North America Flashcards
“Super-AVA” located south of Los Angeles
South Coast AVA
“Super-AVA” that extends from Oakland/SF to Santa Barbara
Central Coast AVA
“Super-AVA” located north of San Francisco
North Coast AVA
Counties (6) that are included within the North Coast AVA
Napa Sonoma Mendocino Lake Marin Solano
Area that grows the majority of California’s grapes, but is NOT an AVA
The Central Valley
“Super-AVA” located east of the Central Valley
Sierra Foothills AVA
Leading grape variety of Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mountain Range on the border between Napa and Sonoma
Mayacamas Mountains
Mountain Range located in the eastern portion of Napa County
Vaca Mountains
Napa’s “valley floor” appellations
Calistoga St. Helena Rutherford Oakville Yountville Stags Leap District (with Chiles Vally somewhat to the east)
Napa’s “high elevation” appellations
Mount Veeder Diamond Mountain District Spring Mountain District Howell Mountain Atlas Peak
Body of water that cools the southern area of Napa County
San Pablo Bay
AVA shared between Napa and Sonoma Counties
Carneros (Los Carneros)
AVA shared between Napa and Solano Counties
Wild Horse Valley
16 sub-appellations of the Napa Valley
Atlas Peak Calistoga Carneros Chiles Valley Coombsville Diamond Mtn. District Howell Mountain Mt. Veeder Oak Knoll District Oakville Rutherford St. Helena Spring Mtn. District Stags Leap District Wild Horse Valley Yountville
Leading grape of Sonoma County
Chardonnay
Two leading red grapes of Sonoma County
Cabernet Sauvignon
Pinot Noir
4 sub-appellations of the Sonoma Valley AVA
Bennet Valley
Sonoma Mountain
Moon Mountain District of Sonoma County
Carneros
Large AVA of western Sonoma County
Sonoma Coast
Sub-appellation (of the northern portion) of the Sonoma Coast AVA
Fort Ross-Seaview AVA
AVA shared between Sonoma and Marin Counties
Petaluma Gap AVA
Two sub-appellations of the Russian River Valley AVA
Green Valley of Russian River Vally AVA
Chalk Hill AVA
7 inland AVAs of Sonoma County (excluding those within the Sonoma Valley AVA)
Dry Creek Valley AVA Rockpile AVA Alexander Valley AVA Knights Vally AVA Pine Mountain/Cloverdale Peak AVA Fountaingrove District AVA Chalk Hill AVA (also a sub-appellation of the Russian River Valley)
Sonoma County AVA specializing in Zinfandel
Dry Creek Valley
Mendocino County AVA known for sparkling wines
Anderson Valley
AVA known as the “Islands in the Sky”
Mendocino Ridge
Two leading grape varieties of the Mendocino Ridge AVA
Pinot Noir (old vine) Zinfandel
AVA shared between Sonoma and Mendocino Counties
Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak
The smallest AVA in the United States
Cole Ranch (located in Mendocino County)
Seven AVAs of Lake County
Benmore Valley Clear Lake High Valley Red Hills Lake County Big Valley District Lake County Kelsey Bench Lake County Guenoc Valley
Home county of the Paso Robles, Edna Valley, and Arroyo Grande Valley AVAs
San Luis Obispo County
Six AVAs of Santa Barbara County
Santa Maria Valley Santa Ynez Valley Ballard Canyon Los Olivos District Sta. Rita Hills Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara
Sub-appellation of the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
Ben Lomond Mountain AVA
7 sub-appellations of the Lodi AVA
Alta Mesa Borden Ranch Clements Hills Cosumnes River Jahant Mokelumne River Sloughhouse
Large AVA located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Range
Sierra Foothills AVA
large in size, but low in vine acreage as only about 1% of total area is planted to vines
El Aliso
Original (1833) name of the estate of Jean-Luis Vignes; one of the first commercial wineries in Southern California
2 leading red grapes of Washington State
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
2 top white grapes of Washington State
Chardonnay
Riesling
14 AVAs of Washington State
Columbia Valley Lake Chelan Wahluke Slope Naches Heights Horse Heaven Hills Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley Walla Walla Valley Yakima Valley Rattlesnake Hills Snipes Mountain Red Mountain Columbia Gorge Lewis-Clark Valley Puget Sound
AVA shared between Washington State and Idaho
Lewis-Clark Valley
Mountain Range that forms a rain shadow for most Washinton State vineyards
Cascades
Washington State AVA surrounding Seattle
Puget Sound
Largest AVA in Washington State
Columbia Valley
3 sub-appellations of the Yakima Valley AVA
Red Mountain
Rattlesnake HIlles
Snipes Mountain
3 AVAs shared by Washington State and Oregon
Columbia Valley
Columbia Gorge
