California Flashcards
5 larger California regions?
North Coast
Central Coast
Inland Valleys
Sierra Foothills
Southern California
What did Andre Tchelistcheff bring to the California wine industry?
Acted as consultant and pioneer winemaker
Temp-control fermentation
Winery hygiene
Techniques to prevent disease/frost
Impact of phylloxera in Cali?
Struck in 1980s
Led to re-evaluation of site selection
New varietals/planting material
Focus on quantity over quality
Important California climate elements?
Coast Ranges - shelter from Ocean
Fog
High diurnal range
Air flow - reduced fungal disease/frost
Wildfires
Sustainability in Cali?
85% of wine comes from a winery with sustainability certification
Organic is rare - no SO2
Winemaking and history of concentrated reds?
Started in 1990s due to demand/critical acclaim
Uses Green-harvesting and long hang time
Very ripe, concentrated, full bodied, and high alcohol
Describe Zinfandel:
Uneven ripening
Med+ Acid
Jammy raspberry, blueberry, blackberry
Medium/Full body
Med+ ripe tannins
American oak
Describe White Zinfandel:
Short maceration method
Medium pink
Fermentation stopped early - medium dry
Low alcohol
Medium acidity
Medium body
Strawberry and fruit candy
Describe Syrah in Cali:
Grown in cooler areas
Med/Med+ body
Med+ acid
Med+ tannin
Plum, blackberry, spice
Describe Pinot Gris in Cali:
Dry but fruity
Peach, pear, melon
Describe Petite Sirah:
AKA Durif
Late-ripening
Deeply colored
Full bodied
Black fruit, spice notes
Define Estate Bottled:
Made and bottled at winery
Grapes must come from the same AVA as the producer
All vineyards owned or controlled by producer
Production and export of Cali? Grape growers, wineries?
26 mil hL production
3.3 mil hL exported
5900 growers
4800 wineries
Relevance of Gallo?
Founded in Modesto in 1933
Largest wine company in the world
6.3 mil hL
Owns largest brand Barefoot
Sub-regions of North Coast, and their main feature:
Mendocino County
Lake County
Sonoma County
Napa County
Mayacamas mountains run through
Describe Mendocino:
Includes 13 AVAs - Anderson Valley, Mendocino, Redwood Valley, etc.
Coastal areas (Anderson) known for Pinot, Chard, aromatic whites
Inland (Redwood) known for Zin, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cab Sauv
Describe Anderson Valley:
High rain
Warm with cool air funneled along Navarro River
Pinot Noir and Chard, aromatic whites (Alsace)
Williams Selyem
Describe Lake County:
Between Mayacamas and Vaca
Warm climate
Clear Lake - largest natural lake in Cali
Cab Sauv, Sauv Blanc
7 Sub-AVAs
Describe Sonoma County:
Includes Northern Sonoma, Sonoma Coast, and Sonoma Valley
18 Sub-AVAs
AVA’s in Northern Sonoma?
Alexander Valley
Knights Valley
Russian River Valley
Green River Valley
Chalk Hill
Dry Creek Valley
Describe Alexander Valley:
Warm
Moderate rainfall, mostly winter
Air funneled from Petaluma Gap + Russian River Valley
Fertility on floor, low nutrient on slopes
Cab: Blackberry, blackcurrant, dried herbs, chocolate
Stonestreet
Describe Knights Valley:
Warmer, hills shelter from cooling influence
Cab dominant; Merlot, Syrah, Sauv Blanc, Chard
Describe Dry Creek Valley:
Narrow, surrounding Dry Creek River
Warm days, cool nights
Gravel soils
Zin and Sauv Blanc
Ridge
Describe Rockpile AVA:
All vineyards must be above 800ft
Steep, rocky slopes
Warm nights
Zin, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Douro
Devil Proof
Describe Russian River:
Moderate->warm
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Free draining, low nutrient soils
Rochioli, La Crema
Describe Russian River Pinot:
Med/Med+ Body
Med tannin
Med+ acidity
Ripe strawberry, cherry, vanilla spice
Describe Russian River Chard:
Med/Med+ body
Med+ acid
Ripe peach, pineapple, creamy, spicy
