USA: California Flashcards
USA rules for “estate bottled”
For all US AVAs: 100% from estate or controlled vineyards, 100% from the same AVA
% of wine from stated vintage (for all US wine)
85% if labelling by county, state
95% if labelling by AVA
% of wine from California if labelled California? By county? AVA? Single vyd?
75% for county
85% for AVA
95% for single vineyard
100% for state of Cali
1st vines in the Napa Valley
1838: George C Yount
Napa’s oldest continually operating winery
Beringer, 1876
America’s 1st bonded winery
Pleasant Valley Wine Co. 1860
Prohibition years
1919 - 1933 (21st Amendment)
Andre Tchelistcheff in Napa Valley
Hired by Georges de Latour for Beaulieu Vineyard, 1938
* created Private Reserve Cab Sauv - a benchmark
* updated hygiene, technique standards
* coined the term “Rutherford Dust”
* mentees included Martini, Grgich, Mondavi, Heitz
1st $100 Californian wine
1978 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard Cabernet
AVAs in the Mayacamas
Mt. Veeder
Diamond Mountain District
Spring Mountain District
AVAs in the Vaca Mountains
Howell Mountain
Atlas Peak
Napa Valley climate
Mediterranean
* fogs through San Pablo Bay, Chalk Hill Gap. San Pablo fogs peter out around Oakville
* north/mountain areas see most rain. Rainfall Oct - April
* diurnal is key. 20º in south, 40º near Calistoga
Napa’s benches
Alluvial fans - the transition between rocky hillsides and valley floor. Gently sloping well-drained earth.
* mostly in the western foothills
Max degree slope for new Napa plantings
30º / 57.73%
Los Carneros AVA
Napa/Sonoma
* Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
* clay dominant sandy soils
* Stanly Ranch, Dom. Carneros (Taittinger), Dom. Chandon
* Hudson, Hyde, Poseidon, Truchard
Howell Mountain AVA
- elevation
- climate/rain
- top estates
min. 1400ft elevation (fog line)
* 40 - 50in rain - wettest mtn AVA
* varying volcanic soils
Dunn, Dana Estate, Outpost
Black Sears, Cade, Dragon
Ink Grade, La Jota, Rattlesnake Ridge
Wild Horse Valley AVA
Napa Valley - shared with Solano County
Heron Lake Vineyard
Stags Leap District
Ancient Vaca Mtn landslides = defining feature with the smooth knolls, east-facing slopes
Fay, Futo 5500, Pine Ridge
Shafer, Silverado, Wappo Hill
Mount Veeder
Hess, Lagier Meredith, Mayacamas (Fisher & Sons), Sky
- SOILS: NOT volcanic. Sandstone, shale, clay, sandy loam. Mayacamas Mtns are sedimentary at this end.
Atlas Peak AVA
Vaca Mountains
* Stagecoach and Antinori’s Antica dominate plantings
John Kongsgaard, Heidi Barrett’s Au Sommet
Chiles Valley AVA
sits between Howell Mountain, Pritchard Hill
* Volker Eisele, Green & Red, Brown Estate
Rutherford AVA - important producers, vineyards
Inglenook
Beaulieu Vineyard
Frog’s Leap
St Supery
Quintessa
Cakebread
Trailside Vyd
Oakville AVA
The “Greatest Hits”: Opus One, Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Dalla Valle, Rudd, Silver Oak, Groth, Opus One
Home to To-Kalon
Soil variation: west is more sedimentary, fertile in the center, volcanics in the east
To-Kalon Vineyard
Oakville AVA
* sits on an extension of the Rutherford Bench’s alluvial fan
Spring Mountain District AVA
Soils transition from sedimentary south to northern volcanics of the Mayacamas
* Ritchie Creek, Sulfur Creek define boundaries
* Cain, Smith Madrone, Philip Togni, Pride
* Barnett, Newton, Schoolhouse, Stony Hill
St. Helena AVA
- top producers/vineyards
Napa Valley floor
* Hot, very little to no fog influence
Corison, Heitz, Spottswoode
Hourglass, Tychson Hill, Quella, Kronos Vyd
Yountville
More restaurants than vineyards
Good place for Merlot
* Gemstone, Ghost Block, Napanook, Sleeping Lady
* Dominus, Kapcsándy, Blanket
Diamond Mountain
Site of Napa’s 1st hillside vineyard - Schramsberg, planted in 1862
* Chalk Hill Gap keeps this area cool and foggy
Diamond Creek: Lake, Gravelly Meadow, Lae, Red Rock Terrace, Volcanic Hill
Oak Knoll AVA
Dry, cool foggy. Merlot, Chardonnay
Blackbird Vineyards, Hendry, Trefethen
Calistoga AVA
Northernmost; biggest diurnal shift in the valley
* volcanic soils
* Eisele Vineyard sits on an eastern alluvial fan
* a little fog influence from the Chalk Hill Gap but not much
Coombsville AVA
Vaca Mountains
Winkler 1
Farella
Pritchard Hill
Chappellet holds the trademark
* sits between Atlas Peak and Howell Mountain
* Lake Hennessy influence
Colgin, David Arthur, Continuum, Bryant
Conn Valley
Unofficial Napa Valley AVA
* sits across Lake Hennessy from Pritchard Hill
Seavey, Neyers, BOND’s Melbury, Buehler
Worst Napa vintages since 2010
2011: rain
2017: challenging year, ended with early October wildfires
2020: wildfires
2021: GOOD but low yields due to season before… vines didn’t devote energy to nascent buds
Best Napa Vintages since 2010
2012 to 2016 were all good back-to-back vintages, defined by drought
2018** standout vintage.
