California - Napa County Flashcards
What counties does the North Coast AVA include?
-Napa County
-Sonoma county
-Mendocino County
-Lake County
-Solano County
-Marin County
What AVA is Napa County home to?
Napa Valley AVA
True or False?
Napa Valley is California’s most distinguished wine fine wine region and the birthplace of the classic style of American Cabernet Sauvignon
True!
What percentage of the state’s wine does California produce?
4%
How many sub AVAs are within Napa Valley?
16
What are the Napa Valley AVAs named after?
The surrounding towns and mountains
Napa Valley stretches North from what principle towns in the south to what town in the north?
Napa & St. Helena in the south to Calistoga in the North
What body of water lies at the southern part of Napa?
San Pablo Bay
The width of Napa Valley varies between?
About 5 miles at Napa to 1 mile at Calistoga
What happens to the temperature as you move North in Napa Valley?
The temperature gets warmer as you move north.
What is the southernmost AVA in Napa
Carneros
What is the northernmost AVA in California?
Calistoga
What do the altitudes range from in the valley?
0-2000ft above sea level - this has a major effect on the temperatures of the vineyards
What are the mountain ranges that flank the valley?
Mayacamas Mountains to the west and the Vaca Mountains to the east
What kind of soil does the valley have?
A diverse range of volcanic, alluvial, and maritime
-Gravel loam
-Dense clays
-Thin & rocky soil on hillside vineyards
What is the most planted grape in Napa Valley?
Cabernet Sauvignon
What is Cabernet Sauvignon wine like from the mountain AVAs?
Napa Valley
-Dense
-Dark fruit notes
-Concentrated
-Bold tannic structure
What are the grapes like that are grown on the mountainside AVAs?
In Napa Valley
-Small (the size of blueberries), due to the shallow, infertile soil
-Higher leves of acidity due to the cool teperatures caused by high elevation
What is the wine like that is produced from valley floor AVAs?
In Napa Valley
More elegant and supple styles of cabernet with less intesity and color than the mountainside AVAs
What is a environmental threat hillside growers face?
in Napa Valley
Erosion - the rain can wash away a vineyards entire topsoil leaving nothing but hard bedrock behind
Is the soil in the valley floor deeper or more shallow than the mountains?
Napa valley
Deeper
What style of Chardonnay has historically been produced in Napa Valley?
-Opulent
-Weighty
-Buttery
-Oak Driven
What other grape varieties are grown in Napa Valley?
-Merlot
-Zinfandel
-Cabernet Franc
-Petit Verdot
-Sauvignon Blanc
-Petit Syrah
-Sangiovese
-Pinot Noir
What are the 3 mountain AVAs that lie within the Mayacamas?
Napa Valley - listed N to S
- Diamond Mountain District
- Spring Mountain District
- Mount Veeder
What are the valley AVAs?
Napa Valley - Listed N to S
- Calistoga
- St. Helena
- Rutherford
- Oakville
- Stags Leap District
- Yountville
- Oak Knoll District
- Coombsville
- Carneros
What are the 4 mountain AVAs that lie within the Vaca Mountains?
Napa Valley - Listed N to S
- Howell Mountain
- Chiles Valley District
- Atlas Peak
- Wild Horse AVA
Who were the founders of Opus One?
Robert Mondavi & Baron Philippe de Rothschild
What was the first bottle of California wine to cost more than $100? $1000?
- $100; 1987 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
- $1000; 2014 Screaming Eagle
Which was the first Napa Valley estate to sell their wine in individual glass bottles?
Inglenook “Sold Only in Glass”
How long is Napa Valley?
~30mi
How many of the 12 orders of soil does Napa Valley contain?
6 - the valley has an incredibly diverse set of soils
What climactic influence does virtually the entire valley share?
A large diurnal shift
Who is named the father of winemaking on Howell Mountain
Randy Dunn of Dunn Vineyards
