California Flashcards
California produces approximately (blank) of all American wine, followed by Washington, New York, and Oregon.
85%
Name 3 species of wild grapevine that awaited the first colonists of North America
Vitis labrusca (the Concord grape)
Vitis rotundifolia (the Scuppernong grape)
Vitis aestivalis (the Norton grape)
Who planted the first vineyard in North America?
George Yount in 1839
Who founded Buena Vista?
Agoston Haraszthy
What is the oldest winery in the Napa Valley?
Charles Krug in 1861
Who established Schramsberg?
Jacob Schram in 1862
What is the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley?
Beringer. Established in 1876
When did phylloxera wreak havoc in North America?
1880’s
When did prohibition end?
1933
When did phyloxera recurr in California’s vineyards?
1980’s
When was America’s first AVA established?
Augusta in Missouri in 1980
What percentage of grapes are required in a wine labelled by AVA?
85%
What percentage of grapes are required in a wine labelled by single vineyard in the USA?
95%
Which major mountain range of the Napa Valley is located closest to the coast?
Mayacamas
Where is Buena Vista?
Carneros, Sonoma County
What are the large AVA’s of California?
North Coast
San Francisco Bay
the Sierra Foothills
Central Coast
South Coast
What is the range of the South Coast AVA?
which covers land in the counties stretching from Los Angeles to San Diego, has made little impact in terms of fine wine production.
What is the main white and red grape of California?
Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon
What does Meritage mean and who trademarked it?
Meritage, a term trademarked by the Meritage Alliance, is used by producers to indicate a premium blend in which no grape accounts for more than 90% of the wine. Meritage wines may be red or white, but must be produced from Bordeaux varieties.
What 6 AVA’s does the North Coast AVA include?
Mendoncino
Lake
Sonoma
Napa
Marin
Solano
What are the 16 subregions of Napa Valley AVA?
Diamond Mountain District
Spring Mountain District
Mount Veeder
Los Carneros
Calistoga
St Helena
Rutherford
Oakville
Yountville
Stags Leap District
Oak Knoll
Coombsville
Wild Horse Valley
Howell Mountain
Chiles Valley
Atlas Peak
What are the 4 unofficial subregions of Napa Valley AVA?
Pritchard Hill, Conn Valley, Deer Park, Rutherford Bench
What are the main whites grapes of Napa Valley AVA?
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
What are the main grapes of Napa Valley AVA?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Pinot Noir
Zinfandel
Cabernet Franc
What are the soil types of Napa Valley AVA?
Hillside: Shallow and rocky with alluvial fans at the base of the Mayacamas
Valley floor: Deeper, richer soils with gravel and cobble deposits and more water-holding capacity
When was the Napa Valley AVA established?
1981
Where does the cool ocean air funnel through the valley in Napa?
the Petaluma Gap into the San Pablo Bay
What is the elevation range in Napa Valley?
0 - 2,000 ft above sea level
What are the mountain ranges to the west and to the east?
Mayacamas mountains - west
Vaca mountains - east
What are mountain appellations on the west and east sides of Napa?
West
Diamond Mountain District
Spring Mountain District
Mount Veeder
East
Howell Mountain
Atlas Peak
What is the wettest and coolest of the mountain appellations in Napa Valley?
Howell Mountain
Which way do the vineyards face on Howell Mountain?
West
Where does the elevation on Howell Mountain begin?
1,400 ft
What is a viticultural threat to mountain wines?
Erosion from heavy winter rains
could wash away the entire top soil and just leave bedrock
What are the valley floor appellations of Napa?
Calistoga
St Helena
Rutherford
Oakville
Yountville
Stags Leap District
What red grape is planted heavily in Carneros and what for?
Pinot Noir
for still and sparkling wine
Name some key producers out of Oak Knoll District?
Key Producers & Important Vineyards: Blackbird, Hendry Ranch, Laird, Matthiasson, Monticello, Robert Biale, Trefethen
Name some key producers from Rutherford?
Key Producers & Important Vineyards: Beaulieu Vineyard,Cakebread, Caymus, Frog’s Leap, Grgich Hills, Inglenook, Quintessa, Round Pond
Name some key producers from Oakville?
Key Producers & Important Vineyards:Beckstoffer To-Kalon, Harlan, MacDonald, Opus One, Robert Mondavi, Rudd, Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak
Name some key producers from St Helena?
Key Producers & Important Vineyards: Charles Krug, Corison, Freemark Abbey, Heitz, Hourglass, Joseph Phelps, Rombauer Vineyard, Spottswoode
Name some key producers in Calistoga AVA.
Key Producers & Important Vineyards: Chateau Montelena, Hundred Acre, Larkmead, Schrader Cellars
Name some key producers of Stags Leap District AVA.
