NAPA VALLEY Flashcards
The first hillside vineyards were developed within what modern AVA - when and by who?
Diamond Mountain District AVA
Jacob Schram of the Rheinhessen
1860s
Describe the general lay of the land in Carneros.
Clay dominant sandy soils over gently rolls hills. The San Pablo Bay cools this area with regular fog and constant ocean breezes. Cool climate varietals pinot noir and chardonnay dominate.
Pine Ridge, Poetry, Regusci are all notable AVAs in what AVA?
Pine Ridge, Poetry, Regusci
Hudson, Hyde, Poseidon, Stanly Ranch and Truchard are all important vineyards in which Napa Valley AVA?
Los Carneros
Who developed the Antica Vineyard and when? Where is it located?
Antica is located in Foss Valley, an indent off the summit of Atlas Peak. William Hill developed it in 1981.
What year did dry wines finally overtake the consumption of sweet wines?
1967
Name 4 major landholders in the Rutherford AVA.
Beaulieu, Inglenook, Beckstoffer, Round Pond, Quintessa
What event caused the spread of Napa Valley phylloxera and in what year?
Massive flooding of 1986
Aida, Beringer, Crocker, Forman and Hayne are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
St Helena AVA
La Perla, Miravelle, and Chateau Chevalier were all historic wineries in what AVA? What winery are they folded into now?
Spring Mountain District
Spring Mountain Vineyards
Marston, Newton, School House, Smith-Madrone are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
Spring Mountain District
Booth Bella Oaks, Raymond, Star and Sycamore are all major vineyards in what AVA?
Rutherford
What year did Robert Mondavi open his winery and in what town?
1966 in Oakville. This was the first newly constructed winery post-Prohibition; although, this is a technicality as others had opened but in existing spaces like Stony Hill and Heitz (or, in the case of Louis Martini, constructed in 1932)
What were the first 3 Napa Valley AVAs to be approved after the general Napa Valley AVA?
Carneros
Howell Mountain
Wild Horse Valley
Constant, Dyer, Gravelly Meadow, Jasud, Lake, Red Rock Terrace, Schramsberg, Volcanic Hill are all important vineyards in what AVA?
Diamond Mountain District AVA
Who planted the first post-Prohibition vines in Stags Leap District in 1961? Who owns these vines now?
Nathan Fay
Warren Winiarski of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars now owns these
Describe the general lay of the land in Rutherford: location, topography, aspect, planted vs total acres.
- This is the epitome of the valley floor appellation. The AVA stretches from the base of the Mayacamas to the Silverado Trail at the base of the Vaca.
- Occupies the widest stretch of the valley, sandwiched between St Helena and Oakville
- fairly uniform and flat, to the naked eye. But has significant variations, especially in its bench land areas
- 3529 of 7546 planted acres
Who founded Napa’s first commercial winery and in what year?
Charles Krug - 1861
What is unique about the landscape of the Stags Leap District AVA? How was it developed and to what effect does this have?
Developed by landslides off of the Vacas, which are now smooth knolls creating rare east facing slopes in the Napa Valley. These slopes funnel cool breezing, cooling afternoons. This is the only valley floor AVA to not cross the river.
Describe Mount Veeder AVA’s general terrain, soils, and lay of the land.
- The closest to the Bay, sharing a border with Carneros.
- Shale, sandstone, clay, and sandy loam dominate - very little volcanic soils are found.
- Most of the AVA is unplantable, being over 30degrees
- Moon Mountain AVA is its Sonoma neighbor
Describe the general lay of the land of the Howell Mountain AVA - size, elevation, etc.
Howell Mtn can best be described as a gently rolling plateau with vineyards carved out of pine, fir and forest. The plateau is 8 x 3 miles wide, going from 1400 to 2200ft in the Vaca Mountain range.
Tench, Weitz, St. Eden, Rudd are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
Oakville
Describe the general soil patterns of the Howell Mountain AVA?
The soils are poor, thin, and rocky - mostly volcanic but varying in that expression. The NW side is rich in iron and clay; the SE is tuff (grey and white volcanic ash).
What two massive vineyards comprise the majority of planting in the Atlas Peak AVA? Who owns each vineyard?
Stagecoach Vineyard - Gallo as of 2017
Antica - Antinori
Scaggs, Sky, Abel 1833, Hess, and Progeny are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
Mount Veeder AVA
Backus, Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper, Gamble Ranch are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
Oakville
Phelps, Turley, Lewelling, Kronos, Hourglass are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
St Helena
Sleeping Lady, Kapcsandy, Paradise Hills, and Grgich are all important vineyards in what AVA?
