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CMS Level II > California > Flashcards

California Flashcards

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Introductory Sommelier Exam (CMS) flashcards
1
Q

California produces…

A

…approximately 90% of all American wine

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2
Q

California four large AVAs

A
  • North Coast
  • Central Coast
  • South Coast
  • the Sierra Foothills
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3
Q

California grapes

A

-led by Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc enjoy extensive plantings.

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4
Q

“Meritage”

A
  • term trademarked by the Meritage Alliance
  • indicate a premium blend in which no grape accounts for more than 90% of the wine.
  • Meritage wines may be red or white, but must be produced from Bordeaux varieties.
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5
Q

California TTB and State Labeling Laws

A

State 100%
County 75%
AVA 85%
Vineyard 95%

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6
Q

North Coast AVA

A

-is the epicenter of fine wine production in the US
-Counties:
Napa
Sonoma
Mendocino
Lake
Solano
Marin

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7
Q

Napa County

A
  • home of Napa Valley AVA,
  • California’s preeminent fine wine region and the birthplace of a classic style of American Cabernet Sauvignon.
  • Approximately 4% of California’s vineyard acreage is in Napa Valley
  • sixteen sub-AVAs, named for the surrounding mountains and towns of the valley.
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8
Q

Napa Valley sub AVAs

A
  • Calistoga
  • Diamond Mountain District
  • Chiles Valley District
  • Spring Mountain District
  • Howell Mountain
  • St. Helena
  • Rutherford
  • Oakville
  • Yountville
  • Mount Veeder
  • Stags Leap District
  • Atlas Peak
  • Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley
  • Los Carneros
  • Coombsville
  • Wild Horse Valley
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9
Q

Napa Valley location

A

The valley stretches northward from the San Pablo Bay past the principal towns of Napa and St. Helena to Calistoga, with its width narrowing—from five miles wide at the town of Napa to one at Calistoga—

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10
Q

Napa Valley climate

A

temperatures warming perceptibly as one travels north. Cool ocean air funnels through the Petaluma Gap into the San Pablo Bay and upward through the valley

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11
Q

Carneros AVA

A
  • the southernmost AVA within Napa
  • is suitable for the production of sparkling wines
  • Pinot Noir
  • extends into the extreme south of the Sonoma county
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12
Q

Calistoga AVA

A
  • the northernmost AVA, routinely sees daytime summer temperatures above 90° F
  • producers focus on sturdier grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel.
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13
Q

Napa Valley’s Mountains

A

Napa Valley’s vineyards stretch from zero to over 2,000 ft. above sea level. The valley is formed by the Mayacamas Mountains to the west, which mark the border with Sonoma County, and the Vaca Mountains on the east.

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14
Q

Napa Valley soils

A

The valley has a remarkable diversity of volcanic, alluvial and maritime soil types, ranging from well-drained gravel loam to dense clays to the thin, rocky soils of the hillside vineyards.

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15
Q

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon mountain fruit

A

-from Napa’s sun-drenched hillside vineyards and mountainside AVAs is prized for its density, dark fruit and concentration, and its ability to retain a good acid structure through intense ripeness.

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16
Q

Howell Mountain AVA

A
  • high-altitude, west-facing vineyards
  • the first sub-appellation wholly within Napa Valley to receive its own AVA,
  • produce benchmark mountain wines.
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17
Q

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon valley fruit

A

The topsoil on the valley floor is deeper, and valley fruit tends to produce a more elegant and supple style of Cabernet, with less intensity of color.

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18
Q

Rutherford AVA

A

exemplifies the valley floor style

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19
Q

Napa Valley Chardonnay

A

-historically been opulent, weighty, buttery, and oak-driven, although someproducers are shifting to lighter styles, sometimes foregoing malolactic or barrel fermentation altogether.

20
Q

Napa Valley Other Grapes

A
  • Zinfandel
  • Merlot
  • Cabernet Franc
  • Petit Verdot
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Petite Sirah
  • Syrah
  • Sangiovese
  • Pinot Noir
21
Q

Sonoma County location

A
  • lies between Napa County and the Pacific coast

- bordered on the north by Mendocino and Lake and the south by Marin, Solano, and Contra Costa.

22
Q

Sonoma County AVAs

A
  • Alexander Valley
  • Dry Creek Valley
  • Rockpile
  • Bennett Valley
  • Knights Valley
  • Chalk Hill
  • Russian River Valley
  • Sonoma Valley
  • Moon Mountain District Sonoma County
  • Green Valley of Russian River Valley
  • Sonoma Mountain
  • Sonoma Coast
  • Northern Sonoma
  • Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak
  • Fort Ross-Seaview
  • Fountaingrove District
  • Carneros AVA
23
Q

Sonoma County climate

A
  • The windy, foggy Carneros AVA is a cool Region I area, whereas the warm northern AVAs of Alexander Valley and Dry Creek Valley are considered Region III.
  • The coolest temperatures can be found in the northern stretches of the Sonoma Coast AVA, where altitude, cold ocean air and persistent coastal fog combine to keep temperatures down.
24
Q

Sonoma County: Coastal producers of note

A
  • Hirsch
  • Marcassin
  • Peay
25
Q

Sonoma County: Russian River Valley producers of note

A
  • Dehlinger
  • Joseph Swan
  • Rochioli
  • Williams-Selyem
26
Q

Warmest AVA in Sonoma County

A

-Knights Valley

27
Q

Sonoma Valley AVA location

A

-situated between the Mayacamas and Sonoma Mountains, and runs nearly parallel to Napa Valley

28
Q

Sonoma Valley AVA grapes

A

-Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon are successful in the region.

