33. California

Question 1

Most of California’s vineyards are marked by what protection?

Answer 1

Mountains

Question 2

What are examples of Californian regions exposed to cold air?

Answer 2

Santa Barbara and Monterey

Question 3

What are examples of Californian regions NOT exposed to cold air?

Answer 3

Central Valley

Question 4

What factor links all of California’s wine regions?

Answer 4

Laack of rainfall

Question 5

What has allowed Californian producers to take advantage of extra ‘hang time’ into autumn?

Answer 5

Low rainfall

Question 6

Which vineyard region is furthest inland?

Answer 6

Lodi

Question 7

What is the most widely planted black grape in California?

Answer 7

Cab Sav

Question 8

Californian Cab Savs have very concentrated ___ flavours.

Answer 8

Cassis

Question 9

Fresher styles of Cab Sav in California exhibit what flavours?`

Answer 9

Blackcurrant

Question 10

What is California’s ‘own’ grape variety?

Answer 10

Zinfandel

Question 11

Underripe Zinfandel grapes lend to what flavour in Californian Zins?

Answer 11

Herbaceous notes

Question 12

White Zinfandel Rose comes from what grapes?

Answer 12

Early-picked grapes

Question 13

Early-picked Zinfandel grapes are used for what?

Answer 13

White Zin Rose

Question 14

Where are the largest Merlot plantings in California?

Answer 14

San Joaquin in Central Valley

Question 15

San Joaquin in Central Valley is famed for what grape?

Answer 15

Merlot

Question 16

Where does simple, inexpensive Californian Merlot come from?

Answer 16

San Joaquin in Central Valley

Question 17

Premium Californian Merlot alcohol

Answer 17

High alcohol

Question 18

Premium Californian Merlot flavours

Answer 18

Blackberry and plum

Question 19

Blackberry and plum are classic varietal flavours of what grape from California?

Answer 19

Merlot

Question 20

Inexpensive Californian Chardonnay acidity

Answer 20

Medium

Question 21

Examples of cooler regions for premium California Chardonnay

Answer 21

Russian River Valley and Los Carneros

Question 22

Where does California’’s best Sav Blanc come from?

Answer 22

Coastal regions

Question 23

Where does high-volume Sav Blanc come from in California?

Answer 23

Central Valley

Question 24

What factors favour Central Valley for its mass production?

Answer 24

Fertile soil and irrigation

Question 25

What two mountain ranges border the Napa Valley?

Answer 25

Mayacamas Mountains (West) and Vaca Mountains (East)

Question 26

What borders the Sonoma and Napa counties?

Answer 26

Mayacamas Mountains

Question 27

What borders the Central Valley and Napa Valley?

Answer 27

Vaca Mountains

Question 28

What are Napa's most significant influences (climate)?

Answer 28

Morning fogs and afternoon breezes

Question 29

What AVA is in both Napa and Sonoma Counties?

Answer 29

Los Carneros

Question 30

What is the coolest AVA in Napa?

Answer 30

Los Carneros

Question 31

What makes the south of Napa the coolest part?

Answer 31

Moderating influences from San Pablo Bay to the South

Question 32

What AVAs feature Napa's warmest daytime temperatures and fullest-bodied wines?

Answer 32

Saint Helena and Calistoga

Question 33

Saint Helena and Calistoga feature what kind of wines relative to Napa's output?

Answer 33

Fullest-bodied (due to warmest temps)

Question 34

What moderates Saint Helena and Calistoga AVAs?

Answer 34

Cool air through the Chalk Hill gap

Question 35

Chalk Hill gap providing cool air to Saint Helena and Calistoga means theirs wines can retain what?

Answer 35

Acidity

Question 36

Example of west-facing aspect region in Napa?

Answer 36

Howell Mountain

Question 37

Example of east-facing aspect region in Napa?

Answer 37

Mount Veeder

Question 38

How do the reds of Napa's valley sides differ to those on the valley floor?

Answer 38

Higher tannins and less richness on the palate

Question 39

Higher tannins and less richness on the palate describes what in Napa?

Answer 39

The difference between the reds of Napa's valley sides and the valley floor

Question 40

What are the flavours of Chardonnays of Napa's valley sides like?

Answer 40

Citrus and stone fruit

Question 41

What is larger? Sonoma or Napa?

Answer 41

Sonoma County

Question 42

What region in Sonoma is famed for premium Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and sparkling wines?

Answer 42

Russian River Valley

Question 43

What Sonoma County AVA is planted densely on hillsides and valley floor?

Answer 43

Dry Creek Valley AVA

Question 44

In Dry Creek Valley AVA, what grapes reside on hillsides?

Answer 44

Old-vine Zinfandel

Question 45

In Dry Creek AVA, what grapes reside on the valley floor?

Answer 45

Sauv Blanc

Question 46

What Sonoma County AVA possesses fleisher and full-bodied wines in comparison to the rest of the county?

Answer 46

Alexander Valley AVA

Question 47

What Sonoma AVA is greatly influenced by the cold Pacific Ocean?

Answer 47

Sonoma Coast AVA

Question 49

Sonoma Coast AVA's vineyards are planted on south-facing slopes for what reason?

Answer 49

To counteract the cold Pacific Ocean's influences

Question 50

What region lies north of Sonoma County and features Anderson Valley?

Answer 50

Mendocino County

Question 51

What AVA lies in the north of the Central Coast in california?

Answer 51

Santa Cruz Mountains AVA

Question 52

What AVA lies in the south of the Central Coast in California?

Answer 52

Monterey AVA

Question 53

How is Lodi AVA cooled?

Answer 53

Cooling breezes of San Franciso Bay

Question 54

What Central Coast AVA features an east-west change in influences, rather than north-south that is typical of California?

Answer 54

Paso Robles AVA

Question 55

How does wine change in Pasa Robles from west to east?

Answer 55

Cool marine air producing high-quality Zin and Rhone to hot, fertile soils producing high-volume brands

Question 56

What AVA sits in Santa Barbara county?

Answer 56

Santa Maria Valley AVA

Question 57

Where does fog form in Santa Barbara County?

Answer 57

Santa Maria Valley AVA