USA- California Sonoma Flashcards
Name the AVAs of Sonoma County
Alexander Valley Dry Creek Valley Rockpile Bennett Valley Knights Valley Chalk Hill Russian River Valley Sonoma Valley Moon Mountain District Sonoma County Green Valley of Russian River Valley Sonoma Mountain Sonoma Coast Northern Sonoma Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak Fort Ross-Seaview Fountaingrove District Petaluma Gap Carneros
What warmness region are the AVAs of Alexander Valley and Dry Creek?
Region 3
Characteristics of the Russian RIver Valley AVA?Name three neighborhoods
- Warm daytime temperatures are moderated by fog that enters from the Petaluma gap to the South and the Russian River to the West
- Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel are the major varieties. Syrah, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer are also important
- Wines are made in forward styles
- sebatspol hills
- middle reach
- santa rosa plains
- laguna ridge
- green valley
- eastern hills
Major Producers in Russian River Valley AVA?
Dehlinger Joseph Swan Gary Farrell Rochioli Williams-Selyem
Characteristics of the Green Valley AVA?
- Green Valley is it’s own AVA nested in Russian River Valley
- Distinct for it’s cooler temperatures, goldridge soil (sandy loam) and morning fog layer
Major Producers in Green Valley AVA?
Kosta Browne Marimar Estate Freestone Freeman Iron Horse (sparkling)
Characteristics of the Sonoma Coast AVA?
- Coolest temperatures are found in the northern stretches where altitude, cold ocean air, and persistent coastal fog combine to keep temperatures down
- Pinot Noir and Chardonnay thrive along with cool climate expressions of Rhone varieties
- More inland and southern areas and areas above the fog line can experience warmer zone 2 temperatures producing wines of concentration and piower rather than elegance and focus
Major producers in the Sonoma Coast AVA?
Hirsch Littorai Flowers Marcassin Peay
Characteristics of Knights Valley AVA?
- The warmest AVA in the county
- Gravelly Soils
- known for Bordeaux Varieties and can be sinilar in style to Napa
Characteristics of Alexander Valley AVA?
- Warm zone 3 climate
- Gravelly soils
- Cabernet tends to show a more herbaceous character and less body than Napa
Characteristics of Dry Creek Valley AVA
- Warm zone 3 climate
- known for ripe powerful styles of Zinfandel aged in either American or French Oak
Characteristics of Rockpile AVA
- Small AVA
- Warm zone 3 climate
- known for ripe powerful styles of Zinfandel aged in either American or French Oak
Characteristics of Sonoma Valley AVA
- Sonoma County’s most established region
- situated between the Mayacamas and the Sonoma mountains
- Runs Parallel to Napa
- Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet are successful
Characteristics of the Bennett Valley AVA
- Nested almost entirely in the Sonoma Valley AVA
- Too cool to ripen and Cabernet it favours Merlot
Characteristics of Carneros AVA
- Shared with Napa
- Cool zone one climate
- Known for sparkling wines. Gloria Ferrer a pioneer
Characteristics of Petaluma Gap AVA
- Newest AVA grated status in 2017
- Named after the wind that funnels through lower Sonoma County due to a coastal mountain opening
- Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah are the focus
