California

Question 1

Climate of California

Answer 1

Exceptionallly cold Californian current
North of L.A (where most vineyards are) is mountainous
These mountains shield much of the state from the cooling effect of the ocean.

Question 2

Which two valleys lie at right angles to the ocean and act as funnels for the cold air?

Answer 2

Monterey
Santa Barbera County

Question 3

What climatic factor links all of California’s wine regions?

Answer 3

Lack of rain during ripening season
Drip irrigation is widely practised.
The scarcity of Autumn rain has always allowed growers to leave grapes on the vine long into the season this leads to very ripe grapes with very high sugar levels and very concentrated flavours

Question 4

Black grape Varieties of California?

Answer 4

Cab Sav - most widely planted
Zinfandel- ripens unevenly so there can be overripe and underripe berries in harvested fruit
Merlot
Pinot Noir
Syrah

Question 5

White grapes of California?

Answer 5

Chardonnay - most widely planted grape in the state.
Sav Blanc

Question 6

3 out of 5 most important regions in Cali?

Answer 6

North Coast
Central Coast
Central Valley

Question 7

Ava’s of north coast

Answer 7

Napa County/Napa Valley:
Most expensive vineyard land so most prestigious wineries are here.
Morning fogs and cool afternoon breezes from Sam Pablo bay that moderate temps
For example Los Carneros AVA is cool enough to be a source of high quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for still wines and traditional method sparkling.
In AVA’s Stags leap district , Oakville and Rutherford it is warm enough to ripen Cab Sav.
(Rutherford is the most powerful and structured)

Saint Helena and Calistoga in the North of the Valley receive the warmest daytime temps and can produce some of the most full bodied wines in the valley (cab Sav, Syrah and Zinfandel)

AVA’s Howell Mountain and Mount Vedeer -
Fuller bodied wines with high alcohol and higher tannins - Cab Sav, Merlot, Cab Franc, Zinfandel
Chardonnay is the main white grape variety -higher acid than those on valley floor

Question 8

Name the gap that affect Saint Helena and Calistoga areas in Napa?

Answer 8

Chalk Hill gap

Question 9

Sonoma and Mendocino Couties: name the gap that affects this area?

Answer 9

Petaluma Gap

Question 10

Name the AVA’s of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties

Answer 10

Sonoma County: variety of climates thanks to Petaluma Gap ..

Russian River Ava: elegant Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling

Dry Creek Valley Ava: high quality old vine Zinfandel’s above fog layer …valley floor is Sav Blanc and Rhone varieties are popular

Alexander Valley- Cab Sav

Sonoma Coast ava- cold pacific ocean influence, planted on south facing slopes to maximise ripening - Chardonnays and Zinfandel

Mendocino County- (anderson valley)
aromatic white wines like gerwurttraminer and riesling

Question 11

Central coast: Santa Cruz mountains and Monterey

Answer 11

Santa Cruz mountains AVA- infertile soils produce some of California’s most elegant cab Sav. As well as high quality Pinot and Chardonnay

Paso Robles Ava- Cab Sav, Merlot, Syrah - high volume fruity wines from fertile soils

Santa Maria Valley - premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, slow ripening fruit here from fog so concentrated flavours and high acidity

Question 12

Central Valley

Answer 12

Encompasses Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys that produce vast majority of Californian wine, high volume, inexpensive is just labelled ‘California’
Cab Sav
Merlot
Chardonnay
Colombard
Chenin Blanc
Barbera

Lodi- straddles the above Ava’s and produces some of the best old vine Zinfandel in California