California Study Guide Flashcards
1
Q
What % of American wine is produced in California? What are the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th largest producing states respectively?
A
90%
Washington
New York
Oregon
2
Q
What are three species of vine that were in North America prior tot the arrival of Vitis vinifera?
A
Vitis labrusca (Concord) Vitis rotundifolia (Scuppernong) Vitis aestivalis (Norton)
3
Q
What was the first Vitis vinifera grape to see successful growing in North America? Where was this? When?
A
Mission
Mexico in the early 1500s
4
Q
When did George Yount plant his first vineyard in Napa?
A
1839
5
Q
When was California annexed from Mexico?
A
1847
6
Q
Who was dubbed the “father of California wine”? When did he arrive to Napa Valley and found Buena Vista?
A
Count Agoston Haraszthy
1849
7
Q
Who is credited with the introduction of Zinfandel along with 300 varieties from his travels in Europe?
A
Count Agoston Haraszthy
8
Q
What former apprentice of Count Agoston Haraszthy moved to the Napa Valley and founded Charles Krug winery? When was this? Where in the valley is this winery?
A
Charles Krug
1861
St. Helena
9
Q
Put the following in order by which they were established. What are the years of their establishment?
Charles Krug Schramsberg Beringer Inglenook Buena Vista Beaulieu Vineyards
A
Buena Vista (1849) Charles Krug (1861) Schrambsberg (1862) Beringer (1876) Inglenook (1880) Beaulieu Vineyard (1900)
10
Q
Who founded Inglenook Winery in 1880?
A
Gustav Niebaum
11
Q
When did Phylloxera hit California?
A
1880s and 1890s
12
Q
What was the main rootstock that saved California vines from Phylloxera?
A
Vitis riparia and its hybrids
13
Q
What are two hybrid grapes that dominated the vineyards of New York and the East Coast during the mid 1800s?
A
Catawba and Delaware
14
Q
What is the United State’s first bonded winery? When was this and in what region?
A
Pleasant Valley Wine Company established in 1860 in the Finger Lakes
15
Q
What style of wine and from what grape was being made in Ohio during the mid 1800s?
A
Sparkling wine made in the traditional method from the Catawba grape
16
Q
What winery in Missouri was the third largest in the world at the turn of the 20th century?
A
Stone Hill Winery in Hermann
17
Q
What is the star grape of Missouri?
A
Norton
18
Q
Who was responsible for the discovery of American rootstock’s resistance to Phylloxera? Where is there a statue of him?
A
Charles Valentine Riley, a Missouri entomologist
Statue of him in Montpellier, France
19
Q
Which winery thrived during Prohibition as the “House of Altar Wine”?
A
George de Latour’s Beaulieu Vineyards
20
Q
Which amednment ended Prohibition? When was this?
A
21st Amendment in 1933
21
Q
What style of wine accounted for 81% of the wine produced in California in the immediate years following Prohibition?
A
Sweet, fortified wine
22
Q
Cheap generic wine under the guises of what 4 names flooded the American market in the decades following Prohibition?
A
Burgundy
Chablis
Port
Sherry
23
Q
Up until the 1970s a majority of the wine produced in America was geared towards what?
A
Inexpensive, lower quality wines for a generally uneducated domestic market. Bulk wines
24
Q
Who’s “Thunderbird” and “Night Train Express” contributed to the oceans of cheap wine from the Central Valley during the 1900s?
A
Gallo Brothers
25
What Russian winemaker did Georges de Latour hire in 1938 to oversee production at Beaulieu? What wine did this winemaker introduce and what was significant about it?
André Tchelistcheff
Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
It was considered a new benchmark in quality for American wine
26
What contributions to the American wine industry did André Tchelistcheff contribute?
Brought new standards of hygiene and techniques to California, including temperature-controlled fermentations and controlled malolactic fermentation.
He also mentored many of California's young talents, including Robert Mondavi, Louis Martini, Joe Heitz, and Mike Grgich
27
Who is considered the "dean of American winemakers"?
André Tchelistcheff
28
When did Robert Mondavi launch his winery's first harvest?
1966
29
When did table wines surpass fortified wines in domestic consumption for the first time?
1967
30
When did Robert Mondavi launch his Fumé Blanc, oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc singlehandedly making the grape saleable?
1968
31
Who were early pioneers in Sonoma (3)? Santa Crus Mountains?
Hanzell, Martin Ray, and Simi in Sonoma
Ridge (Paul Draper) with his Monte Bello bottling in Santa Cruz
32
What was the first vintage of Mount Eden Vineyards?
