History of US Wine Flashcards
What % of wine in the United States is made in California?
90%
What president was a relentless devout to the vine in America?
Thomas Jefferson. Who also really LOVED Bordeaux.
Were the original vinifera plantings at TJ Plantations successful?
No
Who was the first person to set foot on the American Continent?
Viking Lief Erikson, called it “Vinland” either for the number of meadows or the amount of native grape vines.
Name three of America’s Native Grapes.
Vitis Lambrusca (Concord) Vitis rotundifolia (the Scuppernong grape) Vitis aestivalis (the Norton grape)
What were the first records of vitis planted in America?
On the east coast, Virginia Jamestown. Req. that everyman plant 10 vitis vinifera vines.
Who were some of the first to successfully maintain and plant vitis vinifera?
Western United States with the vitas vinfera grape “Mission” that came from mexico.
Who is credited with bringing the Mission Grape to California?
The Franciscan Monks from Mexico.
Who was the first America settler to step foot and settle in Napa Valley?
George Yount in 1839 - he planted it’s first vineyard.
What was the name of the last Mission and the northern end of the Spanish Empire in North America?
San Francisco de Solano Mission, now occupied by Sonoma’s town square.
Who is the “father of California wine”?
“Count” Agoston Haraszthy Hungarian born. He also brought 300 grape varietals to CA from Europe.
Who founded Buena Vista winery and when?
1849 the “Count” Agoston Haraszthy” in Sonoma
Who founded Charles Krug winery?
Charles Krug in 1861
What is Napa’s oldest continously operating winery?
Beringer (1876)
What are some of California’s oldest wineries?
Inglenook (Gustav Niembam, 1879)
Schramsburg (Jacob Schram, 1862)
What was the first bonded winery in United States, still in operation today?
Pleasant Valley Winery Hammondsport in Fingerlakes
Who discovered the resistance of America rootstock to Phylloxera
Charles Valentine Riley, an entomologist in Missouri
When was the 21st Amendment ratified?
1933
What was most of California producing after Prohibition?
81% sweet jug wine.
Who started Beaulieu vineyards?
A frenchman George de Latour
Who did George de Latour hire in 1938?
André Tchelistcheff, russian born french trained.
What techniques did André Tchelistcheff bring to CA?
New benchmark in quality for American wine
Brought new standards of hygiene and techniques Including temperature-controlled fermentations and controlled malolactic fermentation.
Who did the “dean of American winemakers” André Tchelistcheff mentor?
Robert Mondavi Louis Martini Joe Heitz Mike Grgich (men who would become industry giants and help reshape the image of Napa and Californian wines in general)
What year was the Robert Mondavi winery established?
1966 - after a fall out with Charles Krug
Who were some of pioneering wineries of Sonoma?
Hanzell
Simi
Martin Ray
Who was Paul Draper?
In 1969 - took over “Monte Bello” at Ridge winery.
When was Mount Eden Vineyards originally established?
1878 - re-established in 1972
What is Monterey’s oldest commercial vineyard?
Chalone
Who was Richard Stanford?
Planted the Stanford and Benedict vineyard in Santa Barbera with Pinot - against most people’s advice.
What were the two wines that won the 1976 Judgment of Paris?
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay
What are some of the ‘90’s “new wave” cult producers?
Screaming Egale
Colgin
Harlan Estate
Is wine made in all fifty states in US?
YES
What is the biggest threat now in the vineyards in CA?
Pierce’s Disease
What % of grapes from that stated area must be in the bottles if labeled by Country, State or County?
75%
What % of stated grapes should be in the bottle if labeled by AVA?
85%
What % of grapes must be in that bottle if it’s coming from a single vineyard?
95%
If an Imported or American wine has a vintage what MUST be on the label.
It must state an appellation smaller than a Country
What % of the vintage must be in the bottle if an AVA is listed on a label?
95%
What % of vintage must be in the bottle if a wine is labeled by state or county.
85%
If a wine is labeled by a non-vitis vinifera grape, what % of that grape must be in the bottle?
51%
For vitis vinifera stated grape on the label, what % of that grape must be in the bottle?
75%
Must the Alcohol content be stated on the label?
Yes - with a margin of +/- 1.5%
Besides stating the amount of alcohol in a wine, what can the producer use to label as indication of a wine between 7%-14% abv?
“light wine” or “table wine”
Are all wines required to declare the name and address of the bottler?
Yes
What does “Estate bottled” refer too?
The fact that 100% of those grapes were grown on land owned or controlled by the winery. All of the fruit must be sourced within that AVA stated on the label.
“Contains Sulfites” must be on the label when sulfur reaches what level?
10 parts per million more.
Who is responsible for the North Sonoma AVA?
Gallo of Sonoma, 394,088 acre Northern Sonoma AVA, which includes large swaths of most of the county’s northern AVAs, was proposed by Gallo of Sonoma, who may now blend across pre-existing AVA boundaries for its estate-bottled wines.
