Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
62 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
CALIFORNIA
main wine regions |
North Coast
Interior/Central Valley Central Coast |
|
|
NORTH COAST
AVA areas |
Napa
Sonoma Mendocino Lake Marin Solano *all counties (Napa County, etc.) |
|
|
NAPA COUNTY
sub-AVAs |
Napa Valley
|
|
|
NAPA VALLEY
sub-AVAs |
Atlas Peak
Calistoga Carneros (a.k.a. Los Carneros) Chiles Valley Diamond Mountain District Howell Mountain Mount Veeder Oak Knoll District Oakville Rutherford Spring Mountain District St. Helena Stags Leap District Wild Horse Valley Yountville |
|
|
NAPA VALLEY
landscape, soil, climate |
- LANDSCAPE: valley bounded on west side by Mayacamas Mountains (separates Napa/Sonoma) and on east side by smaller ridge of Vaca Hills
- SOIL: mostly clay but also alluvial deposits of sand, silt, minerals, and gravel on valley floor. more volcanic in mountain/hillside vineyards - CLIMATE: several different climatic zones. cool ocean air/fog pulled from San Francisco northward into Napa Valley. Southern Napa usually cooler than Northern Napa |
|
|
NAPA VALLEY
red wines |
- mostly cab. sauv.
- VALLEY FLOOR: fertile valley floor, generally richer/riper, w/ higher alcohol, than those made from - MOUNTAIN/HILLSIDE: less-fertile vineyards, higher acidity, just-ripe tannins, lower alcohol, higher degree of overall complexity/structure |
|
|
NAPA VALLEY
important grapes, wine styles |
- RED: cab. sauv.***, merlot, zinfandel, pinot noir, syrah
- WHITE: chardonnay*, sauv. blanc, viognier - WINE STYLES: dry wines, varietal wines, also famous blends (like Meritage, which is cab. sauv., merlot, cab. franc.) |
|
|
CARNEROS
location, climate, grapes |
- first sub-AVA of Napa Valley
- LOCATION: straddles boundaries between Napa County, Sonoma County - CLIMATE: very cool - GRAPES: merlot, pinot noir, chardonnay, syrah, et. al. - area is more about the vineyards than any particular wineries located there |
|
|
HOWELL MOUNTAIN
location, landscape, grapes |
- LOCATION: extreme northeast of Napa County
- LANDSCAPE: higher-elevation vineyards - to qualify for AVA status, vineyards must be located min 1,400 ft. - GRAPES: zinfandel, cab. sauv., merlot, et. al. |
|
|
STAGS LEAP DISTRICT
location, landscape, soil, grapes |
- LOCATION: mostly lies just east of the Silverado Trail
- LANDSCAPE/SOIL: dense clay soils, w/ lighter volcanic outcroppings in hills - GRAPES: cab. sauv.,*, merlot |
|
|
MOUNT VEEDER
location, landscape, grapes |
- LOCATION/LANDSCAPE: highest peak in Mayacamas Mountains, rising west of Yountville in southwest Napa
- GRAPES: mostly cab. sauv., chardonnay |
|
|
ATLAS PEAK
location, landscape, climate, grapes |
- LOCATION: mostly in Napa's Foss Valley, high above stone foothills of Stags Leap and across the valley floor from Mount Veeder
- LANDSCAPE/CLIMATE: high-altitude vineyards escape late morning/afternoon fog, instead get sunlight, followed by steep temperature drop at night. makes for great ripening with higher level of acidity - GRAPES: cab. sauv., zinandel, syrah, chardonnay |
|
|
SPRING MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
location, grapes |
- LOCATION: above and west of city of St. Helena, borders Sonoma County
- GRAPES: cab. sauv., merlot, chardonnay, |
|
|
OAKVILLE
location, landscape, grapes |
- LOCATION: on Rutherford's southeastern border
- LANDSCAPE: valley floor - GRAPES: cab. sauv.***, merlot, zinfandel, sauv. blanc, chardonnay |
|
|
RUTHERFORD
location, landscape, soil, grapes |
- LOCATION: on Oakville's northwestern border
