Wine Regions and Sub Regions Flashcards
What are the 9 GI’s in BC
- Okanagan
- Simlikameen Valley
- Fraser Valley
- Vancouver Island
- Gulf Islands
- Lillooet
- Thompson Valley
- Shuswap
- Kootenays
What are the 12 sub GI’s in BC
- Naramata Bench
- Skaha Bench
- Okanagan Falls
- Golden Mile Bench
- Golden Mile Slopes
- Cowichan Valley
- Summerland Valleys
- Summerland Bench
- Summerland Lakefront
- East Kelowna Slopes
- South Kelowna Slopes
- Lake Country
What Event formed many of the diverse soil types in the Okanagan GI
Dramatic Ice Dam
Where was the Dramatic Ice dam Located?
When Did the Dam Break?
-At McIntyre Bluff between Oliver and Okanagan Falls
-Broke 8000 years ago
What is a legally defined boundary for geographic regions known as?
Geographic Indications (GI’s)
Older Vines tend to produce more intensely flavoured grapes
True or False
True
What is a key element of nature that impacts the style and taste of wine
Soil
Soil type impacts the grape by helping the grape ripen faster or slower
True or false
True
What are the best soil types for ripening grapes
-dark soils
-Lots of rocks and gravel near surface: make vineyard warmer; speeds ripening
-(Drain Quickly) Good soil drainage encourage ripening
-Not too fertile
What are Less desirable trails in soil
-Clay soils that are often cool and damp; slows ripening
-Soil with excessive organic matter: this promotes production of lots of shoots and leaves. Known as excessive vine vigour which limit fruit maturation, quality tannins and aromatics.
Calcium carbonate in soil is thought to give what taste to wine?
Give a strong wet stone , chalky, and minerality taste to wine.
What is the main defining soil components of Okanagan and simlikameen valley. compared to other parts of the world?
-Glacial and non-glacial events in a wide range of soil parent material.
-happened 1200 to19000 years ago
- rest of world refer to their bedrock as the defining soil component.
what are 4 geological events that make up parent soil material in Okanagan
1.Glaclolacustrine - temp lake formed during deglaciation.
- Glaciofluvial - Glacial meltwaters
- Glacial Till - materials deposited by glacial ice
- Fluvial - Stream flood materials, non-glacial origin
what is the majority of south Okanagan soil types?
Deep coarse sand deposited by glacial outwash
what is the majority of soil type north of Okanagan Falls on benches adjacent to Skaha lake?
finer silty soils formed from deposited from glacial lakes.
What elevaltion do vinyards generally lie in Okanagan?
On mid level slopes between 300-600 meters off valley floor to avoid frost.
What geological origin of soils in Fraser valley?
Fertial flood plain soils
What geological origin of soils in Vancouver Island?
Vary from Marine sediment to glacial and volcanic soil
What are the 9 soil textures
- Gavel: 2-80 mm
- Sand: 0.05 - 2 mm
- Silt: 0.002 - 0.05 mm
- Clay: less than 0.002 mm
- Loam: sand, silt, clay
- Loamy Sand:
- Sandy Loam:
- Silty Loam:
- Silty clay loam:
What is Glaclolacustrine soil formation?
Material from glacial lakes made up of fine mixture of silt, sand, and clay.
What is Glaciofluvial soil formation?
Meltwater stream deposites: stony, gravelly and sandy
What is Glacial Till soil formation?
Unsorted deposits mixture of soils at higher elevations. Not affected by meltwater sorting.
What is recent stream soil formation?
material deposited by non-glacial streams
What is recent flood plain deposits soil formation?
stream deposited gravel, sand, and silt. subject to spring flooding.
What is stream deposited Fluvial fans soil formation?
fan shaped deposits: rocky near top becoming finer near flood plain
Windblown Deposits soil formation
Sand and silt deposited by wind
What is organic deposits soil formation?
Accumulation of decay and vegetative matter
What is Colluvial deposits soil formation?
Gravelly soils settled by gravity that are formed of bedrock material.
What is Volcanic deposits soil formation?
Soils formed from volcanic action.
What is the largest GI region and percentage
Okanagan at 84%
what is the Okanagan growing season like
short and hot season
lots of sun
long days
low rain fall
Yearly temperature swing of Okanagan
-20 to 40C
Which side of the Okanagan Valley is much warmer and receives more sun?
