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Certified Sommelier Exam (CMS 2) > California - North Coast > Flashcards

California - North Coast Flashcards

1
Q

In California, what does the term ‘North Coast’ refer to?

A

Coastal counties north of the San Pablo Bay.

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2
Q

Name the 4 counties in the North Coast of California.

A
  1. Mendocino County
  2. Lake County
  3. Sonoma County
  4. Napa County
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3
Q

What is the most important AVA in Mendocino County?

A

Anderson Valley AVA

Mostly for its sparkling wine!

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4
Q

What 6 Sonoma County AVAs do you need to know for the CMS 2 exam?

A
  1. Knights Valley AVA
  2. Carneros AVA
  3. Sonoma Coast AVA
  4. Alexander Valley AVA
  5. Russian River Valley AVA
  6. Dry Creek Valley AVA
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5
Q

What 8 Napa County AVAs do you need to know for the CMS 2 exam?

List them generally north to south.

A
  1. Calistoga AVA
  2. Howell Mountain AVA
  3. Rutherford AVA
  4. Oakville AVA
  5. Yountville AVA
  6. Stags Leap District AVA
  7. Mount Veeder AVA
  8. Carneros AVA
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6
Q

What is the general climate of North Coast California?

A

Moderate to warm depending on proximity to the Pacific Ocean or San Pablo Bay.

Cooler closer to the Pacific and San Pablo Bay. For example, in July Calistoga is hot AF and Carneros can be 30 degrees cooler.

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7
Q

Which is warmer: north Napa (around Calistoga) or south Napa (around Carneros)?

A

North Napa is warmer.

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8
Q

Fill in the blanks.

Mountainous regions of Napa Valley have ______ yields and ______ diurnal shifts.

A

Lower yields, bigger diurnal shifts

e.g. Howell Mountain AVA

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9
Q
  • What are the 2 mountain ranges that bracket Napa Valley?
  • Which range is on the west side and which range is on the east side?
A
  • Mayacamas - west side
  • Vaca - east side
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10
Q

Identify San Pablo Bay on this map.

A
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11
Q

What is the Sonoma Mountain Range?

A

A northwest–southeast trending mountain range of the Inner Coast Ranges in the California Coast Ranges System, located in Sonoma County.

Its highest peak is Sonoma Mountain.

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12
Q

What is the Petaluma Wind Gap?

A

A gap in the coastal mountain range that funnels persistent afternoon cooling breezes and fog east from the Pacific Ocean through the city of Petaluma and south to San Pablo Bay.

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13
Q

What is the benefit of the Petaluma Wind Gap?

A

The persistent afternoon breeze causes lower grape yields and longer hang-time, enabling flavors and fruit characteristics to fully develop.

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14
Q

Select the correct answer.

The soils found in North Coast are:

a. uniform throughout the area
b. sort of varied
c. very diverse soils throughout the area

A

c. very diverse soils throughout the area

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15
Q

Select the correct answer.

Sparkling wines made in areas of North Coast California are commonly:

a. tank method
b. method ancestrale
c. traditional method

A

c. traditional method

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16
Q

Which areas in North Coast California are known for their sparkling wine?

A

Cooler areas such as Carneros and Anderson Valley.

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17
Q

True or False.

In North Coast California, you’ll often see extensive use of new French and sometimes American oak barrels for both red and white wines.

A

True

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18
Q

True or False.

Malolactic fermentation often employed when making white wines, especially Chardonnay.

A

True

Some producers are shifting to lighter styles, sometimes foregoing malolactic or barrel fermentation altogether, but the typical style of Chardonnay from this area is has malolactic.

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19
Q

What are the 2 main white grape varieties grown in North Coast California?

A
  1. Chardonnay
  2. Sauvignon Blanc
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20
Q

What are the 5 main red grape varieties grown in North Coast California?

A
  1. Pinot Noir
  2. Merlot
  3. Cabernet Sauvignon
  4. Zinfandel
  5. Syrah
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21
Q

In which county are you more likely to find Pinot Noir grown in North Coast California – Napa or Sonoma?

A

Sonoma

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22
Q

In which country are you more likely to find Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grown in North Coast California – Napa or Sonoma?

A

Napa

23
Q

Name one AVA in Napa and one AVA in Sonoma where you will likely find Zinfandel grown.

A
  1. Calistoga AVA
  2. Dry Creek Valley AVA
24
Q

Select the corret answer.

Which red grape variety will you most likely see grown in Mendocino County?

a. Zinfandel
b. Syrah
c. Pinot Noir

A

c. Pinot Noir

25
Q

California Wine Law
If a bottle of wine has a stated grape on the label, that wine must be a minimum ___% of that stated grape variety.

A

75%

26
Q

California Wine Law
If a bottle of wine has a stated AVA on the label, that wine must be a minimum ___% from that AVA.

A

85%

27
Q

California Wine Law
If a bottle of wine has a stated vintage on the label, that wine must be a minimum ___% from that vintage.

A

95%

28
Q

California Wine Law
If a bottle of wine states a single vineyard on the label, that wine must be a minimum ___% from that vineyard.