Key Producers & Important Vineyards: Clos du Val, Realm, Robert Sinskey, Shafer, Silverado Vineyards, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Stags’ Leap Winery
Where is Sonoma?
to the west of Napa
What is the most planted grape variety in Sonoma?
Chardonnay
What are the 18 AVA’s of Sonoma?
Sonoma Coast
Fort Ross Seaview - within Sonoma Coast
Petaluma Gap
Rockpile
Dry Creek Valley
Northern Sonoma
Green Valley - within Russian River Valley
Russian River Valley
Pine Mountain Colverdale Peal
Alexander Valley
Knights Valley
Chalk Hill
Fountain Grove
Bennet Valley
Sonoma Valley
Sonoma Mountain
Moon Mountain
Los Carneros
Which AVA is both in Sonoma and Napa Valley?
Los Carneros AVA
Where can the coolest temperatures in Sonoma be found?
northern stretches of the Sonoma Coast AVA, where altitude, cold ocean air, and persistent coastal fog combine to keep temperatures down.
What is the soil of Russian River Valley?
Fertile alluvial soils, such as Goldridge sandy loam, characterize the valley
Name some key coastal producers of Sonoma.
Coastal producers of note include Hirsch, Marcassin, and Peay.
Name some key producers of Russian River Valley?
Dehlinger, Joseph Swan, Rochioli, and Williams-Selyem are prominent names in Russian River Valley.
Name some key producers in Green Valley in Sonoma.
Kosta Browne, Freeman, and sparkling wine producer Iron Horse are all Green Valley-based estates.
What is the warmest AVA in Sonoma?
Knights Valley
What is the soil type for Alexander Valley and Knights Valley?
gravel
Who’s wine is famous from Knights Valley AVA?
Peter Michael’s Les Pavots - Cabernet Sauvignon
Which Sonoma AVA’s are known for Zinfandel?
Dry Creek Valley
Rockpile
Which AVA in Sonoma is known for Merlot?
Bennett Valley
What year was the Petaluma Gap AVA established?
2017
What are the main grapes of Petaluma Gap AVA?
Cool climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah are its main focus.
What does the Petaluma Gap mean?
Named after the wind that funnels through lower Sonoma County due to a coastal mountain opening stretching from the Pacific to Petaluma and veering south toward San Pablo Bay, the AVA is marked by its wind and fog.
Where is Mendocino?
North of Sonoma
What are the two rivers that line Mendocino AVA?
Russian and Navarro Rivers
What are the 7 AVA’s within Mendocino?
Redwood Valley
Potter Valley
Anderson Valley
McDowell Valley
Cole Ranch
and a portion of Mendocino Ridge
Yorkville Highlands
What is the smallest AVA in America?
Cole Ranch - in Mendocino
What is the climate of Anderson Valley?
Offers one of California’s coolest climates, as ocean air and fog trail inland along the path of the Navarro River, framed by steep hills.
Which Champagne House is in Anderson Valley?
Champagne house of Louis Roederer established its American operations there rather than in Carneros, where many competitors landed, and today produces one of the more elegant styles of sparkling wine in California.
What are the grapes of Anderson Valley?
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Riesling
Gewurztraminer
What is the smallest wine-producing county in the North Coast?
Lake County
How many AVA’s are in Clear Lake?
7
What is the most prominent AVA in Lake County?
Clear Lake
Where is the Central Coast located?
San Francisco Bay in the north to Santa Barbara County in the south
What are the 5 AVA’s in the San Francisco Bay?
Livermore Valley
Santa Cruz Mountains
Ben Lomond Mountain
Santa Clara Valley
San Ysidro District
and the sprawling San Francisco Bay AVA
What is the climate of the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA?
provides a cool coastal climate, where high-altitude vineyards are interspersed between miles of redwood forest.
What are two famous vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA?
Ridge’s Monte Bello Vineyards
The original Bonny Doon Estate Vineyard which eventual fell victim to Pierce’s disease
What is the main grape of the Livermore Valley AVA?
Sauvignon Blanc
What is the most notable producer of Sauvignon Blanc in the Livermore AVA?
Wente
Where is Monterey County?
South of San Francisco Bay
What is the climate in Monterey AVA?
Here, a gap in the mountains that runs perpendicular to the coast (west to east) allows warm air at the southwestern end of the valley to pull in the cool ocean air downstream. Though the region, boasting one of California’s longest growing seasons, seemed promising, much of its output ends up in bulk blends from the Central Valley.
What is the main grape of Monteray AVA?
Chardonnay
What is the main grape of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA?
Pinot Noir
Where is the winery Calera and what are they known for?
Mount Harlan AVA, within San Benito County in the Gabilan Mountains to the east
Hollister, California
Great Pinot noir
What is the Chalone AVA?
an appellation dominated by the producer of the same name in Monterey, lies to the south in the same range.
