United States & Canada Flashcards
Put from east to west: Seneca Lake, Cayuga Lake, Keuka Lake
Cayuga Lake, Seneca Lake, Keuka Lake
Who makes “Reva Syrah”?
John Alban, Edna Valley
Name 3 of the 7 Lake County AVAs
Clear Lake Red Hills High Valley Benmore Valley Guenoc Big Valley Kelsey Bench
What AVA of Sonoma does Pine-Mountain-Cloverdale Peak overlap?
Alexander Valley
In what direction do most vineyard sites on Sonoma Mountain face?
East; hot, sun, exposed, mitigated by elevation
What is the Winkler Scale? What end would a “Region 1” area be on? Name an example.
Heat summation system in wine growing areas. During the growing season, each day points are assigned for every degree higher than 50’ F. Carneros is a Region 1, the coolest, with 2500 degree points or less.
AVA: Talley
Edna Valley, SLO
What region is affected by the lakes Skaha, Vaseux, and Osoyoos?
Okanagan Valley
Name three producers based in Calistoga.
Chateau Montelena, Araujo, Switchback Ridge, Clos Pegase, Larkmead, Sterling
What is the history of the Napanook vineyard?
John Daniel of Inglenook bought Napanook, an 120 acre property in Yountville, from Louis Stralla in 1946. Daniel refused to sell this parcel and even told his daughters to never sell the land before his death in 1970. Robert Mondavi purchased most of the Napanook grapes in the years following Daniel’s death before Christian Moueix approached the sisters about a partnership. Thus Dominus was born, first vintage 1983, released 1988.
Where is the Sanford & Benedict vineyard located?
Sta. Rita Hills AVA, in the Santa Ynez Valley
Who was the winemaker for the first wines released as Ste. Michelle Vitners?
Andre Tchelistcheff, who was hired as a winemaking consultant in the late 1960s for American Wine Growers
A 1988 Wine Spectator report showed that about 40% of Napa wine came from seven producers. Can you name the seven?
Robert Mondavi, Beaulieu, Beringer, Sterling, Christian Brothers, Charles Krug, and Domaine Chandon.
What are the most planted Vinifera grapes in Michigan?
Riesling, Gewurz, Chard, PN, Cab Franc
Name three producers in Ribbon Ridge.
Patty Green, Brickhouse, Beaux Freres
In what year was the moratorium that started after prohibition lifted on new winery licenses in Canada?
1974
Where is McCrea Vineyard?
Sonoma Mountain; Kistler; Chardonnay
How many AVAs are there in Texas? What is the largest?
8; Texas Hill Country (9 million acres!)
What is the smallest AVA in USA in total area (refers to area covered, not area under vine)? What winery encompasses the entire AVA?
Cole Ranch, Mendocino. 150 acres total (less than 1/4 sq mile), 60 acres planted. One vineyard here controlled by Esterlina Winery (good Riesling here).
In what state is the Monticello AVA?
Virginia
What was the first sub AVA of the Napa Valley?
Howell Mountain
What is the Farm Winery Act?
Implemented in 1976, allowing small wineries to sell direct to consumers. Created a boom in New York State wineries.
State the rough number of wineries in Sierra Foothills, and the predominate grapes?
140+ wineries.
90% red grapes (Zinfandel 40%, Cabernet Sauv, Syrah, Chardonnay 5%)
Name three producers based in Dundee Hills.
Archery Summit, Domaine Drouhin, Eyrie, Domaine Serene, Sokol Blosser, Stoller
AVA: Shafer
Stags Leap District
AVA: Dutton Goldfield
Green Valley of RRV
Who owns Silverado Vineyards?
Disney
AVA: Bonny Doon
Santa Cruz Mountains
Name two AVAs of Michigan.
Fennville Lake Michigan Shore Leelenau Peninsula Old Mission Peninsula Tip of the Mitt
AVA: Bridlewood (who owns it?)
Santa Ynez (Gallo)
What is Vin de Curé?
Vin de Curé literally translates to “Parish Priest’s Wine” and is a style of dried-grape wine made in Ontario.
What are the two the newest AVAs of Sonoma as of 2018? Where is it?
Fountaingrove (est. 2015); between Sonoma Mountain and Chalk Hill/Knights Valley Petalum Gap (est. 2017); overlapping the south of Sonoma Coast, RRV, and northern Marin County
What is the second label of Bond?
Matriarch
Name three Region I AVA in Sonoma? Region III?
Region I - Carneros, Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma Coast
Region III - Dry Creek, Rockpile, Knight’s Valley
What is the margin of “error” for alcohol labeling on a bottle of US wine?
+/- 1.5%
What was the first US bonded winery? When and where was it established?
Pleasant Valley Wine Co, 1860 in the Fingerlakes
Mendocino AVA covers which Mendocino County AVAs (7)?
Mendocino AVA is 275,200 acres and covers: Anderson Valley Yorkville Highlands Redwood Valley Potter Valley McDowell Valley Cole Ranch some Mendocino Ridge
Name two producers of American Gruner Veltliner.
Von Strasser (Diamond Mountain)
Syncline (Columbia Gorge)
Tatomer (Santa Barbara)
AVA: 2 Blondes vineyard
Rattlesnake Hills
What is the more common name for these early California grown grapes? Golden Chasselas Black Malvoisie White Pinot Durif
Golden Chasselas – Palomino
Black Malvoisie – Cinsault
White Pinot – Pinot Blanc
Durif – Petite Sirah
What is the largest single riesling brand in the world?
Chateau Ste Michelle
Who makes “L’Apres Midi”? Where from and what grapes? Name two other wines from this producers.
Peter Michael, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County (Knight’s Valley). Other PM wines: Belle Cote (Chard), Cuvee Indigene (Chard), La Carriere (Chard), Mon Plaisir (Chard)
What mountain range does Spring Mountain sit on?
Mayacamas
What winery released its “The Tribe” and “Sur Echalas” vineyard designations as its first wines in 2011? What are the grapes?
Horsepower (Christophe Baron)
The Tribe - Syrah
Sur Echalas - Grenache
What government institution was the first to demarcate AVAs in the United States? In what year? Who oversees the AVA system today?
ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearm Bureau) first demarcated AVAs in the late 1970s (first AVA was 1980). Today, the TTB (Tax & Trade Bureau) oversees the AVA system.
AVA: Fay Vineyard
Stag’s Leap District
Where is Chapel Down winery?
Kent, England
AVA: Backus Vineyard
Oakville, Cabernet, Joseph Phelps
Name three countries Paul Hobbs has wineries in.
Argentina, US (Sonoma and Finger Lakes), France (Cahors), Armenia
Please explain how ice cider is made:
It’s actually a process different from Eisbock or Icewine. Ripe apples are harvested, stored, then when the cold weather hits, the fermented juice partially frozen, pure water ice is removed, this concentrated apple juice is then fermented
What are the three smallest AVAs in Mendocino (by acres under vine)?
Cole Ranch - 60 acres under vine
Dos Rios - 6 acres under vine
Covelo - 2 acres under vine
What are the three largest producers (by volume) of wine in the world?
Gallo
Constellation
The Wine Group
Name three brands owned by Chateau Ste Michelle?
Col Solare, Columbia Crest, Eroica, North Star, Snoqualmie
What parallel does Northern Mexico sit on?
30th parallel
What appellation does Oregon share with Idaho?
Snake River Valley
What are the most widely planted grapes in Lake County?
Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.
What other Sonoma AVA does Rockpile overlap?
Dry Creek Valley
AVA: Occidental vineyard
Sonoma Coast; PN; Kistler, Evening Land
With the exception of Pelee Island, all of Ontario’s viticultural areas are located on what geographic features? How does this affect the climate of the region?
Lake Erie & Lake Ontario; the cool climate is mitigated by the Lake Effect
What two important events happened in 1988 in Canada?
- Dissolution of the trade barriers between Canada and the US — opened up competition and promoted quality in the Canadian wine industry.
- Creation of the VQA.
Name two wineries that continued to produce through prohibition under the guise of sacramental wine?
Buena Vista, Beaulieu
What is the name Native Americans and author Jack London has for Sonoma Valley?
Valley of the moon.
Tablas Creek’s top cuvée “Espirit de Beaucastel” will be known as what from 2011 vintage on? Where is it located?
Espirit de Tablas. Paso Robles AVA.
2012-2016 in Napa was characterised by what issue?
Drought!
What county is Paso Robles in?
San Luis Obispo
What were the first and second AVAs and in what years?
1980 – Augusta AVA in Missouri
1981 – Napa AVA
What AVAs lie within the Santa Ynez Valley AVA?
Sta. Rita Hills (est. 2001)
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara (est. 2009)
Ballard Canyon (est. 2013)
Los Olivos (est. 2016)
Besides Long Island and Finger Lakes AVAs, name the three other AVAs of New York State? What, if any, are they shared with?
- Hudson River Region
- Lake Erie (shared with PA & OH)
- Niagara Escarpment
- Champlain Valley of New York
What Carneros based sparkling wine producer is owned by Freixenent?
Gloria Ferrer
Starting in the NE and moving clockwise, what lakes frame the Ontario wine regions?
Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron
Name the three sub-appellations of the Niagara Escarpment from east to west.
Short Hills Bench, Twenty Mile Bench, Beamsville Bench
What was the first vintage of Marcassin?
1991
Name five wineries based in Walla Walla.
Leonetti, Gramercy Cellars, Seven Hills, L’Ecole No. 41, Woodward Canyon, Pepperbridge, Amavi
AVA: Beaux Freres
Ribbon Ridge
When did the secularization of the California missions occur?
1833; previously planted vineyards were privatized and large “rancheros” blossomed where missions had been.
Name three producers of sweet jug wine (often labeled “Burgundy” or “Chablis”) in the 1930s in California.
Gallo, Almaden, Masson
Name three sparkling wine producers based in the Russian River Valley?
Iron Horse, J Vineyards, Korbel
What genus do these native American grape vines belong to:
- Concord
- Catawba
- Scuppernong
- Norton
- Concord - Vitis Labrusca
- Catawba - Vitis Labrusca
- Scuppernong - Vitis Rotundifolia
- Norton - Vitis Aestivalis
Name three sub AVAs of the Yakima Valley?
Rattlesnake Hills, Snipes Mountain, Red Mountain
How did the Missoula Floods affect the soils of the Willamette Valley? What were the Missoula Floods?
The Missoula Floods erupted periodically over thousands of years at the end of the last ice age, as glacial dams melted and refroze. Now, a wealth of alluvial soils, known as Willamette Silt, sit over older, volcanic + sedimentary bedrock
AVA: Eisele vineyard
Calistoga; Eisele Vineyard Estate; Cab
What winery is located at the IX Estate in the Pritchard Hill area of St. Helena?
Colgin Estate
Who owns Robert Mondavi? When was it sold?
Constellation; 2004
AVA: Jackass Hill Vineyard
RRV; Martinelli Zinfandel
Who planted the first vinifera grapes in the Finger Lakes and in what year?
Dr. Konstantin Frank, 1962
Who currently owns Araujo? What has the name been changed to? When was it purchased?
Francois Pinault (Artemis) purchased Araujo in 2013. In 2016, the name was changed to Eisele Vineyard Estate.
What three bodies of water affect Marin County?
Pacific Ocean, SF Bay, and San Pablo Bay
Name three single vineyard sites of Turley.
Dusi (Paso)
Pesenti (Paso)
Bedrock (Sonoma Valley)
Rattlesnake Ridge (Howell Mountain)
AVA: Trailside vineyard
Rutherford; Heitz; Cab
What three geological events are responsible for the soil types in Oregon?
- Tectonic plate subduction
- Columbia River Basalt Flow (volcanic eruptions)
- Missoula floods
Order from east to west the five viticultural areas of British Columbia.