Walla Walla Valley
Tiny AVA located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley
The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater
Meaning behind “the rocks” in the name of the AVA The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater
The cobblestone-rich soils that define the borders of the AVA
Leading red grape of Oregon
Pinot Noir
Leading white grape of Oregon
Pinot Gris
7 sub-appellations of the Willamette Valley AVA
Dundee Hills Ribbon Ridge Eola-Amity Hills McMinnville Yamhill-Carlton Chehalem Mountains Van Duzer Corridor
2 sub-appellations of the Umpqua Valley AVA
Elkton Oregon
Red Hill Douglas County
Sub-appellation of the Rogue Valley AVA
Applegate Valley
AVA shared between Oregon and Idaho
Snake River Valley
Unique law pertaining to varietal Pinor Noir and Pinot Gris produced in Oregon
Must contain a minimum of 90% of the stated variety (applies to some other varieties as well)
AVA that produces 85% of New York State’s wine
Finger Lakes AVA
2 sub-appellations of the Finger Lakes AVA
Seneca Lake
Cayuga Lake
2 noteworthy wines (grapes) of the Finger Lakes AVA
Riesling
Cabernet Franc
(Also: labrusca grapes and cold-hardy hybrids)
Viticulturalist/winemaker who introduced vinifera grapes to New York State
Dr. Konstantin Frank
3 AVAs of Long Island
Long Island AVA
North Fork of Long Island AVA
Hamptons AVA
Oldest continuously operating winery in the United States
Brotherhood Winery (Hudson River Region AVA)
New York’s Benmarl Vineyards
Considered to be the oldest vineyard in the US
Canadian wine production is concentrated in these four areas:
Ontario
British Columbia
Nova Scotia
Quebec
Wine quality-control system used in Ontario, Canada
VQA (Vintner’s Quality Alliance)
Leading wine region of Ontario
Niagara Peninsula
3 Viticultural Areas of Ontario
Lake Erie North Shore
Niagara Peninsula
Prince Edward County
3 sub-appellations of the Niagara Escarpment Region
Beamsville Bench
Short Hills Bench
Twenty Mile Bench
3 sub-appellations of Niagara-on-the-Lake
Four Mile Creek
Niagara Lakeshore
St. David’s Bench
3 sub-appellations of the Niagara Peninsula (with no other regional affiliation)
Creek Shores
Lincoln Lakeshore
Vinemount Ridge
Leading wine region of British Columbia
Okanagan Valley
9 Geographical Indications of British Columbia
Fraser Valley Gulf Islands Kootenays, Lillooet Okanagan Valley Shuswap Similkameen Valley Thompson Valley Vancouver Island
4 sub-appellations of the Okanagan Valley
Golden Mile Bench
Naramata Bench
Okanagan Falls
Skaha Bench
Leading wine region of Baja California
Valle de Guadalupe
Where does the USA rank in global wine production
4th, behind France, Italy, and Spain in volume output (over 350 million cases)
Why is the USA considered the driver of the global wine industry?
It is the largest consumer per capita of wine in the world, as well as its drinkers drinking better quality and more expensive wines than their counterparts in most other countries. It is amongst the world leaders in both imports and exports every year.
What state produces the most wine?
California is the leader at 88%
What are the top three states after California in wine production?
Washington
New York
Oregon
What other states produce a large amount of wine?
Virginia Texas Pennsylvania Michigan Missouri Ohio Florida
Other states have thriving local wine scenes, but only fractionally contribute to the overall total
How many commercial wineries are in the US?
More than 10,000, with at least one in all 50 states
Where are the respective wine industries of Canada and Mexico located?
In Canada, the inland areas of British Columbia and the Great Lakes are of Ontario
For Mexico, in Baja California
What halted the development of a strong wine tradition in the USA?
Prohibition. It took a long time after the repeal to reemerge, and even longer to gain an international standing
When did European vinifera varieties reach the US?
Texas/New Mexico – in the 1620s
California – 1770s
Why did winemaking struggle to take off in the eastern USA?
Native grapevines had a flavor component that was unpalatable, and European varieties lacked resistance to native pests, especially phylloxera.
When did winemaking begin making progress in the eastern USA?
Beginning in the 1800s, a sustainable industry developed around Concord grapes and new hybrids that were disease and pest resistant, with a better flavor profile
Why was winemaking progress slow in the western USA?
Lack of demand, primarily
Who brough the first vineyards to the western USA?
