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24 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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California (General Facts)(6) |
- Massive range in size of productions - Massive price difference - Large climate variation - Improving quality and techniques - Massive variation wine production techniques and quality - Grows pretty much every grape imaginable
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California (Premium wines)(3) |
- Usually made in a zone I, II or II climate - Typically a varietal wine or Meritage blend - Typically (but not always) made from small wineries, who like to focus on their own AVA's |
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California (Bulk Wines) (4) |
- Would contain many grapes from a zone IV or V climate - Varietal wines are blended from across california - Made from massive operations - Blend wines are usually labeled as red or white |
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California (Climate) (5) |
- Climate ranges greatly - Zone climate classification system is used; ranges from level I-V - Lack of rainfall is widespread throughout california - Coastal regions rely on fog and ocean breezes to cool the climates. - Inland regions are typically very hot |
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'Degree day' system (4) |
- Climate classification system - Rates climates in a scale of zones, ranging from 1-5 - Zones I-III are cooler climates suited for premium wines; - Whereas Zones IV-V are hot climates suited for bulk varieties |
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Chardonay (3) |
- Largest wine crop (20% of Harvest) - Wide range of production styles - Planted in the warm and cool cliamtes |
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Describe the bulk style of Chardonnay? (3) What areas would typically make this wine? (1) |
- Fruit focused - Low acidity - Tropical fruit chracter - From the central valley |
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Describe the traditional premium Californian Chardonnay? (4) |
- Full bodied - Low acidity - Obvious American oak flavours (Hazlenut & butter) - Tropical and stonefruit flavours (peach & banana)
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Describe the emerging premium Californian Chardonnay? (4) What areas would typically make this wine? (2) |
- More restrained style made from the cooler regions - Less oak - More acidity - Made in Carneros and Russian River Valley |
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Zinfandel (5) |
- Makes Red and White Zinfandel - Regarded as California's own variety - Makes reds with intense berry fruit flavour - Med-Med + acidity - High alcohol
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Where does quality Zinfandel grow? (2) |
- On old vines - Also grows well on new vines that are planted in premium locations |
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How does Zinfandel ripen? How does that affect the wine (4) |
- Some grapes will raisin by the time the whole bunch ripens - Unequal ripening concentrates sugars & flavours - Results in high alcohol 14-17% - Sometimes small amounts of residual sugar |
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White Zinfandel (4) |
- Typically Fruity - Pale in colour - Low alcohol - Medium Sweet |
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Cabernet Sauvignon |
- Most widely planted black grape (25%) - Dark cherry fruit - Soft tannins - Med to High alcohol
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What is the main viticultural attribute that affects premium California wine? (1)How does this affect the wine? (2) |
- Long hang time of the fruit - This results in a complex spectrum of ripe fruit flavours - Although this can lead to unbalanced high-alcohol wines if not done properly
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What is are some vinification methods that are common amongst quality Californian wines (4) |
No expense spared wine making - Berry selection - High tech equipment - Temperature controlled cellars - New oak (more expensive examples will be French oak) |
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Describe the traditional Merlot? (2) What factors made it this way? (2) |
- Very soft tannins - Little varietal character - These wines were produced in bulk in order to match the massive demand for red wine - after it was discovered that red wine was beneficial for one's health |
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Merlot (5) |
- Better examples came from the cooler regions - Soft, velvety tannins - Full body - High alcohol - classic varietal flavours of blackberry and plum |
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Why were older examples of Pinot Noir poorer in quality? (3) |
- Planted in sites that were too hot - resulting in baked jammy wines - had little flavour as sugar ripeness was reached before flavours were able to develop properly |
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Pinot Noir (4) |
- Grows best in the cooler regions - Some are light in colour and show the classic gamey, vegetal notes with red fruits - However most are medium bodied with deep colour - showing rich layers of ripe red fruit |
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Sauvignon Blanc (3) |
- Central valley vineyards are too hot to make wines with much varietal character - Makes many styles, from aromatic light styles - and ripe, rich, oak aged wines that are inspired by white bordeaux
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Fumé Blanc |
- Usually indicates an oaked style of Sauvignon Blanc, but not always |
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Rhone varieties (5) |
- Currently very fashionable in Californian wine circles - Includes Marsanne, Viognier, Syrah and Mondeuse |
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What are some varieties used for cheap blends? |
- Colombard - Chenin Blanc - Ruby Cabernet - Carignan - Barbera
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