Okanagan Valley, Similkameen Valley, Fraser Valley, Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island
AVA: Saxum
Paso Robles (Willow Creek District)
Describe the climate of the Santa Lucia Highlands.
Influenced by Monterey Bay wind and fogs. Huge diurnal swing. Long growing season – harvest is approx. 3 weeks later than in the north coast.
AVA: Dunn
Howell Mountain
Nearly 80% of California Chardonnay can trace roots back to which clone from which Central Coast AVA?
Livermore/Wente clone from Livermore Valley.
AVA: Savoy Vineyard
Anderson Valley, Mendocino; Littorai
Approximately what percent of California’s total production comes from Lodi?
20%
AVA: Brandborg
Umpqua Valley
AVA: Sanford and Benedict
Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Ynez Valley; ABC; PN, Chard, Viognier, PG
Where are Mill Creek and North Fork unofficial subzones?
Eastern Walla Walla
What is Fort Ross-Seaview AVA’s defining characteristic?
Above the fog line – 900-1800 ft.
Which counties are the sub-AVAs of Sierra Foothills in?
California Shenandoah Valley and Fiddletown are in Amador County (south)
Fair Play and El Dorado are in El Dorado County (just north)
North Yuba is in Yuba County
In what year did Heitz first bottle a separate Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon?
1966 released in 1971
When was the Willamette Valley’s first Pinot Noir planted and by who?
David Lett (Eyrie), 1965
Pre-2014, what were the four AVAs of San Luis Obispo County?
Paso Robles, Arroyo Grande, York Mountain, Edna Valley; in 2014 the 11 sub-AVAs of Paso Robles were approved.
What are the two most recent AVAs of Sonoma?
Fort Ross-Sea View and Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak
Who was the first winemaker for Harlan? Who is the proprietor?
Bob Levy; Bill Harlan
What mountain AVAs of Napa are in the Vaca range?
Howell Mountain and Atlas Peak
What are the sub-appellations of the Niagara Peninsula not found in a regional appellation?
Vinemount Ridge
Creek Shores
Lincoln Lakeshore
Descibe two benefits of cover crops.
Prevents soil erosion and hosts beneficial insects.
What mountain range defines the Chalone AVA?
Gabilan mountains to the east, on the edge of San Benito County
What county has the longest growing season in California?
Santa Barbara
What winery is responsible for the creation of “Fumé Blanc” in California?
Robert Mondavi
Describe the controversy surrounding the approval of Calistoga for AVA status in 2009?
The AVA was approved despite the fact that Calistoga Cellars and Calistoga Estates would not meet the labeling requirements to have “Calistoga” on their labels, and were not grandfathered in.
What AVA of the Willamette Valley is known for Willakenzie soil, and what defines this soil type?
Ribbon Ridge, Yamhill Carlton; loam and ash (sedimentary vs. volcanic), making for denser, richer, more dark-fruited wines
What mountain range defines the wine growing regions of Oregon?
The Cascades
What is the first official sub-GI of the Okanagan? When was it designated?
Golden Mile Bench; 2016
AVA: Firestone Vineyard
Santa Ynez Valley
What county lies to the north of Sonoma and west of Lake County?
Mendocino
What are the two main viticultural problems in Columbia Valley?
Water rights/lack of water and cold winters
What was Washington State’s first AVA? In what year?
Yakima Valley, 1983
Name three AVAs of Texas.
Bell Mountain, Escondido Valley, Fredericksburg, Mesilla Valley, Texas Davis Mountain, Texas High Plains, Texas Hill Country
Where is Denbie’s winery?
Surrey, England
AVA: Ferrington Vineyard
Anderson Valley, Mendocino; Williams Seylem
AVA: Shafer
Stag’s Leap District
Name three producers based in St. Helena.
Charles Krug, Freemark Abbey, Beringer, Spottswoode, Louis M. Martini, Heitz, Duckhorn, Ehlers, Trinchero, Corison, Joseph Phelps, Stony Hill
AVA: Beaulieu
Rutherford
What winery of the Willamette Valley is Robert Parker a co-owner of?
Beaux Freres
What wineries did Mike Grgich work at before starting his eponymous one?
Souverain, Beaulieu, Robert Mondavi, and Chateau Montelena
What region of Canada is best known for its ice wine?
Niagara on the Lake
Who is the proprietor of Diatom? What are the two other projects he’s involved in?
Greg Brewer; Brewer-Clifton & Melville
What AVA is most affected by the Van Duzer corridor?
McMinnville
What are the percentage requirements for labeling by appellation in British Columbia and Ontario?
Ontario: 85% for appellations and regional appellations. 100% for sub-appellations (in the Niagara Peninsula)
BC: 95% for appellations
Both: Single vineyard, 100%
AVA: James Berry vineyard
Paso Robles (Willow Creek District); Saxum; Syrah, Grenache, etc.
What is the most planted grape in Paso Robles?
Cabernet Sauvignon
What is the second wine of Harlan?
“The Maiden”
AVA: Dalle Valle
Oakville
What company leads the world in total wine production?
Gallo
In what designated viticultural area is 82% of British Columbia’s wine made? What two geographic features define the climate? What style of wine is made there?
Okanagan Valley; the continental climate is mitigated by Lake Okanagan and the valley has little rain due to the rainshadow effect produced by the Monashee Mountains; dry wines from PN, Chard, PG, Merlot, and PB, very little dessert wine
What are the five designated viticultural areas of British Columbia?
Okanagan Valley Vancouver Island Gulf Islands Fraser Valley Simikameen Valley
AVA: Robert Mondavi
Oakville
What is the maximum aspect that a slope in Napa can be planted to?
30 degrees
AVA: Caymus
Rutherford
What was the first vintage of Quilceda Creek?
1979
What California wines won in the Paris tasting of 1976?
1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay and 1973 Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon
What are two steps taken by WA vitners to combat cold winters and protect vines?
Higher elevation plantings
Dual trunk training
Burying canes
What geological features are most important to Horse Heaven Hills?
The Columbia Gorge in the west and the Wallula Gap in the east create wind tunnels.
What mitigates the climate of Lodi, making it cooler than the rest of the Central Valley?
Winds from the Sacramento and San Joaquin river deltas/valleys, and a gap in the coastal mountains
AVA: Hyde vineyard
Carneros (Napa side); Chard with some PN; Ramey, Patz + Hall, HdV, Aubert, Kistler, Paul Hobbs, Abreu
What appellation’s climate is moderated by the Bay of Quinte?
Prince Edward County
Calaveras, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, and Tuolumne Counties do not have any AVAs within them. However, all of these counties are within WHICH AVA? What counties with sub-AVAs are not listed here?
Sierra Foothills AVA.
Yuba Co, El Dorado Co, and Amador Co have sub-AVAs.
Ciel du Cheval & Klipsun are vineyards in what AVA?
Red Mountain AVA (Yakima, Columbia Valley)
Name two vineyards that Quilceda Creek releases single vineyard wines from.
Galitzine and Palengat, both in HHH. Made a single-vineyard Champoux in 1997. Sources from Ciel du Cheval and Klipsun, but doesn’t label
When was the first vintage of Opus One and when was it released?
First vintage 1979 was released in 1984 to the public (though made an apperance at the 1981 Napa Wine Auction under the name “napamedoc”).
Who are the partners in Druid Wine Company?
Ted Lemon and Domaine Dujac; distributes Dujac’s wines internationally and produces its own label in Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault.
Who made the 1973 vintage of Chateau Montelena that was to go on to win at the 1976 Judgement of Paris?
Mike Grgich was the winemaker at Chateau Montelena from 1972-1977
What are the sub AVAs of the Sierra Foothills?
California Shenandoah Valley El Dorado Fair Play Fiddletown North Yuba
Describe the general soil type of the Columbia Valley.
Basalt bedrock caused by volcanic activity. Top soil due to the Missoula floods – sand, silt, granite, quartz. The post-glacial soil has the porousity of clay and the permeability of sand – holds water and drains well.
What makes Dutton Ranch vineyard unique?
It is not one contiguous vineyard, but 80 individual vineyards scattered throughout RRV and the Sonoma Coast
Who was the winemaker for the first 9 vintages of Domaine Serene?
Ken Wright
Who was the original proprietor of Stag’s Leap, and when was it established?
Warren Winiarski, 1970
What is the world’s largest demarcated region?
Mississippi River Valley AVA – over 30,000 square miles in MN, WI, IA, and IL
What three grapes are planted in the Lytton Springs vineyard? Where is it?
Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Carignane; Dry Creek Valleye
Where does “Eola” come from in Eola-Amity Hills?
Aeolus is the god of the winds in Greek Mythology — Eola-Amity Hills are quite windy (Van Duzer gap), with volcanic and Nekia soils
How does the climate of Long Island compare to that of the Finger Lakes?
Long Island is warmer, more maritime, with a three week longer growing season. Bordeaux varietals do well here.
What AVAs are partially or wholly contained within the Sonoma Valley AVA?
Bennett Valley, Sonoma Mountain, Moon Mountain, Los Carneros
What winery did Christophe Baron found?
Cayuse
AVA: Kiona vineyard
Red Mountain
What are the sub-AVAs of San Benito AVA?
Cienega Valley
Lime Kiln
Paicines
Between vinifera, hybrids, and labrusca, which dominates in the Finger Lakes?
65% labrusca, 20% Hybrid, 15% vinifera
AVA: Domaine Serene
Dundee Hills
Name three wineries based in Eola-Amity Hills.
Bethel Heights, Evesham Wood, Cristom, Evening Land
What was the first vintage of Screaming Eagle, and who was the original winemaker?
1992, released 1995, Heidi Peterson Barret
AVA: Hyland Vineyard
McMinnville
In what year were sub-regions granted AVA status in Paso Robles? How many? Name three.
2014; 11 Adelaida District Creston District El Pomar District Paso Robles Estrella District Paso Robles Geneso District Paso Robles Highlands District Paso Robles Willow Creek District San Juan Creek San Miguel District Santa Margarita Ranch Templeton Gap District
Who makes Octagon and what is it? What is the AVA?
Barboursville; high end red Bordeaux blend from Monticello AVA
AVA: Ojai
Santa Barbara
Who is the proprietor of Qupé? Au Bon Climat?
Bob Lindquist; Jim Clendenen
What is the name of the mountain range that separates Napa & Sonoma? What is the name of the mountain range to the east of Napa?
Mayacamas; Vaca
What mountain ranges define the Sonoma Valley?
Mayacamas to the east; Sonoma Mountain to the west
“Estate Bottled” requirements for the United States.
- Winery and Vineyards must be in same AVA
- Winery must own and control all vineyards
- Winery does all production from start to finish.
What AVA grows 80% of Colorado’s wine grapes? What is the state’s other AVA? What are the most planted grapes?
Grand Valley; West Elks; Merlot, Cab and Syrah
Who owns Sanford and Benedict vineyard as well as the Sanford Winery?
Terlato
What are California’s 4 Regional AVAs?
North Coast Central Coast South Coast Sierra Foothills [Central Valley/San Joaquin Valley is NOT an AVA, but simply a growing region]
What region is defined by red iron-rich Queenston shale bedrock?
Niagara on the Lake
What were the best vintages of the 1990s in Napa?
The 1990s saw a string of good vintages in Napa, with the possible exceptions being 1996 and definitely 1998, which was unusually cool and rainy.
Name three producers who use Rockpile fruit?
Carol Shelton, JC Cellars, Seghesio
Where does Yountville take its name from?
George Calvert Yount, a pioneer of the Napa Valley originally from North Carolina. Thought to have planted some of the first vines in the Napa Valley from Sonoma cuttings in 1838-39. Charles Krug managed his estate in the 1860s.
What state is the third largest producer of wine in the US?
New York
Ben Lomond is a sub-AVA of what?
