California AVAs, North Coast - Sonoma County Flashcards
What are the 3 overarching AVAs of Sonoma County?
Northern Sonoma AVA
Sonoma Coast AVA
Sonoma Valley AVA
What area does Northern Sonoma AVA cover?
It covers a large area from the Mendocino border in the north , the Mayacamas mountains to the east, down to Santa Rosa
What small AVAs does Northern Sonoma include?
Alexander Valley AVA
Knights Valley AVA
Dry Creek Valley AVA
Rockpile AVA
Russian River Valley (+ sub AVAs - Green Valley of RR Valley and Chalk Hill AVA)
Where is Alexander Valley AVA?
Northeast corner of Sonoma County
What climate does Alexander Valley AVA have?
Warm climate, cooled in the evenings by Pacific air funnelled in from the Petaluma Gap and Russian River Valley to the south.
Where are the vineyards planted in Alexander Valley AVA?
on both the valley floor and on west/southwest facing slopes and bench lands of the Mayacamas mountains at elevations of 100 to 750m which helps retain acidity in grapes
What soils are in the Alexander Valley?
fertile soils on the valley floor and more low-nutrient, free-draining sand and gravel at higher altitudes resulting in less vigour and lower yields than valley floor.
What is the rainfall in Alexander Valley?
80cm per year, mainly in the winter
What is the most planted grape variety in Alexander Valley? and style?
Cab Sav
produces full-bodied wines with ripe flavours of blackberry, blackcurrant, dried herbs and chocolate. Those on slopes/benchlands tend to be more structured and concentrated.
They are good to outstanding in quality and mid-priced to premium in price with some super-premium examples
Other notable plantings in Alexander Valley?
Chardonnay
Merlot
Zinfandel
Petit Verdot
Malbec
Significant producer in Alexander Valley?
Kendall Jackson (including Stonestreet Estate)
Where is Knight’s Valley AVA found?
Sonoma County at the northern end of Napa County by the Mayacamas Mountains.
What is the climate in Knight’s Valley?
One of the warmest areas of Sonoma as it is surrounded by hills and is sheltered from any cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean.
How are cooler sites found in Knight’s Valley?
By planting at altitude of 450m in the foothills of the Mayacamas
what is the soil in Knight’s Valley?
free-draining volcanic soil
Key grape varieties in Knight’s Valley?
Cab Sav (ripe, full-bodied)
Syrah
Merlot
Zinfandel
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Dry Creek Valley AVA - best known for which grapes?
Zinfandel and Sav Blanc
Describe Dry Creek Valley AVA topography
Plantings are where?
a narrow valley, 2 miles x 16 miles
Vineyards planted on both valley floor and on slopes and bench lands either side of the Dry Creek River
Dry Creek River is a tributary of which river
Russian River
What shelters the Dry Creek Valley AVA?
Coastal mountains to the West
Mountains on both sides of the valley effect what?
Funnel cool ocean air and fogs from San Pablo Bay (tidal estuary, northern extension of San Fran.
When does this effect happen?
Afternoon and evenings = cooler nights, helps retain acidity
Is there any coastal influence?
Yes, in the south of the valley, generally cooler
Which vineyards are warmer?
West-facing vineyards on east of river tend to be warmer
What are the soils in Dry Creek Valley AVA?
effect on vines?
Mixed soils, Gravel sandy loam
gravel red clay on benches
Gravelly free-draining soils help reduce vigour and yields
What is Dry Creek Valley AVA best known for?
age of vines?
tasting note?
oak?
Zinfandel, home to old vines of over 100 years old.
Med+ to FB
med+ acidity
ripe flavours of blackberry, black plum and cherry
West facing vineyards riper, more jammy and dried fruit flavours
matured in oak (new) adds spice,
American oak common
What other varieties are grown in Dry Creek Valley AVA?
Bdx varieties
Rhone Varieties (red)
Sav Blanc
2 x significant producers in Dry Creek Valley AVA?