2019 also good, rated just a bit lower.
2023 is predicted to be a vintage of a lifetime. Great yields AND quality.
San Pablo Bay-influenced Napa vineyards
Carneros
Oak Knoll District
Coombsville
Yountville
AVAs nested within the Russian River Valley
Chalk Hill AVA
Green Valley of RRV AVA
Green Valley of RRV AVA
Defined by maritime climate + fog from the Petaluma Gap
* Goldridge Sandy Loam soils/sandstone
* Dutton Est, Dutton-Goldfield, Keefer Ranch, Iron Horse
Chalk Hill AVA
Nest in RRV’s warm NE corner. Hills increase, less fog/coastal influence
* Zin, Cab, Merlot
Chalk Hill Estate, Rodney Strong
2 main soil types of the RRV
- Goldridge Series: loose crumbly sandstone/sandy loam
- Franciscan Assemblage: greywacke sandstones, limestones, shales
Alexander Valley AVA producers
Jordan
Silver Oak
Stonestreet
Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA elevation
min. 1600ft elevation
Bennett Valley
Cooler area with volcanic soils. Great for Merlot
* Matanzas Creek, Bevan, Flanagan
* Cab doesn’t ripen regularly here
Dry Creek Valley AVA
- Key sites: Lytton Springs, Teldeschi Vineyard
- Zinfandel, Cab Sauv
Rafanelli, Gallo headquarters
Fort-Ross Seaview AVA
Nested in Sonoma Coast AVA
* ridges and hillsides above the fog line
* (min) 920ft - 1800ft elevation
Flowers, Marcassin Vineyards, Fort Ross Vineyards
(RAEN, Failla, Red Car bottle from here)
Fountaingrove District
located in the Mayacamas Mountains, Sonoma
Knights Valley AVA
Sonoma’s warmest AVA
* Cab most planted.. 2/3rd of vineyard
* Mount St Helena dominates the landscape (volcanic terroir)
* Beringer is a significant producer but not based there
Anakota, Peter Michael
Moon Mountain District AVA
- characteristics
- top 2 vineyards
AVA creation defined by soils - iron-rich volcanics, distinct from sedimentary of surrounding areas
Monte Rosso Vyd, Montecillo Vyd
Rockpile AVA
- most important variety
- min elevation
- soils
Zinfandel
* high land overlooking Lake Sonoma- which moderates the temps here. Limits fog.
* min elevation = 800ft
* sandstone, shale over clay base
Mauritson
AVA’s within Sonoma Coast AVA
West Sonoma Coast AVA
Fort Ross-Seaview AVA
Petaluma Gap AVA
AVA’s within Sonoma Mountain AVA
Bennett Valley
Moon Mountain
Sonoma Mountain AVA
Volcanic soils
Beringer, Pickberry Vineyard, Laurel Glen
Producers in the new West Sonoma Coast AVA
Hirsch
Peay
Littorai
Sonoma Valley AVA
Birthplace of California wine - Buena Vista, Gundlach Bundschu
* Bennett Valley, Moon Mountain AVA are nested within
* driest Sonoma Mountain AVA, sits between Mayacamas and Sonoma Mountains
Pagani Ranch (Ridge, Carlisle)
Mendocino County - main rivers
Navarro River
Russian River
Anderson Valley AVA producers/vineyards
- Littoral Wendling Block E, Les Larmes
- Savoy Vineyard
- Roederer Estate
- Goldeneye
Cole Ranch AVA
Mendocino
* smallest AVA in America
* know for Riesling (mostly), Pinot, Merlot, Cab
Mendocino Ridge AVA
Only non-contiguous AVA in America
* min elevation 1200ft - 1st American AVA defined by elevation (?)