Santa Cruz Mountains, on the western edge
Name three wineries based on Chehalem Mountain.
Anne Amie, Adelsheim, J. Christopher, Bergstrom, Ponzi
Order from north to south: Arroyo Grande, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Maria Valley, Edna Valley
Edna Valley
Arroyo Grande Valley
Santa Maria Valley
Santa Ynez Valley
What is the most planted grape in the Dry Creek AVA?
Cabernet Sauvignon (with Zin right behind it)
What is the Winkler Region for Coombsville? Name two wines produced from here.
Region I. Kongsgaard’s The Judge and Stag’s Leap’s Arcadia Chardonnays
AVA: Ponzi
Chehalem Mountains
AVA: Truchard
Carneros (Merlot)
What major geological feature defines the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA?
San Andreas fault; two plates meet, creating sandstone, clay, loam and granite soils
AVA: East Bench Vineyard
Dry Creek; Ridge
What’s the Westernmost Canadian wine appellation?
Vancouver Island
Name three producers based in Pritchard Hill.
Colgin, Bryant Family, Chapellet, Ovid, Continuum
Name three estates based in Rutherford.
Inglenook, Beaulieu, Caymus, Grgich Hills, Mumm, Staglin
Classify the 8 sub-AVAs of Monterey County (not including Monterey AVA itself) as:
- 4 northern
- 4 southern
- Carmel Valley and Chalone are the northernmost (besides Monterey itself, which runs the length of the county). Chalone is to the east, Carmel Valley to the west. Santa Lucia Highlands runs down the middle of the two and is flanked to the east, on its southern end, by Arroyo Seco.
- San Bernabe, San Lucas, San Antonio Valley, and Hames Valley are to the south.
In what year was Inniskillin founded and in what appellation? What style of wine did they pioneer?
1974, Niagara on the Lake; Ice Wine (made from Riesling and Cab Franc)
Who owns Franzia?
The Wine Group
What parallel does the Columbia Valley sit at?
The 46th
Where is RdV winery?
Middleburg, VA
AVA: Clos Pepe vineyard
Sta. Rita Hills; Melville, Brewer Clifton; PN and Chard
What is the eastern most AVA in Washington?
Walla Walla Valley
Where is Westside Road?
A winery trail in the Russian River Valley; home to Williams Seylem
Put from north to south the four main AVAs of San Luis Obispo County? Where does the city of San Luis Obispo fall?
Paso Robles York Mountain (off the western side of Central Paso) -- city of SLO -- Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley
Stags Leap District is nested on the eastern side of what other AVA?
Yountville
Where does the Willakenzie soil type take its name?
Two rivers: Willamette and McKenzie
What is the warmest AVA in Sonoma?
Knight’s Valley
AVA: Mancini Ranch vineyard
RRV; Joseph Swan; Zinfandel
Name three Bordeauxs that were entered in the Judgement of Paris in 1976. Which got second place?
1970 Mouton, 1970 Haut-Brion, 1970 Montrose, 1971 Leoville Las Cases; Mouton got second
Eagle Peak is a newly formed AVA in what county? What AVA was it formerly a part of?
Mendocino; Mendocino Ridge
Where is Chateau de Charmes and Bachelder wineries?
St. David’s Bench, Niagara on the Lake
What is VINEA?
“The Winegrowers Sustainable Trust” – founded in Walla Walla
What is the largest sub-AVA of the Yakima Valley?
Rattlesnake Hills
What is the eastern most AVA of the Willamette Valley and what is its sub AVA (on its western side)?
Chehalem Mountains with Ribbon Ridge sub
Name three AVAs of Pennsylvannia?
Lehigh Valley, Lancaster Valley, Central Delaware Valley, Cumberland Valley, Lake Erie
In what vintage did frost almost completely eradicate vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills?
2010
What are the two biggest vine diseases that have plagued vines in the US?
Phylloxera and Pierce’s Disease
What is the only AVA of Washington that lies west of the Cascades?
Puget Sound
What is the main viticultural hazard in Texas?
Pierce’s Disease; frost is also an issue
Where is Martha’s Vineyard?
Oakville
Where is the Templeton Gap and what defines it?
Area of southern Paso where there is a break in the coastal ranges, creating a large diurnal shift. Only place in Paso it is possible to grow Pinot.
Name three unofficial subregions of the Okanagan Valley?
Kelowna, Okanagan Falls, Naramata, Penticton, Oliver, Osoyoos
What year did Caymus begin bottling wine? Who did they hire in 1975 to be their winemaker?
Caymus began production in 1972 and in 1975 hired Randall Dunn to be its winemaker, who was there until 1986, when he left to concentrate on his own winery on Howell Mountain.
Name four approved varieties for VQA Ontario Ice Wine?
Vidal Blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon are all allowed.
Name the two sub AVAs of the Russian River Valley?
Chalk Hill & Green Valley
Name three wineries based in Fort Ross-Seaview.
Fort Ross, Flowers, Hirsch
Put from north to south: St. Helena, Yountville, Oakville, Calistoga, Rutherford
Calistoga, St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville, Yountville
Name three other California Chardonnays besides Chateau Montelena that competed in the Judgement of Paris in 1976.
Chalone Vineyard, Spring Mountain, Freemark Abbey, Veedercrest, David Bruce
AVA: Peter Michael
Knights Valley
What counties are covered by the Long Island AVA?
Suffolk and Nassau
What is Flame Tokay?
Flame Tokay is one of the original grapes planted in Lodi, also known as Ahmeur bou Ahmeur. Vitis Vinifera. Used for fortified wines and spirits.
What are the Sonoma AVAs that are included in Gallo’s Northern Sonoma AVA?
Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Chalk Hill, Russian River Valley, and Green Valley
Name three producers based on Mount Veeder.
Mount Veeder, Lokoya, Lagier Meredith
AVA: Geyserville vineyard
Alexander Valley; Sonoma; Ridge
What is the most planted grape in the Yakima Valley?
Chardonnay
In what region is Casa Madero winery? What is its claim to fame?
Valle de Parras, within Coahuila. The oldest winery in the Americas, founded in 1597.
AVA: Heitz
St. Helena
AVA: Columbia Crest
Based in Horse Heaven Hills, with 2300 acres here
What wineries did Robert Mondavi work at before founding his eponymous winery?
Robert Mondavi’s father, Cesare Mondavi, owned St. Helena Winery, which incorporated after prohibition in 1937. He also acquired Charles Krug winery in 1943, both of which Mondavi Jr. worked at.
Name three Sierra Foothills producers.
Terre Rouge, Easton, Yorba, Favia
AVA: Adelsheim
Chehalem Mountains
What was the first vinifera planted in WA?
Muscat of Alexandria on the Upland Vineyard (in what is now Snipes Mountain) in 1917
What winemaker and winery is credited with the “invention” of white Zinfandel, and in what year?
Bob Trinchero at Sutter Home, a stuck fermentation in the 1975 vintage created the sweet style of white Zin that we know today.
Name the first AVA defined by altitude.
Santa Cruz Mountains, 1981.
What river cuts through Santa Maria Valley?
Sisquoc river
What two natural features define the climate of Okanagan Valley?
Monashee Mountains (a northern extension of the Cascades) and Lake Okanagan
What is “conjunctive labeling”?
As of 1/1/14, all wines bearing the name of a Sonoma or Napa AVA must also have “Sonoma County” or “Napa Valley” on the label.
AVA: Seven Hills vineyard (SeVein Parcels)
Walla Walla
How does the climate of Southern Oregon compare to that of the Willamette Valley?
It is warmer and drier in Southern Oregon
AVA: Colgin
Pritchard Hill
AVA: Monte Bello vineyard
Santa Cruz mountains
AVA: Harlan
Oakville
What are the three basic bedrocks of the Napa Valley and what geological events were they caused by?
- Great Valley Sequence — compression of ancient seabed to crate sandstone and shale
- Franciscan Assemblage - plate subductions
- Napa Volcanics
In what year of the 80s did Napa see floods of historic proportions?
1986
What is the hottest AVA in WA state? What region is it on the Winkler Scale?
Red Mountain; Region III
What is the Volstead Act?
The 1920 act that implemented prohibition (the 18th amendment was passed in 1919)
AVA: Alban
Edna Valley, SLO
AVA: Sagemoor
Columbia Valley, WA
What is the Yakima Fold Belt? What does it create?
Where the low-lying topography of the Columbia Valley is striated by east-west ridge lines (anticlines); these anticlines, in combination with eroded water gaps, create an inversion layer where cold air is constricted to the valley floor
AVA: Alder Springs
Mendocino County; Pax, Bedrock
What mountain range does Diamond Mountain sit on?
Mayacamas
AVA: Opus One
Oakville
What winery did Rick Small found and where?
Woodward Canyon, Walla Walla
Why has Chardonnay seen less success than Pinot Noir in Oregon?
Initially, high-yielding warm-climate CA clones were used, which didn’t work for OR. Pinot Gris stepped in as the state’s go-to white, and offered a nice price point differential to Pinot Noir
Where is Gibson Ranch vineyard? Who makes wine from it?
McDowell Valley; Rhône varieties and Zinfandel; Marietta, Donkey and Goat, Bedrock
Who makes “Monte Bello”? Where? What are the grapes? What was the first vintage?
Ridge, Santa Cruz Mountains; Bordeaux blend, Cab-heavy with Merlot & Franc; 1962 was the first vintage of Monte Bello (and of Ridge)
What is the largest sub-AVA of the Columbia Valley?
Yakima Valley
What is Canada’s southernmost viticultural region?
Pelee Island (now a part of Lake Erie North Shore)
How does the Columbia Gorge vary from its west side to east?
West side — cool, maritime, rainy: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer
East side — much drier, sunnier, warmer. Zinfandel, Cab, Rhône varieties
Name three producers based on Spring Mountain.
Newton, Spring Mountain, Pride Mountain, Cain
What are the 9 AVAs of Monterey County?
Monterey, Santa Lucia Highlands, Chalone (shared with San Benito Co.), Hames Valley, Arroyo Seco, Carmel Valley, San Antonio Valley, San Bernabe, San Lucas
What is the coolest mountain AVA of Napa? What range is it on?
Mount Veeder; Mayacamas range
What are the two regional appellations of the Niagara Peninsula?
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara Escarpment
Who makes wine from the Upper Terrace Vineyard? What AVA?
Beaux Freres; Ribbon Ridge
What is the most recently established AVA of WA state?
Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley (2012)
AVA: Benzinger
Sonoma Mountain
Buena Vista was founded by: ________
Inglenook was founded by: _______
Beaulieu Vineyards was founded by: _________
Buena Vista: Agostin Haraszthy
Inglenook: Gustave Neibaum
Beaulieu: George de Latour
What heat summation zones does the Central Valley fall under?
IV and V
What mountain range defines the Mt. Harlan AVA?
Gavilan Mountains
Where does Norman Hardie make wine?
Prince Edward County, Ontario
What style of wine is most prominent in Lake Erie North Shore?
Dry red wine from Bordeaux varietals.
AVA: Ciel du Cheval
Red Mountain
AVA: Monte Rosso vineyard
Sonoma Valley (technically in Moon Mountain now); Louis Martini; Zin and Cab
Name three producers based in Mendocino.
Fetzer, Navarro, Parducci, Roederer
Where is Pearl Morisette winery?
Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Name three winemakers who’ve worked at Peter Michael.
Vanessa Wong, Helen Turley, and Mark Aubert
Name 5 AVAs of Mendocino.
Anderson Valley AVA Mendocino AVA Mendocino Ridge AVA Yorkville Highlands AVA Redwood Valley AVA Potter Valley AVA McDowell Valley AVA Cole Ranch AVA Dos Rios AVA Covelo AVA Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA (added 2011, mostly in Sonoma) Eagle Peak AVA
What are the percentage requirements for labeling by vintage in Ontario and British Columbia?
