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
