Napa.Sonoma

Question 1

Which American settler planted the first California vineyard?

Answer 1

George Yount in 1839.

Question 2

Who founded Buena Vista Winery?

Answer 2

Count Agoston Haraszthy, in 1849

Question 3

Who founded the first winery in Napa Valley?

Answer 3

Charles Krug, in 1861 (St. Helena)

Question 4

What are some other Very Old California wineries?

Answer 4

Schramsberg (1862)
Beringer (1876)
Inglenook (1879)

Question 5

What was Napa Valley’s first sub-AVA?

Answer 5

Howell Mountain, 12/30/1983

Carneros, 8/18/1983 - not considered a nested AVA

Question 6

What geographical feature cools Napa Valley?

Answer 6

The Petaluma Gap, allowing cool ocean air across the San Pablo Bay and up through the valley.

Question 7

Napa Valley: Lakes

Answer 7

Lake Berryessa
Lake Henessey (foot of Howell Mountain)

Question 8

What are the sub-AVA’s of Napa Valley?

Answer 8

Calistoga
Diamond Mountain
Spring Mountain
St. Helena
Rutherford
Oakville
Yountville
Stag's Leap
Oak Knoll District
Mount Veeder
Los Carneros
Howell Mountain
Chiles Valley
Atlas Peak
Coombsville
Wild Horse Valley

Question 9

Howell Mountain: elevation boundaries

Answer 9

1400-2200ft

Question 10

How high are Mount Veeder’s highest vineyards? What is the lovest elevation allowed?

Answer 10

2630ft at the highest point (summit is 2700ft)

400ft is the lowest allowable elevation.

Question 11

When was Wild Horse Valley AVA created? What counties does it cover? And what is are its elevation requirements?

Answer 11

1988 - second nested AVA in Napa Valley
Straddles Napa and Solano counties
1,351-2,137ft

Question 12

Which two AVAs sit directly east of Wild Horse Valley?

Answer 12

Solano County Green Valley

Suisin Valley

Question 13

What is Goldridge Sandy Loam?

Answer 13

A series of deep, moderately well draining soils formed from weakly consolidated sandstone.

Question 14

What is the Franciscan Assemblage?

Answer 14

Mix of greywacke sandstone, limestone, deep sea radiolarian cherts, greenstone (altered mafic volcanic rock), serpentinites, shale, and metamorphic rock.
Second major series in Russian River.

Question 15

What is the warmest AVA in Sonoma?

Answer 15

Knights Valley

Question 16

What are the elevation boundaries of Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak?

Answer 16

1600-2600ft

Question 17

Where is Lake Sonoma?

Answer 17

East of Rockpile, at the north end of Dry Creek Valley

Question 18

What AVA was created in Sonoma in 2015?

Answer 18

Fountaingrove District, between Chalk Hill and Sonoma Valley up against the Mayacamas.

Question 19

Since 2011, what is required on all wines produced in Sonoma County, regardless of whether the label indicates an AVA?

Answer 19

Sonoma County

Question 20

What are the two key rivers of Sonoma?

Answer 20

Russian River

Sonoma Creek

Question 21

What winery was the driving force behind the Bennet Valley AVA? Who owns it now?

Answer 21

Matanzas Creek  (Jean Arnold, CEO)
Now owned by Jackson Family Wines

Question 22

What are the AVA’s of Sonoma County?

Answer 22

Sonoma Coast
Fort Ross-Seaview
Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak
Rockpile
Dry Creek Valley
Chalk Hill
Russian River Valley
Green Valley
Carneros
Alexander Valley
Knights Valley
Sonoma Valley
Bennett Valley
Sonoma Mountain
Moon Mountain
Northern Sonoma

Question 23

What is the major soil type of Jahant?

Answer 23

Rocklin-Jahant, a pink sandy loam with a high clay content.

Question 24

Central Valley: Rivers

Answer 24

Sacramento, San Joaquin

Lodi: Mokelumne River, Cosumnes River, Dry Creek River (Jahant), Deer River (Sloughhouse)

Question 25

Where is UC Davis?

Answer 25

Yolo County

Question 26

What is unique about Diablo Grande?

Answer 26

The entire AVA is owned by a private Golf Club and Residential Community: the Diablo Grande Resort.

Question 27

What are the sub-AVAs of the Sierra Foothills?

Answer 27

North Yuba (far north)
El Dorado
Fair Play (within southern El Dorado)
Shenandoah Valley
Fiddletown