- LANDSCAPE: more elevation/heat than Oakville - SOIL: rich loam - GRAPES: cab. sauv.***, et. al. |
|
|
Oakville Cabernet
vs. Rutherford Cabernet wine tasting notes |
OAKVILLE
- fresh herbs, strong hint of mint and sage - coffee - tobacco - black currants - sweet cherries - assertive tannins RUTHERFORD - plum and cherry - herb/mint more in background - dramatic tannin |
|
|
RUTHERFORD BENCH
location, landscape, soil |
- LOCATION: on the west side of Oakville/Rutherford AVAs
- LANDSCAPE: two elevated alluvial fans known as "benchlands" - created over centuries by Napa River - SOIL: deep, loamy, well-drained soils |
|
|
WILD HORSE VALLEY
location, climate, grapes |
- LOCATION: extreme southeastern corner of Napa County (shared as an AVA w/ Solano County)
- CLIMATE: cooler than Carneros - GRAPES: pinot noir, chardonnay |
|
|
CHILES VALLEY
location, grapes |
- LOCATION: although part of larger Napa Valley AVA, is actually a separate valley lying east of Rutherford at somewhat higher elevation
- GRAPES: cab. sauv., zin. |
|
|
YOUNTVILLE
location, grapes, most famous winery |
- LOCATED: bordered by Oakville (north), Stags Leap District (east), foothills of Mount Veeder (west), and Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA (south)
- GRAPES: cab. sauv.**, chardonnay - FAMOUS WINERY: Domaine Chandon (owned by Moet & Chandon). methode champenoise w/ pinot noir and chardonnay |
|
|
ST. HELENA and CALISTOGA
location, grapes |
- LOCATION: St. Helena bordered on north by Calistoga
- GRAPES: cab. sauv., zin. |
|
|
DIAMOND MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
location, landscape, soil, grapes |
- LOCATION: in Mayacamas Mountain range, northwestern Napa Valley.
- LANDSCAPE: high altitude, escapes the fog. great sun exposure - SOIL: volcanic, well-drained - GRAPES: cab. sauv.*, zin., cab. franc |
|
|
OAK KNOLL DISTRICT of NAPA VALLEY
location, climate, grapes |
- LOCATION: southern Napa Valley, just north of Carneros
- CLIMATE: cooling fog and ocean breezes. not as cool as Carneros, but cooler than rest of Napa Valley - GRAPES: merlot*, chardonnay |
|
|
SONOMA COUNTY
AVA areas |
Alexander Valley
Dry Creek Valley Knights Valley Northern Sonoma Sonoma Coast Russian River Valley Sonoma Valley Carneros |
|
|
SONOMA COUNTY
climate, landscape, soil |
- CLIMATE: dramatic shifts in weather patterns from AVA to AVA
- LANDSCAPE: extreme southwest area, bordered by P. Ocean, is traditionally considered too cold to ripen grapes. any that are planted are on south-facing hillsides for protection from ocean winds - more inland, districts are quite hot - SOILS: range from volcanic deposits w/ large heat-reflecting rocks, to sandy loams |
|
|
SONOMA VALLEY
location, grapes |
- LOCATION: runs from San Pablo Bay in south to Santa Rosa city limits in north, and from Sonoma Mountains in west to Mayacamas Mountains in east
- GRAPES: no one varietal dominates |
|
|
SONOMA VALLEY
sub-AVAs |
Sonoma Mountain
Bennett Valley |
|
|
SONOMA MOUNTAIN
landscape, location, climate, grapes |
- LANDSCAPE/LOCATION: mountainous area, lies west of town of Glen Ellen
- CLIMATE: southern boundary is above fog line, but northern boundary is close enough so as not to lose early-evening heat radiated from valley floor - GRAPES: cab. sauv., zin., sauv. blanc, et. al. |
|
|
BENNETT VALLEY
location, climate, grapes |
- LOCATION: defined by Matanzas Creek watershed. bordered by three mountains - Taylor Mountain (west), Bennett Peak (east), Sonoma Mountain (south)
- CLIMATE: cool. coastal winds and early-morning fog that slips through mountain gaps. grapes ripen slowly - GRAPES: merlot, chardonnay, syrah, pinot noir |
