Napa Flashcards
How large is Napa in comparison to Bordeaux?
1/8 the size of Bordeaux and produces .5% of the world’s wine.
It equals about 4% of California’s total wine output but, due to high value, 25% of the state’s annual wine revenue.
Which grape is known as “Mission” in California due to it’s use by the missions spreading throughout California for sacramental purposes?
Listan Prieto
When was the Mexican-American War?
1846-1848; at its conclusionn a swath of land including California was ceded to the United States.
Almost simultaneously gold was discovered in the Sierra Foothills, launching the gold rush
When did Charles Krug, a German native, go on to star Napa’s first commercial winery?
1861
From Charles Krugs first commercial winery in 1861 to the 1890’s 140 wineries emerged with 15000 acres under vine. The industry then took a nose dive, what began its downturn?
Phylloxera hit in the late 1880’s and 1890’s and the ha under vine shrunk to 3,000 acres
A recession hit the national economy, the WWI broke out and the temperance movement gained significant velocity.
Then prohibition struck in 1919.
During prohibition, vineyards remained planted, although not to premium varieties. Why did vineyards remain planted?
There was an annual allowance of each household to make 200 gallons of fruit juice. (Which was then fermented). This mean grapes were being shipped to homes and the shipping times meant more durable grapes so many of the vineyards were replanted with grapes such as Alicante Bouschet (40%) and Petite Syrah (30%)
What event made Georges Latour, proprietor of Beualieu Vineyards go in search for a scientifically trained Winemaker? Who did he find?
Poor quality wine was produced due to lack of understanding of microbiology and cleanliness policies and Beaulieu vineyards, was one of those vineyards. Georges Latour went to Europe in search of a scientifically trained winemaker and found Andres Techeistcheff. Tchelistcheff not only elevated the quality standards at Beaulieu but within the entire Napa Valley by advocating for cleanliness and control above all.
Tchelistcheff was the first to explore the notion of terroir in Napa and suggested that Pinot Noir and white grapes would fare better in the cooler south end of the valley and red grapes up north.
A landmark piece of environmental legislation was enacted in 1968. What was it and what was its impacts?
The growing expansion in Napa alarmed conservationist, who feared Napa might suffer the same fate as Santa Clara and other towns within proximity of San Francisco.
In 1968 the Agricultural Preserve was a enacted, a landmark piece of environmental legislation that limited development within much of Napa Valley to preserve its agricultural heritage.
In 1966 Rovert Mondavi Winery opened in Oakville to much fanfare and spurred on more wineries to be built and open directly following. What was the next big event in Napa wine to spur on further growth and interest?
1976 judgement of Paris
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars won for Cabernet Sauvignon and Chateau Montelena won for Chardonnay. Other Napa wines placed very high as well
This stirred increased interest, investment and growth in Napa wine
The massive flooding of the winter of 1986 spread phylloxera through the valley, what was the result of this?
Most of the vines were planted on AXR1 rootstock which was sufficiently resistant. This meant lots of replanting in the valley and proprietors chose to replant with majority Cabernet Sauvignon over Chardonnay. This in many ways marked the beginnings of the modern Napa valley
Which mountain range separates Sonoma and Napa?
The Mayacamas
What is San Pablo Bay’s influence on Napa?
It ushers in the cool ocean breezes and fog to Southern Napa, cooling the area.
The Chalk hill gap in the north as the same but much more minimal effect in Norther Napa
Due to the hot weather in the Napa area, the diurnal swing is essential to growing wine. How large is that diurnal swing?
It varies, but at the largest gap, can be around 40 degrees Fahrenheit
Are diurnal swings larger on the valley floor or high up on the hills?
On the valley floor.
Higher up in the hills the daytime temperatures are lower but the nighttime temperatures are higher. This is especially. true above the fog line which sits at approximately 1400 feet.
What mount range sits to the east of Napa?