Both must contain 85% of grapes from that year (Ontario must be vintage dated, except for sparkling; BC must be vintage dated except for sparkling, fortified, and “liqueur” wines)
AVA: Gary’s Vineyard
Santa Lucia Highlands; PN, Chard, Syrah; Roar, Lucia, Pisoni
What is Angelica?
A historic style of wine made by the early missionaries (c. 1830s) in California. The Mission grape was typically used, but with no skin contact to make white juice. Brandy (also made from the Mission grape) was added before or during fermentation.
Who makes “Cariad”?
Colgin Estate, means “love” in Welsh, Cab, Merlot, and Cab Franc
What subregion of Niagara on the Lake is best prized for its ice wine?
Niagara River
What are South Downs?
A range of chalk hills that characterize the topography of southeastern England
What are the most planted grapes in BC?
Merlot (30%), Pinot Gris (22%), Pinot Noir (21%), Chardonnay (20%)
What AVA is shared by Napa & Sonoma?
Los Carneros
Name 2 Sonoma AVAs known for Zinfandel.
Alexander Valley, Rockpile, Dry Creek
AVA: Atavus Vineyard
Dry farmed PN vineyard planted by Walter Clore in 1968 in Columbia Gorge
AVA: Domaine Drouhin
Dundee Hills
Permitted cepage of Coro Mendocino
- 40-70% Zinfandel
- a percentage of any one other permitted grape without exceeding percentage of Zinfandel (Syrah, Petite Sirah, Carignane, Sangiovese, Grenache, Dolcetto, Charbono, Barbera, Primitivo)
- up to 10% blend or single combination of any vinifera source.
This Sub-AVA within Monterey AVA was created for which major winery’s vineyards?.
San Bernabe AVA was carved out from San Lucas AVA for Delicato winery. San Bernabe vineyard is the largest contiguous vineyard site in California
What mountain does Monte Bello lie on, what is the elevation, and soils?
Black Mountain (within Santa Cruz Mountain range); clay-loam topsoil with limestone bedrock; 2600 ft
Where is Arroyo Grande AVA? Where is Arroyo Seco AVA?
Arroyo Grande: San Luis Obispo
Arroyo Seco: Monterey
How do the average temps of Rockpile compare to Dry Creek and why?
Usually 10-15’ cooler b/c much higher elevation (800-1200 ft)
Name the AVAs of Southern Oregon and their sub-AVAs.
Southern Oregon
- Umpqua Valley
- Elkton Oregon
- Red Hills Douglas County - Rogue Valley
- Applegate Valley
Where did Warren Winiarski work before founding Stag’s Leap in 1972?
Robert Mondavi and Souverain.
Where is Gusborne winery?
Kent, England
In what state is the Shenandoah AVA?
Virginia
What three AVAs are shared by Washington & Oregon?
Columbia Valley, Walla Walla, & Columbia Gorge
What differentiates Ribbon Ridge from Chehalem Mountain?
Soil type; notable wind-blown loess soils with marine sediments (versus the more volcanic Chehalem)
What are the two sub-AVAs of Texas Hill Country?
Fredericksburg and Bell Mountain
AVA: Mayacamas
Mt. Veeder
In what counties are the sub-AVAs of Lodi?
Mokelumne River and Clements Hills (in the south) are in San Joaquin County
Cosumnes River, Alta Mesa, and Sloughhouse (to the north and west) are in Sacramento County
Borden Ranch and Jahant are in both
What are the percentage of grapes are required to label an American wine by: (Which of these numbers change for OR, CA & WA?)
- Country, State, or County
- AVA
- Single Vineyard
- 75% (100% CA & OR, 95% WA)
- 85% (95% from OR, and 95% if from an AVA that WA shares with another state)
- 95%
State the Winkler Scale range for Arroyo Grande and the dominant varieties found in western and eastern Arroyo Grande.
Winkler scale I to III. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to the west in low, mid valley sections; Zinfandel, petite Sirah & Rhone varieties near warm higher elevation inland Lake Lopez
AVA: Patty Green
Ribbon Ridge
Name five single vineyard sites in RRV.
Ritchie, Olivet Lane, Jackass Hill, Keefer Ranch, Vine Hill, Giuseppe + Luisa, Rochioli, Charles Heintz, Bacigalupi
AVA: Vista Verde vineyard
Paicines AVA (sub of San Benito AVA); Chard, PN, Gewurz; Williams Seylem (labeled as San Benito County)
What are the most planted grapes in England?
Champagne grapes: PN, PM & Chardonnay
Hybrids: Ortega, Seyval Blanc, Reichensteiner, and Bacchus
AVA: Bien Nacido vineyard
Santa Maria Valley; Chard, PN, Syrah; Qube, ABC, Ojai
What are the harvesting requirements for Icewine from Ontario and British Columbia?
Must be harvested while temperatures are no higher than -8 degrees Celsius (17.6 degrees Fahrenheit); min 32’ Brix
Where is Naches Heights?
A sub AVA of Columbia Valley just north of Yakima on the eastern foothills of the Cascades.
What AVA lies between Anderson Valley and Sonoma’s Alexander Valley?
Yorkville HIghlands
Name three “sustainable” certifications that Oregon wineries can achieve.
Demeter Low Impact Viticulture and Enology (LIVE) Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine (OCSW) Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO) Salmon Safe Vinea LEED
AVA: Heintz Vineyard
Heintz Vineyard could be released as RRV or Sonoma Coast (most often Sonoma Coast; Littorai, Ceritas, Williams Selyem; Chardonnay
Order from N to S: Yakima, Lake Chelan, Wahluke Slope, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley, and Horse Heaven Hills.
Lake Chelan Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley Wahluke Slope Yakima Horse Heaven Hills
What are the only AVAs of Washington to not lie within Columbia Valley?
Puget Sound, Columbia Gorge, and Lewis-Clark Valley
Where are the unaffiliated sub-apps of the Niagara Peninsula located?
The three sub-apps of the Niagara Peninsula that are not part of one of the regional appellations lie to the north or south of the Niagara Escarpment. Lincoln Lakeshore and Creek Shores are to the north, right on Lake Ontario, and Vinemount Ridge is just south.
Name three producers of Canadian ice wine.
Inniskillin, Reif Estate, Arrowhead Springs
Where is Cayuse located?
Rocks of Milton-Freewater
AVA: Vine Hill
RRV; Chardonnay; Kistler
In VQA standards, is chaptalization authorized?
Not for the production of late harvest or ice wine.
AVA: Davis Bynum
RRV
Name five producers/brands that Gallo owns.
Louis Martini, Bridlewood, Martin Codax, Carlo Rossi, Boone’s Farm, Andre, Barefoot, Ecco Domani
What four districts of Canada have winemaking? Which two account for 98% of the country’s production?
BC, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia; BC & Ontario
In the 1950s, reference to “the big five” Napa Valley wine producers referred to who?
Beaulieu, Inglenook, Louis Martini, Charles Krug, and Beringer
What are the sub-appellations of Niagara-on-the-Lake?
Niagara River
Niagara Lakeshore
Four Mile Creek
St. David’s Bench
Who started J. Davies? Where is fruit sourced from?
Jack + Jamie Davies (who own Schramsberg); they are based in Diamond Mountain and source their Cabernet grapes for J. Davies from there.
Where does California’s coastline sharply bend, trending east/west instead of north/south?
At Point Conception, in Santa Barbara County
AVA: Lytton Springs
Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma; Ridge
What grapes and styles of wine are most successful in Anderson Valley?
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Alsatian varietals, sparkling wine
Name 3 of the 5 Sierra Foothills sub-AVAs, and their county
North Yuba, El Dorado, Fair Play, California Shenandoah Valley, Fiddletown
Yuba Co: North Yuba AVA
El Dorado Co: El Dorado, Fair Play, California Shenandoah (w/Amador)
Amador Co: Fiddletown, California Shenandoah Valley (w/ ElDorado)
What AVA is just south of Rattlesnake Hills? What is the only winery there?
Snipes Mountain; Upland Estates
AVA: Woodbridge
Lodi (Mondavi)
Name three Willamette Valley producers who began production before 1975.
Eyrie, Erath, Ponzi, Sokol Blosser, Adelsheim
Where are the best sites in Napa Valley for Zinfandel?
Calistoga and Coombsville
Name three producers based in Oakville.
Far Niente, Dalle Valle, Screaming Eagle, Rudd, Harlan, Bond, Mondavi
Describe the two major soil types of Walla Walla
- Loess (windblown silt and glacial deposits)
- Riverbed cobblestones
Where is Spring Valley an unofficial subzone?
Southeastern St. Helena; where Joseph Phelps and Heitz are
When, where, and by who was Diamond Creek founded?
Diamond Mountain, 1968, Boots and Al Brounstein
What AVA lines the southern edge of Dry Creek Valley?
Russian River Valley
AVA: Toher Kalon vineyard
Oakville; Cab; Mondavi, Beckstoffer (pre-1993, Beaulieu)
Mendocino Ridge AVA applies only to what elevation and above?
1,200 Ft.
From which sub-AVA was the San Francisco Bay AVA submitted? Who submitted the AVA?
Livermore Valley. Submitted by Carolyn Wente and granted in 1999. Meant to be a quality-driven AVA to distinguish the terroir of the ‘north central coast’.
What was the first vintage of BV’s Georges de Latour Private Reserve?
1936 (released in 1940, upon Georges de Latour’s death)
What is the Steele Act?
The Steele Act turned WA into a control liquor state from the repeal of prohibition until 1969. Stunted growth and competition.
Compare the growing season of Long Island and the Finger Lakes. Which grapes does this allow Long Island to grow that Finger Lakes doesn’t?
Spring arrives sooner and winter comes later in Long Island – much longer growing season – which works well for later ripening grapes like Cab and Merlot
AVA: Rochioli vineyard
RRV; Williams Seylem, Gary Farrel, Alysian; PN
What are the two southern valleys of SLO county? Why are they significantly cooler than Paso Robles?
Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande; valleys run east-west instead of north-south, unprotected from the Pacific fog and breezes.
What is the longest continuously running winery in California?
Buena Vista, founded in 1857 by Agostin Haraszthy
AVA: Champoux vineyard
Horse Heaven Hills; BDX grapes; Quilceda Creek, Andrew Will, Powers, Woodward Canyon
What mountain range forms the eastern border of Walla Walla?
Blue mountains
AVA: Benito Dusi vineyard
Paso Robles (Templeton Gap); Ridge, Turley; Zin
What sort of regulations must producers of Coro Mendocino follow?
- Made only with Mendocino Fruit
- Produced entirely at a bonded Mendocino winery
- regulations: submission timetable, blind tasting panel, package in uniform bottle and packaging
- must be minimum 95% vintage
- Must follow chemistry, cooperage, and aging requirements
- 40-70% Zinfandel, a percentage of any one other permitted grape without exceeding percentage of Zinfandel (Syrah, Petite Sirah, Carignane, Sangiovese, Grenache, Dolcetto, Charbono, Barbera, Primitivo), and up to 10% blend or single combination of any vinifera source.
What is the largest AVA in California?
Central Coast AVA. 100,000 acres under vine (4million acres total). 360+ wineries.
Name the main producer of DuBrul Vineyard and 2 Blondes Vineyard? Where are these vineyards? What do the producers label them as?
Côte Bonneville — DuBrul
2 Blondes — Andrew Will
Both are in Rattlesnake Hills, but labeled as Yakima Valley
Name three proprietary names of Cayuse wines.
Bionic Frog, Flying Pig, Impulsivo, Widowmaker, God Only Knows
What mountain range runs down the western border of Paso Robles?
Santa Lucia Mountains
In what AVA is Bald Peak?
Chehalem Mountain
What mountain ranges define Mendocino?
