C33 - California Flashcards
How long is the state of California?
Approx. 1100 kilometres from north to south
What is the role of latitude in determining the climate of California vineyards?
Relatively small
What is the biggest cooling influence in California?
The exceptionally cold California Ocean Current
Where are most of the vineyards of California located?
North of Los Angeles
Describe the coastline of California
More mountainous north of LA
What is the climatic role of the mountains in California?
They shield much of the state from the cooling effect of the ocean
What is common evening weather for California?
Cold air, often accompanied by fogs is drawn in from the ocean, lowering night-time temperatures
How and when do Californian fogs dissipate? How does this affect the vineyard climate?
The time it takes for the sun to burn off the fog in the morning, means that the cooling influence extends well into the day
Describe the cooling effect of Californian fogs
Some years, the effect can be so dramatic that grapes can struggle to ripen fully
Where in California does the cooling fog penetrate further inland?
Where there are gaps in the mountains
Give examples of areas of California that act as funnels for the cold coastal air. Why do they have this effect?
Monterey and Santa Barbara Counties
They are valleys at right angles to the ocean
What is the climate like in areas of California that have no exposure to the ocean? Give an example
Hot
Central Valley
What is the second climatic feature that links all of California’s wine regions?
A lack of rain during the ripening season
How is the lack of rain in California’s ripening season counteracted by grape growers?
Using drip irrigation
What has been the effect of the lack of rain during autumn in California?
It has allowed growers to leave grapes on the vine for long into the season
What has been the result on grapes of the longer ripening season in California?
They have concentrated flavours and very high sugar levels
What has been the recent trend in Californian winemaking?
There has recently been a greater appreciation for freshness and many growers are picking slightly earlier
What is the most widely planted black grape in California?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Give an overview of Cabernets from prime sites in California
They can produce extremely expressive wines that rival the quality of the best produced anywhere
What is the profile of California’s best Cabernets?
Full-bodied
Ripe cassis flavours
Prominent spice aromas from new oak barrels
Some are less rich, with fresher blackcurrant flavours
What is regarded as California’s ‘own’ grape variety?
Zinfandel
What style is Zinfandel made into in California?
It’s made into a range of styles
What is the biggest viticultural difficulty with Zinfandel?
It tends to ripen unevenly, with the result that harvested fruit can include raisined and underripe grapes
What can be the result on wine of raisined Zinfandel?
Concentrated, full-bodied red wines with high alcohol levels and sometimes some residual sugar
Flavours include red and black fruits, dried berries and liquorice
Some display subtle herbaceous qualities from underripe grapes
How are underripe/early-picked Zinfandel grapes often used in California?
For large volumes of rosé wine
How are Zinfandel-based rosés of California commonly labelled?
White Zinfandel
Describe White Zinfandel
Fruity
Pale in colour
Medium-sweet
Low in alcohol
What is the third most widely planted grape of California?
Merlot
Give an overview of Merlot-based wines in California
Approachable wines with soft tannins and ripe black fruit
Which area of California has the largest plantings of Merlot?
San Joaquin in Central Valley
What are the Merlot wines of San Joaquin, Central Valley like?
Simple and inexpensive
Give examples of areas that produce better qualities of Merlot in California
What do they have in common?
Monterey and the north coast regions, especially Napa and Sonoma
They are cooler sites
Describe the better quality Merlots of California
Luscious body Deeply coloured Soft, velvety tannins High alcohol Classic varietal flavours of blackberry and plum
Where in California do its premium Pinot Noirs typically come from?
Moderate regions such as Russian River Valley, Los Carneros and Santa Maria Valley
What is the style of Pinot Noir in California?
Styles vary widely according to vineyard site and winemaking practices
Describe the style range for Pinot Noir in California
Some are light in colour, with classic gamey and vegetal notes
Most show rich layers of ripe red fruit flavours (red cherry, strawberry) and notes of sweet spice from oak maturation
What is the fifth black grape of California?
Syrah
Where in California is Syrah planted?
Across the state
What broad style is Syrah generally made into in California?
A full-bodied, rich style
What other style do some producers make Syrah into in California?
Leaner, more peppery styles
What is the most widely planted grape variety in California?
Chardonnay
Describe the inexpensive, high volume examples of Chardonnay in California
Where are they mostly made?
Fruity
Low to medium acidity
Sometimes a toasty note from oak staves or chips
Central Valley
What’s the formative reputation of high quality Californian Chardonnay?
Very full-bodied High alcohol Low acidity Peach and banana fruit flavours Obvious flavours of oak, hazelnut and butter
Where are the more restrained, less oaky styles of Chardonnay being produced in California?
Los Carneros
Russian River Valley
What is California’s ‘second’ white variety?
Sauvignon Blanc
Where does the best Sauvignon Blanc in California come from?
The coastal regions
Give an overview of the best Sauvignon Blancs in California
High acidity and ripe citrus flavours
Where are the more affordable fruity, everyday Sauvignon Blancs of California from?
Warmer regions such as Central Valley
What does Fumé Blanc sometimes indicate when used in California?
An oaked style of Sauvignon Blanc, but some producers use this term for unoaked wines
Where in California is the majority of wine produced?
Central Valley
Briefly describe viticulture in Central Valley, California
Soil is very fertile and irrigation is used to increase yield
Where are California’s premium wine regions located?
Primarily along the coast
What is the primary focus of quality wine producers along California’s coast?
Managing quality in the vineyard
Producing wines reflective of each area
How many regions are the principal vineyards of California grouped into?
Five
Which three of California’s five wine-making regions contain the majority of the state’s well known County Appellations and AVAs?
North Coast
Central Coast
Central Valley
What are the principal winemaking counties of North Coast region in California?
Napa County
Sonoma County
Mendocino County
Where is California’s North Coast region?
North of San Francisco Bay
Describe the climate of the vineyards in North Coast region
Strongly influenced by the ocean
Fog and cool breezes flow through the gaps in the coastal ranges and river valleys
What effect do the fogs and cool breezes of North Coast have on climate?
They affect average and diurnal temperature ranges that affect grape-plantings
How long is the Napa Valley AVA?
About 50km north to south
How wide is Napa Valley AVA?
Only about 5km
Which AVA has the most expensive land and some of the most prestigious wineries of California?
Napa Valley AVA
What marks the boundary of Napa Valley AVA with Sonoma County?
The Mayacamas Mountains to the west
What do the Vaca mountains separate Napa Valley AVA from?
The northern part of the Central Valley