California Flashcards

1
Q

What are characteristics of California wine?

A
  • 90% of U.S. wine production
  • Mediterranean climate
  • diurnal temperature swings
  • consistency of weather
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2
Q

What are the five main AVA regions of California?

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

What are the characteristics of South Coast AVA?

A

*runs from Mexico border to Malibu and east to Rancho Cucamonga
*covers five counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside,
San Bernadino, San Diego

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4
Q

What are the sub-AVAs of South Coast AVA?

A
  • Temecula

* Malibu Coast

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5
Q

What are characteristics of Malibu Coast AVA?

A
  • hilltop and ocean influence
  • soils are volcanic and sea fossils
  • sub-AVAs are: Saddle-Rock, Malibu-Newton
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6
Q

What are characteristics of Temecula Valley AVA?

A
  • inland from Northern San Diego

* decimated in 1980 by Pierce’s disease (glassy-winged sharp shooter)

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7
Q

What are the characteristics of Central Coast AVA?

A
  • runs from Santa Barbara County, north to Santa Cruz County

* main varietals are: pinot noir, chardonnay, Syrah, zinfandel, sangiovese

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8
Q

What are some AVAs of Central Coast?

A
  • San Luis Obispo County (Edna Valley, Paso Robles, Arroyo Grande)
  • Monterey Wine Country (Arroyo Seco, Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey)
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9
Q

What are characteristics of San Luis Obispo AVA?

A
  • 14 (sub-AVAs)
  • AVAs based on climate. topography, and ocean influence
  • grapes are: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir, chardonnay
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10
Q

What are characteristics of Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande AVAs?

A
  • all vineyards are within 5 miles of the Pacific Ocean
  • mountains surround
  • most wineries are SIP (Sustainability in Practice) certified
  • on the seafront side of the Santa Lucia Mountains
  • long, balanced growing season
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11
Q

What are characteristics of Paso Robles AVA?

A
  • Paso Robles has been divided into 11 new AVs (12 total)
  • calcareous soils, prehistoric skeletal sea animal soil
  • 20 miles inland with many hills and valleys
  • warm, clear days, no morning fog, evening marine layer
  • grapes are: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, viognier, syrah, zinfandel, chardonnay
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12
Q

What are some sub-AVAs of Monterey Wine County AVA?

A
  • Arroyo Seco
  • Monterey
  • Santa Lucia Highlands
  • Chalam
  • Carmel Valley
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13
Q

What are characteristics of Monterey AVA?

A

*rain shadow of Santa Lucia Hills
*beginning of northerly cooler regions
grapes are: chardonnay, pinot noir, Riesling, merlot and other Rhone varietals

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14
Q

What are characteristics of Arroyo Seco AVA?

A
  • long growing season
  • low average daytime temps
  • sheltered from winds
  • grapes are: Riesling and Guwerztraminer
  • can produce botrytised wines
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15
Q

What are characteristics of Santa Lucia Highlands AVA?

A
  • east-facing slopes of Salinas Valley
  • grapes are: pinot noir and chardonnay
  • low vigor vines
  • well-drained granite soils
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16
Q

What are characteristics of the Sierra Foothills?

A
  • *warm days, cools nights
  • four seasons
  • shallow mountain soils
  • low yields
  • grapes are: zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, syrah
  • some AVAs: Amador County, Calavares County, Shenandoah, Fiddletown, El Dorado
17
Q

What are characteristics of Central Valley?

A
  • 70% of California wine grapes are grown here
  • mostly produces bulk wine
  • three AVAs are: San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento Valley, Sacramento Delta
18
Q

What are three sub-AVAs of Sacramento Delta?

A
  • Lodi
  • Clarksburg
  • Merritt Island
19
Q

What are the characteristics of North Coast AVA?