The Vaca Mountains
Cabernet Sauvignon is Napa’s lead grape in acres planted (and otherwise). What percentage of Napa is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon?
46% as of 2016
Where are the most prestigious Napa cab locations?
Along the valley floor, praticularly the western bench land, of Stags leap, Oakville, Rutherford, and St Helena; the mountain appellations of Howell Moutain, Pritchard Hill and Diamond Mountain.
Also, to a lesser extend, Calistoga and coombsville
South of Oakville, some excellent Cabernet Sauvignon sites exist, such as Yountville’s Dominus and Sleeping Lady, but cooler climate varieties gain in prominence.
Which is the second most widely planted variety in Napa County?
Chardonnay @ 5900 acres (vs Cab Sauv’s 21,747 acres)
List the top six varietals planted by acreage in Napa
Cab Sauv 21,747 acres Chardonay 5,900 acres Merlot 4154 acres Sauvignon Blanc 2776 acres Pinot Noir 2615 acres Zinfandel 1275 acres
Where is most Pinot Noir found?
Carneros
But some is found I Coombsville, Spring Mountain and even Rutherford
Sauvginon blanc is planted in almost every Napa appellation, yet its style remains similar throughout Napa. What is its style?
Styles range less here than with other varieties, and Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc tends to be more tropical than grassy. Oak aging is not uncommon, especially among high-end Napa producers, who have extended their Bordeaux homage into the white spectrum. Oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc is occasionally labeled as Fumé Blanc, a term invented by Robert Mondavi in the 1960s to imbue the variety with an Old World gravitas.
Where does Zinfandel originate from? What is it’s name there?
Croatia
Crljenak Kaštelansk
What governing body oversees the Napa AVAs?
TTB - Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
What do AVA’s define?
Just physical limits of an appellations - it does not attempt to control the varieties planted, farming practices or winemaking techniques.
When was the first Californian AVA awarded?
1981 - the Napa Valley AVA
Oddly, it was the second in the nation after Augusta in Missouri
How many AVA’s are there in Napa?
17 AVAs - the Napa Valley AVA and 16 AVAs nested within the Napa Valley AVA
Which AVAs are the driest in Napa?
Driest by rainfall are Carneros and Coombsville even though they are closest to the sea. The see 18-24in/yr of rainfall whereas northern AVAs see 40-55in/yr of rainfall
What is the highest peak in the Napa Valley AVA?
Atlas Peak, 2600 ft
What is the typical soil type closer to the Napa River?
Clay, Silt (more fertile)
Further away, alluvial gravel, alluvial sands
In the Vaca Mountains, what’s the primary soil type?
Volcanic (Atlas Peak and Howells Mountain)
In the Mayacamas mountains, what soil type(s) are there?
More of a mix (than the Vaca mountains) - Sandstone, shale, volcanic
What is the total planted acreage of the Napa Valley AVA?
43,365 acres
which Napa Valley AVA spans both Napa and Sonoma counties?
Carneros
A Carneros wine can be bottled as either Carneros, Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, or even Sonoma Coast.
What are the primary varietals are found in Carneros?
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Merlot is gaining traction as it performs well in the clay soils of Carneros
Which two Champagne houses established locations in Carneros?
Tattinger (Domaine Carneros)
Moet et Chandon (Domaine Chandon)
To claim the Howell Mountain AVA, how many feet above sea level must a vineyard be located?
1400 ft
This elevation was not randomly selected; rather, it is what is known as the fog line, the atmospheric inversion layer that marks the upper limit of the fog. Above this elevation, vineyards have an almost unmitigated access to sunshine, a distinguishing factor seized upon by the architects of the AVA, Randy Dunn, Bill Smith, Bob Lamborn, Bob Brakesman, and Mike Beatty.
What are the two primary grapes on Howell Mountain?
Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel
For many consumers, Randy Dunn’s wines present the hallmark style of a Howell Mountain Cabernet—tannic, blue-fruited, herb kissed, and slow-maturing.