Yountville AVA
Describe the rootstock problems with phylloxera in the 1980s/1990s in Napa Valley.
Chardonnay was typically planted on AXR1, which failed with phylloxera. Cabernet Sauvignon was typically planted on St George rootstock which prevailed.
What is significant about Spring Mountain District’s location and soil composition?
SPD marks a transitional phase of the valley
Edge Hill, Quella, Spottswoode, Vineyard 29 and Library are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
St Helena
Lewelling, Crane, and Hayne were viticultural pioneers in what AVA?
St Helena
Beckstoffer Bourn, Beckstoffer Las Piedras, Cappella, and Grace are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
St Helena AVA
What two factors have been impediments to the development of Atlas Peak vineyards?
Large cattle ranches
Lack of water
The Star Vineyard is located in what AVA and is planted with what grape(s)?
Cabernet Sauvignon and highly regarded Chardonnay; Rutherford AVA. Planted 1978 - Macauley and D.R. Stephens are among producers of this vineyard
Theodore Gier’s historic winery, formerly home of the Christian Brothers is now part of what modern enterprise?
Hess
Describe the general variations in climate and topography of Yountville AVA?
- Very bumpy.. knolls created when ancient landslides came off of the Vaca range
- more gravel, clay and alluvial deposits in the west.
- rich deep loam and clay in the center
- sedimentary and volcanics in the east
- Yountville town is a hot place, but the vineyards lying to the east are one of the cooler spots in Napa Valley
What practices informed the replanting of Napa post-phylloxera and to what effect?
Many vintners looked to Bordeaux, employing VSP, low-fruiting zones, high vine density - all things designed to maximize sunlight and warmth in a marginal climate. In hot and sunny Napa, this resulted in ripe smooth wines like never before.
Who owns pieces of the To-Kalon Vineyards today (counting all historic areas, regardless of legal dispute drama)
Robert Mondavi/Opus One aka Constellation
Detert Family Wines
MacDonald family
Beckstoffer
Barnett, Behrens, and Cain are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
Spring Mountain District
Describe the lay of the land of Oak Knoll District AVA?
Generally flat with a small climb to the foothills on either end. One of the driest, coolest, and most fog shrouded vineyards of the Napa Valley AVAs.
Soils are rich and deep in the center with lots of clay
To-Kalon is a significant vineyard in what AVA? Who established this vineyard and when?
Oakville AVA
H.W. Crabb; 1868
What was the first vintage of Harlan? What year was it released and at what price?
1990… released in 1996 for $65
Describe the general lay of the land of Stags Leap District AVA - location, size
- Lies to the eastern side of the valley, separated from Yountville and the main valley by a series of hills.
- 3 long x 1 mile wide. 687 planted of 3036 acres avl
Describe the general climate and topography of Diamond Creek District.
- Not an actual mountain, but a collection of peaks
- peaks are low enough for fog and breeze to penetrate.. there is a distinct cooling effect here. Its still hot, but not like Calistoga to the north
- soils are rocky, poor and high in volcanic content
What mountain range is Atlas Peak located within?
It is the southernmost peak of the Vaca range
School House, Stony Hill, and Togni are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
Spring Mountain District
What event prompted Merlot’s initial gains in Napa Valley? Where are most of the plantings of Merlot located currently?
The Bordeaux makeover of the 90s prompted Merlot’s first real stronghold - prior to the 90s it was more of a rarity. Sideways stopped its success dead in its tracks; however, acreage in Napa has remained stable. Most Merlot is located in Oakville.
What is significant about Spring Mountain District’s location and soil composition?
SPD marks a transitional phase of the valley and Mayacamas Mountains where it goes from more sedimentary peaks to the south to the volcanics of the north. Soils are extremely varied, even within each vineyard. East is the dominant aspect but there are all measures of slopes and aspects.
What vintage “changed it all” for modern Napa?
1997 - a very warm but VERY abundant year. Many didn’t have space in their fermenters for all of the fruit, so they did one pass at normal ripeness then did another pass when they had space to ferment it all. Critics raved in 1999/2000 about these wines and extended hang time became the norm.
St Helena AVA: describe the climate, aspect and topography, planting and main grapes.
- very hot. Only Calistoga is hotter. Ocean breezes and fog do not reach here
- the AVA boundaries are shaped like an hourglass - this mid is the narrowest section of the valley, where the Vaca and Mayacamas close in on one another. In this bottleneck the wineries are packed in
- BDX varietals and Zinfandel thrive, as well as some sauvignon blanc
- 2564 of 9202 acres are planted
Describe Yountville AVA’s location? What AVAs surround it?