29
Q

Sonoma Valley AVA climate

A
  • Like Napa, temperature gets progressively warmer as one travels north, although Bennett Valley, a sub-AVA in the northwestern sector of the valley, favors Merlot.
  • The cool, windswept hills of Carneros form the valley’s southern extremity at the San Pablo Bay.
30
Q

Carneros AVA sparkling houses

A

The Champagne house of Taittinger and the Cava producer Codorníu both set up American sparkling wine estates in Carneros in the 1980s, following the pioneering example of Gloria Ferrer.

31
Q

Alexander Valley and Knights Valley: grapes

A

-Bordeaux grape varieties, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, are most prominent in the gravelly soils of

32
Q

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

A

-tends to show a more herbaceous character and less body than its Napa counterparts

33
Q

Knights Valley wines

A

-such as Peter Michael’s “Les Pavots,” can be very similar in style than its Napa counterparts

34
Q

Dry Creek Valley and Rockpile AVA are known for?

A

-powerful styles of Zinfandel, aged in either American or French oak

35
Q

Mendocino county location

A
  • North of Sonoma County,
  • Mendocino’s best winegrowing regions are centered at the confluence of the Russian and Navarro Rivers in the southern portion of the county
36
Q

The Mendocino AVA encompasses the AVAs

A

Anderson Valley

  • Potter Valley
  • Redwood Valley
  • McDowell Valley
  • Yorkville Highlands
  • Mendocino Ridge
  • Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak
  • Dos Rios
  • Cole Ranch
37
Q

Cole Ranch and McDowell Valley

A

-are essentially monopole AVAs of the Esterlina and McDowell Valley wineries, respectively.

38
Q

Cole Ranch AVA

A

-the smallest AVA in America,

39
Q

Anderson Valley AVA

A
  • one of California’s coolest climates, as cool ocean air and fog trails inland along the path of the Navarro River, framed by steep hills.
  • Champagne house of Louis Roederer established its American operations there rather than in Carneros, where many competitors landed—and today produce one of the more elegant styles of sparkling wine in California.
  • In addition to the classic sparkling varieties, Riesling and Gewürztraminer perform well.
40
Q

Lake County

A
  • east of Mendocino
  • is the smallest wine-producing county in the North Coast.
  • the warm inland region’s most prominent AVA is Clear Lake.
41
Q

California: The Central Coast

A

-California’s Central Coast AVA spans the entirety of California’s coastline from San Francisco Bay in the north to Santa Barbara County in the south.

42
Q

Directly east and south of San Francisco Bay are the AVAs of:

A
  • Livermore Valley
  • Santa Cruz Mountains
  • Ben Lomond Mountain
  • Santa Clara Valley
  • San Ysidro District
  • the sprawling San Francisco Bay AVA
43
Q

Santa Cruz Mountains AVA

A
  • Immediately south of the city of San Francisco, -the large AVA provides a cool coastal climate, where high-altitude vineyards are interspersed between miles of redwood forest.
  • Ridge’s Monte Bello vineyard and the original Bonny Doon Estate Vineyard, an eventual victim of Pierce’s Disease, are among the Santa Cruz Mountains’ most celebrated parcels.
44
Q

Livermore Valley AVA

A
  • The warm inland Livermore Valley achieves success with Sauvignon Blanc;
  • Wente is the most notable producer within the appellation.
45
Q

Monterey County

A
  • South of the San Francisco Bay is
  • home to Salinas Valley, the “lettuce capital of the world.”
  • was extensively planted with vines.
  • The cool coastal area promised success, offering one of California’s longest growing seasons, yet much of the region’s output ends up in bulk blends from the Central Valley.
  • Chardonnay is the dominant grape, accounting for more than 50% of plantings in the Monterey AVA.
46
Q

Santa Lucia Highlands AVA

A
  • Pinot Noir is highlighted
  • home to Garys’ Vineyard, and in Mount Harlan AVA, within San Benito County in the Gabilan Mountains to the east, where Calera produces acclaimed wines from the grape. Chalone AVA, an appellation dominated by the producer of the same name in Monterey, lies to the south in the same range.
47
Q

Mount Harlan AVA

A
  • Pinot Noir is highlighted

- within San Benito County in the Gabilan Mountains to the east, where Calera produces acclaimed wines from the grape

CMS Level II (57 decks)

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