California Flashcards
Production
80% of all US wine
*California state = 4th largest producer after Italy, France and Spain!
total volume sales 2018 = 26 million hectares (3.3 million exported)
Land under vine
250,000 ha
*located throughout state: Pacific coastline, interior of Central Valley, Sierra Nevada foothills
AVA’s (Large)
North Coast
Central Coast
Inland Valleys (Central Valley)
Sierra Foothills
Southern California
History
Spanish missionaries
Gold Rush population increase 1849+
late 19th century: established regions; UC Davis
1890’s overplanting = drop in grape and wine prices
1920-1933 = Prohibition (stopped manufacture, transportation, sale, possession of alcohol)
1930’s-1960’s rebuilding
mid-late 20th century: Chardonnay and Cab Sauv
*Robert Mondavi
*Andre Tchelistcheff
1976 Paris Tasting: 1973 Stag’s Leap Cab and 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay
AXR1 Rootstock
higher yield
*not sufficiently resistant to phylloxera
*1980s = large scale replanting required
reevaluate site selection, choice of pruning material and canopy management: focus on quality over quantity
Climate
Mediterranean overall (does not have marked contrasts in seasonal climate like continental)
two main influences:
1. Pacific Ocean
*California current brings water from cold water from north; upwelling along the west coast
2. Mountain ranges that run length of state
*vineyards with mountain protection are warm to hot; topography more influential than degrees latitude (some of the coolest areas also the most southerly)
**growing season relatively dry with dry autumns (extended growing season)
Coast Ranges Gaps
far north to Santa Barbara County = some shelter from ocean
*gaps (usually when a river breaks through) = ocean influence felt further inland
*as temps rise during day, warm air rises and sucks cooler air from the coast in the afternoon an evenings (high diurnal range)
*reduces risk of disease/frost
*winds = causes closing of stomata (slows ripening)
Coast Ranges Fog
*fog forms in afternoons in can last until morning = cooling, reduces exposure to sunshine
*when fog burns off, intense sunlight (32-42 degrees N)
*vineyards at altitude usually above the fog line (lower temps, but higher sunlight intensity) = greater color and tannins in black grapes
*areas without coastal influence = much warmer (Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys = Central Valleys)
Warm Regions
*areas without coastal influence = much warmer Central Valleys: Sacramento Valley and San Joaquin Valley
Water
irrigation is common;
lack of rainfall; drought diminishes groundwater supplies
*local water sustainability agencies: water management schemes (greater monitoring and regulation of water use)
Pierce’s disease
bacterial, spread by leafhopper insects = sharpshooters
Frost
issue on valley floors
*sprinklers
*wind machines
Wildfires
damage vines and wineries
*smoke taint in the grapes over broader area
Sustainability
85% of wineries certified by one of the following:
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (Certified Sustainable);
Napa Green Winery, Sonoma County Winegrowers, Lodi Rules
Organic
growing
to be labelled ‘Organic Wine’ = no additional SO2 in the winemaking process
more wines labelled as ‘certified organic grapes’
*some growers do not see the value in certification but grow organically
**small proportion biodynamic
Grapes
2/3 wine (the rest table grapes/raisons)
*63% black
predominantly Cab and Chard (each at just under 20% of state’s wine plantings)
Cabernet Sauvignon
sites with coastal influence: fresher, black fruit, some herbal, less body, lower alcohol
*vineyard management and harvesting dates important to style
*green-harvesting and long ‘hang times’ = very concentrated, very ripe styles, full body, high alcohol
*almost all aged in oak (high percentages common, but times in barrel shorter)
Rules for labelling
single grape variety = 75%
California = 100%
County (ex. Sonoma County) = 75%
AVA = 85%
Named vineyard = 95%
AVA + vintage = 95% from stated vintage
County or state + vintage = 85% from stated vintage
“estate bottled” = winery and vineyards in same AVA (approval of very large AVA = large wineries with vineyards spread apart can still label as estate bottled)
Merchants; Grower/merchants
5,900 growers; 4,800 bonded wineries
*common to purchase fruit to supplement estate fruit; also to sell estate fruit to other wineries
**can be different AVA or different county; blended with estate: labelled within larger AVA (ex. Central Coast) or kept separate (ex. Rutherford producer makes Chardonnay from Carneros fruit)
possible to produce wide variety of wine
Independent growers
key to California model of business
*farm 1000s of hectares
*grapes from quality-conscious growers in high demand especially from top vineyards
*grape prices vary depending on supply/demand
*head-graft vines based on consumer preference
*prices fluctuate based on region and grape variety (ex. Cab Sauv; Napa Valley fruit 10X price of Lodi fruit)
E & J Gallo
largest wine company in world
*70 million cases sold 2018
*owns largest selling brand: Barefoot Cellars
Cult wines
Screaming Eagle; Harlan
North Coast AVA
100 miles down Pacific coastline; 50 miles inland
*includes parts of Napa County, Sonoma County, Mendocino County and Lake County
*Mayacamas Mountains divide Mendocino County and Lake County; extend 50 miles into Napa and Sonoma to San Pablo Bay
Mendocino County
1 million hectares; 7,000 ha under vine
*Pacific to west, Lake County to east, Sonoma County to south
*cooler toward ocean, warmer inland
*coastal AVAs (Anderson Valley) = PN, Chardonnay, aromatic whites
*inland AVAs (Redwood Valley) = Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon
*high altitude inland (Potter Valley) = SB, Riesling
*grapes generally priced lower than Sonoma, Napa
*grapes often used for multi-regional blends
Mendocino County AVAs
13 AVAs
Mendocino AVA (covers 6)
*Anderson Valley
*Yorkville Highlands
*McDowell Valley
*Potter Valley
*Redwood Valley
*Cole Ranch
Lake County
Lake County (covers 7)
*Clear Lake (largest with 4 sub AVAs)
*in rain shadow of Mayacamas Mountains to west and Vaca Range to east = warm climate
*most vineyards in S around Clear Lake (California’s largest natural lake)
*actual lake takes up half of AVA = afternoon breezes
*vineyards planted on slopes and ridges around lake (400-450 m) = cooling
200 ha
*Cab Sauv and SB
Anderson Valley AVA
valley runs NW to SE; just a couple of miles from the Pacific to the north and farther inland in the south
85 wineries
*cellar door sales
wineries outside of area buy Anderson Valley fruit t make appellation or vineyard specific wine (esp. PN)
Littorai, Willians Selyem
Anderson Valley AVA Climate
warm daytime temps
cold air and fog funneled inland along Navarro River = cold evenings and mornings
*inland = valley narrows and flow of ocean breezes and fog is restricted (warmer)
plentiful precipitation: 900-2,000 mm per year (mostly in winter and spring)
*NW = wettest
*risk of frost in low-lying vineyard areas
Anderson Valley AVA grapes
1,000 ha
early ripening Pinot Noir and Chardonnay most planted
*style varies (site climate, clones, harvest time)
*generally fresh raspberry, cherry, plum fruit, medium body, medium (+) acidity
**Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc
Sonoma County
North Coast: Sonoma County
18 AVAs; 3 overarching AVAs (Northern Sonoma AVA, Sonoma Coast AVA, Sonoma Valley AVA)
Northern Sonoma AVA
