California and USA wine industry

Question 1

California is what total of USA wine production in %

Answer 1

90%

Question 2

California is what total of USA wine consumtion in %

Answer 2

57% 3 out of 5 bottles are Californian wine

Question 3

Name the five main wine areas of California:

Answer 3

North Coast AVA
Central Coast AVA
South Coast AVA
Sierra Foothills AVA
Central Valley

Question 4

Name the factors influencing climate in California:

Answer 4

Temperate climatic zone
Proximity to Pacific Ocean
Icy Humboldt current
Hot Central Valley
Mediterranean climate
Spring frosts

Question 5

Name the main grape varietals in California:

Answer 5

Chardonnay
Cabernet Sauvignon 
Zinfandel
Merlot
Pinot Noir 
Sauvignon Blanc

Question 6

What event first triggered the Californian wine industry?

Answer 6

Gold rush of 1848. Influx of wealth and people from countries of grape growing and winemaking cultures. Italy France and Germany.

Question 7

What second event helped the Californian wine industry?

Answer 7

From 1860 to 1880 Europeans invested in the Californian wine industy following the Devastation of the European wine indusr´try due to Phylloxera.
In 1869, the transcontinental railway opened the export market.

Question 8

Name of Fanciscan missionary who planted first vines in California?
When?

Answer 8

Father Junipero Serra.

1769

Question 9

1. First person to export Californian wine to Europe?

2. Where was he from?

Answer 9

Jean-Louis Vignes.

Bordeaux.

Question 10

How did the University of California impact the wine industry and when?

Answer 10

Established a research center for viticulture at Berkley.

1880

Question 11

One of the worlds foremost wine research institutes is in California, name it.

Answer 11

UC-Davis. University of California Davis.

Question 12

4 important developments from UC-Davis

Answer 12

1. Classification of California into 5 climatic regions in 1844 using the heat summation model.
2. Development of sanitation guidelines for winery hygene.
3. Development of the Tasting Wheel by Anne Noble in
   1984.
4. DNA “fingerprinting” of grape varieties to establish parentage.

Question 13

Who was the first to concentrate on Cabernet Sauvignon?

What is the name of his winery?

Answer 13

George Latour.

Beaulieu.

Question 14

Introduce the series of disasters that struck the Californian wine industry since the 1880’s

Answer 14

1. Phylloxera. - from 1880. Wipes out almost all the vines of California.
2. WWI 1914-1918. - A generation of wine makers and drinkers is lost.
3. Prohibition. - 1919-1933. Outlawed manufacture, transportation, sale and possesion of alcohol (not the consumption or home brewing). Hit the wine industry as it was recovering from Phylloxera and WWI. Did more harm than Phylloxera.
4. The Great Economic Depression. - Closely after the repeal of Prohibition until the late 1930’s.
5. WWII.- Shortly after The Ecconomic Depression.

Question 15

When was the “Judgement of Paris” and what happened?

Answer 15

On 26th May 1976 Stephen Spurrier organised a Franco-Californian tasting in Paris.
Judges were some of France’s best.
Blind tasting of top Bordeaux and Burgundy wines.
Top white - Château Montelena Chardonnay 1973 (Alexander and Napa grapes).
Top red - Stag’s Leap Cabernet 1973, Napa Valley. (beating, Haut-Brion, Château Mouton-Rothschild and Château Montrose (all 1970 vintages).

Question 16

When were the 3 biggest long-term results of the “Judgement of Paris”?

Answer 16

1. International acceptance of Californian wine.
2. Inspiration for Australian, South African, NZ, and Chilean winemakers to make wines that could compete with France’s best.
3. Foreign investment in California.

Question 17

Name some examples of Foreign investment in California

Answer 17

Baron Phillipe Rothschild of Chateau Mouton Rothschild & Robert Mondavi to produce Opus One and a high end winery.

Question 18

When did USA become the world’s largest wine market?

Surpassing which country?

Answer 18

2013.

France

Question 19

Top six US Wine companies are?…

Answer 19

1. • E&J Gallo.
2. • The Wine Group.
3. • Constellation Wines.
4. • Trinchero Family Estates.
5. • Treasury Wine Estates.
6. • Bronco Wine Company.

Question 20

What disaster hit the Californian wine industry in 1980?
How did this happen?
What was the positive result following this?

Answer 20

1. A strain of Phylloxera called Biotype B.
2. Against the recommendations of the French, UC-Davis recommended the planting of Vinifera-riparia AxR1 because of its high yield potential. It wasn’t resistant to this particular strain of Phylloxera and 75% of vines had to be replanted at a cost of $3 Billion.
3. Improved clones, vine spacing, canopy management and irrigation.