The East side
What is the potential difference in grape ripening between east and west Okanagan
2 weeks
Pest and disease control is low in Okanagan due to low humidity and warm temperatures
True or false
What is the result of this
True
Sustainable organic viticulture is becoming more popular.
What feature creates a natural moderation of harsh climate protecting vineyards from frost and extremes of winter cold?
The series of large lakes through most of the Okanagan.
What area of Okanagan does not have protection of lakes
Oliver area
Osoyoos and black sage bench climatic benefits
-Long evening sun
-Osoyoos Vineyards protective moderating effects of lake
Osoyoos and black sage bench wine that do best
Later ripening grapes
Merlot
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Syrah
Osoyoos and black sage bench Soil Type
-Deep stone free, sandy, glaciofluvial
-over granite bedrock
-Soils rapidly drain well suited for grape production
Osoyoos and black sage bench climate fact?
Hottest wine growing area in Canada
Where is the Golden Mile GI located
On the west side of Okanagan valley
South of Oliver
Directly opposite Black Sage bench
What was BC’s first official Sub-GI
Golden Mile Bench
Golden Mile bench Elevation. what does it promote
40-100 Meter above valley floor
good air drainage avoid risk of spring frost
What are soil type of Golden mile bench
Well Drained Glaciofluvial deposits
coarse textured sand and gravel fans formed by Mt Kobau
What grapes varieties do well at golden mile bench. Most planted
Merlot
Cab Franc
Cab Sauv
Syrah
Pinot Gris
Gewurztraminer
What grapes varieties do well at golden mile slopes. Most planted
Merlot + Cab Franc = 45%
Syrah
Pinot Gris = 13%
Golden Mile slope location
-South of Golden mile bench
-On foot slopes above Okanagan river flood plain
Vineyards around Deadman Lake
Approx. 408 acres 60% red varieties
Golden Mile Slope Soil type
Glacial meltwater Glaciofluvial sands and gravels.
Vineyards are on coarse textured stony soil
What area marks the climate transition from hot to moderate
What is the famous geological feature of this area
- Vaseux - Oliver (Okanagan Falls Sub-GI)
- McIntyre Bluff, Ice Dam, 8000-10,000 years ago.
What are 75% of grapes plated in Okanagan Falls Sub-GI
Chardonnay
Pinot Gris
Pinot Noir
Okanagan Falls Elevation
What climatic event retains crisp Acidity
400-500m
Cool air from higher elevations come in at night
Okanagan Falls Sub-GI soil type
-Glaciofluvial deposits
-coarse sands and gravels that are well drained
What is a signature geological landform of Okanagan Falls Sub-GI
The kettles Holes. A jumbled array of ridges and mounts
What is the Big natural moderating climate effect of Naramata and Skaha GI’s
The Okanagan and Skaha lakes provide a moderated climatye
What is the soil type on the west side of Pentication vs the East side (Naramata and Skaha Vineyards)
West Side: Volcanic soil
East side: older bedrock with pockets of clay and silt.
How many wineries are in the Naramata area.
50
What are the most predominate grapes in Naramata
Merlot, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay = 62%
What are the most predominate grapes in Skaha Bench
Merlot, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinto Blanc, Syrah, Cab Sauv, and Cab Franc = 81*
Where are some of the highest elevation vineyards in BC located
Summerland: Summerland Valleys Sub-Gi
Summerland GI key Grape varieties
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and kerner.
Summerland bench Soil type
Glaciofluvial melt water: Coarse texture, sandy, silty, or gravelly. good drainage
Summerland lakefront Soil type
former lake bottom soils: Glaciolacustrine, stone free, silty soil
What Sub GI Mirrors the Naramata Bench
Summerland Lakefront Gi
Key Fact: Within Summerland bench is an extinct volcano - Giants Head Mountain.
True or False
True
Key Fact
What 3 grapes make up 77% of Vineyard acreage in Summerland Lakefront
Gewurztraminer
Pinot Noir
Pinot Gris
Key Fact
What 3 grapes make up 77% of Vineyard acreage in Summerland Lakefront
Gewurztraminer
Pinot Noir
Pinot Gris
Where are some of the oldest Vineyards in the Okanagan dating back to 1860’s
Old Vine Riesling 1978
East Kelowna Slopes
Where is the home to first winery to have BC Vineyard Certified Biodynamic
South Kelowna Slopes
