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WSET Level 3 Award in Wines > 33. California > Flashcards

33. California Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the climate and geography of California.

A
  • cooling influence of the California Ocean Current
  • mountainous coast line provides shield from cooling effect of the ocean; where there are gaps in the mountain, the cooling effect gets through more easily (e.g. Monterery, Santa Barbara)
  • fog drawn in from the ocean in the evening (low night-time temperatures)
  • takes a while for sun to burn off the fog (cool throughout the day)
  • where there is no exposure to the ocean (e.g. Central Valley), the climate is hot
  • lack of rain during growing season
  • drip irrigation widely practiced
  • scarcity of autumn rain = late harvest, very ripe grapes, very concentrated, high sugar
  • recently there has been more appreciation for freshness, grapes picked earlier
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2
Q

What are the top 5 black varietals in California

A
  1. Cabernet Sauvignon
  2. Zinfandel
  3. Merlot
  4. Pinot Noir
  5. Syrah
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3
Q

What is the most widely planted black grape in California?

A

Cabernet Sauvignon

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4
Q

What are the 2 styles of California Cabs?

A 
Style 1:
-expressive
-full bodied
-very concetrated
-ripe cassis
-prominent spice
-new oak
Style 2:
-less rich
-fresh black currant
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5
Q

What is regarded as California’s “own” grape variety?

A

Zinfandel

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6
Q

Describe a typical California Zinfandel.

A
  • ripe, raisin-y grapes
  • concentrated
  • full body
  • high alcohol
  • sometime residual sugar
  • red and black fruits
  • dried berries
  • liquorice
  • subtle herbaceous (underripe grapes)
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7
Q

What’s difficult about growing Zinfandel?

A

Grapes ripen unevenly

-resulting wines can contain both flavors of raisined and underripe grapes

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8
Q

What is typically made with early-picked Zinfandel grapes?

A

White Zinfandel

  • rose
  • fruity
  • pale color
  • medium sweet
  • low in alcohol
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9
Q

Describe California Merlot wines.

A
  • approachable
  • soft tannins
  • ripe black fruit
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10
Q

Where are the largest plantings of Merlot in California? Describe the wines.

A

San Joaquin in Central Valley

-simple, inexpensive wines

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11
Q

Where do the best Merlots in California come from? Describe the wines.

A
  • cooler sites: Monterey, North Coast (Napa, Sonoma)
  • deeply colored
  • soft, velvety tannins
  • luscious body
  • high alcohol
  • classic varietal flavors of blackberry and plum
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12
Q

Where is Pinot Noir grown in California?

A

moderate regions: Russian River Valley, Los Carneros, Santa Maria Valley

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13
Q

What are the 2 styles of California Pinot Noir?

A 
Style 1:
-light color
-gamey, vegetal notes
Style 2:
-ripe red fruit (red cherry, strawberry)
-sweet spice (oak)
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14
Q

Describe the 2 styles of California Syrah.

A 
Style 1:
-full body
-rich
Style 2:
-leaner
-peppery
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15
Q

What is the most planted variety (white or black) in California?

A

Chardonnay

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16
Q

Describe inexpensive California Chardonnay. Where is it typically from?

A

Central Valley

  • high volume
  • fruity
  • low to medium acidity
  • sometimes toasty note from oak staves or chips
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17
Q

Describe the traditional premium California Chardonnay.

A
  • very full bodied
  • high alcohol
  • low acidity
  • oak, hazelnut, butter (prominent)
  • peach, banana (subtle)
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18
Q

Describe the newer, leaner styles of California Chardonnay. Where are they from?

A
  • more restrained
  • less oak
  • from cooler regions: Los Carneros, Russian River Valley
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19
Q

What white grape (other than Chardonnay) is grown in California? Describe the wines.

A

Sauvignon Blanc

  • high acidity
  • ripe citrus flavors
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20
Q

What term is typically used for California Sauvignon Blanc? What does this term sometimes indicate?

A

Fume blanc

-sometimes oaked

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21
Q

Where do affordable Sauvignon Blancs come from?

A

Central Valley

-fruity, everyday wines

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22
Q

Where is the majority of California wine produced? What is the soil like here? What is used to increase yield?

A

Central Valley

  • fertile soil
  • irrigation
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23
Q

Where are California’s more premium wine regions located?

A

Along the coast

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24
Q

How many regions are in California? What are the main three regions?

A

5 total

-North Coast, Central Coast, Central Valley

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25
Q

Where are the vineyards of the North Coast located? What influence the climate here?

A
  • north of San Francisco Bay
  • wines influence heavily by the ocean
  • fog, cool breezes that flow through the gaps in the coastal ranges and river valleys
26
Q

What forms a barrier between Napa and Sonoma?

A

Mayacamas Mountains

27
Q

What separates Napa from the northern part of Central Valley?

A

Vaca Mountains

28
Q

Where are most of the vineyards in Napa located?

A
  • Valley floor

- both valley sides

29
Q

What is the most crucial climate influence in Napa?

A
  • morning fogs, cool afternoons breezes

- San Pablo Bay (northern extension of the SF Bay)

30
Q

What southerly North Coast region covers portions of both Napa and Sonoma?

A

Los Carneros AVA

31
Q

Describe Los Carneros AVA. What types of wines are made here?

A
  • cool enough to be a source of high quality Pinot Noir ad Chardonnay
  • still wines and traditional method sparkling wines
32
Q

What 4 AVAs in Napa are known for Cabernet Sauvignons? Why? Which of the 4 is known for its structured, powerful wines? Why)

A
  • Stags Leap District
  • Yountville
  • Oakville
  • Rutherford&raquo_space; structure, powerful (warmest, least influenced by San Pablo Bay)

-warmer climate

33
Q

What other grapes are planted in Stags Leap District, Yountville, Oakville, and Rutherford?