Coastal ranges to the west, Mayacamas to the east
What are the AVAs of Southern Oregon?
Umpqua Valley - Elkton Oregon - Red Hills Douglas County Rogue Valley - Applegate Valley
How is the climate in Horse Heaven Hills different than Yakima?
Much windier! Less frost damage, lower vine vigor, small berries, small clusters, thick skins
What features of the Okanagan Valley mitigate its cold northerly climate?
Lakes, Rivers, Monahsee/Cascade mountains (rainshadow), Altitude
AVA: Wiemer
Seneca Lake
Who owns the oldest continually producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines in the US?
Hanzell, in Sonoma Valley
AVA: Cold Creek
Columbia Valley, WA
Who makes Sebella?
Hanzell – their less expensive Chardonnay, with less oak and younger vines
What is the name of the mountain range that separates Puget Sound from the Columbia Valley?
The Cascades
What is the minimum elevation for vineyards in the Howell Mountain AVA? If neighbouring vineyards don’t meet that elevation, what is the region unofficially known as?
1400 ft.; Deer Park
What is the most planted grape in Missouri?
Norton
AVA: Weinbau Vineyard
Wahluke Slope, WA
Where does Silver Oak have its two wineries? When was it established?
Oakville and Alexander Valley; 1972
Where is Ridgeview?
Sussex
AVA: Dutton Ranch vineyard
RRV; Kistler, Nickel + Nickel, Patz + Hall; Chard + PN
Name the two mountain ranges that run east/west in California. What valleys do they create?
San Rafael & Santa Ynez Mountains; Santa Maria Valley & Santa Ynez Valley
What are the percentage requirements for labeling by varietal in Ontario and British Columbia?
85%
AVA: Pisoni Vineyard
Santa Lucia Highlands
Who owns Louis Martini? When was it sold?
Gallo; 2002
What is the sole winery of Mt Harlan, when was it planted, and who runs it?
Calera. 1975. Josh Jensen.
AVA: Chateau Montelena
Calistoga
What is the sub-AVA of the Santa Cruz Mountains?
Ben Lomond Mountain
AVA: Brickhouse
Ribbon Ridge
Where is Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA?
Shared between southern Mendocino and Sonoma. Added in 2011.
What was the first vintage and wine of Cayuse?
Camaspelo (BDX blend) in 1997.
AVA: Cristom
Eola-Amity Hills
What is the most widely planted grape in Paso Robles?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Who makes “Arcadia” Chardonnay? From what AVA?
Stags Leap, Coombsville AVA (Napa)
Where is the Tidal Bay appellation?
Nova Scotia, for white wine only made from Seyval, l’Acadie, Geisenheim 318, and Vidal
What are the three main appellations/viticultural areas of Ontario?
Niagara Peninsula, Lake Erie North Shore, Prince Edward County
What is Cynthiana a synonym for?
Norton
What year was Inniskillin founded?
1974
What are the requirements for a wine to be labeled “Meritage”?
Only Bordeaux varietals (red or white), and no grape accounts for more than 90% of the blend
Where is Les Pavots vineyard?
Knight’s Valley, Sonoma
What are DVAs? In what country would you find this designation?
Designated Viticultural Areas; Canada
Why is Lodi cooler than the rest of the Central Valley?
There is a gap in the coastal ranges that lets the coastal air in.
What AVAs is Pritchard Hill closest to?
Just up the mountain, in the Vaca range, from Rutherford and Oakville
What appellation lies on the SW edge of RRV?
Green Valley of Russian River Valley
AVA: Bella Oaks
Rutherford; Heitz; Cab
Why is Mount Veeder so undeveloped?
Many slopes are over 30 degrees, which is the maximum slope for Napa Valley plantings
Carmel Valley is in what county, and what red wine grapes does it specialize in?
Carmel Valley is in Monterey County and it specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (comprising 70% of plantings).
What are the main soil types of the RRV?
Goldridge Series — loose, crumbly sandstone
Franciscan Assemblage - greywacke sandstone, limestone, shale, and volcanic rock
Order from E to W: Horse Heaven Hills, Walla Walla, Yakima, Columbia Gorge
Walla Walla Horse Heaven Hills Yakima Columbia Gorge (Horse Heaven Hills and Yakima overlap some)
AVA: Roman Vineyard
Anderson Valley, Mendocino; Littorai
When did Inglenook suffer severe brand dilution and drop in quality – and why? Who eventually bought the old Niebaum estate and, what was the new winery name, and what was the year of their first vintage?
In 1964 John Daniel sold Inglenook to United Vitners, a giant operation that acted as the production and marketing agent for Allied Grape Growers (a huge viticultural cooperative). But the real blow came in 1969 when Heublein, a giant food conglomerate based in CT bought 82% of Inglenook from United Vitners. This was before estate bottling laws, and Heublein began selling all of its cheap jug wine as “estate bottled” Inglenook. Tens of thousands of bottles of plonk labeled Inglenook flooded the market.
In 1975, Francis Ford Coppola bought the old Niebaum estate, with 85 acres of vines planted to it, mostly Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1978, with the counsel of Robert Mondavi and Andre Tchelistcheff, he made the first vintage of Rubicon, which would not be released until 1985.
Russian River Valley AVA lines are heavily defined by what feature?
Fog instrusion
Besides overlapping Russian River, what other AVAs does Chalk Hill touch?
Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, and Fountaingrove
What state is Martha’s Vineyard AVA in?
Massachusetts
Name 5 winemaking projects that Andy Erickson has been involved in.
Screaming Eagle (2006-2011), Favia (own project, current), consultant for Dalle Valle, Ovid, Arietta, Dancing Hares
AVA: Celilo Vineyard
Columbia Gorge, supplies Ken Wright and Woodward Canyon
What is the oldest commercial winery in Monterey? Who planted it and who owns it now?
Chalone Vineyard; Richard Graff; Diageo
What are the three unofficial (and one official) sub zones of the Sonoma Coast?
Annapolis
Fort-Ross Seaview AVA
Freestone-Occidental
Sebastopol Hills
AVA: Keefer Ranch Vineyard
Green Valley of RRV, Pinot Noir, Kosta Browne, Siduri, Loring Wine Co.
What AVA in Washington draws comparison to Chateauneuf-du-Pape for its “rocks” – basalt cobblestones reminiscent of galets? What AVA in Oregon?
Walla Walla Valley; The Rocks of Milton-Freewater
What are the two sub-AVAs of Russian River Valley?
Chalk Hill and Green Valley of Russian River Valley
AVA: Klipsun vineyard
Red Mountain
Name three WA wineries that make over 100,000 cases of wine per year?
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, Columbia Winery (Gallo), Hogue Cellars, Hedges, K Vitners
AVA: Buena Vista
Sonoma Valley
Why is Sauvignon Blanc the grape of choice for vineyards close to the Napa River?
- does well on fertile soils
- resistance to Pierce’s Disease (the sharpshooters hang out by the river)
What AVA lies in between the Rogue Valley and the Willamette Valley?
Umpqua Valley
In what decade did the following begin production in Napa? Schramsberg Diamond Creek Robert Mondavi Larkmead Freemark Abbey Chappellet Sutter Home Stag's Leap Caymus Far Niente Heitz Cellar Spring Mountain Dominus Domaine Chandon Beaulieu Dunn Beringer Sterling Charles Krug Grgich Hills Inglenook Rubicon Chateau Montelena Joseph Phelps Mayacamas Clos Pegase
Schramsberg -- 1860s Diamond Creek -- 1970s Robert Mondavi -- 1960s Larkmead -- 1890s Freemark Abbey -- 1940s Chappellet -- 1960s Sutter Home -- 1900s Stag's Leap -- 1970s Caymus -- 1970s Far Niente -- 1870s Heitz Cellar -- 1960s Spring Mountain -- 1960s Dominus -- 1980s Domaine Chandon -- 1970s Beaulieu -- 1900s Dunn -- 1980s Beringer -- 1870s Sterling -- 1960s Charles Krug -- 1860s Grgich Hills -- 1970s Inglenook -- 1880s Rubicon -- 1970s Chateau Montelena -- 1970s Joseph Phelps -- 1970s Mayacamas -- 1940s Clos Pegase -- 1980s
Name three single vineyard sites that Littorai uses in the Sonoma Coast?
Mays Canyon, Charles Heintz, BA Thieriot, The Tributary, Hirsch, The Haven, The Pivot
Where did James Concannon and CH Wente launch their wineries in 1883?
Livermore Valley.
What is the warmest growing region in Oregon?
Rogue Valley
Name the primary soil type of Red Hills AVA in Lake County.
Red Hills AVA is dominated by deep red volcanic soils, and is located at the base of Mount Konocti. Warm climate and volcanic soils nourish 3000 acres of Zin, Syrah, Cab Franc, Merlot, and Petite Sirah.
Where does Santa Barbara fall on the Winkler Scale?
Region I
What were the first three AVAs of Washington State?
Yakima Valley (1983) Columbia Valley (1984) Walla Walla Valley (1984)
AVA: Cerise Vineyard
Anderson Valley, Mendocino; Littorai
AVA: Melville
Sta. Rita Hills
AVA: Pivot Vineyard
Sonoma Coast; Littorai
What AVA of the Willamette Valley is known for Jory soil, and what defines this soil type?
Dundee Hills, well-drained volcanic top-soil, making for more elegant, red-fruited wines
What is the newest AVA of New York (as of 2018)?
Champlain Valley of New York, on Lake Champlain on the Vermont border
AVA: Iron Horse
Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Name three Champagne producers who opened up wineries in California in the 1970s.
Moet and Chandon, G.H. Mumm, Louis Roederer
What are Touchet Beds?
Nutrient rich deposits created by the Missoula Floods east of the Cascades. This soil is for the most part too rich in Oregon’s more forgiving climate, but appropriate in the arid, cold climate of the Columbia Valley.
Name three producers of English sparkling wine?
Nyetimber, Ridgeview, Hattingly Valley
What is Vidal?
A French hybrid grape of Ugni Blanc and Rayon d’Or/Seibel. Thick-skinned, winter-hardy, and high acid.
Where is the winery Camel Valley? What is their claim to fame?
Cornwall; they are the sole owners of England’s first PDO in 2018, Darnibole vineyard for Bacchus
AVA: Bechtold Vineyard
Mokelumne River (Lodi); old vine Zin; Turley, Bedrock
What Napa producers had the greatest winemaking/growing continuity during Prohibition?
Georges de Latour at Beaulieu had the greatest success, hands down, with their sacramental license. Beringer also fared well. Though they didn’t have a sacramental license, they refused to graft over their better vines, and instead sold these more expensive grapes under bond to others, particularly Beaulieu. Larkmead also did well, gaining a reputation for their bulk grapes.
What was the first vintage of Robert Mondavi? What was the first vintage of Opus one, and who is it a collaboration between?
1966; 1979, Robert Mondavi & Philippe de Rothschild
What is the most successful grape in Marin County? Name one vineyard.
Pinot Noir; Devil’s Gulch Ranch
Name the wines of Bond and where they come from? Which was Bond’s inaugural release?
Melbury (hills east of Rutherford) Pluribus (Spring Mountain) Quella (eastern Napa hills) St. Eden (just north of Oakville) Vecina (Oakville -- 1999 vintage was Bond's inaugural release)
AVA: Le Bon Climat vineyard
Santa Maria Valley; Chard, PN, Viognier; ABC
What winery was initially named Hacienda del Rio, and when was its first vintage?
Williams Selyem; 1983 (1984 was released as Williams Selyem)
Where is Hudson Vineyard? What is grown there and who makes wine from it?
Carneros; Chard, Syrah & Bordeaux varietals
Marcassin, Arietta, Kistler
What is the longest continually operating winery in the United States? When did it start production and what AVA is it in?