1972
33
What is the name of Monterey's oldest commercial vineyard and what was its first vintage?
Chalone Vineyard in 1960
34
Where is the Sanford and Benedict Vineyard? Who planted it and when? What is the grape?
Santa Ynez Hills of Santa Barbara
Richard Sanford
Pinot Noir
35
Who first showed that Vitis vinifera had promise in the Finger Lakes? What was the name of his first winery? When was it founded?
Dr. Konstantin Frank
Vinifera Wine Cellars founded in 1962
36
Who is responsible for first planting Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley? What is the name of his winery and when was this?
David Lett
Eyrie Vineyards in 1965
37
Which two wineries placed first in the 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting for Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay respectively?
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars for Cabernet
Chateau Montelena for Chardonnay
38
When was the first Napa Valley bottling topping $100 released? By who?
1978 by Diamond Creek
39
When did Phylloxera sweep through Napa Valley for a second time? What was the silver lining regarding this?
1980s
This allowed producers the opportunity to replant and reassess grapes and clonal selections for each site.
40
What did the stylistic shift of the Napa Valley favor in the 1990s? What cult producers emerged during this time?
ripeness, body, and higher alcohol levels
Cult producers like Harlan Estate, Colgin, and Screaming Eagle emerged
41
Even though rootstocks have kept Phylloxera at bay in California, what two additional threats have proved serious?
Pierce's Disease and the light-brown apple moth
42
What organization established the AVA system? When was this? Who oversees the AVA system today?
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) in the late 1970s
Today the Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) oversees the AVA system.
43
The AVA system demarcated appellations according to what 3 criterion?
geographical, physical, and climatic features
44
What was the first AVA established? Second? When?
Augusta in Missouri (1980)
Napa (1981)
45
What two wineries had to change their name in 2009 with the establishment of the Calistoga AVA because they didn't use enough Calistoga fruit in their wines? What was significant about this?
Calistoga Cellars and Calistoga Estates
This set an example for future label integrity
46
If a bottle is listed with an AVA, what % of the fruit used must come from that AVA?
What if state, county, or country (USA) is listed in lieu of AVA?
What if a bottle is labeled California, Oregon, or Washington?
If a wine is labeled by a single vineyard, what % of the grapes used must come from that vineyard?
If a wine is vintage-dated, what % of the fruit used must come from the stated vintage? (AVA and state/county)
Wine with a varietal designation must contain a minimum what % of the state variety? (viinfera and labrusca)
85% if AVA is listed
75% for state, county, or country and no AVA
California and Oregon require 100% grapes from the named state.
Washington requires 95%
Min 95% for stated vineyard
Min 95% from stated vintage for AVA. Min 85% if labeled by state or county
Min 75% of the stated variety for vinifera.
Min 51% of the stated variety for labrusca
47
What is the margin of error listed for abv on American wine? If alcohol abv is not listed, what two terms may be on the label if the wine is between 7-14% alcohol?
+-1.5%
"Table Wine" and "Light Wine" may be listed on the bottle in lieu of abv amount as long as the abv% is between 7-14
48
What criteria must be met in order for an American wine to be labeled "Estate-Bottled"? (3)
(1) must declare name and address of bottler
(2) 100% of a wine must come from grapes grown on land owned or controlled by the winery
(3) the winery and all vineyards used in the production of an estate-bottled wine must be located within the same AVA
49
Who is responsible for the creation of the Northern Sonoma AVA? Why?
Gallo
So they could blend from across all of their holdings in pre-existing AVAs and label their wines as estate-bottled
50
What are the 4 major wine growing region AVAs of California?
North Coast AVA
Central Coast AVA
South Coast AVA
Sierra Foothills AVA
51
Napa Valley AVA and Sonoma Valley AVA are located within what AVA?
North Coast AVA
52
Why are most of the fine wine districts located near the coast?
The fog and cool sea breezes mitigate temperatures and create a large diurnal swing from warm days to cool nights.
53
Which of the four large major AVAs has made little impact in terms of fine wine production? Between which two cities is it located?
South Coast AVA
Between Los Angeles and San Diego
54
Which valley is responsible for 75% of California's wine production but is not considered an AVA?
Central Valley
55
What are the top two white grapes in the Central Valley responsible for bulk wines?
Chardonnay and French Colombard
56
What are the criteria for "Meritage" in California? (2)
(1) Must be a blend and no one grape accounts for more than 90% of the blend.
(2) May be red or white but must be produced from Bordeaux varieties.
