California Flashcards

1
Q

Name the most important climatic influences on California

A
  • Pacific Ocean
  • Sonoma Mountain Range
  • Mayacamas Mountains
  • San Pablo Bay
  • Vaca Mountains
  • Napa River
  • Petaluma Wind Gap
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2
Q

Explain the AVA Principles

A
  • AVA designation based on geology and climate
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3
Q

What counties are included in the North Coast AVA?

A
  • Napa
  • Sonoma
  • Mendocino
  • Lake
  • Solano
  • Marin
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4
Q

Name principal wine districts of California and their typical varietals

A
  • Napa Valley: CS, Merlot, Chard, SB, PN
  • Sonoma County: PN, Chard, Zin, CS, Merlot
  • Central Coast: Chard, PN, Zin, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre
  • Paso Robles: Zin, CS, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Merlot
  • Sierre Foothills: Zin, Chard, PN, CS
  • Santa Barbara County: PN, Chardy, Syrah, SB
  • North Coast: CS, Chardy, Merlot, Zin
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5
Q

Name the AVA’s in Napa

Certified

A
  • Calistoga AVA
  • Howell Mountain AVA
  • Rutherford AVA
  • Oakville AVA
  • Stags Leap District AVA
  • Mt Vedeer AVA
  • Yountville AVA
  • Carneros AVA
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6
Q

Name the AVA’s in Sonoma

A
  • Dry Creek Valley AVA
  • Knights Valley AVA
  • Alexander Valley AVA
  • Russian River Valley AVA
  • Sonoma Coast AVA
  • Carneros AVA
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7
Q

Calistoga AVA

A
  • Grapes: CS, Merlot, Zinfandel
  • Climate: warm to hot with high diurnal shift
  • Soil: Volcanic
  • Producers: Aubert & Château Montelena
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8
Q

Howell Mountain AVA

A
  • Climate: warm, sunny, dry, above the fog line
  • Grapes: CS, Merlot
  • Soil: Volcanic, shallow and infertile
  • Producers: Rattlesnake Ridge, Dunn
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9
Q

Rutherford AVA

A
  • Climate: warm, little fog influence
  • Grapes: CS, SB
  • Soil: Volcanic, alluvial and sand
  • Producers: Caymus, Grigich Hills
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10
Q

Oakville AVA

A
  • Climate: warm, little fog influence
  • Grape: CS
  • Soil: Volcanic, Alluvial, Gravel
  • Producers: Martha’s Vineyard, Dalla Valle, Opus One, Rudd, Screaming Eagle
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11
Q

Stag’s Leap AVA

A
  • Climate: warm, morning fog, afternoon wind
  • Grape: CS, Merlot
  • Soil: Volcanic
  • Producers: Clos du Val, Stag’s Leap Winery
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12
Q

Mt Vedeer AVA

A
  • Climate: Moderate with cool influence, mostly above fog line
  • Grape: CS
  • Soil: Shale and sandstone
  • Producers: Mayacamas, Mt Vedeer
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13
Q

Yountville AVA

A
  • Climate: moderate, morning fog
  • Grape: CS, Merlot, Chardonnay
  • Soil West to East: gravelly alluvial, fluvial rich, volcanic
  • Producers: Domaine Chandon, Ghost Block
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14
Q

Los Carneros AVA

A
  • Climate: cool, foggy, windy
  • Grape: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
  • Soil: shallow clay, loam
  • Producers: Truchard, Domaine Carneros
  • Sparkling Wine Producers
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15
Q

Dry Creek Valley AVA

A
  • Grape: Zinfandel, CS
  • Soil: Gravelly and sandy loam
  • Producers: Ridge-Lytton Springs Estate
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16
Q

Russian River Valley AVA

A
  • Climate: Mediterrenean
  • Grape: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
  • Soil: Goldridge and Altamonte - sandy loam
  • Producer: Joseph Swan, Williams-Seylem
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17
Q

Sonoma Coast AVA

A
  • Grape: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
  • Soil: Franciscan and sandstone
  • Producers: Maracassin Vineyards, Coastland Vineyards
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18
Q

Alexander Valley AVA

A
  • Grape: CS, Merlot
  • Soil: Alluvial gravelly
  • Producer: Silveroak, Stonestreet
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19
Q

Anderson Valley AVA

A
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20
Q

Kinghts Valley AVA

A
  • Grape: CS
  • Soil: Volcanic on alluvial gravel
  • Producers: Berginger, Peter Michael
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21
Q

