California Wine regions Flashcards
1
Q
Name the main California Wine regions
A
North Coast AVA Central Coast AVA South Coast AVA Sierra foothills AVA Central Valley
2
Q
Factors influencing the California climate:
A
Temperate climatic zone Close to Pacific Ocean Icy Humboldt current Hot Central Valley Mediterranean climate Spring frosts
3
Q
Name the California Wine grapes
A
Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Pinot Noir Zinfandel
4
Q
Tell me about California’s Zinfandel
A
Deemed as ”California’s native variety” 1870's – was number 1 in acreage in CA Its versitile Some vines are over 100 years old 1980 lost favour 2001 Carole Meredith (an American grape geneticist and was a professor at the Department of Viticulture and Enology of University of California, Davis) traced its DNA ancestry to an Indigenous Grape Croatia of Croatia Crljenik Kasteljanski.and identified it being the same as Primitivo
5
Q
Crljenik Kasteljanski pronunciation.
A
“sirl-yen-ack kastelanski”
6
Q
Trends in California Viticulture
A
Massive replanting in the 90's Denser plantings variety of clones Open & controlled foliage Specific irrigation Better suiting of grape varietal to site.
7
Q
California’s climate
A
Coastal = medditeranean. (long hot Summers with little rain and mild winters)
The icy cold Humbolt Current of the Pacific cause a fog. As the inland air warms and rises, cold fog is sucked in to fill the space as far as 240km inland, cooling the land as it goes.
Coolling maintains good acid levels, long hang-time and flavour develpoment.
The cooler coastal areas are better suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Spring frost risk damaging buds. fans and spraying water is used to counter.