What are the 11 AVA’s of Mendocino?
Anderson Valley
Cole Ranch
Covelo
Dos Rios
Eagle Peak Mendocino County
McDowell Valley
Mendocino
Mendocino Ridge
Potter Valley
Redwood Valley
Yorkville Highlands
What are the 9 AVA’s of Monterey?
Arroyo Seco
Carmel Valley
Hames Valley
Monterey
San Antonio Valley
San Bernabe
San Lucas
Santa Lucia Highlands
Chalone
What are the 7 AVA’s of Lake?
Benmore Valley
Big Valley District-Lake County
Clear Lake
Guenoc Valley
High Valley
Kelsey Bench-Lake County
Red Hills-Lake County
What are the 5 AVA’s of San Benito?
Cienega Valley
Lime Kiln Valley
Mt. Harlan
Paicines
San Benito
What are the 16 AVA’s within San Luis Obispo’s Paso Robles AVA?
Adelaida District
Arroyo Grande Valley
Creston District
Edna Valley
El Pomar District
Paso Robles
Paso Robles Estrella District
Paso Robles Geneseo District
Paso Robles Highlands District
Paso Robles Willow Creek District
San Juan Creek
San Luis Obispo Coast
San Miguel District
Santa Margarita Ranch
Templeton Gap District
York Mountain
What are the vineyards (climate and soil type) like west of the Salinas River in Paso Robles?
Broadly, the western reaches are characterized by cooler marine air funneled through the Templeton Gap and more prevalent limestone and calcareous soils.
What are the vineyards like (climate and soil) east of the Salinas River?
the soil structure is sandier, and the climate in general is warmer and more arid
Who planted the first syrah grape in Paso?
Gary Eberle planted California’s first commercial Syrah vines in Paso Robles, and the nursery at Tablas Creek, a project owned in part by Château Beaucastel, provided clonal material from the Rhône Valley to interested producers across the state.
What is the climate like for these AVA’s in Paso and grapes are grown?
Other AVAs in San Luis Obispo County include York Mountain, Arroyo Grande, San Luis Obispo Coast, and Edna Valley
the last of these offering a cool coastal climate appropriate for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
What are the grapes grown in Paso?
Zinfandel has a long history in Paso Robles, and Cabernet Sauvignon
Rhone Varieties
What is the largest Rhone wine celebration and what is it called?
It is held in Paso Robles and is called Hospices du Rhone
Name some producers from Paso Robles.
Tablas Creek
Booker
Daou
Do Santa Barbara County’s vineyards go from north to south or from east to west?
more east to west
What are three main regions/AVA’s of Santa Barbara?
Santa Maria
Sta Rita Hills
Santa Ynez
What are the 4 AVA’s within Santa Ynez Valley?
Sta. Rita Hills
Ballard Canyon
Los Olivos District
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara
What is the newest AVA in Santa Barbara and where is it located?
Alisos Canyon
is a standalone AVA nestled in between the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria Valleys
Why is Sta. Rita Hills spelled Sta. Rita Hills?
In early 2006, a legal dispute with the Chilean winery of the same name led Sta. Rita Hills to legally abbreviate its appellation name.
What are the main grapes of Santa Barbara county?
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Rhône varieties
When did Sideways debut and what wine skyrocketed in sales after it did?
2004
Pinot Noir
What is the climate of Santa Barbara?
maritime climate and a lengthy growing seasion - the longest in California
What is the climate of the central valley?
hot Central Valley, an extensively irrigated agricultural area divided between the northern Sacramento Valley and the southern San Joaquin Valley—the latter with over 100,000 acres under vine. The Central Valley is generally divided between Region IV and Region V heat summation zones, temperatures most suitable for fortified wines, table grapes, and raisins.
The second largest producer in the world is located in Modesto in the central valley. Who is it?
Gallo
True or False: half of the Central Valley’s wine is produced by its facilities of Gallo.
True
Name some other giants in the Central Valley?
As evidenced by the wines of Gallo and other Central Valley giants, including Franzia (owned by the Wine Group) and Bronco Wine Company, most Central Valley production is of bulk wine quality—low in cost and low on character of site
What is the The largest and most important Central Valley AVA?
Lodi
Where is Lodi AVA located?
Located just south of Sacramento on the eastern edge of the Sacramento River Delta
What is the climate of Lodi?
Lodi is slightly cooler than much of the Central Valley due to the influence of a gap in the coastal ranges that pulls coastal air inland from the San Francisco Bay and over the delta. This area can experience diurnal shifts as great as 45 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing for refreshing acidities and bright fruit development.
What commercial wineries is Lodi home to?
