USA - California Flashcards
How much does California produce? Where are vines located?
The largest P of wine in the US, making over 80% of all US wine, meaning it it still the worlds 4th largest P of wine after Italy, France and Spain.
Vineyards specifically for wine production cover 250,000 ha and are located throughout the state; along the Pacific coast, in the interior Central Valley, and up into the Sierra Nevada foothills.
The states AVAs can be grouped into the North Coast, Central Coast, Inland Valleys (including Central), Sierra Foothills and Southern California.
How did grapes reach California? What was their first use?
Initially introduced by Spanish missionaries who planted grapes at the missions they established along the California coast as far north as Sonoma Valley.
Most grapes were used to make altar wine and sweet fortified wine.
When did plantings start to increase? What accelerated this?
The 1849 gold rush, with its concurrent population increase. By the late 19th century, many of the regions that are important for California wine today were producing wines, and a centre of research and education at the University of California (now in Davis) had been established.
What key factors hindered production?
In the 1890s, over planting led to a significant drop in grape and wine prices, making it difficult for wine producers to survive.
Shortly followed by prohibition, from 1920-1933, which stopped manufacture, transportation, sale and possession of alcohol beverages and devastated the winemaking industry.
When did the wine industry rebuild itself? What were key styles at this time?
The 1930s - 1960s.
In the mid 20th century, consumer preferences were mainly for medium-sweet or sweet wines and many of the wines were named after famous European regions; ‘Chablis’, ‘Burgundy’, or ‘Rhine’, though the styles often held no comparison to the wines they were named after. (Established brands are still able to sue these names if sold within the domestic market, and this is seen on some inexpensive, high volume brands).
What labelling terms began to emerge as the industry developed in the mid-late 20th century?
Wines began to be labelled with descriptors, eg ‘red table wine’ and then, promoted heavily by quality focused vintner Robert Mondavi, with the name of variety and origin.
What began to rise in the mid-late 20th century?
Plantings of Chard and Cab Sauv, and they quickly became two predominant varieties.
During the same period, significant improvements were made in growing and winemaking, many of which pioneered by leading winemaker and consultant Andre Tchelistcheff, eg Temperature controlled steel, better hygiene and techniques to prevent various diseases and frost
What key event happened in the 1970s?
1976, Judgement of Paris, where two Cali wines received top scores:
1973 Stags Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon and 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay.
This brought new attention and growth to the Cali wine trade.
Following the success of 1976, what were many new vineyards planted with? What happened to these vineyards?
The new rootstock AXR1, which could give vines with higher yields than the traditional rootstocks.
However, AXR1 which had some vinifera ancestry in its DNA, proved unsuitable when phylloxera started to attack Cali vineyards in the 1980s.
Large scale replanting was required, however, this gave the opportunity to re-evaluate site selection, choice of planting material and canopy management, in many areas with a focus on quality rather than quantity.
What wine style saw a rise in the 1990s? How does that compare to now?
Deeply coloured, highly concentrated and high alcohol red wines in response to consumer demand and critical acclaim.
This trend has now largely passed, and in recent years Californias wine production has been more diverse and of higher quality than ever before.
Now, there’s greater concentration on matching variety with regional soil and climate, and a higher number of professionally trained winemakers who have experience working elsewhere in the world, a highly regarded local wine research centre in Davis and an ever-greater interest in experimenting with a wide range of varieties, winemaking techniques and styles.
What are the two key natural factors influencing California climate, and what do they result in?
The cold Pacific Ocean and the ranges of mountains running the length of the state.
In the case of the ocean influence, a combination of the California current, bringing water from the north, and upwelling (the process whereby deep cold water rises to the surface) along the W coast of the USA means coastal waters are much colder here than those along the E coast.
Vineyards without exposure to the coast due to mountain protection are warm or even hot, whereas those with most exposure gain a significant cooling influence.
The topography of the land is much more influential than the degrees latitude, with some of the coolest areas also being some of the most southerly.
What mountain range runs from the far north of the state to Santa Barbara County? What role do they play?