A

95%

29
Q

California Wine Law
What are the rules sorrounding the term ‘Estate Bottled’?

A
  • 100% of a wine must come from grapes grown on land owned or controlled by the winery.
  • The winery and all vineyards used in the production of an estate-bottled wine must be located within the same AVA.
30
Q

What does the term ‘Meritage’ mean on a bottle of California wine?

A

A term used by producers to 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.

31
Q

What does the term ‘Claret’ mean in California winemaking?

A

Typically Cabernet Sauvignon-based blends reflecting a lighter, old style of wine.

32
Q

Select the correct answer.

In California, the term ‘Reserve’ means:

a. Minimum 9 mos of aging
b. Minimum 24 mos of aging
c. Reserve has no legal meaning in California

A

c. Reserve has no legal meaning in California

33
Q

List some flavor differences between American vs. French oak.

A
  • American oak: more punchy, robust flavors including dill, coconut, gobs of sweet spice, lots of caramel
  • French oak: more subtle, less ‘sweet’ flavors vanilla bean; toasted bread, cinnamon

Want to smell the difference in oak? Pick up a bottle of American Bourbon and a bottle of expensive Armagnac and identify the wood notes. Then look for those notes in your wines.

34
Q

Name 3 major producers in Napa.

A
  1. Opus One
  2. Robert Mondavi
  3. Beringer
35
Q

Silver Oak is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon from which two North Coast counties?

A
  1. Napa
  2. Sonoma

Specifically, Silver Oak bottles Cab Sauv under Alexdander Valley AVA and Napa Valley AVA.

36
Q

Name 3 large and important sparkling wine producers in North Coast California.

A
  1. Iron Horse
  2. Domaine Carneros
  3. Roederer Estate
37
Q

Name 2 large and important Pinot Noir producers in Sonoma County.

A
  1. William Selyem
  2. Kistler
38
Q
  • What is Chappellet’s most iconic wine?
  • What is its AVA?
A
  • Pritchard Hill
  • Napa Valley AVA
39
Q

Which Napa AVA is Quintessa in?

A

Rutherford AVA

40
Q

What is so important about Larkmead Vineyards in Napa?

A
  • Larkmead Vineyards is one of the oldest family-owned establishments in Napa Valley.
  • Originally founded in 1895, the 115-acre Larkmead estate is now under the stewardship of the Solari-Baker family.
41
Q

Name 2 important vineyards produced by Heitz Cellars.

A
  1. Martha’s Vineyard
  2. Trailside Vineyard
42
Q

What is the top bottling from Domaine Carneros?

A

Le Rêve

43
Q

Which Champagne house owns Domaine Carneros?

A

Taittinger

44
Q

Who started Caymus in 1972?

A

Chuck Wagner and his parents, Lorna and Charlie Sr.

45
Q

From 2017 - 2021, which California vintages were “the best” and “the worst”?

A
  • Worst: 2020 due to unrelenting heat and wildfires
  • Best: 2018 thanks to an even-keeled but warm season
46
Q

Who was Warren Winiarski?

A
  • In 1966, he joined Robert Mondavi as assistant winemaker in the Robert Mondavi Winery.
  • The founder and proprietor of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.
  • His $6 bottle of Napa Valley cabernet won a historic tasting in Paris in 1976.
  • Passed away June 2024.
47
Q

Who was Charles Krug?

A

He was among the pioneers of winemaking in the Napa Valley, establishing the first winery there – this is Napa Valley’s oldest winery.

Robert Mondavi bought the estate in 1961.

48
Q

Who was Agoston Haraszthy?

A
  • The Hungarian-born, self-styled “Count” Agoston Haraszthy arrived in Sonoma in 1849, where he founded Buena Vista, one of California’s oldest commercial wineries.
  • Dubbed the father of California wine, Haraszthy introduced more than 300 varieties to the state, collected as vine cuttings during his European travels.
49
Q

Who was André Tchelistcheff?

A
  • A Russian winemaker trained in France, in 1938 Georges de Latour hired him to oversee the production at Beaulieu.
  • He brought updated standards of hygiene and techniques to California, including temperature-controlled fermentations and controlled malolactic fermentation.
  • Tchelistcheff mentored many of California’s young talents—including Robert Mondavi, Louis Martini, Joe Heitz, and Mike Grgich—who became industry giants and helped reshape the image of Napa and California wines in general.
50
Q

What is the significance of the Paris Tasting of 1976?

A

It was a blind tasting organized by a young Steven Spurrier which surprised the globe as two Napa Valley wines—Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon and Chateau Montelena Chardonnay—placed first in a blind tasting against a sampling of first and second growth Bordeaux, and premier cru and grand cru Burgundy, respectively.

Read more about Steven Spurrier HERE.

51
Q

True or False.

Young California Cabernet Sauvignon often benefits from decanting.

A

True

52
Q

Why does old California Cabernet Sauvignon need decanting?

A

To remove the sediment.

53
Q

Fill in the blanks.

California’s full bodied wines typically pair best with foods that have equal _______ and _______.

A

Richness and intensity

Certified Sommelier Exam (CMS 2) (49 decks)

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