California Flashcards
What is America’s first AVA?
Augusta, Missouri
1980
When did Napa Valley become an AVA?
1981
Which organisation created the AVA system?
The ATF: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
Which organisation oversees the AVA system currently?
The TTB: The Tax and Trade Bureau
Do AVAs propose any guidelines how to make a wine?
No, it is only a geographical indication
What amount of grapes need to come from an AVA if that AVA is mentioned on the label?
85%
If winemakers label the wine with a county, state or country instead of AVA, how much of the wine should be from grapes from there?
75%
If labeled as a single vineyard in USA, how much of the wine should be from grapes from that vineyard?
95%
Which states are exceptions to the labeled state amount of grapes in the bottle?
California and Oregon have to be 100% made from grapes from the state
Washington State wines have to be made of 95% grapes from there
For wines labeled with an AVA, how much of the vintage mentioned does the bottle need to contain?
95%
For wines labeled with a state or county, how much of the vintage mentioned does the bottle need to contain?
85%
For wines labeled with a grape variety, how much of that variety needs to be in the wine?
75%
Except for Vitis Labrusco: needs to be 51%
How much may the alcohol amount vary from the labelled amount?
1.5% (!)
Bottles with 7-14% ABV may also be bottled as table wine/light wine.
What does it mean when a bottle in USA is “estate bottled”?
100% of the wine needs to come from vineyards owned or controlled by the winery.
The winery and those vineyards need to be located within the same AVA.
When did Carneros become an AVA?
1983
When was the first Harlan Estate released and which vintage?
Released in 1996, the 1990 vintage.
What is Harlan Estate’s second label and what was its first vintage?
The Maiden: 1995
Where is Harlan Estate made?
Napa Valley AVA: Oakville
Where is Shafer Vineyard?
Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
What are Shafer’s top wines and what were the first vintages?
Hillside Select: 100% Cab. Sauv. Released as Reserve in 1983, then renamed the year after.
One Point Five: Cab. Sauv. dominated blend, first vintage 2004
What is the famous Napa red wine that would win in the 1976 Judgement of Paris?
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars: Stag’s Leap Vineyard 1973
Where is Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars located?
Stag’s Leap District AVA
What are Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ wines and when were they first produced?
Fay Vineyard: 100% Cab. in 1990
SLV: 100% Cab. in 1972
Cask 23: 100% Cab. in 1974
Artemis: 90% Cab. in 2003
Who owns the Dominus Estate?
Moueix family
What are the top wines of Dominus and when were they first produced?
Dominus: 80-95% Cab. Sauv. in 1983
Napanook: 70-95% Cab. Sauv. in 1996
What is Heitz Cellars’ top cuvee and when was it first produced?
Martha’s Vineyard: 1966. Not produced 1993-1995 due to replanting.
Where is Dunn Vineyards located?
Howell Mountain AVA
What is Dunn Vineyards’ top cuvee and when was it first produced?
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon: 100% Cab. Sauv. in 1981.
Where is the To Kalon vineyard located? Who owns it?
Oakville AVA
Robert Mondavi Winery
Name the Napa Valley AVAs from south to north
Napa Valley
Los Carneros
Coombsville
Oak Knoll District
Mount Veeder (West slopes)
Atlas Peak (east slopes)
Yountville
Stags Leap District
Oakville
Rutherford
Chiles Valley (east slopes)
St. Helena
Spring Mountain District (west slopes)
Howell Mountain (east slopes)
Diamond Mountain District (west slopes)
Calistoga
What are the most important Sonoma AVAs?
Alexander Valley
Russian River Valley
Sonoma Mountain
Sonoma Valley
What wine is Carneros most known for?
Chardonnay
What wine is Russian River Valley most known for?
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
What wine is Sonoma Coast most known for?
Pinot Noir & Chardonnay
What wine are Alexander Valley and Knight’s Valley most known for?
Bordeaux blends
What is Mendocino known for?
Used to be mass production as result of gold rush: now there is very good Zinfandel.
Mendocino Ridge AVA: above 300m
What are the most important Mendocino AVA?
Anderson Valley
What is Anderson Valley known for?
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay & sparkling wine
What are the most important AVAs in the Central Coast?
Paso Robles
Edna Valley
Santa Maria Valley (Santa Barbara)
What is Paso Robles mostly known for?
Rhône blends currently, historically Zinfandel
What is Edna Valley mostly known for?
Pinot Noir & Chardonnay
What is Santa Barbara mostly known for?
Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay
Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot
What is one of the most famous producers on the Central Coast?
Ridge Vineyards, the Monte Bello Estate.
Santa Cruz AVA
What is the top cuvee of Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello and when was its inaugural vintage?
Monte Bello: 100% Cab. Sauv. until 1974, now a blend.
In 1962.
What are the most important grapes in Oregon?
Pinot Noir,
Then Pinot Gris & Chardonnay
What is the most important climate influence for Napa Valley?
The Gulf of San Francisco
What are Oregon’s most important regions?
Williamette Valley
Southern Oregon
Walla Walla Valley (shared with Washington/Columbia Valley)
What percentage does a wine need of a variety if the variety is named on the label of Williamette Valley wines?
90%
What is the soil of Williamette Valley?
Volcanic, alluvial, clay and loess
What are the most important grapes in Southern Oregon?
Viognier & Cab. Sauv.
Name a top producer of California Chardonnay
Kistler: Sonoma Mountain AVA & Sonoma Coast AVA
What is an important climate influence in Washington State?
The Cascade Mountains: they give a rain shadow
What grapes are most important in Washington State?
Riesling & Chardonnay
Cab. Sauv., Merlot, Syrah
What are the most important regions in Washington State?
Walla Walla Valley (Located in Columbia Valley, shared with Oregon)
Red Mountain AVA
Wahluke Slope AVA
Columbia Valley
Yakima Valley