The Coast Ranges. They provide some shelter from the ocean, however, gaps within these ranges, usually where the river valleys break through, mean ocean influences can reach further inland. As the land warms during the day, the air above it rises and pulls in cooler air from the coast during the afternoons and evenings, giving a high diurnal range. This air movement cools the vineyards, reduces the risk of fungal diseases and frosts, and in some places can be strong enough to cause the vines stomata to close and slow ripening this way (as well as by cooling).
When does fog form? What effect does it have?
The afternoons, and can often last into the morning, cooling but also reducing exposure to sunshine in the areas most affected.
Cali’s latitudes are low for a wine region (32-42°N), so when the fog burns off sunlight is intense.
What role does altitude play in Cali?
It can be a cooling influence in some places, but in the majority these vineyards are situated above the layer of fog, so although it leads to lower temperatures, they gain long hours of intense sunlight which can lead to greater levels of colour and tannin in black grapes.
What areas of Cali don’t experience cooling influences?
Those without the influence of coast or altitude, and so can be much warmer. The largest are in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, termed the Central Valley, where much of the grapes destined for inexpensive, high volume wines are grown.
What is the general climate?
Overall, Mediterranean without the marked contrasts in seasonal temperatures of a continental.
Growing seasons in most areas is dry.
Dry autumn’s can extend the viable growing season, helpful in the coolest regions.
How did vineyard management change in the 1990s?
Large scale replanting due to phylloxera, Pierces disease and increased understanding of vineyard management.
Many vineyards changed from a relatively uniform way of planting and training (low density, high yielding vines pruned and trained either to replacement cane or cordon) to be replanted with different densities, training and trellising tech jqued and a variety of planting materials.
Greater attention was paid to matching rootstocks to the environment and to growers aims.
How has viticulture changed in the 21st century?
Attention to the site and vine has increased even further with further focus on precision viticulture.
What workforce has Cali been able to use? How has this changed recently?
Plentiful, skilled Mexican labour. However, ongoing federal policies on illegal immigration and work permits have led to a reduction in this labour force over recent years.
Although vineyards in certain areas, eg Central Valley, have long been set up for mechanisation, an increasing number throughout the state are converting, where topography allows.
What is water availability like?
Lack of rainfall in the growing season means irrigation is installed in many vineyards.
Drought has been a problem in recent years, and has seen groundwater supplies dramatically decrease, leading to tensions between various agricultural businesses as well as residents in certain areas.
Spurred by the drought, local water sustainability agencies have been put in place to create and enforce water management schemes, leading to greater monitoring and regulation of use.
What hazards do vineyards face?
Fungal risk is low.
Bacterial Pierce’s disease, spread by leafhopper insects called sharpshooters, is a serious threat. They’re most associated with S Cali and areas of Central, but its also affected Sonoma and Napa in recent years.
Various weather hazards pose a threat. Spring frosts can be problematic, with sprinklers and wind machines typical methods of combating them.
Warm, dry weather means wildfires are a serious threat, which may damage vines and winery buildings in their path, and lead to smoke taint over a wider area.
What role does sustainability play in Cali?
Sustainable growing, winemaking and business practices are a key focus in the state, and several sustainability programmes have been established.
The California Winegrowing Alliance provides a number of resources to aid grape growers and wineries in incorporating sustainable methods, and runs a certification programme ‘Certified Sustainable’.
A number of other certification programmes have been founded within particular countries or AVAs, eg, Napa Green Winery, Sonoma County Winegrowers, and Lodi Rules.
Approx 85% of Cali wine production comes from wineries that are certified by one of the Sustainable certification programmes across the state.
What role do organics play?
Certification is less common than sustainable, but growing.
In the USA, to be labelled as Organic Wine, there must be no addition of SO2 in the winemaking process. Meaning a very small number have this certification.
By comparison, more wines are labelled with ‘certified organic grape’, meaning the growing process has been certified (also a demographic of those that farm organically but don’t seek certification).
A smaller proportion are certified biodynamic.
What is the breakdown of the top 9 varieties, in terms of ha planted
Chardonnay 37,000 ha
Cab Sauv 36,000 ha
Pinot Noir 18,000 ha
Zinfandel 17,000 ha
Merlot 15,500 ha
French Colombard 7,500 ha
Syrah 6,500 ha
Pinot Gris 6,000 ha
Sauv B 5,500 ha
