USA - California Central, South, Sierra Flashcards
Central Coast AVA: Which Counties are included ?
Counties of Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara
Where is Livermore Valley AVA?
Shared between Cotra Costa and Alameda
Which areas the San Francisco Bay AVA encompass?
San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, San Benito, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano
Which others AVA (apart from SFbay AVA and Livermore Valley AVA) will you find in the northern part of the Central Coast AVA?
Santa Cruz Mountains, Ben Lomond Mountain, Santa Clara Valley, San Ysidro District
What is the subregions of the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA?
Ben Lomond Mountain AVA
Which iconic vineyards is in Santa Cruz? Who’s the producer ?
Monte Bello Vineyard,
produced by Ridge
Which iconic producers will you find in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA?
Ridge, Bonny Doon Estate
San Benito County: most important AVAs?
Lime Kiln Valley AVA
Mt Harlan AVA (“Calera” Top Pinot Noir, Gabilan Mt)
Chalone AVA (shared with Monterey)
How many AVAs within the County of Monterey? (9)
Monterey AVA Camel Valley AVA Santa Lucia Highlands AVA Arroyo Seco AVA San Bernabe AVA San Lucas AVA San Antonio Valley AVA Hames Valley AVA Chalone AVA (shared w San Benito)
What’s the most planted varietal in Monterey AVA?
Chardonnay
Where would you find the iconic Gary’s Vineyard?
what is it regarded for?
In Santa Lucia Highland AVA
*Pinot Noir production
What’s unique about San Bernabe?
San Bernabe vineyard is the largest contiguous vineyard on earth
Chalone AVA is shared between ?
Monterey and San Benito
San Luis Obispo County AVA has how many Avas within?
In which year many got approved?
- of which 11 approved in 2014
Adelaida District Creston District El Pomar District Paso Robles Estrella District California Paso Robles Geneseo District Paso Robles Highlands District Paso Robles Willow Creek District San Juan Creek San Miguel District Santa Margarita Ranch Templeton Gap District California
*all in 2014 (11)
Which Avas were the original 4 in San Luis Obispo County?
Paso Robles (83) York Mountain (87) Edna Valley (87) Arroyo Grande Valley (90)
What’s the name of the Gap from where the cool air funnel through in Paso Robles?
Templeton gap
- the western reaches are characterized by cooler marine air funneled through the Templeton Gap and more prevalent limestone and calcareous soils.
- Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
What’s the name of the Mountain Range to the west of Paso Robles?
Santa Lucia Mountains
What are the main varieties?
- Cab Sav, Zinfandel, Rhone varieties
* East of the Salinas River, the soil structure is sandier, and the climate in general is warmer and more arid.
What Gary Eberle did in 1975 ?
He planted Syrah cuttings originally from Chapoutier vineyards
Which famous nursery is based in Paso Robles?
*Tablas Creek Nursery.
It is a project from Chateau Beaucastel, which provided the clonal material
Where is annually held the Hospice du Rhone Celebration?
In Paso Robles
*the world’s largest Rhône wine celebration
What’s the name of the river that goes through Paso Robles?
Salinas. Also Estrella on the right
What does it mean “El Paso Robles”?
The pass of the oaks
in which year and who firstly planted Zinfandel in Paso Robles?
Benito Dusi in 1924
Santa Barbara County: Which are the most planted varieties ?
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Rhône varieties.
Which mountain ranges are within the Santa Barbara County?
San Rafael Mountains in the north and Santa Ynez mountains in the south
How many AVAs within Santa Barbara? (7)
Alisos Canyon 2020 Ballard Canyon Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara Los Olivos District Santa Ynez Valley Sta. Rita Hills Santa Maria Valley California (Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo)
What’s mostly planted in Santa Maria AVA ?
Which iconic producers are based here?
Ch PN Syrah
Bien Nacido, Au Bon Climat
What’s mostly planted in the Santa Ynez AVA
Rhone varietal
Where is the Santa Rita Hills AVA?
Which iconic producer is based here?
it’s located on the western part of the the Santa Ynez AVA.
*Sandhi is based here
What Region Scale is Santa Rita Hills AVA?
It’s region I.
However the latitude is the same as Tunisia
What is planted in the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara?
Bordeaux Varieties
Which currents influence the Santa Barbara County?
Which other influences are affecting the climate?
Davidson Current, a warming current from south
Cooling Californian Currents from the North
Coastal Influences with Morning Fogs and Afternoon Winds
Where is the Davies University located ?
In the Central Valley, in the Sacramento valley
Is Central Valley an AVA?
Which percentage of the Californian grapes are grown in here?
And which Region is?
Central Valley is not an AVA
It is a large area covering the Sacramento Valley (N)
and the San Joaquin Valley (S)
47% of Californian grapes are grown in here
It is considered a Region IV and V
Which are the 2 main producers in the Sierra Foothills?
Gallo and Constellation
Which AVAs are within the Central Valley?
Lodi Ava (with 7 sub Avas)
Clarksburg AVA ( to remember)
Dunningan Hills AVA
Capay Valley AVA
Merritt Island AVA
Name 2 sub Avas of Lodi
Alta Mesa, Borden Ranch, Clements Hills, Consumnes River, Jahant, Mokelumne River, Sloughhouse
In which county is Lodi?
It is shared between Sacramento North and San Joquim in the south
Which rivers run through Lodi?
Consumnes river (also Ava itself) Mokelumne river (also Ava itself) they join together at the delta, where also the 2 counties meet. in the west part of Lodi
What’s the climate of Lodi? What’s the main grape here?
Lodi is slightly cooler than the rest of the Central Valley
*Zinfandel
What percentage of the Californian wine comes from Lodi?
20%
What historically populated the Sierra Foothills in the mid 19th Century?
1849 Goldrush
Is the Sierra Foothills an AVA?
Yes, it does encompass 8 counties and there are 5 sub Avas within
*western edge of Sierra Nevada Mountains
Which counties the Sierra Foothills cover?
Eldorado, Amador, Calaveras,
Nevada, Mariposa, Placer, Tuolumne, Yuba
Name 2 sub Avas of Sierra foothills AVA
Fair Play , El Dorado, Fiddletown North Yuba California Shenondoah Valley (hottest)
What’s the main grape of Sierra Foothills?
Zinfandel
Which biggest criticism was moved to the Davies University in the 1980s?
The approval against Phylloxera of the AXR-1 Rootstock that proved not to be effective
South Coast AVA: Which counties does it encompass?
Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles
Where would you find the only substantial vineyards within the South Coast AVA?
Temecula AVA in Riverside county within it has the only substantial vineyards within the region
What’s the climate in Temecula Valley AVA? What’s influencing it?
Extremely hot. Irrigation through Pipelines
Rainbow Gap, a narrow opening in the coastal ridge, funnels cool marine air across a 5-mile swathe of sanded desert allowing grapes to be grown in what would otherwise be a deeply inhospitable home for vines.
Main producers in Central Valley?
Franzia (owned by the Wine Group) and Bronco Wine Company
*most Central Valley production is of bulk wine quality