Describe Green Valley:
Coolest conditions
Free-draining, low nutrient
Chard/Pinot Noir
Describe Chalk Hill:
Warmer
White volcanic ash soil
Chard, Cab Sauv, Sauv Blanc
Describe Sonoma Coast:
Includes Carneros, Petaluma Gap AVA, and Fort Ross Seaview AVA
Cool ocean exposure; windy
-Low yields - disrupted fruit set
Pinot Noir, Chard
Aubert
Describe Sonoma Valley:
Sheltered from Pacific by Sonoma Mountains
Cooled by San Pablo Bay
Describe Sonoma Mountain:
Intense sun, warm days, cool nights
Vineyards planted below fog line
Volcanic soils (FDLN)
Cab Sauv dominates
Describe Napa Valley:
4% Cali production, 27% value
16 sub-AVAs
Mayacamas West, Vaca East
Describe Southern Napa valley floor AVAs:
Carneros, Coombsville, Oak Knoll
Strongest feel of cold air/fog
Cab in Coombsville, Oak Knoll - lighter-bodied, fresher style
Describe Northern Napa valley floor AVAs:
Yountville, Stags Leap District, Oakville, Rutherford, St Helena, Calistoga
Warm to hot climate, cool nights
Cab Sauv and Sauv Blanc dominant
Cab - rounder, fruity, less structure than mountain AVAs
SB - ripe, juicy, tropical, peach
Describe the Napa Mountain AVAs:
Less diurnal
Higher levels of tannin/acidity
Mount Veeder (coolest), Atlas Peak, Howell Mountain (warmest), Spring Mountain District, Diamond Mountain District
Soils of Napa:
Valley floor - silt/clay, high fertility + water retaining
Alluvial fans at feet of mountains - “benches” - sediment deposits from mountain streams; deep, rocky, moderate fertility
Napa Vineyards:
60% certified Napa Green
Drip irrigation common
Mechanization on valley floor, hand harvest on slopes
Cab and Chard most common overall
Importance of Rutherford Bench?
Home to To Kalon
Most famous vineyard area
Narrow 3mi stretch on Mayacamas in Oakville + Rutherford
Describe Central Coast:
Includes Monterey County, San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County
Cooled by coast
Describe Livermore Valley:
Stony soils
Chard, Cab, Sauv Blanc, and Zin
Wente, Concannon
- their clones propagated 80% of Cali Cab and Chard
Describe Monterey County:
Monterey, SLH, Arroyo Seco, Chalone, Carmel Valley
Chard, Pinot Noir, Syrah
Low rainfall, irrigation essential
FDLN
Cool, wind, fog
Describe San Luis Obispo:
Includes Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Arroyo Grande Valley
Describe Paso Robles:
11 sub-AVAs, including Adelaida District
Templeton Gap - low point in Coastal Range that cools Paso
Calcareous and clay soils
Moderate rainfall
Cab Sauv dominant; Rhone varieties
Tablas Creek
Describe Edna Valley:
One of coolest AVAs
Morro Bay brings cool fog and wind
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate
Describe Santa Barbara:
Includes Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley
Transverse ranges - east/west orientation of Coast Range - funnels cool air
Chardonnay/Pinot Noir dominate
High alcohol
Cellar door prohibited on site - must set up in town/city
Sub-AVAs of Santa Ynez:
Sta Rita Hills
Bailard Canyon
Los Olivos District
Happy Canyon
Describe Sta Rita Hills Pinot:
Black cherry, black plum, tea leaf, savory
Med+/High acid
Med+ tannins
Describe Central Valley:
Not an AVA
Sacramento valley (North) and San Joaquin (South)
Flat, fertile
Very ripe
Colombard, Chard, Muscat, Zin, Merlot
E&J Gallo, Bronco
Describe Lodi:
Hot mediterranean
FDLN
Irrigation widely used (Mokelumne River)
Old vines - bush vines; new VSP/Cordon
Zin dominates
7 sub-AVAs
Lodi Rules was states first sustainability certification
Describe Sierra Foothills:
Hot days, cool nights - high diurnal
Sandy/clay/granite - retains water
Old vine Zin dominates; Italian, Rhone, Spanish
1mil ha
Describe South Coast:
South of LA to Mexico
Chardonnay, Cab Sauv, Zin, Chenin Blanc
