Wines of Principal Regions - New World Flashcards
Williamette Valley AVA: character and wine styles
- West of Cascades
- Pinot Noir with ripe red fruit, hint of cinnamon, high acid
- Pinot Gris that is fruity, dry
Columbia Valley AVA
(and subarea Yakima Valley AVA): character and wine styles
- East of the Cascades in rain shadow–irrigation needed
- Long daylight hours; sunny days and cool nights
- Winter freeze
- Merlot: plummy, full-bodied
- Cab Sauv: elegant, age-worthy
- Chardonnay: fruity, often toasty oak
Finger Lakes AVA: character and wine styles
- Deep glacial lakes moderate temps and extend growing season
- Riesling: perfumed
- Also Pinot Noir, Cab Franc, Chard
Niagra Peninsula: character and wine styles
- Lake Ontario extends growing season and improves air flow
- Riesling: fresh, fruity dry and off-dry whites, and finest icewine
- Vidal: also used for icewine (not as acidic or as complex)
- Cab Franc: red plum and herbal (sometimes in Bordeaux blends with Cab Sauv and Merlot)
Okanagan Valley: character and wine styles
- Rain shadow between two mountain ranges
- Very long growing days due to high latitude
- Merlot, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
- Icewine from Chard or Vidal
Coquimbo: character and wine styles
- High altitude, dry (irrigation)
- Elqui Valley: Sauv Blanc (high acid, intense apple/citrus) and Syrah (light/pepper)
- Limarí Valley: Chile’s best Chard (med to high acid, citrus/stone, with lees and oak)
Aconcagua Valley: character and wine styles
- Valley floor some of warmest in Chile
- Cab Sauv, Syrah, Camenere
- Traditionally: very ripe flavors, high alc and tannin
- Now: Some trying to create more freshness and complexity, focusing on valley slopes or towards coast
Casablanca Valley and San Antonio Valley: character and wine styles
- Between coastal range and Pacific
- Very varied soils and aspects
- Whites dominate
- Sauv Blanc (esp in cool Leyda Valley, in San Antonio), Chard
- Pinot Noir (red berry, herbal), Syrah (structured, peppery)
Maipo Valley: character and wine styles
- Central Valley, surrounded by mountains
- Close to Santiago
- Many premium sites are in Andean foothills, cooled by descending air
- Cab Sauv (minty)
Cachapoal Valley: character and wine styles
- Warm, cut off from ocean breezes
- Valley floor: Carmenere
- Cooler eastern end: Cab Sauv and Syrah
Colchagua Valley: character and wine styles
- Central (warm and open to some ocean influence): Cab Sauv, and also Syrah and Carmenere
- West (cooler): High quality whites
Curicó Valley and Maule Valley: character and wine styles
- Warm, so used for inexpensive red and white blends
- Maule: Dry-farmed, old vines; Carignan (full-bodied, intense)
Southern Region: character and wine styles
- Cooler and wetter the further south
- Pais and Muscat of Alexandria, mostly consumed locally (but some old bush vines)
- Chard, Pinot Noir, aromatic varieties
Cafayate, in Salta Province: character and wine styles
- Some of highest vineyards in the world (some over 3k m)
- Torrontés: highly aromatic
- Malbec and Cab Sauv
San Juan Province: character and wine styles
- 450 - 1400 m vineyards
- Noted for Syrah
- Also: Malbec, Cab Sauv, Bonarda, Torrontés, Chard
Uco Valley: character and wine styles
- SW of Mendoza, highest vineyards in Mendoza (900-1500m)
- Cool nights: Acidity, fresh fruit flavors, sometimes floral
- Chard, Torrontés, Sauv Blanc, Cab Sauv, Merlot, Tempranillo (and some Pinot Noir)
Luján de Cuyo: character and wine styles
- SW of Mendoza, 900-1100m
- Malbec (from old vines): concentrated, complex
Maipú: character and wine styles
- East of Luján de Cuyo, lower altitude
- Syrah and Cab Sauv
- Eastern end produces high volume, but also old vine Bonarda and Tempranillo
Patagonia: character and wine styles
- Cooled by latitude
- Strong desert winds, but dry with wide diurnal range
- Concentrated but fresh fruit w/ med to high acid
- Malbec, Cab Sauv, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chard, Sauv Blanc
Stellenbosch District: character and wine styles
- From ocean to mountains. Very varied.
- Cool winds from ocean
- Top class reds: Cab Sauv and Merlot, Syrah, and Cape red blends
- Also Sauv Blanc and Chard
Paarl District: character and wine styles
- North of and hotter than Stellenbosch
- Very varied
- Cab Sauv, Syrah, Pinotage
- Chenin Blanc, Chard
Constantia Ward: character and wine styles
- In Cape Town District
- Cooled by Cape Doctor
- Known for Sauv Blanc
- Some Shiraz and Cab Sauv in warmest sites
- Vin de Constance (sweet wine from late-harvest Muscat)
- South of Table Mountain: Sauv Blanc and Semillon
Durbanville Ward: character and wine styles
- In Cape Town District
- Cooled by sea breezes
- Known for Sauv Blanc
Swartland District: character and wine styles
- North of Cape Town District
- Was inexpensive, now old vine Chenin Blanc and premium Syrah, both dry-farmed
- Some premium Cape blends (red and white) too
Worcester District: character and wine styles
- Hot, dry, irrigation
- Chenin Blanc and Colombard, most for distillation
- Well-made reds and whites for high volume brands
Robertson District: character and wine styles
- East of Worcester, slightly cooler due to winds
- High volume brands
- Can make excellent Syrahs and Chards on less fertile soil