|
|
ALEXANDER VALLEY
location, grapes |
- LOCATION: bordered by Mendocino County line (north), town of Healdsburg (south), Knights Valley (east)
- GRAPES: cab. sauv., chardonnay, merlot, zin., sauv. blanc |
|
|
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
location, climate, grapes |
- LOCATION: bordered by town of Healdsburg (north), P. Ocean (west), and town of Sebastopol (southwest)
- CLIMATE: cool and damp. cooling fog in northern and eastern vineyards - GRAPES: chardonnay**, pinot noir |
|
|
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
sub-AVAs |
Green Valley
Chalk Hill |
|
|
GREEN VALLEY
location, climate, grapes |
- LOCATION: in western part of Russian River Valley
- CLIMATE: cool and very foggy (very close to P. Ocean) - GRAPES: chardonnay, pinot noir |
|
|
CHALK HILL
location, grapes |
- LOCATION: in eastern part of Russian River Valley
- GRAPES: chardonnay**, sauv. blanc, cab. sauv., merlot |
|
|
DRY CREEK VALLEY
location, grapes, sub-AVAs |
- LOCATION: adjacent to town of Healdsburg
- GRAPES: zinfandel***, et. al. - SUB-AVAs: Rockpile |
|
|
ROCKPILE
landscape, grapes |
- no resident wineries, just vineyards
- LANDSCAPE: high-elevation, rocky and rugged - GRAPES: mostly zinfandel |
|
|
KNIGHTS VALLEY
location, landscape, soil, climate, grapes |
- LOCATION: teeters on a perch that separates Sonoma County from Napa Valley
- LANDSCAPE: hills of valley lie beyond cooling, foggy influence of P. Ocean - SOIL: volcanic - CLIMATE: largest AVA in Sonoma County - GRAPES: cab. sauv., |
|
|
SONOMA COAST
location, climate |
- Sonoma County's largest AVA
- LOCATION: begins just north of Green Valley AVA, extends south to Carneros border - CLIMATE: cool |
|
|
MENDOCINO
AVA areas |
Mendocino Ridge
Anderson Valley Yorkville Highlands McDowell Valley Cole Ranch Redwood Valley Potter Valley |
|
|
MENDOCINO COUNTY
landscape |
- major vineyards sited along Russian River, w/ exception of most Anderson Valley vineyards (planted on shallow terraces, or "benches")
- northern half of county not considered very good for vineyards, but two smallest (and newest) sub-AVAs located there |
|
|
Coro Mendocino
|
- a "signature" wine made by cooperative of Mendocino County's forward-looking and well-known producers
- any winery in Mendocino County can make Coro but must first adhere to the rules RULES: - must be made only from Mendocino grapes - must contain min 40% zinfandel (no other grape can dominate) - other approved grapes must be included: syrah, petite sirah, sangiovese, charbono, grenache, carignan - each winemaker is given 10% of blend to play with, and may include any other grapes they choose - all Coro wines have same label, only difference is name of produce and signed statement from winemaker |
|
|
ANDERSON VALLEY
location, climate, grapes, wine styles |
- LOCATION: begins west of Ukiah, stretches to P. Ocean
- CLIMATE: area closest to sea is coolest, inland area still cool but not as much - GRAPES: chardonnay, pinot noir, gewurztraminer, riesling - WINE STYLES: sparkling made closer to ocean, table wines in inland areas |
|
|
MCDOWELL VALLEY
wineries |
- only one winery: McDowell Valley Vineyards
- winery focuses on Rhône-style blends |
|
|
COLE RANCH
wineries, grapes |
- no wineries, just one vineyard
- GRAPES: cab sauv., merlot, riesling |
|
|
POTTER VALLEY
location, climate, grapes, landscape, other notes |
- LOCATION: northeastern sector of Mendocino, borders Lake County, east of Redwood Valley
