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22 USA > California AVAs, North Coast - Sonoma County > Flashcards

California AVAs, North Coast - Sonoma County Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 3 overarching AVAs of Sonoma County?

A

Northern Sonoma AVA
Sonoma Coast AVA
Sonoma Valley AVA

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2
Q

What area does Northern Sonoma AVA cover?

A

It covers a large area from the Mendocino border in the north , the Mayacamas mountains to the east, down to Santa Rosa

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3
Q

What small AVAs does Northern Sonoma include?

A

Alexander Valley AVA
Knights Valley AVA
Dry Creek Valley AVA
Rockpile AVA
Russian River Valley (+ sub AVAs - Green Valley of RR Valley and Chalk Hill AVA)

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4
Q

Where is Alexander Valley AVA?

A

Northeast corner of Sonoma County

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5
Q

What climate does Alexander Valley AVA have?

A

Warm climate, cooled in the evenings by Pacific air funnelled in from the Petaluma Gap and Russian River Valley to the south.

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6
Q

Where are the vineyards planted in Alexander Valley AVA?

A

on both the valley floor and on west/southwest facing slopes and bench lands of the Mayacamas mountains at elevations of 100 to 750m which helps retain acidity in grapes

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7
Q

What soils are in the Alexander Valley?

A

fertile soils on the valley floor and more low-nutrient, free-draining sand and gravel at higher altitudes resulting in less vigour and lower yields than valley floor.

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8
Q

What is the rainfall in Alexander Valley?

A

80cm per year, mainly in the winter

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9
Q

What is the most planted grape variety in Alexander Valley? and style?

A

Cab Sav
produces full-bodied wines with ripe flavours of blackberry, blackcurrant, dried herbs and chocolate. Those on slopes/benchlands tend to be more structured and concentrated.
They are good to outstanding in quality and mid-priced to premium in price with some super-premium examples

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10
Q

Other notable plantings in Alexander Valley?

A

Chardonnay
Merlot
Zinfandel
Petit Verdot
Malbec

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11
Q

Significant producer in Alexander Valley?

A

Kendall Jackson (including Stonestreet Estate)

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12
Q

Where is Knight’s Valley AVA found?

A

Sonoma County at the northern end of Napa County by the Mayacamas Mountains.

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13
Q

What is the climate in Knight’s Valley?

A

One of the warmest areas of Sonoma as it is surrounded by hills and is sheltered from any cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean.

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14
Q

How are cooler sites found in Knight’s Valley?

A

By planting at altitude of 450m in the foothills of the Mayacamas

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15
Q

what is the soil in Knight’s Valley?

A

free-draining volcanic soil

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16
Q

Key grape varieties in Knight’s Valley?

A

Cab Sav (ripe, full-bodied)
Syrah
Merlot
Zinfandel
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc

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17
Q

Dry Creek Valley AVA - best known for which grapes?

A

Zinfandel and Sav Blanc

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18
Q

Describe Dry Creek Valley AVA topography
Plantings are where?

A

a narrow valley, 2 miles x 16 miles
Vineyards planted on both valley floor and on slopes and bench lands either side of the Dry Creek River

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19
Q

Dry Creek River is a tributary of which river

A

Russian River

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20
Q

What shelters the Dry Creek Valley AVA?

A

Coastal mountains to the West

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21
Q

Mountains on both sides of the valley effect what?

A

Funnel cool ocean air and fogs from San Pablo Bay (tidal estuary, northern extension of San Fran.

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22
Q

When does this effect happen?

A

Afternoon and evenings = cooler nights, helps retain acidity

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23
Q

Is there any coastal influence?

A

Yes, in the south of the valley, generally cooler

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24
Q

Which vineyards are warmer?

A

West-facing vineyards on east of river tend to be warmer

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25
Q

What are the soils in Dry Creek Valley AVA?
effect on vines?

A

Mixed soils, Gravel sandy loam
gravel red clay on benches
Gravelly free-draining soils help reduce vigour and yields

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26
Q

What is Dry Creek Valley AVA best known for?
age of vines?
tasting note?
oak?

A

Zinfandel, home to old vines of over 100 years old.
Med+ to FB
med+ acidity
ripe flavours of blackberry, black plum and cherry
West facing vineyards riper, more jammy and dried fruit flavours
matured in oak (new) adds spice,
American oak common

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27
Q

What other varieties are grown in Dry Creek Valley AVA?

A

Bdx varieties
Rhone Varieties (red)
Sav Blanc

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28
Q

2 x significant producers in Dry Creek Valley AVA?

A

Kinsella Estates
Ridge

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29
Q

Rockpile AVA location?