Catholic missionaries – for small scale sacramental wine production
What grape variety was brought by Catholic missionaries to the western USA?
The unexciting Mission grape (Criolla family)
What changed that expanded the industry in the western USA?
The expansion west, victory in the Mexican wars of the 1800s, and above all the California gold rush in 1849. Population exploded, as did alcohol demand, and commerical wineries already present in southern California now began springing up in northern California as well
Who planted the new vineyards in California after the gold rush?
Primarily by Italian, Swiss, and German immigrants with vines brought or imported from Europe – leading to a thriving industry by the turn of the 20th century
Why was phylloxera a problem in California in the early 20th century?
Vines did not naturally occur in the western United States, so infected cuttings brought back from Europe finally reached California in the late 1800s
Were individuals allowed to consume wine during Prohibition?
There were exceptions for religious and medicinal purposes, as well as what was allowed to be made by families for their own consumption
How much wine could families make at home for their own consumption during the Prohibition?
Up to 200 gallons
What happened to most commercial wineries during the 13 year Prohibition?
They went out of business
What happened to grape production in California during Prohibition?
It actually increased, but winegrowers switched to higher yielding varieties, which made blends less destinctive in flavor and intensity after Repeal, that had to be marketed with misleadingly familiar names like Chablis and Burgundy
When was Prohibition repealed?
With the passage of the 21st Amendment in 1933
When did the wine industry in the US begin to rebuild itself?
In the 1960s, largely attributable to a return to fashion and increased demand
What are the big 3 names on the 1960s wine industry?
Robert Mondavi
Mike Grgich
Warren Winiarski
Several others also focused on producing wines to compete with French counterparts
When was the Judgement of Paris?
May 24th, 1976
Also called the Paris Tasting
What happened during the Judgement of Paris?
California Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon defeated the finest Burgundy and Bordeaux wines of France
What red wine won the Judgement of Paris?
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars SLV 1973, made by Warren Winiarski from three year old vines
What white wine wone the Judgement of Paris?
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973 (Calistoga) made under Jim Barrett
How did the Judgement of Paris change California wine production?
The focus became varietally labeled wines, and place of origin became very important to buyers
Who were the Gallo brothers?
Ernest and Julio Gallo
What were the Gallo brothers responsible for?
Almost singlehandedly responsible for consistent and reasonably priced wine being on the table after Prohibition
Who was Agoston Haraszthy?
Hungarian immigrant responsible for bringing many European vines to Sonoma in 1861
When did Agoston Haraszthy bring European vines to Sonoma?
1861
Who was Charles Krug?
Founder of the first Napa Valley winery in 1861
When was the first Napa Valley winery founded?
1861
Who was Nicholas Longworth?
Fouder of the first successful US commercial winery in the 1830s, made first US sparkling wine from grapes grown in Ohio River Valley
Who was Robert Mondavi?
California winemaker instrumental in establishing reputation of Californian (and US by extension) wine quality amongst consumers
Who was Frank Schoonmaker?
Wine jounalist credited with introducing and promoting varietal labeling to help California better define its wines
Who was Andre Tchelistcheff?
California winemaker who introduced many modern winemaking techniques to the USA and mentored many other winemakers
Who was Bob Trinchero?
Son of Sutter Home co-founder Mario Trinchero, he developed the idea of making a white wine out of the ZInfandel grape
Why was the commercial success of White Zinfandel a good thing?
It saved many Zinfandel plantings from being torn up or abandoned
What is the purpose of the USA’s three tier system?
Government oversight, and of course, tax collection
What are the three tiers?
Producers or suppliers (Essentially synonymous with wineries, but also including importers as US-based representatives of foreign wineries)
Distributors or Whole Salers
Retailers
What are the two subcategories of Retailers?
On Premise
Off Premise
Under a strict interpretation of the US three tier system, what four things are true?
1 - Wineries can sell only to distributors, not directly to retailers or consumers.
2 - Foreign wineries must sell their wine through a US based import company
3 - Distributors cannot have direct ownership of wineries or retail establishments and cannot sell directly to the public
4 - Retailers must remain independent of the other tiers
What’s one example that’s an example to the strict rules of the three tier system?
Winery tasting rooms
What is the enforcement and collection arm of the US Treasury, and what is it responsible for?
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
What is the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Bureau (TTB) responsible for?
Enforcing laws relevant to alcohol production, importation, wholesaling, and the collection of alcohol excise tax
What is responsible for enforcement of laws against smuggling and illegal production of alcohol?
The Bureau of Alchol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF)
Additionally, every state and most cities, counties, and towns have beverage control departments to enforce state laws
Who are known as producers in the US 3-tier system
Primarily wineries but also importers.