Zinfandel is another extremely important grape to Howell Mountain; notable old vine vineyards include Beatty Ranch and Turley’s Rattlesnake Ridge and Dragon Vineyards.
Wild Horse Valley spans two counties, which are they?
Napa County and Solano County
Which AVA surrounds Stags Leap on three sides?
Yountville AVA
Name a few notable vineyards in Staggs Leap
Fay SLVB Futo 5500 Hartwell Pine Ridge Poetry Regusci Shafer Silverado Sinskey Steltzner Wappo Hill
What restriction causes mt Veeder to not be planted on fully?
Napa vineyards can’t be planted on slopes over 30 degrees, which much of Mt Veeder is
Name a couple notable vineyards in Mt Veeder.
Abel 1833, Hess, Lagier Meredith, Mayacamas, Progeny, Scaggs, Sky
The majority of Atlas peak’s planting belong to two vineyards, which are they?
Stagecoach, purchased by Gallo in 2017, and Antinori’s Antica property, which occupies Foss Valley, a large indent near the summit.
Though Stagecoach/Gallo and Anitnori’s Antica account for most of the plantings in Atlas Peak, there are a couple prestige growers. What are there names?
John Kongsgaard and Heidi Barrett
What is Atlas Peak’s peak elevation?
Over 2600 ft
Inglenook and Beaulieu Vineyard are located in which AVA?
Rutherford.
Name a couple major land owners in Rutherford
Inglenook Beaulieu Vineyard Round Pond Quintessa Andy Beckstoffer
In Rutherford, Star Vineyards produces a very well regarded bottling of which varietal?
Chardonnay
Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Dalla Valle, Rudd, Silver Oak, Groth and Opus One are all located in which Napa AVA?
Oakville
What AVA is To-Kalon located in?
Oakville
To-Kalon is arguably the most important vineyard in the state of California.
H.W. Crabb established it in 1868 and it immediately earned a reputation for the highest quality
Which winery owns the most To-Kalon?
Robert Mondavi.
Andy Beckstoffer and 4 others have smaller portions
What is the soil like in To-Kalon?
To-kalon is situated on an alluvial fan, essentially an extension of the Rutherford Bench (a sprawling alluvial fan that sends diminishing gravelly tendrils up to and occasionally across Highway 29). The deep, gravel-rich, gently sloping piece of earth is renowned for its viticultural affinity.
Are the growing sites in Oakville homogenous in terroir?
No. From West to East you see major difference. There are multiple “sub-ava’s” (not official) within Oakville.
Below are the different regions.
Western Foothills with dramatic and steep hill hill with mostly sedimentary soils that produce more stoic and blue-forward fruit cabs.
Western Bench - classic, balanced wines
Center/Valley - more fertile/less prestigious, makes full-bodied and fruit forward wines
Eastern End - Volcanic in (soil) character with bright red hillside soils that extend into the valley floor. These wines display bright red fruit and are tinged with an iodine tone
What is the dominate aspect (direction vineyards are planted) on Spring Mountain AVA?
East ward
Though the terrain is variegated, making for all manner of slopes and exposures
Which vineyard on Spring Mountain AVA straddles the Napa/Sonoma County line?
Pride Vineyards
What grapes are grown on Spring Mountain AVA?
Cabernet Sauvignon (though it’s not as dominate as in other Napa AVAs)
You also see Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir
Which is the largest vineyard on Spring Mountain?
Spring Mountain Vineyard.
This winery is a collection of historic estates - La Perla (1874), Miravelle (1884) and Chateau Chevalier (1891)
There was thriving viticulture in this area pre-prohibition due to the ample water supply. Three are many streams, creeks and springs in the Spring Mountain AVA.
Which AVA (and corresponding town) has long been an important commercial and winemaking hub?
