GENERAL INFO Flashcards
What is annual production of wine in US and where does it rank globally?
350 million cases / 4th (behind Italy, Spain and France)
How much of American production comes from CA?
81%
Which states rank 2nd, 3rd and 4th in annual production?
Washington, New York, and Oregon
How many commercial wineries in the US?
> 10,000 (including at least one in every state)
When was first wine reported to have been made in America and where?
1560s / Florida
Who established the first vineyards in the US?
Catholic missionaries
Which US winemakers won the red/white wine categories at the Paris Tasting of 1976?
Stag’s Leap (red) and Montelena (white)
How long did Prohibition last?
1920 - 1933
Who founded the first Napa Valley winery?
Charles Krug in 1861
Who founded the first commercial winery in the US?
Nicholas Longworth in the 1830s, making sparkling wine from grapes grown in the Ohio River Valley
What are the three tiers of the US wine industry?
Producers/Suppliers, Distributors/Wholesalers and Retailers
Who may US distributors sell wine to?
Distributors, Int.’l importers, to consumers at winery or online (if allowed) and in bulk to other wineries.
What is the main difference between the US AVA system and the European appellation systems?
US appellations do not dictate specific styles of winemaking (i.e. approved varieties, crop yields, etc.)
How many AVAs are there in the US?
252 in over 30 states; 141 in CA
What must be included on a wine lable (domestic or imported) under US wine law?
brand name, type or class of wine, alcohol content, name and address (bottler or importer), place of origin (country for imports, domestic if vintage date is included), net contents, sulfite statement, health warning.
what is the allowable variance for alcohol levels under US wine law?
1.5%; 1% for wines over 14%
If a wine is identified by country of origin only, what percent of grapes must be from the stated country under US wine law?
75%
If a wine label has a vintage date, what percentage of wine must be from that vintage?
95%; 85% if it comes from a US state or county
If a wine label contains a varietal name, what percentage of wine must be from that variety?
75%; 51% if it is a Vitis Labrusca variety. If one variety does not constitute 75%, all varieties must be named, along with their respective percentages. In OR minimum percentage can be as high as 90% for some varietals (Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay).
What are the requirement for using the word “meritage” under US wine law?
Winery must be a member of the Meritage Alliance, must be the most expensive bottling of its style, and production cannot exceed 25K cases
What grapes can be used for a wine labeled “meritage” under US wine law?
Red: CS, Merlot, CF, PV, Malbec, St. Macaire, Gros Verdot and Carmenere.
White: SB, Semillon, Muscadelle.
At least two grapes must be used, with a 90% max for any one grape variety.
What is the hierarchy for place of origin names based on under US wine law?
It is based on size (country, state, county, AVA, vineyard). For political units, a minimum 75% must come from the stated location (100% for Ca and OR wines and 95% for WA wines).
For AVAs the minimum is 85% and for a vineyard location, a minimum of 95%.
What are the rules for using “estate bottled” term under US wine law?
grapes must come from vineyards owned/leased by winery, vineyard must be within a single AVA, and winery must be located in the same AVA.