- w/ Redwood Valley AVA, most northerly areas in North Coast AVA - CLIMATE: relatively cool - GRAPES: merlot, sauv. blanc, chardonnay, riesling, pinot noir - LANDSCAPE: vines on valley floor, protected by hills - many chardonnay/pinot noir grapes purchased for sparkling wine, b/c of their high acidity - Chateau Montelena located here |
|
|
REDWOOD VALLEY
famous vineyards/estates, location, climate |
- FAMOUS VINEYARDS/ESTATES: Fetzer, Lolonis, Fife, Frey
- LOCATION: north of Ukiah - CLIMATE: cooler than Ukiah |
|
|
MENDOCINO RIDGE
landscape and other notes |
- quintessential AVA of Mendocino
- LANDSCAPE: not based on a contigueous growing district, soil type, fog patter, microclimate, or history, but strictly on elevation - vineyards must be planted min. 1,2000 feet above sea level to claim AVA status |
|
|
YORKVILLE HIGHLANDS
location, soil, grapes |
- LOCATION: north of Sonoma border extending north to Anderson Valley border, Mendocino borders entire eastern border
- SOIL: loam and clay on Sonoma side in south, gravelly on Mendocino side on eastern flank - GRAPES: pinot noir, sauv blanc, cab sauv, merlot |
|
|
LAKE COUNTY
sub-AVAs |
Benmore Valley
Clear Lake Guenoc Valley High Valley Red Hills Lake County |
|
|
LAKE COUNTY
grapes |
sauv blanc
zin cab sauv chardonnay merlot |
|
|
CLEAR LAKE
|
- name for California's largest freshwater lake
- largest AVA in Lake County - biggest player here is Kendall-Jackson |
|
|
RED HILLS
location, soil, climate, grapes |
- LOCATED: at base of an ancient, dormant volcano, Mount Konocti
- SOILS: deep-red, volcanic - CLIMATE: relatively warm - GRAPES: zin, syrah, cab franc, merlot, petite sirah |
|
|
GUENOC VALLEY
wineries |
- controlled by a single winery, the Langtry Estate/Guenoc Winery
- first winery whose name became not only a brand but an AVA |
|
|
BENMORE VALLEY
location, grapes |
- single-owner AVA: Geyser Peak winery
- LOCATION: on border of Russian River drainage basin and Clear Lake basin in southwest Lake County - GRAPES: chardonnay, syrah |
|
|
HIGH VALLEY
landscape, climate, grapes |
- LANDSCAPE: valley begins at 1,600 ft and goes as high as 3,000 ft
- CLIMATE: valley floor is cooler than mountain ridges, which get more sun - GRAPES: cab sauv, merlot, and zin on mountain ridges; chard, riesling, sauv blanc, gewurz. on valley floor |
|
|
MARIN COUNTY
sub-AVAs |
no sub-AVAs!
|
|
|
MARIN COUNTY
location, landscape, climate, grapes, wineries |
- LOCATION: in North Coast AVA
- LANDSCAPE: still fairly rural and part of an agricultural land preserve - CLIMATE: long, cool growing season - GRAPES: pinot noir, chardonnay, gewurz, merlot, cab sauv - WINERIES: family-owned, small wineries dominate in Marin County |
|
|
SOLANO COUNTY
sub-AVAs |
Solano County Green Valley
Suisun Valley Wild Horse Valley (shared w/ Napa Valley AVA) |
|
|
SOLANO COUNTY
landscape, climate, soil |
- western area more or less an extension of its neighbor Napa County in terms of climate and soil
- western Solano County is the area that is part of North Coast AVA |
|
|
WILD HORSE VALLEY
landscape, grapes, climate |
- LANDSCAPE: rugged. begins at 1,000 ft above sea level, tops out at 1,800 ft.
- GRAPES: mostly chardonnay and pinot noir - CLIMATE: overall, one of coolest in California, produces fruit with very high levels of acid |
|
|
SOLANO COUNTY GREEN VALLEY
location, landscape, climate, grapes |
- LOCATION: close to San Pablo Bay
- LANDSCAPE: terrain is fairly flat to moderately hilly - CLIMATE:ocean fog cools the vines during hot summer - GRAPES: gamay, zin, cab sauv |
|
|
SUISAN VALLEY
climate, grapes |
- most prolific grape-growing district in Solano County
- CLIMATE: relatively warm - GRAPES: cab sauv, merlot, sauv blanc, zin, viognier |
