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
Hemel-en-Aarde Wards (in Walker Bay District): character and wine styles
- Relatively cool b/c of ocean
- High-quality Chard and Pinot Noir
- Also: Sauv Blanc, Merlot, Syrah
Elgin District: character and wine styles
- Cooled by altitude
- Known for Sauv Blanc (intense, fresh)
- Also high-quality Pinot Noir, Chard, Syrah
Elim Ward: character and wine styles
- Known for pungent, herbaceous Sauv Blanc
- Also Syrah
Riverland (South Australia)
Murray-Darling (Victoria)
Riverina (New South Wales)
: character and wine styles
- Fertile, irrigated, high-volume
- Wines may be blended with wines from better areas
- Riverina also produces botrytized wines from Semillion (due to Autumn morning mists and fogs)
Barossa Valley region: character and wine styles
- Warm, dry
- Old bush vines of outstanding Shiraz, Cab Sauv, and Grenache
- Shiraz: full body, soft tannins, ripe black fruit, American oak, developing leather and spice
- Semillion: increasingly fresh, unoaked
Eden Valley region: character and wine styles
- In Barossa zone, in hills to east of Barossa Valley
- Rieslings: intense lime and grapefruit, steely, developing marmalade and toasty after 10 years
- Also: Shiraz, Chard, Cab Sauv
Clare Valley region: character and wine styles
- NW of Barossa Valley
- Warm, but cold nights. Many at altitude
- Riesling: dry, intense citrus and lime, high acid, developing honey and toast
- Shiraz: fragrant, powerful, structured
- Cab Sauv: varying styles
Adelaide Hills region: character and wine styles
- Moderate climate; all vineyards above 400m
- Irrigation often necessary (as soils retain little water, and it rains mainly in winter)
- Sauv Blanc: refreshing
- Chard: elegant, high acid, pronounced citrus, peach
- Also: Pinot Noir, for red wines and blending with Chard for sparkling
McLaren Vale region: character and wine styles
- On coast south of Adelaide
- Afternoon ocean breezes temper warm climate
- Shiraz (old vines), Cab Sauv, Merlot, Grenache (old vines): intense, dark fruit aromas, soft/ripe tannins
Coonawarra region: character and wine styles
- terra rosa over limestone
- Moderate maritime, due to cold currents from Antarctic and summer cloud clover
- Cab Sauv: concentrated, structure, with cassis and eucalyptus/menthol
- Also: Shiraz, Merlot, Chard
Yarra Valley region: character and wine styles
- NE of Melbourne
- Cool to mod maritime, but very varied
- Pinot Noir: rich fruit (strawberries, plums, dark cherries), ripe/soft tannins, careful oak
- Also: Chard, Shiraz, Cab Sauv
Mornington Peninsula region: character and wine styles
- Cool to mod maritime
- Pinot Noir: very pure fruit, and ranges from light/delicate to structured
- Chard: citrus, pear, apple, high acid, MLF
Geelong region: character and wine styles
- W of Melbourne
- Chard: quality, complex, concentrated, full body
- Pinot Noir: earthy
- Shiraz: fresh and peppery
- Chard/Pinot Noir also make sparkling
Heathcote region: character and wine styles
- Inland in Victoria; moderate because of altitude
- Shiraz: more structured and fresher fruit than in warmer regions
- Also: Chard, Cab Sauv. And Med grapes like Sangiovese and Tempranillo
Goulburn Valley region: character and wine styles
- East of Heathcote, inland
- Marsanne: speciality, citrus developing honey
- Shiraz: most planted
Hunter Valley region: character and wine styles
- Hot, humid; moderated by cloud cover and ocean breezes at peak summer
- Canopy management essential to avoid rot
- Semillion: light bodied, low alc, high acid, neutral, developing toast, nut, honey
- Chard: both oaked and unoaked
- Shiraz: blackberry and black cherry, soft tannins, med body, earthy
Margaret River region: character and wine styles
- Coastal, warm Med climate
- Cab Sauv: Bordeaux blends with Merlot
- Chard: intense stone fruit and tropical, high acid, range of oak barrel and MLC use