A

Northern part of Sonoma County, overlapping Dry Creek AVA, extending to Mendocino County

30
Q

Where are Rockville AVA vineyards planted?

A

Steep Rocky slopes, above 244m to be within AVA

31
Q

What are the vineyards heavily influenced by?
What is the effect?
Fog?

A

snake-like Lake Sonoma that surround the bottom of Rockpile AVA on 3 sides
Lake creates an inversion layer, keeps vineyards warm at night.
Vineyards sit above the fog layer which stays close to lake, so exposed to long hours of sunshine

32
Q

What other conditions effect the fruit?

A

shallow hillside soils hold little water
windy conditions lead to HIGH evotranspiration RATES = LOW YIELDS concentrated ripe fruit.

33
Q

Grape varieties in Rockpile AVA?

A

Zinfandel, Petit Sirah, Syrah, Cab Sav, Cab Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot
even Douro varieties

34
Q

2 x significant producers in Rockpile AVA?

A

Devil Proof
Seghesio

35
Q

Russian River Valley AVA
located where?

A

middle of Sonoma County

36
Q

Topography of RRV AVA?

A

range of both flat and hilly topography which influences climate = moderate to warm

37
Q

Which are the coolest parts of RRV AVA?
why?

A

Southern and western parts are coolest - they receive fog and wine through Petaluma Gap, a break in the Northern Coast range

38
Q

When does fog affect RRV AVA?
Effect?

A

Arrives in the evening and retreats in the morning
reduces temperature significantly = slower accumulation of sugar, retains acidity as aroma and flavour compounds ripen

39
Q

What is the most planted grapes in RRV AVA?

A

early-ripening Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

40
Q

What are the soils in RRV AVA?
effect on vine?

A

Vary - yellow sandstone to rocky sandy clay loam, but generally free-draining, low in nutrients controlling vigour and yields

41
Q

What has the quality of fruit in RRV AVA meant?
plantings increased?

A

The AVA has extended twice to similar fog-affected areas and plantings have increased from 1600 ha in 1990s to over 7000 in 2013

42
Q

Pinot Noir tasting note for RRV

A

med(+) bodied
medium tannin
med+ acid
ripe strawberry, red cherry
vanilla spice from oak

43
Q

Chardonnay tasting note for RRV

A

Med+ body
med+ acidity
Ripe peach and pineapple flavours
creamy and spicy flavours from MLF and oak

44
Q

2 x significant producers in RRV

A

La Crema
Rochioli

45
Q

How is the climate different inland to north-east of AVA?
Grapes?

A

Vineyards are sheltered by hills from fog and breezes, giving warmer conditions… best of Cab Sav, Merlot, ZIN and riper Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

46
Q

What are the 2 sub-AVAs of RRV? climate effect?

A

Green Valley of RRV AVA - next to Petaluma gap, gains first fog of afternoon and last area to have fog burn off = coolest conditions in California
Chalk Hill AVA - in north-east corner of RRV, hilly area, blocks Pacific breezes

47
Q

What is the soil in Chalk Hill AVA?
Where are vines planted?

A

White Volcanic Ash (rather than chalk) vineyards are planted on valley floor up to 500m

48
Q

What are the soils in Green Valley RRV AVA

A

free-draining low nutrient sandstone soils, limits vigour and makes small concentrated grapes

49
Q

What style of wine does Green Valley RRV make?

A

Still and Sparkling with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

50
Q

Sonoma Coast AVA is where?

A
51
Q

What areas does Sonoma Coast AVA cover?

A
52
Q

What climatic influences does Sonoma Coast AVA have?

A
53
Q

Where is Fort Ross Seaview AVA?

A
54
Q

What is the effect of weather on Fort Ross Seaview AVA?

A
55
Q

What style of wine is produced in Fort Ross Seaview AVA?

A
56
Q

Where is Petaluma Gap AVA

A
57
Q

what climatic influence does Petaluma Gap AVA have?

A
58
Q

What effect does climate have on vines?

A
59
Q

What style of wine is produced in Petaluma Gap AVA?

A
60
Q

Sonoma Valley AVA

A
61
Q

Sonoma Valley AVA

A
62
Q

Sonoma Mountain AVA

A
63
Q

Sonoma Mountain AVA

A
64
Q

Sonoma Mountain AVA

A
65
Q

Bennett Valley AVA

A
66
Q

Bennett Valley AVA

A
67
Q

Carneros AVA

A
68
Q

Carneros AVA

A
69
Q

Carneros AVA

A
70
Q

Carneros AVA

A
71
Q

Carneros AVA

A
72
Q

Carneros AVA

A

22 USA (8 decks)

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