Brotherhood Winery, Hudson River Region, 1839
Where would you find the sub-regions Valle de Guadalupe, Valle de Santo Tomas, Valle de San Antonio de las Minas, Valle de San Vincente?
Baja Peninsula
Name two Champagne houses that are launching houses in England.
Taittinger (Kent)
Pommery (partnership with Hattingley Valley in Surrey)
Where is Ballard Canyon?
Santa Ynez Valley
What is the southern most AVA of the Willamette Valley?
Eola-Amity Hills
What were the best vintages of the 1980s in Napa?
1984, 1985, 1986, 1987
First planting of vines in California was where and by whom?
San Diego della Calla, the first of the 21 California Missions, by Junipero Serra and his parish.
Where is the Bien Nacido vineyard located?
Santa Maria Valley
How do bodies of water mitigate cool climate in NY state?
Buffer hot and cold temps and reduce the risk of winter injury as well as Spring and Fall frosts
What is the most planted grape of the Niagara Escarpment AVA?
Vidal Blanc
Name two producers in the Hamptons Long Island AVA? North Fork?
Hamptons: Wolffer, Channing Daughters
North Fork: Macari, Sparkling Pointe, Roanoke, Paumonok
Name five white hybrid grapes planted in America.
Brianna, La Crescent, Seyval, Traminette, Vidal Blanc, Vignoles, Blanc du Bois, Cayuga White, Chardonel, Valvin Muscat
What AVA is the Champoux vineyard in?
Horse Heaven Hills
What body of water lies directly below Carneros?
San Pablo Bay
What family is the current proprietor of Chateau Montelena, and when did theyacquire the estate?
Barrett family, Jim Barrett, 1972; Chateau Montelena was originally founded in 1882 by Alfred Tubbs.
Where is Ben Lomond Mountain AVA?
Within Santa Cruz County, and sits on the western edge within Santa Cruz Mtns AVA.
What are the most planted hybrids in the Finger Lakes?
Cayuga and Vignoles
What viticultural practices contributed to a riper style of Cab in the 90s in Napa?
VSP, low-fruiting zones, high-density planting
What are the sub AVAs of the Willamette Valley?
Dundee Hills Eola-Amity Hills Ribbon Ridge McMinnville Yamhill-Carlton District Chehalem Mountains
What are the sub-appellations of Niagara Escarpment?
Short Hills Bench
Beamsville Bench
Twenty Mile Bench
Who owns Chalone?
Diageo, since 2004
How common is dry farming in the Columbia Valley vs. the Willamette Valley?
Columbia – nearly impossible (6-8” of rainfall per year)
Willamette – quite wet, very possible
What winery did Martin Ray start in 1936?
Mt. Eden Vineyards
Who owns Inniskillin today?
Constellation
What is the varietal requirements for labeling Oregon wine?
With the exception of Bordeaux grapes, Rhone grapes, Zin, Sangiovese, Tannat & Tempranillo, varietally labeled Oregon wines must contain a minimumm 90% of the grape rather than the federally mandated 75%
AVA: Seven Springs Vineyard
Eola-Amity Hills (Evening Land)
What grapes grow well in northern Monterey vs. southern Monterey?
N – Chard and PN
S – Cab and Syrah
AVA: Abacela
Umpqua Valley
What city is at the base of Spring Mountain?
St. Helena
What is the Volstead Act?
The act that implemented prohibition in 1920 (18th ammendment was passed in 1919)
What is Coro Mendocino?
Coro Mendocino is an association of producers AND a wine bottling that is made in Mendocino under strict regulations based on old-vine Zinfandel. Similar to Champagne’s Special Club or Napa Valley’s Meritage.
Who invented white zin?
Sutter Home
What are the grapes of Isosceles and what region does it come from?
Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc; made by Justin in the Adelaide District of Paso Robles
AVA: L’Aventure
Paso Robles (Willow Creek District)
Name three brands that Kendall-Jackson owns?
Arrowood, Byron, Cambria, Cardinale, Freemark Abbey, Hartford, La Crema, Lokoya, Matanzas Creek, Stonestreet
What is the most common grape used to make Canadian ice wine?
Vidal
Where is Kistler Vineyard?
Sonoma Valley; Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
AVA: Bethel Heights
Eola-Amity Hills
What American rootstock is responsible for alleviating phylloxera in California in the 1880s and 1890s?
Vitis Rupestris/St. George
What winery did Gary Figgins start, and in what AVA?
Leonetti, Walla Walla
What counties are part of the North Coast?
Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Solano & Marin
Who planted the first Pinot Noir in Oregon and in what year? Willamette Valley?
Oregon: Richer Sommer, Hillcrest, Umpqua Valley, 1961
Willamette: David Lett, Eyrie Vineyards, 1966
For what state was Dr. Walter Clore instrumental in planting vinifera?
Washington
What is West Sonoma Coast Vitners and name three members.
An organization aiming to demarcate the western Sonoma Coast from the west of this large, disparate appellation. Members include Flowers, Failla, Littorai, Martinelli, Peay, Hirsch, Red Car, Freeman, Ceritas, DuMol, Crossbarn by Paul Hobbs
AVA: DuBrol vineyard
Rattlesnake Hills
Why are some mountain AVAs of Napa WARMER than the valley floor?
Above the marine layer – no fog or sea breezes to mitigate.
What are the top white and red varietals by acreage in Mendocino?
W) Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Geurztraminer
R) Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel
(Cabernet Sauvignon in Mendocino often falls into blends or in North Coast AVA wines)
Name three wineries based in Yamhill-Carlton District.
Elk Cove, Willakenzie Estate, Penner Ash, Belle Pente
In what AVA is Morro Bay the dominant cooling influence?
Edna Valley AVA in San Luis Obispo county.
When was prohibition in Canada and what were its lasting effects on the wine industry?
Technically, national prohibition in Canada was only from 1918-1920, though many provinces enacted bans long before and long after the national movement. There was a post-prohibition moratorium on opening any new wineries that lasted until 1974.
Name three wineries based in Santa Ynez Valley.
Beckman, Zaca Mesa, Jonata, Stolpman, Bridlewood, Fess Parker, Hitching Post, Rusack Vineyards
AVA: Kronos vineyard
St. Helena; Corison; Cab
What are the seven sub-apps of Lodi?
Mokelumne River Cosumnes River Jahant Borden Ranch Alta Mesa Clement Hills Sloughhouse
Name the four single vineyard sites of Diamond Creek.
Volcanic Hill, Red Rock Terrace, Gravelly Meadow, and Lake
What region on the Winkler scale is Yakima Valley?
Region II
What are the only two Canadian regions with VQA status? Which one’s standards are legally enforced and which are voluntary?
Ontario & British Columbia. VQA standards are legally enforced in Ontario, but voluntary in British Columbia (whose standards are enforced by the Marked Quality Regulation)
AVA: Hanzell
Sonoma Valley (technically within Moon Mountain, but label Sonoma Valley)
In what decades did phylloxera present the biggest problem to Napa vitners and when was it remedied?
1870s-1890s with vines finally being planted onto native American rootstock (mainly St. George, a vitis rupestris) at the turn of the century. Research continued throughout the 20th century for other resistant root stocks, especially those that would produce higher yields. One called AxR#1 was latched onto, though it’s resistance to phylloxera was refuted by many. Sure enough, Phylloxera hit again in the 1980s, and to many vineyards planted on AxR#1.
Put in order from lowest to highest in average daily temperatures: Happy Canyon, Sta. Rita Hills, central Santa Ynez
Sta. Rita Hills, central Santa Ynez, Happy Canyon
Name five wineries that Helen Turley is the winemaker or consulting winemaker for?
Marcassin, Martinelli, Colgin, Bryant Family, La Jota, Pahlmayer, BR Cohn
What was the first US winery and vineyard established exclusively for Rhone varieties, and where is it located? What major event did the founder establish to promote the region and the grapes?
Alban Vineyards in Edna Valley, est. 1989. John Alban helped found Hospice du Rhone.
AVA: Kalin Cellars
Potter Valley, Anderson Valley
AVA: Upland Vineyard
Snipes Mountain, Yakima
AVA: Inglenook
Rutherford
AVA: Ritchie Vineyard
RRV; Paul Hobbs, Ramey, Arista; Chardonnay
What former GI of Ontario was deregulated in 2013?
Pelee Island (now a part of Lake Erie North Shore)
What are the three AVAs of Long Island?
Long Island
- North Fork of Long Island
- The Hamptons, Long Island
What mountain AVAs of Napa are in the Mayacamas range?
Diamond Mountain District, Spring Mountain District, and Mt. Veeder
When must intent to produce icewine be declared to the VQA? How are grapes harvested for icewine?
November; grapes are harvested at night when temps reach at least -8* C.
What is the name of Taittinger’s Napa sparkling wine house and what was its first vintage? What building was the winery modeled after?
Domaine Carneros, 1989; Taittinger’s Chateau de Marquetterie
What geographic feature helps define the climate of the Columbia Valley?
The rainshadow effect caused by the Cascade Mountains – less than ten inches of rain/year
AVA: Gary Farrel/Alysian
RRV
Who makes Two Buck Chuck? Who started the company?
Bronco; started by Fred Franzia after he sold Franzia.
Name the 6 AVAs of Santa Barbara County.
- Santa Maria Valley
- Santa Ynez Valley
- Sta. Rita Hills
- Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara
- Ballard Canyon
- Los Olivos
Where is the home to the Americas’ oldest winery?
Casa Madero in Coahuila, 1597
What was the first vintage of Robert Mondavi?
1966 (fun fact: John Daniel, the proprietor of Inglenook at the time, bought the first five cases of Mondavi’s 1966 vintage)
AVA: HdV
Carneros (make Chard, Syrah, and Bdx blend – no Pinot!)
Name three wineries that Heidi Barret has been the winemaker at or consulted for.
Screaming Eagle, Dalle Valle, Grace Family, Diamond Creek, Kenzo, Niebaum-Coppala.
AVA: Linne Calodo
Paso Robles (Willow Creek District)
What states share the Upper Mississippi River Valley
MN, IA, WI, and IL
What is the flattest AVA in Napa?
Yountville (20-200 ft)
What winery is responsible for the term “Rutherford Dust”? What does it refer to?
Beaulieu (Tchelistcheff specifically); It can either refer to a tasting note of the wines, or the gravelly, sandy, loamy soils of the region: “In Rutherford, the deeper soils and microclimates create longer growing seasons and ‘hang time’ that seem to round out the tannins in a soft, dusty style. This gives wines from the area a powdery ‘fine dusty tannin’ effect with hints of plump cocoa powder”
What was the first vintage of Screaming Eagle?
1992
What is the most important quality wine growing region of the Central Valley?
Lodi
What two rivers run through Rutherford?
Napa River and Conn Creek
AVA: Red Willow vineyard
Yakima
What geographic feature does Lodi lie on the eastern edge of?
Sacramento River Delta (confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers)
What stipulations of the Volstead Act allowed for wine grape and wine production to continue in a limited fashion in California?
First, that sacramental and medicinal wines were legal. And second, that heads of households could make cider or “fruit juices” in their homes, essentially legalizing home winemaking. Every head of household was permitted to make 200 gallons of fruit juice each year per the IRS!
Name three vineyard sites within Fort Ross-Seaview AVA?
Marcassin Vineyard, Three Sisters, Blue Slide Ridge
Whose wine regions are governed by the Wines of Marked Quality Regulation?
British Columbia
What two natural features define the Niagara Peninsula?
Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment
What two AVAs are separated by Peconic Bay?
North Fork of Long Island and The Hamptons, Long Island
How does the climate of Green Valley differ from the rest of RRV and why?
Cooler and foggier due to its proximity to the Petaluma Gap
What regions of BC are on the east side of the Cascades?
Similkameen and Okanagan Valleys
Name three Burgundies that were entered in the Judgement of Paris in 1976. Which got second place?