St. Helena
Charles Krug, Beringer and the massive Greystone facility were hugely influential as was the Sunny St. Helena Winery that first lured the Mondavi family away from Lodi in 1937.
What is St. Helena’s climate like?
St. Helena is hot. Morning fog and ocean breezes are rare
Which grapes do best in St. Helena? Why?
Bordeaux varieties, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel are the most well-suited grapes to the region
What are the soil type(s) in St. Helena?
In the Southern end, especially on the West side, there’s a good amount of gravelly loam where the ancient pathways of the Spring Mountain Districts many creeks have left large underground deposits of gravel and river rocks.
Toward the north, the soils become more volcanic.
Although Yountville is generally known for its restaurants, than its vineyards, what is the vineyard terrain like in Yountville?
Yountville is a valley floor appellation. Though it is quite bumpy due to ancient landslides that deposited chunks of mountain material on the flat Valley creating knolls and majorly influencing the micro climate of this AVA
What are the soil types in Yountville?
On the western side, there is more gravel, clay and alluvial deposits.
on the east, more volcanic and sedimentary material
And in the center, rich deep loam and clay
What varieties perform well in Yountville?
Because of the the clay and cool temperatures of Yountville, Merlot does really well.
Cabs are more silky and gentle in tannin structure than compared to other Napa cabs
Name a couple super premium producers in Yountville
Dominus, Kapcsándy, and Blankiet
Where is Chiles Valley located?
East of Napa Valley, running parallel to it, behind Howell Mountain and Pritchard Hill.
Chiles Valley has been an important source of less expensive fruit largely used to bolster blends for bigger brands, that said, name an estate that produces quality wine from the region
Volker Eisele
Brown
Nichelini
Green& Red
What varietals are cultivated in Chiles Valley?
Red Bordeaux varieties - the wines tend to be fleshy and impactful
Which is the smallest of Napa’s mountain AVAs?
Diamond Mountain AVA
What is the climate of Diamond Mountain AVA?
Although it sits above the very hot Calistoga, Diamond mountain is effected by the coastal fog and remains relatively cool, adding a steely character to the wines
Which AVA is Schramsburg located in?
Diamond Moutnain AVA
Which grape dominates the Diamond mountain AVA?
Cabernet Sauvignon, though in tends towards the stricter, more stoic side of its expression
Napa city sits within which AVA?
Oak Knoll
What grapes are planted in Oak Knoll?
Merlot, Chadonnay and Cab Sauv.
In the Oak Knolls rich soils with a good amount of clay, Merlot tends to do best and produce fruitfull and supple wines
Which Napa AVA has an unusual eastern (vs western) alluvial fan the Eisele Vineyard is located on?
Calistoga
What is the Calistoga climate like?
It’s hot but there are significant diurnal swings - the largest in Napa
What are the main soil types found in Calistoga?
Volcanic is the dominant soil type.
In the center and south of the AVA you can also find a good amount of loam and gravel
When was Coombsville granted AVA status?
2011
Where is Pritchard Hill located?
Pritchard Hill is a mountain in the Vaca range that sits between Atlas Peak and Howell Mountain
Who owns the trademark to the Pritchard Hill name?
Chappellet
If you are not a Chappellet brand, but growing /producing in Pritchard Hill, what do you label your wines?
Napa Valley AVA
What are the soils of Pritchard Hill?
Poor volcanic soils.
Pritchard Hill has a healthy exposure to the afternoon sun and variable amount of moderating influence from the large Lake Hennessey below
When was Beaulieu vineyards founded?
1900
Rutherford
When was Beringer founded?
1876
St Helena
Which of the below is the most expensive wine?
Harland Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc
Kongsgaard “The Judge” Chardonnay
Cakmis Cabernet Sauvignon
Screaming eagle - 4 figures a bottle
Name a few Wineries located on Pritchard Hill.
Ovid Bryant Family Chappellet David Arthur Continuum Colgin
