USA - California Flashcards
On what is based United states GI system ?
on the American Viticultural Area (AVA)
What is an AVA ?
AVAs vary in size
Can include land in more than on state an can overlap
Federal laws specify the minimum percentage of grapes that must come from a single grape variety to allow these terms to appear on the label
Many states have their own laws that may differ
Not all wines qualify for AVA. The name of the state can appear on the label
Law is more tolenrent for labelling with vintage and goegraphical origin than with AVA status
What is the main climatic influence on California’s wine growing regions?
The California Ocean Current
it’s an extremely cold Pacific Ocean current which moves down from British Columbia and directly affects the coast of California.
Most California vineyards are protected from cold ocean currents by what geological feature?
Mountains - which run up most of the state’s coastline.
Without the mountains, California’s northern coast would be dramatically cooler due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The mountains help insulate California.
What are the beneficial effects of fog created by California’s cold ocean currents?
The cold evening air and morning fogs that are drawn in from the ocean help to lower evening temperatures and retain acidity in the grapes.
Additionally, it takes longer for the sun to burn off the fog in the morning which extends the cooling effect well into late morning or afternoon.
This effect is so extreme that some grapes can struggle to fully ripen
How can the cooling effect reach inland vineyard ?
By the valleys that lie at right angles to the ocean, which act as funnuels for the cold air
Such as Montery and Santa Barbara Counties
What is the climate when there is no exposure ot the ocean such as in Central Valley ?
Hot Climate
What climatic factor links nearly all of California’s grape growing regions?
Low rainfall during the ripening season.
How do many California grape growers deal with the lack of rain during the ripening season?
Due to the shortage of rain in California, many grape growers use drip irrigation to make sure their vines have water during the growing season.
What is the beneficial impact of California’s low rainfall during the ripening season?
Lack of rain means growers can leave their grapes on the vine late into the season, resulting in super-ripe grapes with intense flavors and elevated sugar levels.
For fresh style, growers are now picking slightly early
What is the most planted red/black grape in California?
Cabernet Sauvignon
What is the most widely planted grape variety of either color in California?
Chardonnay
Despite its European origin, what grape is widely considered to be a uniquely Californian grape?
Zinfandel
What are the black grapes varieties grown in California ?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Zinfandel
merlot
Pinot Noir
Syrah
What are the white grapes varieties grown in California ?
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Describe the wine profile of California Cabernet Sauvignon
Extremly expressive, rivals the quality of the best produced anywhere
Full-bodied, concentrated ripe cassis flavours
Spice aromas from new oak barrels
Some make a less rich style with fresher flavours
What unique characteristic of Zinfandel allows it to be produced in several kinds of styles throughout California?
Zinfandel has the propensity of ripening unevenly, meaning that harvested bunches almost always include both unripe and raisinated grapes (which produces both underripe and overripe flavors in the wine).
Describe the wine profile of California Zinfandel
Concentrated full bodeid red wines, with high alcohol and residual sugar from raisined grapes
Herbeceaous notes from underripe grapes
Red and blakc fruits, dried berries, liquorice,
What is White Zinfandel made from?
What is its general profile?
Early-harvested Zinfandel grapes
Berry-fruity
Pale pink
Medium-sweet
Low alcohol
Which area in California has the largest plantings of Merlot?
Are these Merlots generally seen as higher quality or lesser quality than those from Napa, Sonoma or Monterey?
San Joaquin Valley in the Central Valley.
Merlots from San Joaquin Valley are generally seen as simple wines of lesser quality than those from Napa, Sonoma, or Monterey.
Merlots from San Joaquin are generally more affordable and meant for everyday consumption.
Which areas in California have reputations for making distinctive Merlot with character?
The cooler regions of California, such as Monterey County and parts of California’s North Coast, and the warmer regions of Napa and Sonoma.
Merlot from these regions will be soft, lush, and velvety, blackberry and plum
Which regions of California are known for producing premium Pinot Noir?
Best comes from moderate regions such as
Russian River Valley AVA
Los Carneros AVA
Santa Maria Valley AVA
What are the characteristics of Premium California Pinot noir?
light in colour with classic gamey and vegetal notes
rich layers of ripe red fruit flavours (red cherry, strawberry) and notes of vailly from oak
What are the characteristics of California Syrahr?
Full bodied in rich style or
leaner more peppery styles
Where can you find high volumes fruity Chardonnay wine with oak from chips in California ?
Central valley
What is the wine profile of a premium California Chardonnay?
In the past : full-bodied, high alcohol, low acidity, oak, hazelnut and butter, and tropical flavours
Today,
Wide variety including restrained examples
Where can you find premium Chardonnay of cooler regions in California ?
Lors Carneros and Russian River Valley
Where do some choice examples of California Sauvignon Blanc come from?
California’s coastal areas – which promote brisk acidity and bursting citrus notes
What does Fumé Blanc usually refer to?
Fumé Blanc usually refers to Sauvignon Blanc made in the United States that more than likely saw some new oak.
Be careful though, some producers will use Fumé Blanc on unoaked wines as a marketing term.
Where is the majority of California’s wine produced?
Central Valley
The hot + dry Central Valley has very fertile soil and irrigation is widely used to increase grape yields.
Where are located the premium wine region of California?
Primarily along California’s coast
Of the five winegrowing regions in California, which three contains the majority of appellations?
- North Coast
- Central Coast
- Central Valley
Where is located California’s north coast ?
describe the climate
North of San Francisco Bay
Strongly influenced by the ocean
Bringing fog and cool breezes into the valleys which influence temperatures and diurnal range
What California AVA has been a leader in forming California’s reputation for quality wines, and has been shown to possess some of the most desirable vineyards in the United States?
Napa Valley AVA
What are the two mountain ranges that flank Napa Valley?