Roulot 1973 Meursault-Charmes, Drouhin 1973 Clos des Mouches, Ramonet-Prudhon 1973 Batard Montrachet, Leflaive 1972 Les Pucelles; Roulot came in second to Chateau Montelena
What state’s viticulture is affected by the Blue Ridge Mountains?
Virginia
What grapes would you find planted in the north of Okanagan versus the south?
North — coolest. PN, Gewürztraminer, PG, Riesling. Sparkling wines.
South — warmest. BDX grapes and Syrah
What region is responsible for 85% of Mexico’s wine production?
Baja California
Where is Clarksburg AVA?
NW of Lodi in the Central Valley
Name three hybrids developed at Cornell. What traits were these developed for?
To withstand cold, wet, windy climates: Noiret Corot Noir Valvin Muscat Cayuga White Chardonel Traminette
What three rivers affect the climate of Walla Walla?
Snake River, Columbia River, and Walla Wall River
What winery did Chris Camarda found in 1989?
Andrew Will
What are the three AVAs of the Finger Lakes?
Finger Lakes
- Cayuga Lake
- Seneca Lake
What are the requirements for vintage dating in the US?
If a wine is vintage dated, it must come from an appellation smaller than country. If labeled by AVA, must be 95% from that vintage. If labeled by state or county, only 85%
Put from east to west: Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Dry Creek Valley
Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley
AVA: Morning Dew Ranch
Anderson Valley, Mendocino; Williams Seylem
Name two bodies of water that affect the climate of the Leelenau Peninsula?
Lake Michigan and Traverse Bay
What AVAs are in Santa Clara County? What AVAs are grapes grown in Santa Clara Co also able to be labeled as?
Santa Clara Valley, San Ysidro, Pacheco Pass. Grapes from within the county can also be labeled: Central Coast AVA, San Francisco Bay AVA
Name three producers based in the Stag’s Leap District.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Cliff Lede, Shafer, Robert Sinksey, Clos du Val, Chimney Rock
What AVA does the Petaluma Gap have a defining effect on?
Sonoma Coast, Fort Ross-Seaview, and Petaluma Gap!
AVA: Griffin’s Lair
Sonoma Coast/Petaluma Gap; Syrah; Pax
Stags Leap District AVA is carved out of the east side of what other AVA? What makes it unique?
Yountville; soil composition – unique geological outcroppings from the Vaca mountains; more volcanic and alluvial than Yountville – called “Rhyolite” soils– clay/loam.
Compare the climate of the Willamette Valley and southern Oregon?
Southern Oregon is warmer, higher elevation, and drier
What is the encepagement of Monte Bello?
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec (no Cab Franc!)
What does “Arroyo Seco” translate to? Where is it?
Monterey County; “Dry Creek”
AVA: Napanook vineyard
Yountville; Dominus (formerly Inglenook); Cab
AVA: Au Bon Climat
Santa Maria Valley
In what three counties does Ravenswood make wine? Who is the proprietor?
Napa, Sonoma, and Lodi; Joel Peterson.
Name three other California Cabernets besides Stag’s Leap that competed in the Judgement of Paris in 1976.
Ridge Monte Bello, Mayacamas, Clos du Val, Heitz, Freemark Abbey
What river bisects Paso Robles?
Salinas River
Who makes l’Ermitage? From where? What was the producer’s first vintage?
Roederer, Anderson Valley; first vintage of Roederer Estate was 1988
What AVA does Cayuse have on its labels?
Walla Walla AVA
AVA: Corison
St. Helena
When was the Petaluma Gap AVA established, and which AVAs does it overlap?
2017; Sonoma Coast, RRV, and Marin County
Who was the original proprietor of Hanzell, and in what year was it established?
Ambassador Zellerbach, 1948
How does the coldness of winters affect viticulture in the Columbia Valley?
Frost can affect yields and whole vines can die. Positively, WA is relatively pest-free, no mildew, phylloxera, etc.
Who was the most famous proprietor of the Eisele Vineyard and in what year was their first vintage of Eisele? Where is it located? Name two producers who made Eisele previously.
Araujo; 1991; in northeastern Calistoga 1971 - Ridge 1972/1973 - fruit sold to Mondavi, not labeled as Eisele 1974 - Conn Creek 1975-1991 - Joseph Phelps
AVA: Hudson vineyard
Carneros (Napa side); Chard with some Merlot and Syrah; Ramey, Patz + Hall; Kistler, Arietta, Aubert, Failla
AVA: Brewer Clifton
Sta. Rita Hills
Who makes “Maya”?
Dalle Valle
AVA: Joseph Phelps
St. Helena
DuBrol & 2 Blondes vineyards lie in what AVA?
Rattlesnake Hills (Yakima, Columbia Valley)
Where is the Livermore Valley AVA? Name two producers.
Central Coast, just south of San Francisco. Straddles Alameda County and Contra Coast County; Concannon and Wentworth
AVA: Stillwater Creek
Columbia Valley, WA
Name three vineyard sites in the Mt. Harlan AVA. What are their approximate elevations?
Jensen, Reed, Selleck, Villers, Mills and Ryan; 2200-2400 ft.
What are the AVAs of Idaho? If applicable, who are they shared with?
Snake River Valley, shared with OR
Lewis-Clark Valley, shared with WA
Eagle Foothills AVA
Name three wineries based on Howell Mountain.
Dunn, O’Shaughnessy, La Jota
What are the two main entry points for fog into Napa Valley?
Chalk Hill Gap
San Pablo Bay
Where was Oregon’s first Pinot Noir planted?
Umpqua Valley by Richard Sommer in 1961
AVA: Araujo
Calistoga
What are the viticultural hazards of English wine?
Getting grapes to ripen at such a northerly latitude, disease, rot, frost
Compare the latitude of Ontario and British Columbia.
British Columbia is substantially further north, at the 49th parallel, while Ontario rests comfortably in the 41-44th
Where is the San Ysidro District AVA?
Central Coast, just south of San Francisco. Fully within Santa Clara Valley AVA. ZERO WINERIES but 2 vineyards: Mistral & San Ysidro.
AVA: Foris
Rogue Valley
What region on the Winkler Scale is Anderson Valley?
Region I in the west (“the deep end”) and Region II in the east
What vintage did James Laube refer to as the vintage that “put California Cabernet on the map”?
1974
What is the most eastern sub of Columbia Valley?
Walla Walla
Where is the To-Kalon vineyard and name the five owners.
Oakville; Beckstoffer, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, MacDonald, and Detert
What is Livermore Valley AVA’s claim to fame? What larger AVAs is it a part of?
Carl Wente planted Chardonnay here in the 1880s; most Chardonnay vines in the state can be traced back to a Wente clone; San Francisco Bay AVA and Central Coast AVA
What is the lowest elevation for vineyards from Mendocino Ridge AVA?
1200 ft.
Name the first single winery AVA in the USA
Guenoc (1981) controlled by a single winery, the Langtry Estate/Guenoc Winery. This is the first winery that became both a brand and an AVA. Usually bottled under Guenoc Valley AVA, Lake County AVA, or California AVA.
AVA: Qupe
Santa Maria Valley
Where is the Three Sisters Vineyard? What is grown there and who makes wine from it?
Sonoma Coast; Chardonnay & Pinot Noir; Marcassin, Martinelli
Where is the town of Milton Freewater?
SE Walla Walla, on the Oregon side
Where is the Sanford & Benedict vineyard?
Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County
What is the minimum brix for Icewine made in Ontario? What is the minimum residual sugar? Do these requirements differ at all for Icewine made in British Columbia?
32 degrees (after pressing); 100 g/L. (125 g/L before 2014); BC is the same
Name 2 Sonoma AVAs known for Cabernet Sauvignon.
Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Sonoma Valley
How many Finger Lakes are there? Name four.
11 Finger Lakes; Seneca, Cayuga, Keuka, and Canandaigua
What are the best vintages of the 2000s in Napa?
2000 itself was cool and irregular; 2001-2004 saw a string of very hot vintages, with 2002 and 2003 being the most difficult, though all capable of producing outstanding wines. 2005 and 2006 were slightly cooler, with lower alcohols and heightened acidities. 2007 and 2008 were steadier with earlier harvests and lower yields. 2009 was a blockbuster, with 2010 and 2011 being more difficult (cool, rainy). 2011 was exceptionally challenging with lots of mold and mildew. 2012 and 2013 are promising.
AVA: Boushey vineyard
Yakima
What was the first American winery outside of California to get 100 points from Robert Parker? In what year?
Quilceda Creek, 2002
AVA: George III
Rutherford, Beckstoffer, Cab (formerly a Beaulieu Vineyard)
What is the encepagement of Dominus?
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and PV
How does Oakville’s climate compare to other valley floor AVAs?
More strongly influenced by fog, so acidity levels are kept higher.
AVA: Sheridan vineyard
Rattlesnake Hills
AVA: Mer Soleil
Santa Lucia Highlands
Who makes Herb Lamm? What was the first vintage and last?
Colgin; 1992 (all Colgin was from Herb Lamm 1992-1998). Last vintage was 2007 when the vineyard succumbed to phylloxera.
Where is Cave Spring Cellars?
Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Why is Columbia Valley relatively phylloxera-free?
Sandy soils, distance between vineyards, and low winter temps
What was the first vintage of Leonetti?
1977
AVA: Beaulieu
Rutherford
What is Sonoma’s warmest AVA and why?
Knights Valley; it is further inland and its narrow shape against the Mayacamas traps daytime heat
AVA: Evening Land (OR)
Eola-Amity Hills
Where are the Saddle Mountains?
Just to the north of Wahluke Slope in the Columbia Valley
What is the northernmost AVA in the Central Coast AVA?
San Francisco Bay AVA
AVA: Seasmoke
Sta. Rita Hills
What are the most planted grapes of Long Island?
Merlot and Chardonnay
Name all the valley floor sub AVAs of Napa from north to south.
Calistoga, St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville, Yountville, Stag’s Leap, Oak Knoll
Name three AVAs of Virginia
Middleburg, Virginia’s Eastern Shore, Monticello, Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace, North Fork of Roanoke, Rocky Knob, Shenandoah Valley
On what lake are Dr. Konstantin Frank and Ravines located?
Keuka Lake
Which AVA in the Sierra Foothills is known for having the highest elevation and unique granite soils?
Fair Play AVA (El Dorado Co).
21,120 acres, sandy loam over massive granite monolith, Highest elevation in Sierras (2-3,000 ft). Syrah (loves granite), Zin, Barbera, Petite Sirah
What geographic feature borders Napa on the south?
San Pablo Bay
What is the most western sub of the Willamette Valley?
McMinnville
What AVA is nested in the NW corner of Sonoma Valley? How does it differ in climate from the rest of Sonoma?
Bennett Valley; it is cooler due to Pacific winds coming through the Petaluma gap
What is the Niagara Escarpment?
A 650 mile long limestone ridge. It creates circulation of air, which extends the growing season by staving off frosts. It also shelters growing regions from the colder weather systems from the south.
Where did Joseph Heitz work before founding his eponymous winery?
Gallo, Guild, Mission Bell, and Beaulieu
Where is La Jota based?
Howell Mountain
Who owns Bond and why was it started?
Bill Harlan; Single vineyard sites did not fit into the philosophy of Harlan, and Bob Levy was pushing to do single vineyard wines.
Name the AVA that overlaps SLO & Santa Barbara counties.
Santa Maria Valley (mostly in Santa Barbara)
AVA: Joseph Swan
RRV
What was the major natural event which influenced the 2008 Mendocino vintage? What happened to production?
2008 saw multiple forest fires, many producers did not make a vintage, some wines have smoke taint, and many vineyards suffered 50%+ loss.
Which winery in The Central Coast is co-owned by Perrin family of the Rhone? Where is it located?