Yorkville Highlands AVA
Mendocino
* borders Sonoma’s Alexander Valley AVA
* 800ft; more sunshine and diurnal shift than Anderson Valley. Climate is very transitional … neither Med nor continental entirely
Lake County’s most important AVA
Clear Lake AVA
Gabilan Mountains AVA
- nested avas
- elevation
- soils
Est 2022; Chalone & Mount Harlan AVAs are both within this zone.
* San Benito, Monterey Counties
* Coastview Vineyard was the instigator
* min 1500ft elevation, weathered granite with limestone
Monterey County important mountain ranges
- 2 mountains: Santa Lucia Mtns (west, Pacific edge) + Gabilan Mtns
Arroyo Seco AVA
Salinas Valley, Monterey
* cool climate, one of Cali’s longest growing seasons. Gravel, sandy earth from old riverbeds. Large stones = “Greenfield potatoes”
* warmer areas in the west are better for Cab, Merlot
Chalone AVA
Gabilan Mountains, Monterey
* granite + pockets of limestone
* dry, windy, intense sunlight
Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
Foothills of the Santa Lucia Range, up to 1200ft. S & E-facing. Pacific influence and coastal breezes are key. Long long growing season, harvesting up to 6 weeks after the rest of the state.
- Pisoni Vineyard
- Gary’s Vineyard
Mount Harlan AVA
Gabilan Mountains, San Benito County
* Josh Jensen’s Calera is the main producer here
* Calera = lime kiln. Limestone is a key soil type
* ~600M
AVAs of San Benito County
- Lime Kiln Valley
- Cienega Valley
- Mount Harlan
- Paicines
- San Benito
San Luis Obispo County AVAs
- Edna Valley
- Paso Robles
- San Luis Obispo Coast
- Arroyo Grande Valley
- York Mountain
Templeton Gap District AVA
Paso Robles
* westerly location, position below passes in the Santa Lucia Mountains = strongest maritime influence/coolest AVA. 700 - 1800ft. Typically harvests 10 - 14 days later than other Paso AVAs
* alluvial soils, sandy silty loam, calcareous in places
Austin Hope, J. Dusi, Peachy Canyon
Paso Robles AVAs with limestone
- Adelaide District (high concentrations)
- Willow Creek
- Templeton Gap, El Pomar in places
Adelaida District AVA
Paso Robles
* distinct for high concentrations of calcareous soils with high volume calcium carbonate from chalk, limestone
* Pacific influence.. cooler subzone
Tablas Creek, Justin
Where does California’s coastline start to bend?
Point Conception in Santa Barbara
1st Syrah in California
1975, Gary Eberle in Steinbeck Vineyard
Estrella District AVA, Paso Robles
Santa Barbara’s 2 main mountain ranges
San Rafael Mountains (east)
Santa Ynez Mountains (south and west)
Alisos Canyon AVA
Santa Barbara; est 2020
* sandstone, shale soils
* “Goldilocks Rhone Zone” - Syrah is the most planted. Climate is transitional, neither too hot nor too cold
Andrew Murray, Martian Vineyard, Thompson Vineyard
Happy Canyon AVA
Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara
* warmest AVA in the Santa Ynez Valley
* BDX, Rhone varietals
Star Lane, Vogelzang
Santa Maria Valley AVA
- exceptionally long growing season - mild ocean-influenced climate
- Loamy soils with sand, clay and patches of limestone
- crosses the Cuyama River into SLO
Au Bon Climat, Bien Nacido, Qupé, Ojai Vineyard
Santa Ynez Valley’s nested AVA (4)
Los Olivos Disrict
Ballard Canyon
Happy Canyon
Sta Rita Hills
Ballard Canyon AVA
Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara
* Syrah #1 - over 50% of plantings
* north-south orientation mitigates ocean effect
Beckmen, Jonata, Stolpman
Los Olivos District AVA
Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara
* broad alluvial terrace above the Santa Ynez River
* newer AVA, est 2016
Brander Vineyard, Beckmen Vineyards
Sta Rita Hills AVA
Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara
* est 2001, abbreviated in 2006
* 34ºN; strong maritime influence, Winkler1
Sea Smoke, Eleven Confessions, Sanford & Benedict, Bloom’s Field
What keeps Northern Sonoma cool
Petaluma Gap: break in the Coast Ranges. Vineyards in the south are the coolest, with morning and later afternoon fog
Carneros - important vineyards on Napa side vs Sonoma side
Sonoma: Las Brisas, Sangiacomo
Napa: Truchard, Hyde, Hudson
