USA Flashcards
What is the United States GI system called?
American Viticultural Area (AVA), vary significantly in size, can include land in more than one state and can also overlap. Federal laws specify minimum percentages of grapes that must come from a single grape variety, vintage, or AVAto allow these terms to appear on the label. However, many states also have their own laws that may differ from the federal limits.
Describe the California climate and grape growing.
1100 kms north to south, vineyards throughout the state, cold California Ocean Current influence. North of Los Angeles (most vineyards located), the coast line of California is mountainous. mountains shield the state from the cooling effect of the ocean, but areas that are affected by cooling area, cooling effect is marked.
Cold air, often accompanied by fogs, drawn in from the ocean in the evening, lowering night-time temps. In addition, the time it takes thesun to burn off the fog in the morning means that the cooling influence extends well into the day. Cooling effect can be so dramatic the vineyards near the coast, that in some years grapes can struggle to fully ripen. Where there are gaps in the mountains, the cooling effect cna reach well inland. VAlleys that lie at right angles to the ocean, such as Monterey and Santa Barbara, act as funnels for teh cold air. Where there is no exposure to the ocean, such as central valley, the climate is hot.
Lack of rain during ripening season, water shortages real concern, drip irrigation is widely practised. Scarcity of autumn rain has always allowed growers to leave the grapes on the vine long into the season. This extra “hang time” results in very ripe grapes with very concentrated flavours and very high sugar levels. More recently, greater appreciation of freshness and many growers are now picking earlier.
Black varieties of California?
Cab sauv - most widely planted, full-bodied with very concentrated ripe cassis flavour, prominent spice aromas from new oak barrels. Some producers make less rich style, fresher black currant flavours.
Zinfandel - “own” grape variety, range of styles. Ripens unevenly wiht the consequence tha tthe harvested fruit can sometimes include both raisined and underripe grapes. The raisining can result in concentrated full-bodied red wines with high alcohol levels, sometimes with small amounts of residual sugar. Flavours include red and black fruits, dried berries, and liquorice. Subtle herbaceous quality from underripe grapes. Large volumes of rose Zinfandel are made from early-picked grapes, referred to as white zin, fruity, pale in colour, medium-sweet and low in alcohol.
Merlot - soft tannins, ripe black fruit, San Joaquin in Central Valley ahs the largest plantings, making simple inexpensive wines. Better-quality Merlots come from cooler sites such as Monterey and North Coast regions, especially in Napa and Sonoma. Deeply coloured wines have soft velvety tannins, luscious body, high alcohol and classic varietal flavours of blackbery and plum.
Pinot Noir - Moderate regions of Russian Rivery Valley, Los Carneros, Santa Maria Valley. Styles range widely based on vineyard site and winemaking practices. Light in colour with classic gamey and vegetal notes, most show rich layers of ripe red fruits flavours (red cherry, strawberry) and notes of vanilla from oak maturation.
Syrah - Planted across the state, made in full-bodied rich style. Some producers make leaner more peppery styles.
White varieties?
Chardonnay - most planted white grape variety. Wide variation throughout the state, inexpensive high volume wines from central valley tend to be fruity with low to med acid, toasty notes from oak staves or chips. High quality cali chardonnays in teh past had reputation for being full-bodied high in alchol and low in acidity, wtih obvious flavours of oak, hazelnut and butter underpinning the peach adn banana fruit flavours. Today wide variety of premium Chardonnay being produced including restrained examples with less oak from cooler regions such as Los Carneros, Russian River Valley.
Sauvignon Blanc - high acid, ripe citrus fruit (coastal regions). Fruity everyday wines come from warmer regions such as the central valley. Fume Blanc is sometimes used to indicate an oaked style of Sauv Blanc, but some rpodcuers use this term for unoaked wines.
Where is most Cali wine produced?
Central vAlley where the soil is very fertile and irrigation is used to increase yield.
in premium wine regions along Cali coast, great attention is paid to managing quality in teh vineyard and producing wines reflective of each area.
How are the principal vineyards grouped in California? Which 3 contain the majority of well-known County Appellations and AVAs?
5 regions, North Coast, Central Coast, Central Valley.
Where is the north coast located and what is the climate influenced by?
North of san fransisco bay, climated here is stronfly influenced by the ocean, brining fog and cool breezes that flow through the gaps in the coastal ranges and river valleys. This affects the average temps and diurnal temp ranges that determine grape plantings.
Describe the Napa County region.
Napa Valley AVA
- Los Carneros AVA
- Stags Leap District, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford
- Saint Helena AVA
- Calistoga AVA
- Howell Mountain AVA
- Mount Veeder AVA
Describe the Sonoma and Mendocino County regions.
Sonoma county larger than napa county
- Russian Rive Valley AVA
- Dry Creek Valley AVA
- Alexander Valley AVA
- Sonoma Coast AVA
Mendocino County
Describe the Central Coast region.
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey -
Mts AVA is a diverse region in north of the Central Coast, hillside locations with infertile soils. Some of calis most elegant Cab Sauvs are produced in this moderate climate, as well as some high-quality Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.
Monterey AVA follows the path of Salinas Valley, strongly influeced by cold pacific ocean. Chard and Pinot Noir heavily planted closer to teh coast where strong cool wind blows in on a daily basis. Further along the valley, less cool winds, Merlot, Cab Sauv, Syrah grown here. Number of AVAS on the slopes surrounding the Salinas Valley within Monterey County, in particular the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is noted as asource of high-quality Chardonnay with Citrus and tropical fruit flavours, balanced acidity.
San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara - southern part of central coast, mountains lie east-west rather than north-south, encouraging the flow of cool ocean breezes onto the mainland.
Paso Robles AVA in SLO county has notable plantings of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Syrah. East tends to experience hot, sunny weather, deep fertil soils producing supple fruity wines for high-volume brand. West is cooled by marine air, reputation for high-quality Zinfandel and Rhone varieties.
Further south the exposed coastal Santa MAria Valley AVA of Santa Barbara is signfiicantly cooler, well suited for premium Pinot NOir and Char, low-lying areas fog can cover the vineywards during the day, encouraging slow ripening process and yielding wines with concentrated fruits flavbours blanaced by high acid. Slightly warmer than Santa Ynez Valley AVA, produces red winds from Syrah adn Bordeaux varieties.
Describe the Central Valley region.
Encompasses Sacramento, San Joaquin Valley, and produces majority of Californian wine, much of which is used in high-volumne inexpensive brands and without an AVA, simply labelled “California”. Hot climate, dry, irrigation widely practised. New grape varieties such as Rubired and Ruby Cabernet were bred in cali to make the most of these conditions.
Cab sauv, merlot, chardonnay widely planted as well as Colombard, Chenin Blanc, and Barbera.
Lodi AVA straddles the Sacramento and SAn Joaquin Valleys, in the middle of the Central Valley. The AVA lies eats of the huge Sacramento Delta, benefits each day from the cooling breezes from SF bay. Most varieties are grown, but Lodi is also home to some of the oldest and bst Zinfandel vineyards in the state.