A

White: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc (ripe tropical fruit)
Black: Merlot

34
Q

Which AVAs can produce the most concentrated, full bodied wines of Napa? Why? Which types?

A

Saint Helena AVA, Calistoga AVA

  • north end of Napa
  • warmest daytime temperatures
  • cool air passes through the Chalk Hill gap in the Mayacamas Mountains to provide cooling influence
  • cooler night temperatures help to retain acidity
  • mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, some Merlot and Zinfandel
35
Q

How do vineyards on the valley floors get their cooling influence? How do vineyards on the valley sides get their cooling influence?

A

Floors: cool breezes, fog from sea
Sides: altitude

36
Q

What are 2 west facing vineyards? Describe the red wines. What varietal(s)? Describe the white wines. What varietals?

A

Howell Mountain AVA, Atlas Peak AVA
-full exposure to hot afternoon sun
-fuller body
-high alcohol
Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, also: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel
White: Chardonnay (citrus, stone fruit, higher acidity)

37
Q

How do valley floor wines differ from valley sides wines?

A

Floor: more richness on the palate, higher acidity
Sides: higher tannins

38
Q

Which is larger: Sonoma County or Napa County?

A

Sonoma

39
Q

What coastal range gap provides the Russian River Valley AVA with cool, foggy conditions?

A

Petaluma Gap

40
Q

Describe the climate of the Russian River Valley. What wines is the RRV known for?

A
  • very cool, fogy
  • high-quality, elegant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
  • still and sparkling
41
Q

What wines are made in Dry Creek Valley AVA? Where are the vineyards planted? What’s the climate?

A
  • noticeably warmer
  • densely planted on hillsides and floor
  • hillsides above the fog: high-quality old vine Zinfandel
  • valley floor: Sauvignon Blanc, Rhone varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon
42
Q

Describe the climate of Alexander Valley AVA. Describe the wines? What wine is AV AVA widely known for?

A 
-warmest in Sonoma
Wines are:
-fleshy
-full body
-soft textured, full body Cab Sauv
43
Q

Describe the climate of Sonoma Coast AVA. Where must vineyards be planted to ripen fully?

A
  • cooled by the Pacific Ocean

- south facing slopes

44
Q

Where is Sonoma Valley AVA located? What wines is it known for?

A
  • south of Sonoma County
  • runs parallel to Napa County

-cooled by breezes and fog

  • high quality Chardonnay
  • old-vine Zinfandel
45
Q

What is the most northerly California wine region?

A

Mendocino County

-large, very diverse

46
Q

Describe the climate of Anderson Valley AVA? Where is it located? Describe the wines.

A

Climate: very cool
Located in: Mendocino County
-aromatic white wines (Riesling, Gewürztraminer)
-sparkling wines

47
Q

Describe the climate of Mendocino AVA. What wines do well here?

A
  • warmer, drier
  • protected behind coastal plains

Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah

  • full body
  • soft tannins
48
Q

Where is Santa Cruz Mountains AVA? Describe the soil and where the vineyards are located. What wines do well here?

A
  • north of the Central Coast
  • hillside locates with infertile soil
  • elegant Cabernet Sauvignon
  • high quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
49
Q

Where is Monterey AVA? What are the climate influences?

A
  • strongly influenced by cold Pacific Ocean
  • coastal
  • strong cool winds
50
Q

What wines do well on the coast of Monterey AVA? What wines do well in the valley?

A

Coastal: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Valley: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah (less breezes)

51
Q

What AVA with Monterrey County is noted as a source of high-quality Chardonnay with citrus and tropical fruit and balanced acidity?

A

Santa Lucia Highlands AVA

52
Q

Where are San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties located? How is the geography different here?

A
  • southern part of the Central coast
  • mountains run east to west instead of north to south
  • more influence from breezy ocean
53
Q

What is the main AVA of San Luis Obispo County? What grapes are grown here?

A

Paso Robles AVA

-Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah

54
Q

What are the two distinct zones of Paso Robles AVA?

A

Zone 1: east

  • hot sunny weather
  • deep fertile soils
  • supple fruity wines
  • high volume brands

Zone 2: west

  • cooled by marine air
  • high quality Zinfandel, Rhone varieties
55
Q

What is the main AVA of Santa Barbara County? What is the climate? What grapes do well here?

A

Santa Maria Valley AVA

  • significantly cooler
  • fog in low-lying areas slows ripening (balanced acidity, concentrated fruit)
  • well suited for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
56
Q

What AVA in Santa Barbara County is a little warmer? What grapes grow here?

A

Santa Ynez Valley AVA

-red wines: Syrah, Bordeaux varieties

57
Q

Where is Sta. Rita Hills AVA located? Describe the climate. What grapes grow here?

A

To the far west of Santa Ynez

  • much cooler
  • strongly influenced by the ocean
  • Pinot Noir
  • Chardonnay
  • Aromatic varieties
58
Q

Describe the climate and geography of the Central Valley. What wines are produced here.

A

Sacramento, San Joaquin Valleys

  • hot, dry
  • irrigation widely used
  • high volume, inexpensive brands
59
Q

What new grape varieties were bred in the Central Valley to make the most of the hot, dry conditions?

A

Rubired

Ruby Cabernet

60
Q

What are the main grapes of the Central Valley?

A

Red; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Barbera

White: Chardonnay, Colombard, Chenin Blanc

61
Q

What is the main AVA of Central Valley? Describe the location and moderating influence. What wine is it known for?

A

Lodi AVA

  • straddles Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys
  • benefits from breezes of SF Bay
  • best old vine Zinfandel

WSET Level 3 Award in Wines (41 decks)

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