57
What Croatian grape is Zinfandel identical to?
Crljenak Kastelanski
58
What is the silver lining of White Zinfandel's fame in the 1980s?
It preserved Zinfandel vines so that today some of the world's oldest Zinfandel vines are located in California.
59
What is the major teinturier grape of California?
Alicante Bouschet
60
Which of the 4 major California AVAs is the epicenter of fine wine production in the state? What 6 counties does it encompass?
North Coast AVA
```
Napa
Sonoma
Lake
Marin
Solano
Mendocino
```
61
How many sub AVAs are in Napa Valley AVA? How many are in Sonoma County AVA?
16 in Napa
| 18 in Sonoma
62
What % of California's wine is produced in the Napa Valley?
4%
63
What are the 16 sub AVAs of Napa Valley lley?
```
Diamond Mountain District
Spring Mountain District
Mount Veeder
Howell Mountain
Chiles Valley District
Atlas Peak
Coombsville
Wild Horse Valley
Calistoga
St. Helena
Rutherford
Oakville
Yountville
Stags Leap District
Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley
Los Carneros
```
64
What are the 3 mountain AVAs of Napa from north to south on the Mayacamas side?
Diamond Mountain District
Spring Mountain District
Mount Veeder
65
Where is the Napa Valley at its widest and most narrow points respectively? (distance)
Widest at Napa (5 miles)
| Narrowest at Calistoga (1 mile)
66
What is the source of cool air that funnels up through Napa Valley? What bay does it move from?
Funnels through the Petaluma Gap and funnels up from the San Pablo Bay
67
What two mountains are the western and eastern boundaries of the Napa Valley respectively?
```
Mayacamas (west)
Vaca Mountains (east)
```
68
What mountains form the boundary line between Napa and Sonoma?
Mayacamas Mountains
69
Cabernet Sauvignon from the mountain AVAs of Napa Valley is prized for what attributes? (4)
What style of wine is produced from fruit on the valley floor?
Mountain:
density, dark fruit, concentration, and its ability to retain a good acid structure through intense ripeness
Valley Floor:
more elegant, supple style of Cabernet Sauvignon
70
Which AVA was the first sub AVA of Napa Valley and is considered to produce benchmark mountain wines? When was the AVA established?
Howell Mountain
Established in 1983
71
What two counties border Sonoma County in the north? Which three counties borders it to the south?
Mendocino and Lake counties in the north
Marin, Solano, and Contra Costa in the south
72
What are the sub AVAs of Sonoma County? (19)
```
West Sonoma Coast (new)
Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak
Rockpile
Alexander Valley
Knights Valley
Sonoma Coast
Fort Ross-Seaview
Russian River Valley
Chalk Hill
Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Fountaingrove District
Petaluma Gap
Sonoma Valley
Sonoma Mountain
Bennett Valley
Moon Mountain
Los Carneros
Northern Sonoma
```
73
What AVA in Sonoma County is home to the coolest temperatures?
Sonoma Coast in the northern stretches.
74
What is Carneros classified according to the Winkler scale?
cool Region I
75
What are Alexander Valley and Dry Creek Valley classified as according to the Winkler scale?
Region III
76
What grapes is the Sonoma Coast AVA known for?
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Rhône varietals
77
What grapes are the star of the Russian River Valley AVA?
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with Rhône grapes and Zinfandel
78
What is the prized soil type of the Russian River Valley and Green Valley of Russian River Valley called?
Goldridge sandy loam
79
Is Green Valley a sub AVA of Russian River Valley? How is the climate different? What AVAs may wines form here be bottled under? Why both?
No, it is its own AVA
The climate is cooler because the fog is more persistent here along with the Goldridge sandy loam.
May be bottled as Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA or Russian River Valley AVA.
Bottles are usually bottled as Russian River Valley AVA in warm vintages.
80
What are 3 top producers of Sonoma Coast?
Hirsch
Marcassin
Peay
81
What are 3 top producers of Russian River Valley?
Joseph Swan
Rochioli
Williams-Selyem
82
What are 3 top producers located in the Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA?
Kosta Browne
Freeman
Iron Horse
83
What 4 AVAs of Sonoma north and east of Healdsburg experience warm Region III climates? Which is the warmest?
Rockpile
Dry Creek Valley
Alexander Valley
Knights Valley (warmest)
84
What are the top two Sonoma AVAs for Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals? Which produces wines that are more herbaceous than Napa? Which is produced similar in style to Napa?
