North Coast CA Flashcards
Name the AVAs of Mendocino County. Which is the newest?
- Mendocino
- Mendocino Ridge
- Anderson Valley
- Potter Valley
- Redwood Valley
- McDowell Valley
- Yorkville Highlands
- Dos Rios
- Cole Ranch
- Covelo
- Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak (2011)
What are the AVAs of Sonoma? Which three are the newest?
• Los Carneros (Carneros) -shared • Sonoma Valley -Bennett Valley • Sonoma Mountain • Moon Mountain District Sonoma Cty(2013) • Sonoma Coast • Northern Sonoma • Russian River Valley • - Green Valley of Russian River Valley • - Chalk Hill • Dry Creek Valley • Rockpile • Alexander Valley • Knights Valley • Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak (2011) • Fort Ross-Seaview (est. 2011)
Anderson Valley’s sparkling house?
Louis Roederer
What is unique about Mendocino ridge AVA?
Mendocino Ridge AVA stretches southward from the Navarro River along the coast, but the appellation is restricted to vineyards that are at least 1,200 feet above sea level.
What is the smallest county to produce wine in the North Coast?
Lake County
Lake County AVAs
Clear Lake - Red Hills Benmore High valley Guenoc
What is Goldridge?
Fertile alluvial soils, such as “Goldridge” sandy loam, characterize the Russian River Valley.
From 2011 forward, all wines produced in the county are required to state “_____” on the label, regardless of whether or not the label also indicates an AVA.
Sonoma County
In Sonoma, the windy, foggy ____AVA is a cool Region I area, whereas the warm northern AVAs of ___ & ___ are considered Region III.
Carneros or the Majority of Sonoma Coast AVA (inland reaches region II)
Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Rockpile or Knights Valley
Where is Peter Michael’s “Les Pavots” produced and what grapes?
Knights valley: typically two thirds Cabernet Sauvignon with roughly equal parts of Cabernet Franc and Merlot and Petit Verdot
Two AVAs in Sonoma known for Zinfandel with American/French oak?
Dry Creek Valley and the small Rockpile AVA are known for ripe, powerful styles of Zinfandel, aged in either American or French oak
What champagne house and cava house set up sparkling houses in Carneros?
The Champagne house of Taittinger and the Cava producer Codorníu both set up American sparkling wine estates in Carneros in the 1980s, following the pioneering example of Gloria Ferrer.
Like Napa, Sonoma Valley’s temperature gets progressively warmer as one travels north, although ____, a sub-AVA in the northwestern sector of the valley, favors Merlot, as it is too cool to routinely ripen Cabernet Sauvignon.
Bennet Valley
Russian River Valley is Region ___
II
Approx how many acres are in the Sonoma Coast AVA?
500,000
RRV Sub AVAs
Chalk Hill and Green Valley are essentially sub-AVAs of RRV
Name some Coastal and RRV producers
Coastal producers of note include Hirsch, Marcassin, and Peay, whereas Dehlinger, Joseph Swan, Rochioli, and Williams-Selyem are prominent names in Russian River Valley.
Explain the temperature change from Carneros to Calistoga?
Cool ocean air funnels through the Petaluma Gap into the San Pablo Bay and upward through the valley—Carneros, the southernmost AVA within Napa, is suitable for the production of sparkling wines, whereas Calistoga, the northernmost AVA, routinely sees daytime summer temperatures above 90° F, and producers focus on sturdier grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel.
The sub-AVAs of Napa Valley? newest?
Coombsville (est. 2011) Calistoga Diamond Mountain District Spring Mountain District St. Helena Rutherford Oakville Stags Leap District Mount Veeder Yountville Los Carneros (Carneros) Wild Horse Valley Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley Atlas Peak Chiles Valley Howell Mountain
North Coast AVA Counties
The North Coast AVA includes the counties of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Solano and Marin.
Describe the major soils of Napa
The valley has a remarkable diversity of volcanic, alluvial and maritime soil types, ranging from well-drained gravel loam to dense clays to the thin, rocky soils of the hillside vineyards.
What is a major threat for Napa Valleys Hillside vineyards?
Erosion and heavy winter rains that can wash away topsoil
What was Napa’s first sub-ava
Howell Mtn AVA
Describe Napa Mountain Cabernet Sauvignons verse valley floor
Cabernet Sauvignon “mountain fruit” from Napa’s sun-drenched hillside vineyards and mountainside AVAs is prized for its density, dark fruit and concentration, and its ability to retain a good acid structure through intense ripeness. The floor produces more elegant wines with less intensity of color due to deeper topsoil.
How many Sub AVAs are in Napa?
16
How Big is Napa Valley? Altitude ranges?
33 by 5 miles (1-5miles width)
0ft-2000 ft
California produces approximately__% of all American wine, followed by New York, Washington, and Oregon.
90