Lodi is home to large, value-oriented brands such as Sutter Home and Robert Mondavi Woodbridge as well as small boutique wineries, many of them specializing in old vine Zinfandel production.
Lodi includes seven AVA sub-appellations, what are they?
Alta Mesa, Borden Ranch, Mokelumne River, Cosumnes River, Jahant, Sloughhouse, and Clements Hills
Name some other AVA’s in the central valley to note?
Other AVAs of note in the Central Valley include Dunnigan Hills, Clarksburg, Capay Valley, and Merritt Island.
Where is the Sierra Foothills AVA?
is located to the east of Sacramento and Lodi, on the western edge of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the heart of California’s 19th-century gold rush territory.
What are the sub AVA’s of Sierra Foothills AVA?
Fair Play, El Dorado, Fiddletown, North Yuba, and California Shenandoah Valley
In the Sierra Foothills, Temperature is dependent on altitude; the lowest and hottest vineyards are located in (blank)
Shenandoah
What is Sierra Foothills’ most acclaimed style of wine?
Chewy, spicy, concentrated Zinfandel, sometimes sourced from vines dating back to before Prohibition, is the Sierra Foothills’ most acclaimed style.
Where is The University of California at Davis and tell me about the program?
located just west of Sacramento
has been a guiding light for California’s wine producers and home to one of the world’s most highly regarded institutes of viticulture and oenology. Many of America’s winemakers are graduates of its programs, and UC–Davis’s impact on winemaking and viticultural practices in the US cannot be underestimated—but not all of the influence has been positive. When phylloxera struck California in the 1980s, it attacked the now-infamous AXR-1 rootstock, a supposedly resistant rootstock supplied to the state’s growers by Davis. Officially, the institution deemed phylloxera to have mutated. Larger criticisms levied at UC–Davis by some question its role in the modernization, standardization, and manipulation of viticulture and wine.
Which rootstock was the one phylloxera attacked in the 1980’s in California?
AXR-1 rootstock
When was the Judgment of Paris tasting held?
1976
True or False: An AVA must be contained within a single state.
False
Match the historical figures to the wineries with which they are associated.
Gustav Niebaum
Agoston Haraszthy
André Tchelistcheff
Jacob Schram
Gustav Niebaum - Inglenook
Agoston Haraszthy - Buena Vista
André Tchelistcheff - Beaulieu Vineyards
Jacob Schram - Schramsberg
Paso Robles AVA is part of which larger AVA?
Central Coast AVA
Rodney Strong, Kosta Browne, and Kistler are all producers based in which California county?
Sonoma
Which government agency oversees the creation of new AVAs?
Tax and Trade Bureau TTB
When was Prohibition in the United States?
1920 - 1933
Lake, Solano, and Marin Counties are within what AVA?
North Coast
Match the California vineyard to the correct AVA.
Savoy
Sanford & Benedict
Bien Nacido
Gap’s Crown
Savoy - Anderson Valley
Sanford & Benedict - Sta. Rita Hills
Bien Nacido - Santa Maria Valley
Gap’s Crown - Sonoma Coast
Rank the following Napa Valley AVAs from coolest to warmest (1 = coolest, 4 = warmest).
Calistoga
Los Carneros
Stags Leap District
Coombsville
Los Carneros
Coombsville
Stags Leap District
Calistoga
List the following wines in order of current release price (1 = lowest, 4 = highest).
Harlan Estate Cab Sauv
Screaming Eagle Savignon Blanc
Kongsgaard “The Judge”
Caymus Cab Sauv
Caymus Cab Sauv
Kongsgaard “The Judge”
Harlan Estate Cab Sauv
Screaming Eagle Savignon Blanc
Match the winery to the decade it was founded in.
Beringer
Beaulieu Vineyards
Robert Mondavi
Joseph Phelps
Charles Krug
Charles Krug - 1860’s
Beringer - 1870’s
Beaulieu Vineyards - 1900’s
Robert Mondavi - 1960’s
Joseph Phelps - 1970’s
Select the winery(ies) located on Pritchard Hill.
Ovid
Bryant Family
Harlan Estate
Bond
Chappellet
Ovid
Bryant Family
Chappellet
Select the AVA(s) located within Napa County.
Rockpile
Spring Mountain
Calistoga
Mt. Veeder
Moon Mountain
Spring Mountain
Calistoga
Mt. Veeder
Match the winemaker to the correct winery.
Josh Jensen
Paul Draper
Beau Barrett
Randall Graham
Josh Jensen - calera
Paul Draper - Ridge
Chateau Montelena - Beau Barrett
Randall Graham - Bonny Doon
Which of the following Sonoma County AVAs is most closely associated with old vine Zinfandel?
Dry Creek Valley
The James Berry Vineyard is located in which AVA?
Paso Robles