Valley Floor, Mountain & Bay Regions Flashcards
How many regions make up the Napa Valley floor?
Eight
Which Napa vineyards are affected by the cool air and humidity of San Pablo Bay?
Los Carneros, parts of Coombsville and Wild Horse Valley
What kind of grapes thrive in Los Carneros?
Pinot Noir, Sparking, and Chardonnay
Which geographic parts of Napa Valley produce robust, high-tannin, grippy, wines with more mineral qualities?
Vines grown in the mountains. Grapes aren’t as ripe and juicy but they get plenty of sun due to the higher elevations.
Calistoga is in northern Napa. Temperatures range from warm to hot during the day and fall dramatically down to the low 50s during the night. What causes the temperature change and how does it affect the wines?
At night cool air flows in from the Pacific Ocean through the Petaluma Gap, a break in the Mayacamas Mountains.
Wines are ripe, full-bodied, intense and robust but with balanced levels of fresh acid.
Calistoga became an AVA in which year?
What are the notable wineries?
2010
Chateau Montelena, (think of Bottle Shock the movie)
Amici
Frank Family
Clos Pegas (Sculptor)
Coombsville (2011) is moderated by its proximity to..
San Pablo Bay
Fog settles over the vineyards and burns off later in the day. Temperatures remain as much as 10 degrees cooler during the hot months than other appellations.
What are the characteristics of wines you find in Coombsville? Why?
✔️soft ✔️elegant ✔️fresh fruit flavors ✔️earth and mineral flavors ✔️All Bordeaux varieties
Proximity to San Pablo Bay, cool climate, volcanic and alluvial soil
Cabernet Sauvignon on hillsides and Merlot & Chardonnay in the valleys.
What would Carneros Chardonnay taste like?
Mineral, pear, apple, spice, aromatic
True or False
Los Carneros is the first wine region in CA to be defined by its climate
True
True or False
Los Carneros has shallow, clay dominated soil with generous yields
False. Soils are clay dominated with loam and hillside alluvial in the northern section. Yields are restrained by the hard subsoil, not generous.
Is Oak Knoll a southern Napa AVA?
Yes. Established in 2004. Noted for Bordeaux blends: Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay
Where is the home of Monticello/Corley, Trefethen and Lewis wineries?
Oak Knoll, just north of the Coombsville AVA. It has the valleys largest alluvial fan formed by Dry Creek.
What are the main varietals of Oak Knoll?
Cabernet, Merlot, and Chardonnay
Herbal, floral aromatic wines influenced by moderate to cool marine air and fog
The District lies at the southern end of the renowned Napa Valley where the growing season is longer—cooler in summer than the warmer Upper Valley and drier in winter allowing soils to warm earlier in the spring. The marine influence from San Pablo Bay is strong here with foggy mornings and cool summer nights. Summer daytime temperatures can average 10°F cooler than St. Helena. This creates the longest growing season in the valley, providing early bud break and a long, leisurely growing season for optimal, balanced ripeness. The cooler nights and slowly rising daytime temperatures create a naturally long hang time for fruit to achieve bright acidity, great texture, fruit-forward aromas and elegant flavors.
This even warming and cooling creates the quintessential “Sweet Spot”. One of the rare places in the Napa Valley where it’s warm enough to perfectly ripen red varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Zinfandel while being cool enough for grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
There are more than 18 wine grape varieties cultivated in OKD, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot being the most heavily planted.
Are Oak Knoll wines robust and rich?
No. They are elegant, like Bordeaux red wines. Fruit flavors of cassis, herbs, tobacco, and spice.
Chardonnay is crisp apple, minerals from the volcanic soils, acidic with tropical notes.
Is Yountville home to Dominus, Moët and Napa Nook?
No, it is home to Dominus, Chandon and Napanook. Also Blankiet.
What is the characteristic of Yountville wine?
Elegant, rich, silky, floral
George Yount planted Napa’s first vineyard in 1936. True or false?
No it was 1836 in an area called Napanook
Describe the climate and soils of Yountville.
Cool region due to marine air currents from San Pablo Bay in the south
Air is trapped when they reach the Yountville Mounts, a group of hills at the base of western Mayacamas. Temperatures remain mild.
Soils are like nowhere else I’m the valley: centuries old coastal deposits, alluvial soils, volcanic, sandy and gravelly loam as well as clay
Why would you want wine from Yountville?
Wines are elegant, rich, floral and silky.
Grapes fully ripen because of constant temperatures and good soil.
Historic Napa vineyards: Napanook, Wolff, State Lane
Where is Blankiet Estate?
Yountville
What’s significant about Stags Leap District size and location?
Established in 1989
Barely a mile wide and three miles long. Just easy of Yountville bordered by the Vaca Range
Which Napa district is compared to wines of Margaux?
Stags Leap District
Mostly Cabernet with plantings of Merlot and other Bordeaux varietals
Why would I want wine from Stags Leap District?
Wines are compared to those of Marguax
Wines are rich, lush, opulent “iron fist in velvet glove” excellent balance of acid and sugar.
Cabernet from one of its wineries took 1st place in Judgment of Paris in 1976 and again in 1986.
How is the soil of Stags Leap District?
Clay, rocks and gravel. Heat is reflected off the rock facade of the Vaca Range. Low to moderate fertility.
First AVA named solely based on soil.