The term producer is interchangeable with supplier
How may producers’ wine be sold?
To a distributor
To an importer, if crossing internation boundaries
In bulk to another winery
Direct to consumer at the winery, state and local law permitting
Direct to consumer shopping, if state and local law allows
What is the middle tier in the US 3-tier system?
The distribution tier, though many other brokers and intermediaries may be involved besides the actual distributor
How are distributors licensed?
State by state. Some operate in many states, but none yet in every state
How do some distributors skirt the theoretical separation of producers and retailers?
By setting up technically separate companies that cooperate closely
Is it possible to have multiple distributors for the same producers product?
Yes. In some states it is even necessary
What is a control state?
A state wherein the state governement itself has become the only legal distribution agent
What is a franchise state?
A state wherein state laws grant distributors exclusive rights over suppliers brands, giving the distributor significant leverage and making it nearly impossible for the supplier to change distributors. The relationship is more equal in non-franchise states
What is the usual function of retailers?
The interface between the wine industry and the consuming public. They buy wine from distributors, mark it up to cover costs and make profit, and make it available to consumers
How is the US appellation system different from the EU?
There are no rules regarding approved varieties, minimum or maximum crop yields, planting densities, or vinification techniques that must be followed to use the place-name.
Place names do not dictate a style of winemaking in the US
The TTB has a list of defined areas that may be used to define place of origin. What is on it?
The entire country, a single state, multistate (3 max), a single US county, and multicounty (3 max).
What is an AVA?
American Viticultural Area
A delineated area that has unifying viticultural characteristics regardless of where they fall relative to the TTB’s political boundaries
Is there a size limit on AVAs?
No. Some are as small as 1/4 sq. mile, while others are as large as several thousand square miles (of dubious usefulness).
It is not uncommon for AVAs to nest within one another, with the small ones producing wines of greater distinction
How many AVAs are in the US?
As of December 2019, 246 in over 30 states, with 139 in California
Who is responsible for labelling law enforcement in the US?
The TTB
What do all wine labels, either imported or domestically produced require in the US?
Brand Name Class or type of wine Alcohol content Name and address of bottler or importer Place of origin (country or more specific) for all imports or if a vintage date is included on the label Volume of the bottle Sulfite Statement (in almost all cases) Health Warning
What else may appear on US wine labels, but is not required?
Vintage date Grape variety or varieties Appellation of origin The term "estate bottled" Optional information on the wine, winery, or related subject matter Label art
What must appear on the brand label?
Brand name
Class/type of wine
Alcohol content
All other items mentioned may appear there, or on one or more printed labels. For example, a small vintage label can be attached to the neck in the case of wines where only the vintage date changes from year to year and nothing else
True or False: The brand label is the front label on US wines.
False. Many wineries make a minimalist brand label with only the required information, and a more visually appealing back label with everything else that inevitably faces forward on shelves
What is the brand name?
Usually the most prominent words on a label. May be the name of the producing winery, a certain product line from a large producer or a proprietary name identifying the wine
What is wine class or type?
An indication of the kind of wine in the bottle. For most this is the grape variety/varieties or an appellation on the label. In other instances, it must satisfy the TTB designated classes such as “table wine,” “sparkling red wine,” or “fruit wine,” etc.
What are “semi-generic names” in the US?
Terms that are sometimes used to designate a class or type of wine that has been “borrowed” from the Old World wine names to describe American wines made in a similar style for a century or more
What semi-generic names are allowed?
Chablis, Burgundy, Chianti, Port (but not Porto), and Madeira, as they have been used for so long they have lost their explicit reference to the original wine zone.
What is required for the use of semi-generic names?
A US geographic term must also be used (i.e. American Chablis or California Port Wine, etc.) and ONLY if the labels were approved prior to March 2006
Labels approved prior to what date may use semi-generic names?
March 2006
Will the EU import wines with semi-generic names?
No, but the market for them in the US continues. After the signing of the US European Community Trade in Wine Agreement was singed, no new applications will be accepted nor approved by the TTB
What semi-generic names are not allowed?
Rioja, Bordeaux, and others not specifically mentioned
Is Champagne a semi-generic name?
Only if used on a label as California Champagne prior to 2006. No labels submitted after that have been or will be approved by the TTB
How can wines of 14% or lower be labeled in lieu of a specific percentage?
As “table wine”
What variance is allowed on US wine labels if an alcohol percentage is stated?
Up to 1.5% between the declared alcohol level and the actual alcohol content.
On wines with more than 14% the variance can only be up to 1%.
How does the allowed variance of alcohol percentage help wineries?