A
  • 8% of CA vineyards
  • # 2 State tourist destination
  • long growing season
  • lack of summer rain
  • AVAs include: Napa Valley, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake County, Marin County, Solano
20
Q

What is Napa Valley labelling law?

A

*if nested AVA (sub AVA) is listed on the bottle, then Napa must also be listed

21
Q

Which AVAs are located in the Napa Valley floor?

A
  • Oak Knoll
  • Oakwille
  • Yountville
  • Rutherford
  • Stags Leap
  • Calistoga
  • St. Helena
  • Diamond Mountain
22
Q

What range represents the Napa Valley floor?

A

Sea level to 500’

23
Q

What AVAs are in the Napa Valley Hillside?

A

Spring Mountain
Atlas Peak
Howell Mountain
Mount Veeder

24
Q

What are characteristics of Napa Valley AVA?

A
  • diversity of microclimates
  • diurnal temp swings in summer up to 50 degrees
  • southern Napa exposed to cool air and fog from San Pablo bay
  • soils are: volcanic basalt, marine sedimentary, and alluvial ancient flood
25
Q

What range represents Napa Valley outlying AVAs?

A

sea level to 1000’

26
Q

What are the outlying AVAs of Napa Valley AVA?

A
  • Los Carneros
  • Coombsville
  • Chiles Valley
  • Wild Horse Valley
27
Q

What is the difference between Napa Valley floor and hillsides?

A

Valley floor soils are fertile made of: clay-rich, alluvial fans, volcanic soils around Calistoga, provides broader fruit flavors, colder at night than the mountains, fog is a major factor

Hillside soils: thin, acidic soils, with volcanic element

28
Q

What are characteristics of Sonoma AVA?

A
  • 8% of state production
  • same labelling laws as Napa
  • 15 sub-AVAs
  • temps lower than Napa
  • maritime and Mediterranean climate
  • grapes are: chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, merlot, zinfandel, syrah, sauvignon blanc
  • AVAs are divided into there areas: eastern, coastal, mid-valley
29
Q

What are the eastern sub AVAs of Sonoma?

A
  • Sonoma valley
  • Sonoma mountain
  • moon mountain
  • bennett valley
  • knights valley
  • chalk hill
  • alexander valley
  • pine mountain
30
Q

What are the coastal sub-AVAs of Sonoma AVA?

A
  • Sonoma coast
  • fort ross-seaview
  • los carneros
31
Q

What are the mid-valley sub-AVAs of Sonoma AVA?

A
  • Russian river valley
  • green valley
  • rockpile
  • dry creek valley
32
Q

What are characteristics of Dry Creek Valley AVA?

A
  • slow maturation of zinfandel
  • valley floor: sandy loam, gravel, alluvial, deep well-drained fertile
  • grapes are: old vine zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc
33
Q

What are characteristics of Russian River Valley AVA?

A
  • Petaluma wind gap - fog exposure
  • unique soil - goldridge loam; clay middle appellation
  • Burgundy varietals + sauvignon Blanc
  • still + sparkling wines
34
Q

What are characteristics of Mendocino AVA?

A
  • 2% of state production
  • first CA County to be non-GMO
  • soils are deep alluvial, gravelly near rivers, slopes are rockier
  • most vineyards are inland valley
35
Q

What are the sub-AVAs of Mendocino?

A
  • cole ranch
  • Covelo
  • dos rios
  • McDowell valley
  • Anderson valley (sparkling)
  • Mendocino
  • Mendocino ridge
  • potter valley
  • redwood valley
  • Yorkville highlands
36
Q

What are characteristics of Lake County AVA?

A
  • north of Napa
  • clear lake is the biggest influence in climate
  • grapes are: cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, sauvignon blanc, merlot
37
Q

What are some AVAs of Lake County AVA?

A

Clear Lake AVA - alluvial soils, botrytis susceptible
Guenoc AVA - sandy loam serpentine soils
Red Hills AVA - volcanic soils
High Valley AVA - cinder ash and silt soils