Eastern side: Vaca Mountains
Western side: Mayacamas Mountains
These two ranges converge north of Calistoga, trapping and bottlenecking heat as cooler air pushes hot air up valley. This makes Calistoga several degrees warmer than Los Carneros, which is why Cabernet Sauvignon is planted in Calistoga and Pinot Noir is planted in Los Carneros.
What large body of water has a significant cooling effect on Napa Valley?
San Pablo Bay
San Pablo Bay, a continuation of San Francisco Bay which extends northward, helps usher cool Pacific afternoon breezes and morning fog moderating climate ito the south of the valley
How long is Napa Valley?
And how wide is it?
~50km (~31 miles) long
~5km (~3 miles) wide
Where are vines planted in Napa Valley ?
on both the valley flor and valley side, divided in smaller AVA
Provide a diverse range of climates and styles of wine
Los Carneros AVA has built its reputation by producing what styles of wine?
elegant still Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
traditional method sparkling wines
Which valley floor AVAs of Napa Valley have built reputations for their Cabernet Sauvignon?
The warmer
Stags Leap District AVA
Oakville AVA
Rutherford AVA
What other grape varieties are planted in Stags Leap District AVA, Oakville AVA
and Rutherford AVA?
Merlot , Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc (ripe tropical fruit)
Which is the warmest, and therefore has more powered and structured wines :
Stags Leap District AVA,
Oakville AVA
Rutherford AVA
Rutherford AVA
wines have more power and structure
Which AVA is shared between Napa and Sonoma?
Los Carneros AVA
Which northern Napa Valley AVAs record some of Napa Valley’s highest temperatures, thereby producing some of the most concentrated wines of the Napa Valley?
Saint Helena AVA and Calistoga AVA
What are the grape varieties grown in Saint Helena AVA and Calistoga AVA ?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Zinfandel
Syrah
Which Napa Valley AVAs reside above the region’s fog line?
West Facing:
Howell Mountain AVA
Atlas Peak AVA
East Facing:
Mount Veeder AVA
Diamond Mountain District AVA
Spring Mountain District AVA
How being on the valley sides above the fog layer influence the wines of Napa ?
They are cooled by their altitude and not by fog
In the west facing vineyards: Full exposer to the hot afteroon, and warmer
In general, fuller bodied, high alcohol, high tannin, less richess on the palate then on the valley floor
What are the grape varieties grown on the valley side of Napa?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Cabernet Franc
Zinfandel
Chardonnay with higher levels of acidity
Climatically, how does Sonoma County compare to Napa County?
Sonoma County is much larger and, because of its size, contains a greater number of climates. Generally it is greener and more lush than Napa County.
Sonoma has regions that are noticeably cooler than Napa (such as Russian River Valley AVA) as well as regions that are far hotter than Napa (like Alexander Valley AVA).
What feature allows Russian River AVA to produce its famous Pinot Noir and Chardonnay?
An opening in the Coastal Mountain range, known as the Petaluma Gap, through which cool Pacific Ocean breezes blow. These breezes bring fog and cool air.
Name the conditions of the vineyards and the grape variety of Russian River Valley AVA
Cool, foggy conditions
High quality Pinot Noirs and Chardonnay
As well as Sparkling wines from the sam egrape
Q
Which Sonoma AVAs to the north of Russian River AVA are known for their higher temperatures?
Dry Creek Valley AVA
Alexander Valley AVA
What grape varieties are well suited for Dry Creek Valley AVA ?
On the hillsides: Zinfandel
On the valley floor: Sauvignon Blanc
Rhône Varieties and Cabernet sauvignon are also popular
The warmer Alexander Valley AvA is best known for ?
Soft textured, full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon
Where is located Sonoma Coast AVA?
Coastal area with great influence of the cold pacific ocean
The best vineyards of the Sonoma Coast AVA all face which direction?
The best Sonoma Coast AVA vineyards face south.
This aids ripening and provides additional sunlight hours as the Pacific Ocean has a notable cooling effect on this part of Sonoma
Which county lies directly north of Sonoma County?
Mendocino County
What cool Mendocino County AVA is known for its Rieslings, Gewürztraminers, and sparkling wines?
Anderson Valley AVA
What are the grape varieties grown in Mendocino County?
Rieslings, Gewürztraminers, and sparkling wines
Which AVA south of San Francisco is known for its rugged mountainside vineyards, low fertility soils,
Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
Which hig-wuality wine is Santa Cruz Mountains AVA producing ?
elegant cabnernet Suavignon
high-quality Chardonnay and Pinot noir
What is the climate and the grapes of Monterey AVA
Strongly influenced by cold Pacidif
Chardonnay and pinot planted on the cool windy coast
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are grown
How do the mountain ranges in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties impact growing conditions?
Unlike other mountain ranges in California where mountains act as barriers against chilly ocean air, in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara the mountains run east to west, acting as channels which move ocean breezes through the region, bringing cooling temperatures with them.
Which grape are benefitting from Paso Robles AVA Climate ?
For High volume brands:
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Syrah
High quality :
Zinfandel
What is the climate of Santa Maria Valley AVA ?
significantly cooler, , fog can cover vineyard during the day encouraging slow ripening
Which grape varieties are grown in Santa Maria Valley AVA ?
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the cool regions as Santa Rita Hills
Syrah and Bordeau varieties in waner region as Santa Ynes Valley AVa
Which AVA spans across both the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys?
Lodi AVA
The Lodi AVA is home to some of the longest lived and highest quality vines of what variety?
Zinfandel
The Lodi AVA, which is situated east of the _______, receives cool breezes coming off of _______.
East of Sacramento Delta
Breezes off San Francisco Bay
These breezes are enough to help Lodi’s wines retain freshness.