Kinsella Estates
Ridge
Rockpile AVA location?
Northern part of Sonoma County, overlapping Dry Creek AVA, extending to Mendocino County
Where are Rockville AVA vineyards planted?
Steep Rocky slopes, above 244m to be within AVA
What are the vineyards heavily influenced by?
What is the effect?
Fog?
snake-like Lake Sonoma that surround the bottom of Rockpile AVA on 3 sides
Lake creates an inversion layer, keeps vineyards warm at night.
Vineyards sit above the fog layer which stays close to lake, so exposed to long hours of sunshine
What other conditions effect the fruit?
shallow hillside soils hold little water
windy conditions lead to HIGH evotranspiration RATES = LOW YIELDS concentrated ripe fruit.
Grape varieties in Rockpile AVA?
Zinfandel, Petit Sirah, Syrah, Cab Sav, Cab Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot
even Douro varieties
2 x significant producers in Rockpile AVA?
Devil Proof
Seghesio
Russian River Valley AVA
located where?
middle of Sonoma County
Topography of RRV AVA?
range of both flat and hilly topography which influences climate = moderate to warm
Which are the coolest parts of RRV AVA?
why?
Southern and western parts are coolest - they receive fog and wine through Petaluma Gap, a break in the Northern Coast range
When does fog affect RRV AVA?
Effect?
Arrives in the evening and retreats in the morning
reduces temperature significantly = slower accumulation of sugar, retains acidity as aroma and flavour compounds ripen
What is the most planted grapes in RRV AVA?
early-ripening Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
What are the soils in RRV AVA?
effect on vine?
Vary - yellow sandstone to rocky sandy clay loam, but generally free-draining, low in nutrients controlling vigour and yields
What has the quality of fruit in RRV AVA meant?
plantings increased?
The AVA has extended twice to similar fog-affected areas and plantings have increased from 1600 ha in 1990s to over 7000 in 2013
Pinot Noir tasting note for RRV
med(+) bodied
medium tannin
med+ acid
ripe strawberry, red cherry
vanilla spice from oak
Chardonnay tasting note for RRV
Med+ body
med+ acidity
Ripe peach and pineapple flavours
creamy and spicy flavours from MLF and oak
2 x significant producers in RRV
La Crema
Rochioli
How is the climate different inland to north-east of AVA?
Grapes?
Vineyards are sheltered by hills from fog and breezes, giving warmer conditions… best of Cab Sav, Merlot, ZIN and riper Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
What are the 2 sub-AVAs of RRV? climate effect?
Green Valley of RRV AVA - next to Petaluma gap, gains first fog of afternoon and last area to have fog burn off = coolest conditions in California
Chalk Hill AVA - in north-east corner of RRV, hilly area, blocks Pacific breezes
What is the soil in Chalk Hill AVA?
Where are vines planted?
White Volcanic Ash (rather than chalk) vineyards are planted on valley floor up to 500m
What are the soils in Green Valley RRV AVA
free-draining low nutrient sandstone soils, limits vigour and makes small concentrated grapes
What style of wine does Green Valley RRV make?
Still and Sparkling with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast AVA is where?
What areas does Sonoma Coast AVA cover?
What climatic influences does Sonoma Coast AVA have?
Where is Fort Ross Seaview AVA?
What is the effect of weather on Fort Ross Seaview AVA?
What style of wine is produced in Fort Ross Seaview AVA?
Where is Petaluma Gap AVA
what climatic influence does Petaluma Gap AVA have?
What effect does climate have on vines?
What style of wine is produced in Petaluma Gap AVA?
Sonoma Valley AVA
Sonoma Valley AVA
Sonoma Mountain AVA
Sonoma Mountain AVA
Sonoma Mountain AVA
Bennett Valley AVA
Bennett Valley AVA
Carneros AVA
Carneros AVA
Carneros AVA
Carneros AVA
Carneros AVA
Carneros AVA