```
Alexander Valley (herbaceous)
Knights Valley (similar to Napa)
```
85
Which two AVAs are known for their powerful styles of Zinfandel aged in either French or American oak?
Dry Creek Valley
| Rockpile
86
Between what two mountain ranges is the Sonoma Valley AVA? What are the top 4 grapes here?
Sonoma Mountains in the west
Mayacamas Mountains in the east
Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay
87
How is Sonoma Valley AVA's climate similar to Napa Valley AVA in regards to climate? Why is Bennett Valley an exception to this? What is the star grape in Bennett Valley?
Temperatures get warmer the further north you travel.
Bennett Valley AVA is at the far northwestern end of the valley and is actually too cool to ripen Cabernet consistently so Merlot is the star here.
88
What three grapes are the main focus of Sonoma's newest AVA established in 2017? What is the AVA?
Cool climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah are the main focus
Petaluma Gap AVA
89
What are 2 world-famous sparkling wine producers that have set up operations in Los Carneros?
Taittinger
| Codorníu
90
From 2011 forward all wines from Sonoma are required to list what on the label regardless of whether or not the label also indicates an AVA?
Sonoma County
91
Mendocino County's best wine growing regions are centered at the confluence of what two rivers?
Navarro River and Russian River
92
What AVAs are encompassed by Mendocino AVA? (7) What 4 AVAs are not encompassed by it but located in Mendocino County?
```
Anderson Valley
Potter Valley
Redwood Valley
McDowell Valley
Yorkville Highlands
Cole Ranch
Mendocino Ridge
```
```
Not included:
Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak
Dos Rios
Covelo
Eagle Peak Mendocino County
```
93
Why were the boundaries of Mendocino AVA decreased in 2014?
So that its boundaries would not overlap with the new Eagle Peak Mendocino County AVA
94
What is the smallest AVA in America?
Cole Ranch AVA
95
What are the two monopole AVAs of California? Producers?
```
Cole Ranch (Esterlina)
McDowell Valley (McDowell Valley)
```
96
What river runs through Anderson Valley?
Navarro River
97
What famous Champagne house set up shop in the Anderson Valley AVA?
Louis Roederer (Roederer Estate)
98
In addition to sparkling wine production, what two white grapes not named Chardonnay make excellent still wine in Anderson Valley?
Riesling and Gewürztraminer
99
In order for a bottle to be labeled Mendocino Ridge AVA, above what altitude must the vineyards be located? Why is this? What is the star grape here?
Above 1,200 feet
This is above the fog line
Zinfandel is the star grape here.
100
What is the most prominent AVA in Lake County?
Clear Lake AVA
101
California's Central Coast AVA spans the entirety of California's coastline from where to where?
San Francisco Bay in the north to Santa Barbara in the south
102
What 6 AVAs are directly east and south of the San Francisco Bay?
```
Livermore Valley
Santa Cruz Mountains
Ben Lomond Mountain
Santa Clara Valley
San Ysidro District
San Francisco Bay
```
103
Which vineyard of the Santa Cruz Mountains fell victim to Pierce's Disease?
The original Bonny Doon Estate Vineyard
104
What is the most celebrated vineyard of the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA?
Monte Bello Vineyard owned by Ridge
105
What is the most notable producer within the Livermore Valley AVA? Grape?
Wente
Sauvignon Blanc
106
Santa Cruz County is part of the Central Valley AVA. Is Santa Cruz Mountains AVA?
No
107
What are the two main valleys of the Monterey AVA?
Salinas and Carmel Vallies
108
Which valley is nicknamed the "lettuce capitol of the world?
Salinas Valley
109
What is the dominant grape of the Monterey AVA? What % of plantings are dedicated to the grape?
Chardonnay
Accounts for more than 50% of plantings
110
Which AVA is home to Garys' Vineyard? What is the star grape here?
Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
111
What is the star producer of Mount Harlan AVA? What is the star grape here? What county is this in? What mountains are located to the east of here?
Calera
Pinot Noir
San Benito County
Gabilan Mountains
112
What is the star producer of the Chalone AVA? What is the major town near here?
Chalone
Monterey
113
What is the star AVA of San Luis Obispo?
Paso Robles AVA
114
What are the 11 sub AVAs of Paso Robles from north to south?
```
San Miguel District
Paso Robles Estrella District
Adelaida District
Paso Robles Geneseo District
San Juan Crek
Paso Robles Willow District
Templeton Gap District
El Polmar District
Creston District
Paso Robles Highlands District
Santa Margarita Ranch
```
115
What is the name of the gap near Paso Robles that ushers in cooler marine air?