Tablas Creek. Paso Robles.
Niagara-on-the-Lake is at the confluence of what two bodies of water?
Lake Ontario and Niagara River
AVA: Shea Vineyard
Yamhill-Carlton; PN; Ken Wright
What does COLA refer to?
Certification of Label Approval
Who makes Cask 23?
Stags Leap, a blend of their estate SLV and FAY vineyards
What is the northernmost sub of Columbia Valley? What grapes are grown here?
Lake Chelan; Riesling and Pinot Noir
Where is Redwood Valley AVA and what grapes are grown there?
Mendocino. Warm area with gaps in coastal range allowing influence of Pacific air. Red soils abound. Earliest vineyards of Mendocino were planted here by Italians.
Grapes: Cab Sauv, Zin, Barbera, Petite Sirah
What is the exception to the federally mandated law for percentage of grapes that must come from an AVA to be labeled as such?
Oregon; wines labeled by AVA must contain 95% of grapes from that AVA rather than the federally mandated 85% (WA also requires that wines labeled as an AVA shared with WA be min. 95% from that AVA or from WA state)
What percentage of grapes must be grown in Ontario or British Columbia to be labeled as such?
100%
What winery was started by the Evenstad family?
Domaine Serene
What geological features affect the climate of the Columbia Gorge?
Gap in the Cascades — allows cool winds to come through, as well as lessens the rainshadow effect, making it a wetter region. The Columbia Gorge is a narrow region where the Columbia River cuts through the Cascades.
AVA: Rhys
Santa Cruz Mountains
What are the requirements for varietal labeling in the United States? What state makes an exception to this?
75% (except Vitis Labrusca, which is 51%); Oregon makes an exception to this rule - 75% is the standard for Bordeaux, Rhône, Spanish varieties, Sangiovese and Zinfandel. All other grapes (Alsatian and Burgundian grapes, mainly) are held to a 90% standard.
What are the AVAs of Arizona, and what grapes are grown there?
Sonoita and Willcox, in far southern Arizona; Cab, Merlot, and Rhone varietals
What AVA connects Sonoma and Napa at their northernmost point?
Knights Valley
AVA: Gundlach Bundschu
Sonoma Valley
Where is Nyetimber?
West Sussex
What winery is Martin Ray associated with?
Mt. Eden in the Santa Cruz Mountains
What are the exceptions to the laws for labeling by state in the US?
If a wine is labeled California or Oregon, it must come 100% from that state. For Washington, 95%
How deep do the Finger Lakes run?
300-650 feet.
What is Bacchus?
A cross of (Sylvaner x Riesling) x Muller Thurgau. Developed in Germany in the 1930s.
What AVAs of Sonoma County touch or go over the border to Mendocino County?
Sonoma Coast, Rockpile, and Alexander Valley all touch the border of Mendocino County. Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak is shared between Sonoma and Mendocino counties
AVA: Justin
Paso Robles (Adelaida District)
What is “Dry Creek Conglomerate”?
The free-draining, rocky, gravelly soils of Dry Creek, rich in iron
Who was the most famous winemaker of Beaulieu, and when was he hired?
Andre Tchelistcheff, 1938
Which Mendocino AVA is a haven for Rhône varietals? What natural features affect it?
McDowell Valley AVA.
540 acres, high sloping benchland that is 1,000ft above sea level.
Over looks Russian River, in the foothills of the northern Maycamas.
known for Rhône reds & whites, old vine zinfandel.
What hills seperate Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley?
Solomon Hills and Santa Rita Hills
What AVA is sandwiched between the city of Napa and Yountville?
Oak Knoll District
AVA: Martha’s Vineyard
Oakville; Heitz; Cab
What is the regulatory body for wine in Canada?
Vitners Quality Alliance (VQA)
Where is Reif Estate located?
Niagara River, Niagara on the Lake
AVA: Argyle
Dundee Hills
AVA: Olivet Lane vineyard
RRV; Merry Edwards; PN
What AVA occupies a small triangle on the eastern end of Yakima?
Red Mountain
When did California come in possession of the United States?
Between 1846-1848, with the official admission of it as the 31st state in the union in 1850.
Name three red hybrid grapes planted in America.
Chambourcin, Frontenac, Marechal Foch, Marquette, Baco Noir, Black Spanish (aka Lenoir)
AVA: McFadden Farms Vineyard
Potter Valley, Mendocino; Dashe
What was the first vintage of Dominus?
1983
Name three vineyard sites that Cayuse works with.
Cailloux, Coccinelle, En Cerise, En Chamberlin, Armada
AVA: Anakota
Knights Valley
AVA: Madrone Ranch vineyard
Sonoma Valley; Bedrock
What is eau de vie d’érable?
Eau de vie made from Maple Syrup in Canada
Put in order from north to south: Rogue Valley, Applegate Valley, Umpqua Valley
Umpqua
Rogue
Applegate (w/in the southern portion of Rogue)
What AVA lies between Anderson Valley and the coast?
Mendocino Ridge
What AVA of the Willamette Valley has the highest elevation vineyards?
Chehalem Mountains
When did Roederer estate start production in the Anderson Valley? What is their premier cuvee called?
1982; L’Ermitage (brut and brut rose)
What are the names of the four different Cabernets that Diamond Creek makes?
Red Rock Terrace (n. facing, iron rich) Volcanic Hill (s. facing, white volcanic ash) Gravelly Meadow (gravel & sand) Lake (coolest, only made in certain years, otherwise added to Gravelly Meadow)
AVA: Cain
Spring Mountain
Where would you find the unofficial subregions Hood River Valley and Underwood?
Columbia Gorge
What is the main difference in terms of climate between Walla Walla and the rest of the Washington wine regions?
Walla Walla is much rainier. It is in the “rain back-drop” of the blue mountains
Name the counties of the Central Coast from North to South (10)
Contra Costa, San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara
What AVA does Chateau Montelena’s Riesling come from?
Potter Valley
Name the three sub AVAs of Solano County.
Solano County Green Valley, Suisun Valley, Wild Horse Valley (shared with Napa). North Coast AVA also includes Solano Co.
Put east to west: Moon Mountain, Bennett Valley, Sonoma Mountain
Moon Mountain, Sonoma Mountain, Bennett Valley
Which Mendocino AVA has NO wineries and only 2 of 38,000 acres under vine?
Covelo AVA (granted AVA status in 2006, before regulations of ‘no wineries = no AVA law’)
How exactly does a rainshadow effect work in terms of WA state?
As Pacific air hits the Cascade range, it is pushed upward, cooled, and condensed into clouds, which quickly release their moisture as precipitation. It never reaches the other side of the mountains.
How many sub AVAs of the Napa Valley are there in total? Name them.
16:
Calistoga, Howell Mountain, Yountville, Carneros, Atlas Peak, Rutherford, Spring Mountain, Oakville, Mt. Veeder, Diamond Mountain, St. Helena, Stags Leap, Wild Horse Valley, Oak Knoll District, Chiles Valley, & Coombsville (added 2011)
AVA: Ken Wright
Yamhill-Carlton
When did prohibition start and end and what amendments were responsible for each?
1919 (18th Amendment, Volstead Act); 1933 (21st Amendment)
Name the 10 sub AVAs of the Columbia Valley.
Yakima Valley - Rattlesnake Hills - Red Mountain - Snipes Mountain Wahluke Slope Walla Walla Valley Horse Heaven Hills Lake Chelan Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley Naches Heights
AVA: Mt. Eden Vineyards
Santa Cruz Mountains
What is an alluvial fan and where are they concentrated in Napa Valley?
Accumulation of river run off at the foothills of the Mayacamas
What helps mitigate the cold climate of the Finger Lakes?
The Lake Effect – lowers the chance of freezes and promotes late bud break, lessening the dangers of spring frost.
Where is Almaden based? What are they known for?
San Benito County; jug wine – 13 million cases/year
What is the biggest viticultural hazard in Virginia?
Fungal diseases caused by humidity
What county is bisected by the Salinas River?
Monterey
What are the four sub-AVAs of Santa Ynez Valley (from west to east)? What grapes are best suited to each?
Sta. Rita Hills (western Santa Ynez) – PN + Chard
Ballard Canyon — Syrah
Los Olivos — Syrah and BDX grapes
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara (eastern Santa Ynez) – BDX grapes
AVA: Eberle
Paso Robles Geneseo District
Please name two independent distillers of Canadian Whisky.
Glenora, Pemberton, and Forty Creek
What is Napa’s smallest appellation?
Stags Leap District
What is the largest winery in WA state?
Columbia Crest – 1.7 million cases
Sonoma Coast AVA includes some or all of which other Sonoma County AVAs?
Fort-Ross Seaview, Russian River Valley (Chalk Hill and Green Valley), Sonoma Valley, and, Petaluma Gap, and Los Carneros
What is the northernmost VQA in Ontario?
Prince Edward County
When did Andre Tchelistcheff begin with Beaulieu and how long was his tenure? What were some of his lasting effects on viticulture in the Napa Valley?
He began with BV in 1938 and retired in 1973. Clean, cooler fermentations, carefully measure applications of sulfur dioxide, and an end to all copper and iron fittings.
In California’s history, what are shipper grapes?
Grapes that were planted during prohibition because they could withstand shipping throughout the US for home winemaking. Zinfandel, Carignan, Petit Sirah, and Alicante Bouschet are examples.
Name three Atlas Peak producers.
Antica, Atlas Peak Winery, Stagecoach Vineyards (Antica and Atlas Peak are owned by Antinori)
When did Warren Winiarski sell Stag’s Leap and to who?
2007; to the combined interested of Marchese Piero Antinori and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.
Name three producers of Anderson Valley Pinot?
Littorai, Copain, Williams Seylem, Goldeneye (owned by Duckhorn), Twomey, Saintsbury, Siduri, La Crema, Anthill Farms, Knez, Maggy Hawk
Is cyro-extraction allowed for Icewine made in Ontario? What about chaptalization? Sussreserve? How does this differ in British Columbia?
Cryo-extractions, chaptalization, and other methods of artificial must concentration are prohibited in both Ontario and British Columbia. However, sussreserve may be added at maximum of 15% provided it has the same minimum must weight as the icewine (in Ontario, not specified for British Columbia).
Name three American brands owned by Constellation.
Schrader, Simi, Meiomi, The Prisoner, Robert Mondavia, Mount Veeder, Clos du Boi, Cook’s Ravenswood
Name five native American grape varieties and their genus name.
Concord (Vitis Labrusca), Muscadine (Vitis Rotundifolia), Scuppernong (a white variety of Muscadine, Vitis Rotundifolia), Niagara (Vitis Labrusca), Norton (Vitis Aestivalis), and Catawba (Vitis Labrusca)
Where are England’s vineyards concentrated?
In the SE corner: Surrey, Kent, and Sussex
AVA: Merry Edwards
RRV
What is the encepagement of James Berry Vineyard? Where is it?
Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah; Willow Creek District (Paso Robles)
AVA: Ramey
RRV
Where is Henry of Pelham winery?
Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Who planted the first Vitis Vinifera in the Fingerlakes and in what year?
Dr. Konstantin Frank, 1962
AVA: Clajeaux Vineyard
Chalk Hill; Arnot Roberts
What county is Mt. Harlan in?
San Benito County
AVA: Diamond Creek
Diamond Mountain District
Name three labeling requirements for American wine.
Alcohol, government health warning, “contains sulfites” (if present in 100ppm or more)
Where is California’s Hyde Vineyard?
Carneros
Who owns Fetzer and Parducci?
Brown Forman
In what AVA did Korbel get its start?
RRV
What mountain ranges in Santa Barbara run east/west and what valleys do they create?
San Rafael and Santa Ynez Mountains; Santa Maria Valley AVA and Santa Ynez Valley AVA