Opus One

A
  • Robert Mondavi & Baron Philippe de Rothschild
  • First release: 1979
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22
Q

Mondavi

A
  • first to employ new french oak
  • rebranded Fumé Blanc
  • ## released first Reserve Wine
23
Q

Beringer

A
  • oldest operating winery in Napa
  • since 1876
  • sacramental wine during prohibition
24
Q

Spottswoode

A
  • St Helena
  • ripe and rich Cabernet
  • true expression of Napa Valley Floor Cab
25
Q

Far Niente

A
  • Napa Valley
  • ## also very old
26
Q

Groth

A
  • Oakville AVA
  • First 100 Point Wine
27
Q

Cakebread

A
  • Rutherford AVA
  • family owned
  • Iconic Chardonnay
28
Q

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars

A
  • Stag’s Leap District AVA
  • Warren Winiarski
  • ## Winner in Judgement of Paris in 1976
29
Q

Silver Oak

A
  • Napa and Sonoma
  • exlusive focus on CabS
  • American Oak Aging
30
Q

Chappellet

A
  • Pritchard Hill
  • established Bordeaux Varieties
31
Q

Caymus

A
  • Rutherford AVA
  • Former Winemaker Randy Dunn
  • very full and rich CAb
32
Q

Etude

A
  • Carneros AVA
  • Pinot Noir focused
  • terroir driven expressions
  • founded by Tony Soter in 1982
33
Q

Iron Horse

A
  • Russian River Valley AVA / Green Valley
  • Sparkling Wine of Chard and PN
  • Méthode traditionelle
  • presidential champagne for Reagan and Gorbatschov
34
Q

Domaine Carneros

A
  • Los Carneros
  • Sparkling Wine: Brut and Rosé
  • Methode traditionelle
  • used to be part of Taittinger
35
Q

Roederer Estate

A
  • Anderson Valley AVA
  • est. 1982
  • Counterpart to Louis Roederer
  • Chardy, PN
  • first for highend sparkling in California
36
Q

Quintessa

A
  • Rutherford AVA
  • focus on Bordeaux VArietals
  • artisanal wine making
  • arcitechture by david baker
37
Q

Merryvale

A
  • Napa Valley Floor
  • ## Bordeaux Varietals
38
Q

Larkmead

A
  • Calistoga
  • oldest family owned winery
  • since 1895
39
Q

William Seylem

A
  • Russian River Valley
  • known for single vineyard Pinot Noir
  • extreme vintage library
40
Q

Kistler

A
  • Sonoma and Napa
  • ten single vineyards
41
Q

What are the best vintages since 2018

A
  • 2018
  • 2019
42
Q

Heitz Cellars

A
  • St. Helena
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Martha’s Vineyard: 1966, first single-vineyard in California
43
Q

Law Percentages in California

A
  • 75% for Grape Variety
  • 85% for AVA
  • 95% for Vintage
  • 95% for Single Vineyard
  • 100% for Estate Botteling
44
Q

Name the Countys on the Central Coast

A
  • Monterey County (northwest to southwest Mountain = cooling wind tunnel)
  • Santa Barbara County (east to west mmountains = wind tunnel and fog)
  • San Louis Obispo
45
Q

Name the AVA in Monterey

A
  • Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
46
Q

Name the AVA in San Luis Obispo

A
  • Paso Robles AVA
47
Q

Name the AVA’s in Santa Barbara County AVA

A
  • Sta. Rita Hills AVA
  • Santa Maria Valley AVA
  • Santa Ynez Valley AVA
  • Happy Canyon AVA
48
Q

Santa Lucia Highland AVA

A
  • 1992
  • cool climate
  • Pinot Noir
49
Q

Paso Robles AVA

A
  • Zinfandel
  • warm climate
  • old vines
50
Q

St Rita Hill AVA

A
  • Pinot Noir
  • Chardonnay
51
Q

Santa Ynez Valley AVA

A
  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Noir
  • Syrah
  • SB
52
Q

Santa Maria Valley AVA

A
  • shared with San Luis Obispo County
  • Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah
53
Q

Happy Canyon AVA

A
  • Cabernet Sauvginon, Sauvignon Blanc
  • warm climate
54
Q

Iconic Producers of the Central Coast

A
  • Santa Maria Valley: Au Bon Climat, Bien Nacido
  • Sta Rita Hill: Sandford and Benedict Vineyards, Sea Smoke
  • Happy Canyon AVA: Star Lane, Vogelzang