Templeton Gap
116
How do the soil types and climate of the western Paso Robles AVA differ from the eastern side?
Western side is cooler with more limestone and calcareous soils
Eastern side, east of the Salinas River, the soil is sandier and the climate is generally warmer and more arid.
117
What is the name of the major river that flows through Paso Robles?
Salinas River
118
What does Paso Robles mean?
Pass of the oaks
119
What grapes are the stars of the Paso Robles AVA?
Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Rhône Varieties
120
Who planted the first commercial Syrah vines in the state of California? Where was this?
Gary Eberle
Paso Robles
121
What is the name of the nursery that has provided clonal material from the Rhône Valley to producers across California? Who owns it? Where is it?
Tablas Creek
Owned by Château de Beaucastel
Paso Robles
122
What is the name of the world's largest Rhône celebration celebrated in Paso Robles annually?
Hospices du Rhône
123
What are the 3 AVAs located in San Luis Obispo AVA that are not sub AVAs of Paso Robles?
York Mountain
Arroyo Grande
Edna Valley
124
What grapes are the star of the Edna Valley AVA?
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
125
What are the 4 AVAs located within the Santa Ynez Valley AVA?
Sta. Rita Hills
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara
Ballard Canyon
Los Olivos
126
In what year did a legal dispute with a Chilean winery of the same name require the Santa Rita Hills to be rebranded as Sta. Rita Hills AVA?
2006
127
What are the two larger valley AVAs of Santa Barbara County?
Santa Maria Valley
| Santa Ynez Valley
128
Place the following vineyards in the respective AVAs:
Sandford and Benedict
Bien Nacido
Sanford and Benedict is in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA
Bien Nacido is in the Santa Maria Valley AVA
129
What are the star grapes of the Santa Maria Valley? What is the top vineyard here?
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
| Bien Nacido
130
What is the climate classified according to the Winkler scale in Santa Barbara County? What is this county's claim to fame in regards to the growing season?
Region I
Longest growing season in California
131
In addition to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, what other grapes are lauded in Santa Barbara County?
Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Rhône Varieties.
132
What movie brought public awareness to the region of Santa Barbara County for quality wine? What grape suffered because of it though?
Sideways
Merlot
133
What two valleys make up the Central Valley north and south respectively? Which has over 100,000 acres under vine?
Sacramento Valley in the north
San Joaquin Valley in the south (has over 100,000 acres under vine)
134
The climate of the Central Valley is described as what two categories according to the Winkler scale? What are these regions in theory most suitable for in regards to grapes and production?
Region IV and Region V
most suitable to fortified wines, table grapes, and raisins
135
What is the name of the second largest producer in the world that is headquartered in the Central Valley?
Gallo
136
What are 3 major producers in the Central Valley? Which produces Franzia?
Gallo
The Wine Group (Franzia)
Bronco Wine Company
137
What is the largest and most important AVA in the Central Valley? What is the star grape here? What % of California's total wine production is in this AVA?
Lodi AVA
Old-vine Zinfandel
20% of California's total wine production
138
What town is Lodi just south of? What is the name of the river delta whose eastern edge it is located on?
Sacramento
Sacramento River Delta
139
Why is Lodi slightly cooler than the rest of the Central Valley?
Due to the cool coastal air that funnels through the gap in the coastal ranges from the San Francisco Bay
140
What is the name of Robert Mondavi's winery in Lodi? What other heavy hitter producer is located here?
Robert Mondavi Woodbridge
Sutter Home
141
What are the 7 sub AVAs of Lodi?
```
Alta Mesa
Borden Ranch
Mokelumne River
Cosumnes River
Jahant
Sloughhouse
Clement Hills
```
142
Other than Lodi AVA what are 4 other AVAs that are notable in the Central Valley?
Dunnigan Hills
Clarksburg
Camay Valley
Merritt Island
143
Where is the Sierra Foothills AVA located geographically compared to Sacramento and Lodi? What mountains are located just east of here?
East of both
Sierra Nevada Mountains
144
What are the 5 sub AVAs of the Sierra Foothills AVA? Where are the lowest and hottest vineyards?
```
Fair Play
El Dorado
Fiddletown
North Yuba
California Shenandoah (lowest and hottest)
```
145
What is the star grape of the Sierra Foothills? What is notable about these vines?
Zinfandel
Some vines date back to before Prohibition
146
What is the name of the supposedly resistant rootstock for Phylloxera that was introduced by UC Davis?
AXR-1
