USA - History and General Flashcards
Which wild grapevine species are native to America ?
Vitis Labrusca (Parent of Concord and catawba) Vitis aestivalis (parent of Norton ) Vitis Rotundifolia ( Scuppernong )
What and when were the first attempt in the US to cultivate vines?
1492 Columbus discovered Americas. Colonists attempted to cultivate native vines, but soon realised that they were not making good wine.
1619 A Virginia law required every settler to plant at least 10 vine. Unsuccessful because of Phylloxera
Which was the first Vinifera introduced to North America?
Mission (Listán Prieto) syn Pais and criolla chica
Who introduced the Mission to the Americas?
When was it introduced to the North America?
Spanish settlers introduced the grape to Mexico in the early 1500
1629 was planted in Texas and New Mexico
Franciscan Monks brought the grape to California
When and who planted the first vineyard in Napa? Which grape was planted?
1839, George Yunt planted a vineyard in Napa with the Mission grape
In which year the Goldrush hit the US?
1848, Sutter’s Mill, California
Who is Agoston Haraszthy?
Hungarian born
Arrived in Sonoma in 1849
He founded Buena Vista , one of California’s first commercial wineries
He introduced more than 300 varieties (not zinf)
What’s the oldest winery in St Helena?
Charles Krug 1861
Schramsberg was built in 1862
Which is Napa’s oldest continuously operating winery?
Beringer, 1876
In which year the iconic Inglenook winery was founded?
1880
Which varieties dominated vineyards plantings in the finger lakes by the end of the 19th Century?
From 1850, Catawba, Delaware and Concord.
All hybrids
What is the main grape pride of Missouri?
Norton grape (Vitis Aestivalis)
What was the focus of the wine market after Prohibition?
1933.
Industrial, focus on inexpensive, low quality wines.
By 1935 81% of wine production in Calif is based on sweet, fortified wines.
Followed by decades of cheap, generic table wine
Through the 70s
What are the years of Prohibition?
1920-1933
Who is Andre Tchelistcheff?
A Russian winemaker trained in France, hired by George de Latour to oversee the production at Beaulieau
What Tchelistcheff brought to the wine industry in the US?
New Hygiene Standards and Techniques (ex. Temperature controlled fermentation and controlled MLF)
In which year R Mondavi launched his winery 1st Vintage?
1966
When did Mondavi made his Fume Blanc?
1968
Which year was the Judgement of Paris?
What happened?
1976
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellar CS
and Chateau Montelena CH
placed first against 1st growth Bordeaux and 1er Cru
What happened in 1980 in California?
Phylloxera Outbreak
However, this was an opportunity for producers to reassess grapes and clonal selection per each site
Which was America’s 1st AVA?
Augusta, Missouri 1980
In which year Napa Valley got recognised the AVA?
in 1981
Which Federal Boureau oversee the AVA system?
Tax and trade Boureau from 2002
What is an AVA?
American Viticultural Areas
it only refers to the origin.
No guidelines in vineyard or winery
What percentage of the stated variety must be in the wine?
75%
However 90% in Oregon (Few grapes excepted, falls into the 75%)
If Vitis Labrusca (ex. Concord) only 51%
What’s the alcohol margin allowed on labels?
Alcohol must be stated. Margin +/- 1.5%
However, if alcohol range between 7-14% wines can be labeled ‘Table wine’ or ‘Light Wine’
What’s the percentage of grapes required by appellation?
coming from that particular appellation
75% -> Country, State, County *
85% -> AVA
95% -> Single Vineyard
- State of California and Oregon -> 100%
State of Washington -> 95%
What’s the percentage of grapes required for the stated vintage?
For smaller than country.
State or County -> 85% min
AVA -> 95% min
When a winery can use ‘Estate Bottled’?
Ava on label
Winery is within the same AVA
Winery owns or ‘control’ vineyards
Winery crushes, ferments, finishes and bottles wines on the property
‘control’ -> lease agreement or similar for at least 3 years
What is Meritage ?
a term, trademarked by Heritage Alliance, used by producers to indicate a premium blend in which no grape accounts for more than 90%
It can be Red or White
It must be produced by Bordeaux Varieties
What’s the Smallest AVA?
Cole Ranch, Mendocino
Which Champagne House established itself in Anderson Valley rather than Carneros?
Louis Roederer
It produces one of the most elegant styles in Cali
What’s the only non Contiguous AVA?
Mendocino Ridge, Mendocino
In which County is the Majority of Los Carneros?
Sonoma
What kind of soil will you find in the Russian River Valley?
Goldridge, Fertile, alluvial, sandy loam
Sonoma
Where is the Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA?
Sonoma, surrounded by Russian River Valley AVA
What was the original name of Opus one?
Napa Médoc. Renamed in 1982
What is Dominus 2nd label?
Napanook (1996)
What’s the size of Napa?
What percentage of Californian wines does it produce?
30 miles long and only few miles wide approx 1/8 the size of Bordeaux 4% of Californian wine production, (0.5% of global wine production) 25% of state revenue `
How many wineries there are in Napa?
What’s the avg of cases produced per year?
In 2017 , 475 wineries.
However more than 1000 brands
Average production is smaller than 10.000 cases per year
Why Schramsberg winery became famous in Napa?
1st winery to cultivate on hillside vineyard
How many wineries in Napa by the end of 1880s?
140 and 15,000 acres under vine
Only in 1861, Krug established the first winery
When ‘The Wine Advocate’ and ‘Wine Spectator’ were launched ?
What did they introduced?
1978 and 1979
Both embraced the 100 points score
Easy to understand to public