Halfway between southern San Pablo Bay and northern slopes of Mount St Helena. Oakville lies to the north, Mount Veeder to the west, Stags Leap to the east, Oak Knoll to the south.
1810 of 8365 acres planted
Frog’s Leap, Inglenook, Cakebread, J.J. Cohn are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
Rutherford
What two California wines took home top marks at the Judgment of Paris? What wines came in 2nd place?
- 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay
- 1973 Stag’s Leap Cellars S.L.V Cabernet Sauvignon
- 1973 Domaine Roulot Meursault-Charmes
- 1970 Chateau Mouton Rothschild
What are the two main fog entry points for Napa Valley?
San Pablo Bay in the South; Chalk Hill Gap near Diamond Mountain in the North. Otherwise, the Mayacamas Range blocks the spread of fog. Chalk Hill Gap’s fog only has a modest effect as it burns off quickly in the heat of northern Napa
Napa Valley is said to be “planted out” at approximately how many acres?
45,339 as of 2016. Acreage is unlikely to expand in any significant way due to developmental regulations and available land.
What are the dominant grapes of the Oak Knoll District AVA?
Merlot
Chardonnay and Cab Sauv are secondary
Boche, BV Ranch, Long Meadow Ranch and Quintessa are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
Rutherford
Pride Mountain straddles the Napa/Sonoma county line in what AVA?
Spring Mountain District
Smith-Madrone, Stony Hill, and Ritchie Creek are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
Spring Mountain District
Describe the diurnal shifts in Napa Valley: what areas are most effected and to what extent?
- the shift is most profound in the north; around Calistoga we see up to 40F swings. The south averages 20F
- the higher the elevation, the lesser the swing. Especially about the fog line around 1400ft
Fay, Futo 5500, Pine Ridge, Hartwell are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
Shafer, Silverado, Sinskey, Steltzner, Wappo Hill
St. Supéry, Staglin, Star, Sycamore are all major vineyards in what AVA?
Rutherford
What was Howell Mountain’s first significant winery (1870s)? What brand calls that winery home now?
Brun & Chaix
Closed down during Prohibition. Now home to Ladera Vineyards.
Inglenook and Beaulieu Vineyards were founded in what year, by whom, and in what modern day AVA?
Rutherford AVA
Inglenook - Gustav Niebaum in 1879. Bought by Francis Ford Coppola in 1975.
Beaulieu Vineyards - est. 1900 by Georges de la Tour. Acquired by Heublin, now owned by Treasury Wine Estates.
Describe Oak Knoll District’s whereabouts in Napa Valley.
Sits atop Napa town, above Carneros and Coombsville. Between Mount Veeder and Atlas Peak. Yountville is directly north, Stags Leap NE
Describe Napa Valley’s general rainfall patterns.
- dry summers, wet winters. Rain falls extensively October through April
- most rainfall happens in the north. The south is drier
Detert, Martha’s Vineyard, Opus One, Silver Oak are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
Oakville
Describe Chiles Valley’s location.
Lies to the east of Napa Valley proper - the only of a handful of valleys included in the larger sub-AVA to have its own AVA
What 4 AVAs were established in the 2000s?
Diamond Mountain (2001)
Oak Knoll District (2004)
Calistoga (2010)
Coombsville (2011)
Antica, Au Sommet, Kongsgaard, Stagecoach, Water Ranch are all notable vineyards within what AVA?
Atlas Peak AVA
What are the soils like in the Atlas Peak AVA?
Highly porous and volcanic. Shallow, rocky and poor - iron stained.
Randy Dunn, Bill Brakesman, Bob Smith, Mike Beatty, and Bob Lamborn are all the driving forces behind what AVA? What are their associated wineries?
Howell Mountain AVA Mike Beatty - Howell Mountain Vineyards Bob Smith - formerly La Jota, now WH Smith Wines Bob Lamborn - Lamborn Family Wines Bill Brakesman - Summit Lake Vineyards Randy Dunn - Dunn
What is unique about Howell Mountain’s boundaries?
They are bound by clear geographical designation - vineyards can only be above the fog line at 1400ft.
What creek separates Spring Mountain District AVA from Diamond Mountain to the north and what creek marks its southern boundary?
Ritchie Creek to the North
Sulphur Creek to the South
What year was the Napa Valley AVA delineated?
1981
What Sonoma AVA does Mount Veeder AVA share a border with? What two Napa AVAs border it to the west and which one to the south?
- Moon Mountain AVA is its Sonoma neighbor
- Oak Knoll District and Yountville border the west
- Carneros to the south
What year was stainless steel introduced to Napa Valley? What was the other fermentation vat of choice at the time?
