USA California Flashcards
Primary white grape varieties are…
Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Gewürztraminer Viognier Thompson's seedless
California background…
Is responsible for 90% of all wine produced in USA
Longest history in quality wine production
Great diversity of regions
Wide range of climates
Wide range of grape varieties and wine styles
Primary red grape varieties:
Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Pinot noir Syrah Zifandel
Major regions:
North coast super AVA
Sierras
Central coast (Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara)
Central Valley (south to Clarksburg and Lodi)
Southern Valley (Santa Ynez to San Diego)
Super AVA’s in north coast:
Napa county Sonoma county Mendocino county Lake county Marin county Solano county
Napa Valley generalities:
Over 39k acres under wine
One of most important new world regions for quality and branding
Expensive to develop vineyards
Only accounts for 4% of US production
Framed on east by Mayacamas and on West by vaca mountains, San Pablo Bay to the south
Napa Valley limits:
East by Mayacamas
West by Vaca Mountains
south by San Pablo Bay
Napa Valley white grapes:
Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc (Fume Blanc) Viognier
Napa Valley red grapes:
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Syrah
Napa valley climate…
Wide range of climates and micro-climates
Napa valley soils…
Volcanic, alluvial, gravel loams to the north
More alluvial, clay in the south
Napa valley AVA’s:
Los Carneros Wildhorse Valley Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley Yountville Stags Leap District Mount Veeder Oakville Rutherford Atlas Peak Spring Mountain District Chiles Valley District Diamond Mountain District Calistoga St Helena Coombsville (new)
Sonoma county grapes:
White:
Chardonnay
Red: Zifandel Pinot noir Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon
Sonoma county climate:
Marine influence
Larger area than Napa Valley with six fertile valleys
Sonoma Valley AVA’s…
Los Carneros Sonoma Mountain Bennet Valley Yountville Green Valley of Russian River Valley Chalk Hill Knights Valley Russian River Valley Sonoma Coast Alexander Valley Rockpile Dry Creek Valley Northern Sonoma Sonoma Valley Fort Ross-Seaview (new) Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak (new)
Mendocino County facts:
Wide range of micro climates
Cooler coastal climate with an active sparkling wine industry
Warm interior vineyards with old vine Zifandel, Petite Syrah, Carignane, etc
Mendocino County AVA’s…
McDowell Valley Yorkville Highlands Mendocino Mendocino Ridge Dos Rios Anderson Valley Cole Ranch Covelo Redwood Valley Potter Valley
Lake County AVA’s:
Benmore
Clear Lake
Guenoc
How is the climate in Central Coast?
Cool coastal climate vs hot inland
San Francisco Bay areas:
San Francisco Bay Livermore Valley Santa Cruz Mountains Ben Lomond Mountain Santa Clara Valley San Ysidro District
San Benito County regions…
Mount Harlan
Cienega Valley
Lime Klin Valley
Paicines
Monterey County regions:
Monterey Carmel Valley Santa Lucia Highlands Chalone Arroyo Seco San Bernabe San Lucas Hames Valley San Antonio Valley
Paso Robles facts…
One of CA’s oldest growing regions
Divergence between day time high temperature and night time low temperatures
Considerable expansion over the last 10 years
Pending sub-AVA’s
Zifandel and Rhone varieties
Edna Valley facts:
South of Paso Robles
Marine influence-cool climate
Chardonnay and Pinot noir
Santa Barbara County Facts:
Cool, dry coastal climate
Series of east-west valleys
Longest growing season in CA
Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Syrah, Merlot
Santa Barbara AVA’s…
Santa Maria Valley
Santa Ynez Valley
Santa Rita Hills
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara
