Wset Diploma United States Wine Regions And Grapes

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Californian missionaries planted in

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1769 in San Diego

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First commercial Californian wine

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1824

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Wine Laws

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Federal - AVAs since 1978. Guarantee source not quality or production methods
State - Varies state to state

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Federal wine laws

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- American Viticultural Areas set up in 1978
- Still evolving
- AVA's guarantee source nots quality or production method
- Anyone can petition to create an AVA of any size (some cover just one winery)
- 85% of grapes must come from within the AVA
-

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Oregon State Law

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- 95% of variety on label
- 100% of fruit from stated AVA

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Washington State Law

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85% stated variety (same as federal)

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California and all other states (except Oregon and Washington)

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75% of stated AVA, variety and vintage

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New York Wine Laws (state)

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Up to 35% addition of sugar and water allowed (due to climate)

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Californian regions

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- North Coast (Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino)
- North Central Coast (Monterey & Santa Cruz Mountains)
- South Central Coast (Paso Robles, Santa Ynez Valley
- Central Valley (Lodi and bulk wines)
- Sierra Foothills
- Southern California

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California Climate

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- 1,100km long so huge climate range
- UC Davis climate zones based on degree days
- Irrigated to counter lack of rain
- Cooling Pacific mists and fog provide temp contrast and humidity
- Where no fog influence often planted at altitude

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North Coast Region

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- North of SF
- Warm mediterranean through to cool with Spring frosts
- Napa, Carneros, Sonoma, Mendocino

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Napa Valley AVA

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- Prestigious
- Morning mists from Bay cool climate

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Carneros AVA

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- Bottom of Napa and Sonoma
- Specialises in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling

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Sonoma County

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- With Russian River Valley for quality Pinot Noir

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Russian River Valley

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- With Sonoma County for quality Pinot Noir

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Pinot Noir in California

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- Sonoma
- Russian River Valley
- Carneros

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Dry Creek Valley

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- North Coast Region
- Noted for Zinfandel

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Mendocino County

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- North of North Coast Region
- Includes Anderson Valley for quality PN, Riesling and Gewurztraminer

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Anderson Valley

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- Cool climate subregion of Mendocino County
- Quality PN and aromatic whites (Riesling & Gewürztraminer)

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North Central Coast

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- Monterey County
- Santa Cruz Mountains

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Monterey County

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- Cool dry climate
- Chardonay with crisp citrus character
- Merlot, rich and dark with firm tannins

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South Central Coast

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- East/West mountains facilitate flow of cool ocean breezes
- Much recent planting as potential recognised
- Santa Ynez Valley & Paso Robles for fine Zinfandel

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Santa Ynez Valley

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- fine Zinfandel
- - East/West mountains facilitate flow of cool ocean breezes
- Much recent planting as potential recognised

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Central Valley

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- 80% of total production
- Zones 4 & 5 (hot)
- Quantity not quality
- UC Davis created varieties to deal with heat
- Wine coolers and brandies produced to use excess
- Lodi in north produces better wines in cooler climate

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Lodi

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Sub region in north of Central Valley producing better wines in a cooler climate

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UC Davis varieties created to deal with Central Valley heat

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- Ruby Cabernet
- Rubired

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Sierra Foothills

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- Rockies foothills
- Hot days and cool nights
- Good fruit concentration
- Old vine zinfandel
- Italian varieties inc Sangiovese

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California disease problems

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- UC Davis poor research advised ARX1 rootstock (not phylloxera tolerant)
- Half of Napa had to be replanted
- Pierce's Disease, carried by sharp shooters is fatal in Southern California

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Pierce's Disease

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- Carried by sharp shooters
- Fatal and incurable
- Problem in Southern California

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Problem Californian rootstock

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- ARX1
- Not phylloxera tolerant
- Half of Napa needed replanting

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Oregon

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- Maritime climate from warm North Pacific Drift
- Willamette Valley sub region south of Portland = warm summers mild winters high quality Pinot Noirs also Pinot Gris and Chardonnay
- Umpqua Valley & Rogue Valley (south of Willamette) = warmer climate, boutique Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

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Willamette Valley

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Oregon
- sub region south of Portland
- warm summers mild winters
- high quality Pinot Noirs
- Pinot Gris and Chardonnay
Sauvignon and Merlot
- Constantly improving with clonal selection

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Umpqua Valley

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Oregon sub region
- south of Willamette
- warmer climate,
- boutique pineraies
- Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot

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Rogue Valley

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Oregon sub region
- south of Willamette
- warmer climate,
- boutique pineraies
- Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot

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Washington State

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- 2nd biggest vinifera producing state
- Bordeaux varieties, especially Merlot
- Also Chardonnay and Syrah
- Extreme dry continental climate
- Colombia Valley (and Yakima Valley and Walla Walla subregions)
- Canoe Ridge (boutique) and Chateau St Michelle (large) producer examples
- River water irrigation is essential

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Walla Walla

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Sub region of Washington State's Colombia Valley

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Yakima Valley

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Sub region of Washington State's Colombia Valley

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New York State

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- 3rd most important grape growing state
- Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley and Long Island vineyard areas
- Lakes and ocean moderate and warm the climate
- Finger Lakes has frost risk

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Central Valley Varieties

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High yield irrigated blends of:
- Colombard
- Chenin Blanc
- Carignan
- Barbera
- Ruby Cabernet
- Thompson seedless

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Zinfandel (Primitivo)

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- Californian blends, varietals and blush rose (and bulk blends)
- Old vine = rich, full bodied wine

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Zinfandel problems

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- Uneven ripening leads to some raisining at full ripeness

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Zinfandel wine description

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- concentrated red berry flavours
- High alcohol
- some level of residual sugar

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Cabernet Sauvignon Regions

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- from Central Valley = soft, juicy black cherry with light tannins
- Napa top quality
- Washington State also high quality

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Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

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- Fruit left until complete phenolic ripeness creating expressive wine
- Poweful toasty flavours from American oak
- Sometimes unbalanced with high alcohol

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Merlot

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- Often cheap with soft tannins and little character
- Monterey and Napa high quality with blackberry and plum, velvet tannins and high abv
- High quality potential in Washington State

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Pinot Noir

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High quality from:
- Russian River (south of Sonoma County)
- Carneros (North of Napa)
- Santa Barbara (south of Paso Robles)
- Willamette Valley (Oregon)
Styles from rich, full and fruity to elegant and gamey

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Chardonnay

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- full bodied
- High alcohol
- obvious oak
- hazelnut, butter and exotic fruits
- More restrained in cooler regions

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Sauvignon Blanc

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- Bordeaux style of partial or full oak fermentation and ageing
- Fume Blanc indicated oak ageing
- Cheap SB shows little varietal fruit

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Oak aged Sauvignon from California

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Fume Blanc

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Rhone Varieties

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- Recent plantings of Syrah, Viognier and Marsanne
- Market led fashion for Rhone style wines