Large wineries producing millions of gallons do not have to print new labels from batch to batch when alcohol levels can vary slightly
When do wineries often choose to disclose the exact alcohol level of their wines (i.e. 13.4%, 12.2%, etc.)
Often on vintage-dated wines
Who is defined as the bottler addressed on US wine labels?
Often it is the winery that made the wine. In the case of foreign wines it is often the importer, or the wine merchant/negociant who bought bulk wine for blending/bottling
What words often precede “bottled by” on US wine labels?
Maximum participation is indicated by the “Grown, produced, and bottled by…”
While for wines from a negociant the label may read “Blended, cellared, and bottled by…”
While imported wines or wines that denote “American Wine” on the label must always identify the country of origin, does all of the wine in that wine have to be sourced from that country?
No. US wine law specifies only 75% of the wine from a country be sourced from the stated country.
So, for example, an “American Wine” may contain up to 25% foreign bulk wine.
What is required if a wine is sourced with less than 75% from any one country?
Exact percentages must be given
How much sulfur dioxide can a wine have before it must be labeled as “Contains Sulfites?”
10 parts per million, which actually encompasses nearly all wine.
How do some wineries label their sulfur dioxide?
With the names of actual chemicals added, if any, for example “Contains Potassium Metabisulfite”
What are wineries not allowed to do regarding the health warnings required on their bottles?
Wineries may not rebut or undermine the statements by putting anything on the label suggesting health benefits between consumption of alcohol, wine, or any substance in the bottle.
They also cannot refer consumers to a third party source that does the same.
If a vintage date appears on a US label, how much of the wine must be from that vintage?
From an AVA or foreign equivalent: 95%
85% if from a US state or couny, or foreign equivalent (IGP, IGT, other second-tier, etc.)
What does the less than 100% minimum requirement for vintage dating allow for?
It allows winemakers to top up barrels from year to year, averaging out quality without significantly changing the overall character of the primary vintage
What are the US rules for varietal labeling?
If a single varietal appears, then a minimum of 75% must be that grape, grown in the cited appellation.
What are the exceptions to the US rules for varietal labeling?
Native North American grapes of the species Vitis labrusca, which can be as low as 51%
Oregon – which requires its iconic varieties (Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay) to be at least 90% of the named variety
If no one grape makes up 75%, then what must the wine feature?
All varieties and their percentages must be named
Can US varietal wines be exported to the EU at 75% labeling levels?
Yes, but many who export to the EU follow the 85% minimum content standard of the EU to avoid any difficulties
What is Meritage?
Term permitted for use with wines that are made in the style and with the grapes of Bordeaux
When was the Meritage Association formed?
1988
What was the purpose of the Meritage Association?
To allow New World wines the opportunity to compete with the blends of Bordeaux without having to label them as generic table wine
What are the restrictions to be called a Meritage wine?
The winery must be a member of the Meritage Alliance (as it is now known)
Wine must be the winery’s most expensive wine of its style
Production cannot exceed 25k cases
What grape varieties must be used in Meritage wines?
Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, St. Macaire, Gros Verdot, and Carmenere
White: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle
What are the blending requirements for Meritage?
At least 2 varieties used and a max of 90% of any single variety
What is the idealized hierarchy for US places of origin?
Country State County AVA Vineyard
Theoretically as the places of origin get smaller, the quality increases
What percentage of the grape must be grown in the named place on the label?
As with vintage and variety, a small proportion can come from outside – 75%
What places require more than 75% to come from the specific place?
California/Oregon – for state appellation must be 100%
Washington – 95%
Can multiple states be listed on a label?
Yes, it is possible to name two or three contiguous states or counties provided percentages from each are named
What is the minimum content for the named AVA to be on the label?
85% must be from that AVA
What is the minimum content for a vineyard on the label?
95% of the grapes must be from that vineyard
What are the rules for the use of the term “Estate Bottled” in the US?
The grapes must be from one or more vineyards owned or leased by the winery
Vineyards must be within a single AVA
Winery must also be located in that AVA
Some very large AVAs may allow many miles between vineyard and winery
What non-regulated terms may be used on American wine labels?
Terms such as Reserve, Special Selection, and Old Vines may be added, and are often used ot differentiate between a company’s many product lines, but have no legal meaning at the federal level.
Descriptions of wine’s attributes, suggested serving temps, and other technical details may also be included.
Why would the TTB reject a label?
If it contains misleading information, health claims, or anything considered indecent
Where does the majority of the western US range latitudinally?
Between 32 and 49N, with northern Mexico and southwestern Canada takin up the remaining bits of the temperate winegrowing latitudes.
