AVA, Labeling, California General

Question 1

Before AVAs, what were the legal appellations for wine in the US?

Answer 1

Just political boundaries: states and counties

Question 2

What gov’t body created new system of AVAs based on geographical, physical and climatic features? When?

Answer 2

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF)

Late 1970s… 1st AVA 1980

Question 3

What was the first AVA? When?

Answer 3

Augusta, Missouri

1980

Question 4

When did Napa Valley gain AVA status?

Answer 4

1981

Question 5

What federal bureau created by Homeland Security act of 2002 oversees the AVA system now?

Answer 5

Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)

Question 6

Why did the AVA system get suspended in 2007? Explain

Answer 6

• controversy over Calistoga AVA
• contention between rights of a brand and truth in appellation labeling
• Calistoga Estates and Calistoga Cellars didn’t have enough Calistoga fruit if Calistoga AVA got approved
• Calistoga AVA was approved in 2009, neither were grandfathered in, set new standard for label integrity

Question 7

If label lists AVA what % of fruit must be from that AVA?

Answer 7

85%

Question 8

If label lists county, state or country (USA) what percentage must be from there?

Answer 8

75%*

*Except CA, WA, OR

Question 9

What percentage of grapes required if Oregon or California listed on label?

Answer 9

100%

Question 10

What percentage of grapes required if Washington listed on label?

Answer 10

95%

Question 11

What percentage required if single vineyard listed on label?

Answer 11

95%

Question 12

What is required of wines with vintage date?

Answer 12

• American or imported - must carry appellation smaller than country
• AVA - min 95% from vintage
• county or state - min 85%

Question 13

What percentage required for varietally labeled wine?

Answer 13

85%

**Vitis labrusca (Concord) only requires 51%

Question 14

What is required for alcohol content labeling

Answer 14

• must state alcohol content
• within margin 1.5%
• 7-14% may be labeled “table wine” or “light wine”

Question 15

When must a wine label say “contains sulfite”

Answer 15

when they are present in concentration more than 10 parts per million

Question 16

What % is required for “estate bottled” wine

Answer 16

• 100% comes from grapes grown on land owned or controlled by winery
• winery and all vineyards within the same AVA

** Large AVAs that contain smaller ones circumvent this

Question 17

4 large AVAs of California:

Answer 17

• North Coast AVA
• Central Coast AVA
• South Coast AVA
• Sierra Foothills

Question 18

What does the South Coast AVA cover and is it notable?

Answer 18

• Covers land stretching from LA to San Diego

- has made little impact in terms of fine wine production

Question 19

How much of CA’s wine is produced in the Central Valley? Is it an AVA?

Answer 19

75%

NO not AVA

Question 20

What two French varieties are common in the Central Valley for bulk wine production?

Answer 20

Colombard

Chenin Blanc

Question 21

What is Meritage?

Answer 21

• term trademarked by Maritage Alliance
• used by producers to indicate premium blend
• can be red or white
• must be from Bordeaux varieties
• no grape more than 90%

Question 22

What grape do some consider the unique American style? What is it actually linked to?

Answer 22

Zinfandel

-linked by Carole Meredith’s research to Croatia’s Crljenak Kastelanski

Question 23

What is Crljenak Kastelanski

Answer 23

Croatian name for Zin

Question 24

Name a few grapes that were popular in field blends but have receded in acreage:

Answer 24

Charbono (bonarda, douce noir)
Carignan
Alicante Bouschet (Teinturier)