- Sauv Blanc: gooseberry, tropical fruit with high acid
Great Southern region: character and wine styles
- Includes Mount Barker and Frankland River
- Cab Sauv: deep color
- Shiraz: peppery
- Riesling: floral
Tasmania: character and wine styles
- Cool maritime
- Prime source of base wine for sparkling
- Pinot Noir, Chard, Sauv Blanc, Pinot Gris
- Also: Cab Sauv in warmest/driest
Gisborne: character and wine styles
- Rainfall, temps, sun all high
- Chard: ripe tropical fruit
- Also: Gewurz and full-bodied Pinot Gris
Hawke’s Bay: character and wine styles
- Diverse soils, aspects, altitudes
- Gimblett Gravels: gravelly, warm, black varieties
- Known for Bordeaux blends of Cab Sauv and Merlot
- Also Syrah
Martinborough: character and wine styles
- In Wairarapa
- Pinot Noir: med to full body, ripe dark plum and spice
Marlborough: character and wine styles
- Wairau (large, long sunny days, varied): Sauv Blanc: tropical fruit
- Awatere (smaller, cooler): Sauv Blanc: higher acid, more herbaceous
- Pinot Noir: med body, fine tannins, cherry and cranberry
- Also: Chard, Pinot Noir (for sparkling), Riesling, Pinot Gris
Nelson: character and wine styles
- Cooler, wetter than Marlborough
- Sauv Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris
Canterbury: character and wine styles
- Plains west of Christchurch (cooled by Pacific) and Waipara Valley
- Sauv Blanc, Pinot Noir, Riesling
Central Otago: character and wine styles
- Foothills of Southern Alps, very varied, large diurnal range
- Continental, frost
- Pinot Noir: full body, high alc, vibrant/intense red fruit
- Also: Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chard
Los Carneros AVA: character and wine styles
- Southern Napa and Sonoma
- Pinot Noir and Chard, for still and sparkling
Stags Leap District, Oakville, Rutherford: character and wine styles
- Napa Valley floor
- Rutherford warmest during day, wines with most power and structure
- Cab Sauv most respected
- Also: Merlot
- Also: Chard, Sauv Blanc - tropical fruit
Saint Helena and Calistoga: character and wine styles
- Warmest in Napa Valley floor
- Some of most concentrated, full body wines in Napa Valley
- Cool air through Chalk Hill gap in Mayacamas, and cooler night temps
- Cab Sauv, Zinfandel, Syrah
Howell Mountain
Mount Veeder: character and wine styles
- Both on sides of Napa Valley, above fog layer
- Howell Mountain: east side, facing west, so hot afternoon sun
- Mount Veeder: west side, facing east, so cooler
- More tannins, less richness
- Can Sauv
- Also: Merlot, Cab Franc, Zinfandel
- Also: Chard - citrus, stone fruit, higher acidity than valley floor
Russian River Valley: character and wine styles
- Very cool, foggy
- Pinot Noir and Chard: very high-quality, elegant (still and sparkling)
Dry Creek Valley: character and wine styles
- Sonoma, warmer than Russian River Valley
- Above fog: old vine Zinfandel
- Valley floor: Sauv Blanc
- Also: Rhone varieties and Cab Sauv
Alexander Valley: character and wine styles
- Sonoma, warmer than Russian River Valley and Dry Creek Valley
- Fleshy, fuller-bodied wines
- Cab Sauv: soft, full-bodied
Sonoma Coast: character and wine styles
- South-facing slopes, to compensate for cool ocean exposure
Sonoma Valley: character and wine styles
- Chards
- Old vine Zins
Mendocino County: character and wine styles
- Andersen Valley: Cool, sparkling and Riesling/Gewurz
- Otherwise warmer: Cab Sauv, Zin, Syrah - full body, soft tannins
Santa Cruz Mountains: character and wine styles
- Hillsides with infertile soils; mod climate
- Cab Sauv: elegant
- Chard, Pinot Noir: high-quality
Paso Robles: character and wine styles
- East (hot): high-volume, fruity
- West: Zin, Rhone - high quality
Santa Maria Valley: character and wine styles
- Cool fog
- Pinot Noir, Chard - concentrated fruit, high acid
Lodi: character and wine styles
- Some of the oldest and best old Zin vineyards