What’s uniques about the climate of Stags Leap District?
Heat is rejected off the Vaca Range onto the vineyard while cooler air comes in at night from the San Oa me Bay. Grapes have an excellent balance of acid and sugar! Maximum ripening!
Which district is home to Baldacci Winery?
Stags Leap Districy
Where is the famous To Kalon Vineyard?
Oakville. It produces some of Napa’s best cabs. 130 acres planted in 1877 by HW Crabb. Means “most beautiful “ in Greek.
True or False
The further north you travel on the Napa Valley floor the warmer it becomes.
True
Daytime temperatures can reach the 90s
How many mountain regions are in Napa?
7
What year was Mt. Veeder made an AVA?
1993
Where is Caymus located?
Rutherford
Who Is Gustave Niobium?
He built Inglenook in Rutherford in 1887, currently owned by Francis Ford Coppola.
Describe the climate of Mt. Veeder.
Cool to moderate. Summer high of around 85 degrees. It has maritime influence from San Pablo Bay. High elevation, and southeast aspect, making growing season for Cabernet Sauvignon particularly long.
Is the growing season in Mt. Veeder long or short?
Long. It has the longest growing season and the latest harvest. Lowest annual yields in Napa.Around 20 growers.
What is different about Mt. Veeder’s mountain soil?
It was never covered by a volcanic ash. Former seabed soil. It is sedimentary based, sandy-loam. More acidic with low fertility.
What are the characteristics of Cabernet, Zinfandel, and Merlot from Mt. Veeder?
Wine is firm and tannic. Deeply colored, earth-blackberry aromas. Good acidity.
Where are Barnett and Philip Togni vineyards located?
Spring Mountain District, the coolest and wettest appellation within Napa Valley. Wines are rich, powerful, firm, tannic, blackberry (black fruit) forward.
Spring Mountain has a climate similar to..
Mt. Veeder. Both produce rich, tannic, blackberry-currant, with excellent acidity.
Which mountain AVA is home to Diamond Creek, Wallis Estate, and Schramsberg?
Diamond Mountain
Which mountain appellation sits at higher elevation than most of Napa Valley, experiences less cooling fog, and more direct sunlight exposure?
Diamond Mountain. It 400-2200 feet in the Mayacamas Range. Wines are rich, full-bodied, tannic, deep color. Notes of cedar and pure black fruit.
Which mountain AVA begins at 1,400 feet and all vineyards sit above fog layer?
Hint: The rich couple on Gilligan’s Island
Howell Mountain
What kind of wine does the volcanic, infertile soil of Howell Mountain produce?
Full-bodied, tannic, minerally , concentrated blackberry-currant fruit
Excellent acidity for ageing
Which customer would you sell a Moone Tsai or Cimarossa Cabernet Sauvignon to?
One who likes Howell Mountain wines. Those wines are firm, bold, tannic with ripe, concentrated blackberry-currant fruit. Good acidity adds to aging potential.
The mountain chardonnays are not as fruity as those of valley floor but have nice citrus and stone fruit flavors.
This mountain AVA does not have mountain in its name, but is called by its fertile, valley floor. It produces great Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet and is the home of Brown Estate wines. Ix
Hint: Child Please
Chiles Valley. 600-1200 feet, it is very narrow and runs SE to NW. Grapes are only grown on the valley floor. Has a warmer, more continental climate.
Atlas Peak (where you visited Sill Family Vineyard) is home to which notable vineyard?
Bryant Family Vineyards
Stagecoach Vineyard
Sleepy Hollow
What makes Stagecoach Vineyard unique?
On Atlas Peak at elevation between 1100-1750 above the fog layer
Terrain is usually above the fog, giving the grapes a long ripening seasoning
Unique terroir of soil types and micro-climates
16 different varietals planted
Big tannins and extremely complex flavors
Vin Roc Cabernet winery is on…
Atlas Peak
He trademarked the name Pritchard Hill in 1971, making it unlikely to become an AVA
Andre Tchelistcheff
Tim Mondavi
Don Chappellet
Home of Napa’s most collectible wines
Pritchard Hill
Founded on Pritchard Hill and considered to be one of the top estates in Napa
Chappellet, founded in 1967 by Don and Molly Chappellet. The estate is certified organic and powered by solar.
The “Father of Modern Viticulture/Winemaking in California” is
Hungarian Agoston Haraszthy, He wrote “Report on Grapes and Wine of California.” Founded Buena Vista Vineyards in Sonoma.
What did Finnish-American Captain Gustav Niebaum do?
He established Inglenook Winery in Rutherford in 1879. He was the first estate bottler in California; was heavily influenced by French wine growing and winemaking, traveling there often and acquiring cuttings. He planted the first Merlot in California and some of the first Cabernet vines.
Who is considered the “Dean of American Winemaking”?
Andre Tchelistcheff (1901-1994) a Russian who studied winemaking and enology in France. Credited with fashioning the style of luxury California wine as we know it today. Tchelistcheff provided significant contributions to the techniques of cold fermentation, vineyard frost protection, malolactic fermentation, and the development of winemaking regions in Carneros, California, Oregon and Washington.
This AVA is home to Duckhorn, Rombauer, and Titus among others
St. Helena, on the northern part of the valley floor, next to Spring Mountain.
It is warm, due to heat being reflected off the mountain sides. Merlot is deep, ripe, often jammy.