1966
Redwood vats remained in style
What were the first 3 Napa Valley AVAs to see approval in the 1990’s?
Mount Veeder - 1990
Atlas Peak - 1992
Rutherford - 1993
Brown, Green & Red, Nichelini, Volker Eisele are all notable vineyards/producers in what AVA?
Chiles Valley AVA
Who planted the first vineyard in Napa Valley? What years?
George Calvert Yount planted a small patch of Mission vines in 1838 or 1839
Who invited Andre Tschelistcheff over and for what purpose?
After Prohibition, most just dusted off the cobwebs and continued winemaking as normal, flooding the market with flawed dirty wines. Georges de la Tour of Beaulieu Vineyard travelled to France looking for help and came back with a Russian exile with proper scientific experience, focused on cleanliness and control.
What year did Prohibition go into effect? What two loopholes saved the wine industry and actually increased planted acreage?
Ratified in 1919 - into effect 1920 until repeal in 1933.
Loophole #1 allowed for the production of sacramental wine. Loophole #2 allowed for the production of up to 200 gallons of (non-intoxicating) fruit juice per family/per year
Martha’s Vineyard is located in what AVA and next to what famous neighbor?
Oakville AVA
immediately south of To-Kalon
Phelps, Turley, Lewelling, Kronos, Hourglass are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
St Helena
What two counties does Wild Horse Valley AVA lie within? How many acres planted vs how many acres does the AVA cover (roughly)?
Napa and Solano
62.69 of 3,941
What is Jackson Family Wines’ Mount Veeder AVA project?
Lokoya Winery
Aldo’s, Blackbird, Hendry Ranch, Trefethen are all notable vineyards/producers in what AVA?
Oak Knoll District
Name 3 notable old vine Zinfandel vineyards on Howell Mountain and producers making wines from each.
Beatty Ranch - Howell Mtn Vineyards
Dragon Vineyard - Turley
Rattlesnake Ridge - Turley
What Napa Valley winery was the first to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon exclusively?
Diamond Creek Vineyards, established in 1968 by Al Brounstein
Name some of Oakville’s “greatest hits” of the 1980s/1990s.
Opus One, Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Dalla Valle, Rudd, Silver Oak, Groth
What geological phenomenon formed the valley and the two mountain ranges? How do the formations of the two ranges differ?
The Pacific Plate pushed pressure onto the North American plate - hence why the Valley cants NW as it follows the San Andreas fault. The Mayacamas are a crustal wrinkle, resulting in more uniform soils and less exposed bedrock. The Vacas were formed as the crust stacked upon itself.
Raymond, Staglin, Sycamore, and Trailside are all notable vineyards in what AVA?
Rutherford
What are some of the key factors that allowed Cabernet Sauvignon to overtake Chardonnay in Napa Valley plantings in what year?
1992: Napa Valley was already in the process of mass replanting thanks to phylloxera in the late 1980s. A 1991 60 Minutes special on the “French paradox” fueled American taste for red wine, citing health benefits, to the demise of white wine. This was kind of the beginning of modern Napa Valley.
Fisher & Sons Winery was a historic winery in what AVA? What winery is it part of now?
Mayacamas AVA; now known as Mayacamas Vineyards
Name some producers of Mount Veeder AVA wines.
Hess Collection Mayacamas Vineyards Lagier Meredith Mt Brave Mount Veeder Winery Rubissow Rudd Robert Craig Sky Vineyards Veedercrest
Dominus Estate and Domaine Chandon are within what AVA?
Yountville AVA
What is Wild Horse Valley’s main vineyard of note? Producers of note?
Heron Lake Vineyard
Olivia Brion and Enfield Wine Co.
What effect did Prohibition have on the planted acreage of Napa Valley?
The popularity of “shipper varieties” took hold, tearing out cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc, and riesling. By 1926, the vineyard area comprised of 40% alicante bouschet, 30% petite sirah, 16% zinfandel, and 13% carignan
Gemstone, Ghost Block, and Napanook are all important vineyards in what AVA?
Yountville AVA
Describe the general lay of the land of Wild Horse Valley AVA. What are the main grapes grown? Soils?
Sits at about 1400 ft elevation on the Vaca range, northeast of Carneros… exposed to cool breezes from San Pablo Bay and intense sunshine. Big diurnal shift here.
Soils = rocky, red tinged iron rich volcanic
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon blanc dominate.
Roughly how many acres does the Howell Mountain AVA cover and (roughly) how many of those are planted?
838 acres planted
13,074 covered
