United States

Question 1

History

Answer 1

• First wines produced in 1850’s (Nicolas Longworth), movement didn’t take off until 1950’s (Schramsberg re-established after prohibition)
• Investors from Champ. and Cava guided evolution of CA’s sparkling wine - premium product Champ style
  (Moet and Chandon, Mumm, Roedered, Codorniu, Gloria Ferrar, Piper Sonoma)
• WA and OR also use Traditional Method for best wines, can find sparkling Riesling too

Question 2

Location - AVA’s

Only CA/WA/OR on level 4 specification

Answer 2

CA: Caneros, Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley
WA: Columbia Valley
OR: Willamette Valley

Cheap wines: Central Valley CA

Question 3

Climate (CA/WA/OR)

Answer 3

CA: warm mediterranean. sparkling wine grapes grown in coolest areas - temp moderated by sea breeze or fog
Carneros: Petaluma Gap and San Pablo Bay

WA: Dry, long sunlight hours, large diurnal range

OR: Moderate maritime - sunny, dry summers, Pacific Ocean breezes cool, large diurnal temp range

Question 4

Vineyard

Answer 4

Sparkling wine grapes picked 1-2 wks before still wine grapes to maintain high acidity.

Premium sites: cool and supply ripe grapes with required low sugar / high acid balance

Question 5

Grape Varieties (CA/WA/OR)

Answer 5

CA: Char, PN
WA: Char, some Riesling and PN
OR: Char, PN also: Muscat, PG, Riesling, M-T

Question 6

Winery

Answer 6

Highest quality: traditional method

• no min aging req. on lees, but many 12+ mo
• much longer for premium cuvees

Examples:

• Domain Chandon - 12 mo on lees for Brut Classic and 36 mo on lees for Reserve Brut
• Roederer Estate - multi-vintage Brut 24+ mo on lees, tete de cuvee, L’Ermitage, estate grown grapes aged 60 months with oak-aged reserve wines added during dosage

High volume, inexpensive: tank or carbonation

Question 7

Styles

Answer 7

Brut most popular

BdB, BdN, and Rose frequently seen

Vintage - 95% grapes (most premium producers label vintage, regardless of vintage conditions)
AVA - 85% of grapes

Question 8

Market

Answer 8

• Sparkling fastest growing wine segment
• CA - 90% sparkling wine production
• Korbel 8% share of US sparkling wine production by volume
• Oregon produces about 1% (Argyle largest producer)
• WA: Domain Ste. Michelle, largest producer in WA

Volume brands: E and J Gallo’s Andre, Constellation Cooks

Question 9

Important CA Producers by AVA

Answer 9

Napa:
- Schramsberg
- Domaine Chandon
- Mumm Napa
Sonoma:
- Gloria Ferrer (Freixinet)
- Domain Carneros (Tattinger)
Russian River Valley (Green Valley sub-AVA)
- Iron Horse Vineyards
Anderson Valley:
- Roederer Eestate
- Scharffenberger