California Flashcards
What is the U.S’s GI system based on?
American Viticultural Area (AVA)
Can AVAs cross borders and/or overlap?
Yes and yes
What plays quite a small role in determining the climate of individual Californian vineyards, despite the regions dimensions?
(Despite a massive North to South spread)
Latitude
What is the most crucial moderating influence in California?
The exceptionally cold California Ocean Current
What can inhibit the cooling effect of the California Ocean Current?
Mountainous coast
What two cooling factors does the cool sea bring to land?
Cold breezes in the evening
Fog
Monterey and Santa Barbara counties see lots of funnelled cool sea air, why?
Mountains at right angles to the sea
What is the climate like in California where there is no exposure to the ocean?
Hot
What is a grape-growing hazard in California?
Water shortage
There is a scarcity of Autumn rain in California, how has this affected wine styles here?
Grapes can be left on the vine long into the season, resulting in concentrated fruit with high amounts of sugar, resulting in high alcohol, full-flavoured ripe wines
What is the most widely planted grape in California?
Cabernet Sauvignon
California Cabernet is full-bodied with very concentrated flavours of … and showing prominent …?
Ripe Cassis
Spice aromas from new oak
What sort of flavour might be found in a less rich Cali Cabernet?
Fresh blackcurrant
Which grape “belongs” to California?
Zinfandel
What is ‘White Zinfandel’ made from?
Early picked Zinfandel grapes
What is the shared peculiarity of Chenin Blanc and Zinfandel?
Uneven grape ripening
Aside from red and black fruit, dried berries and sometimes a herbaceous character from some under-ripe berries, what is a distinctive flavour character of Zinfandel?
Liquorice
What level of sweetness and alcohol is found in White Zinfandel usually?
Medium-Sweet
Low alcohol
Merlot is widely planted in California, what kind of sites are more premium styles made?
Cooler
Can premium Pinot Noir be made in California? Will wines most likely see oak?
Yes and yes
What are the five black grape varieties relevant to California?
Cabernet Sauvignon Zinfandel Merlot Pinot Noir Syrah
Both the following styles of Syrah are made:
- full-bodied and rich
- leaner and pepper
Which is typical to California?
Full-bodied and rich
Is there mention of Merlot being blended with Cabernet Sauvignon in the book?
No
What are the two white grapes relevant to California?
Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc
In what style were high-quality Chardonnays traditionally made in California? (body, alcohol, acid, flavours)
Full-bodied
High alcohol
Low acid
Oak, butter and hazelnut underpinning banana and peach
Where are more premium examples of California Sauvignon Blanc found? They are high-acid wines with flavours of …?
Coastal regions
Citrus
Where are mass-produced wines from fertile soils mainly made with the aid of irrigation?
Central Valley