific Ocean air into the vineyards
3) Vineyards are planted between around 100–250 m on hillside slopes

37
Q

What are two distinguishing features of Sta. Rita Hills AVA

A

1) Its east-west orientation is framed by hills in the north and south
2) Calcium-rich soils.

38
Q

Why are Grenache and Syrah more commonly planted in Ballard Canyon AVA?

A

It’s further inland and the canyon runs north to south, sheltering the vineyards from much of the cool breezes from the west.

39
Q

A mix of Bordeaux,
Rhône and Italian varieties are grown in Los Olivos AVA. Why?

A

It has warm, sunny days, but without altitude or much fog influence has a relatively low diurnal range

40
Q

Describe Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA (3)

A

1) Furthest from the Pacific Ocean.
2) The valley shifts orientation to north-south, and blocks the Pacific breezes.
3) Cooling influences come from high altitude sites
and exposure to afternoon winds

41
Q

What are five common grape varieties planted in the Central Valley?

A

1) French Colombard
2) Chardonnay
3) Muscat
4) Zinfandel
5) Merlot

42
Q

What is the Central Valley most known for and why?

A

Large-scale production due to its flat, fertile plains and high daytime temperatures

43
Q

Describe the climate of Lodi AVA

A

Hot Mediterranean moderated by
cooling afternoon winds from the San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

44
Q

How is it possible for coastal influence to travel so far inland to Lodi AVA?

A

Flat land in the area with breaks between the North and South Coast Ranges means that breezes off the San Fran Bay

45
Q

Describe the viticultural set-up for Lodi AVA

A

Vineyards are on flatlands of free-draining sandy and clay loam soils

46
Q

How are vines typically trained in Lodi AVA and why?

A

Cordon-trained and VSP trellised as replacement cane systems would require more labour

47
Q

What premium variety is Lodi AVA most known for?

A

Zinfandel with some vines over 100 years old (sandy soils mean that phylloxera has not been a problem in some areas of the AVA, particularly Mokelumne River AVA).

48
Q

In 2006 Lodi AVA was subdivided into seven sub-AVAs. What is the largest?

A

Mokelumne River AVA

49
Q

Besides Lodi AVA, what is the other Central Valley AVA?

A

Clarksburg AVA

50
Q

Why does Clarksburg AVA share a similar climate to Lodi AVA?

A

Due to its proximity to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta - with hot days moderated by
afternoon breezes

51
Q

What two varieties is Clarksburg AVA known for?

A

Chenin Blanc and Petite Sirah

52
Q

What provides the high diurnal range to Sierra Foothills AVa?

A

Hot daytime temperatures up to 35–40°C with cool air from the mountains at night

53
Q

What is the predominant soil type in Sierra Foothills AVA?

A

Sandy clay loam from decomposed granite that retains sufficient
water to allow for dry farming.

54
Q

What variety is Sierra Foothills AVA

A

Old vine Zinfandel, with some vines considerably over 100 years old

55
Q

Where are the vineyards of South Coast AVA typically planted and why?

A

In areas exposed to
breezes from the Pacific, though some rely on altitude for temperature relief, as the low latitude means cooling influence is necessary

56
Q

Where is the South Coast AVA?

A

Extends from the south of Los Angeles to the border with Mexico

57
Q

What are the two main influences on climate in California?

A

1) The cold Pacific Ocean
2) The ranges of mountains the length of the state

58
Q

What winemaking practice is common in Napa (and California generally) and why?

A

1) Multi-AVA blending
2) Balance, cost, complexity etc

59
Q

What are the three main counties within the Central Coast?

A

1) Monterey
2) San Luis Obisbo
3) Santa Barbara

60
Q

Describe the growing environment of Sierra Foothills

A

1) Hot days
2) Cool mountain air at night due to altitude (up to 1,000m plantings)

WSET Diploma D3 - Wines of the World (42 decks)

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