California Flashcards
(31 cards)
California is subdivided into 5 areas:
- North Coast
- Central Coast
- Central Valley
- Sierra Foothills
- Southern California
How many AVAs are there in North Coast AVA? And what are them?
4 counties:
- Napa Valley
- Sonoma
- Mendocino
- Lake County
How many AVAs are there in Napa Valley AVA? And what are them?
17 AVAs, north-south:
(in North Coast)
- Calistoga AVA
- Diamond Mountain District AVA
- Howell Mountain AVA (1st AVA)
- Spring Mountain District AVA
- St. Helena AVA
- Chiles Valley AVA
- Rutherford AVA
- Oakville AVA
- Mount Veeder AVA
- Yountville AVA
- Stags Leap District AVA
- Atlas Peak AVA
- Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA
- Los Carneros AVA
- Coombsville AVA
- Wild Horse Valley AVA
- Crystal Springs of Napa Valley AVA (newest AVA, in between of Howell Mountain and St. Helena)
What are the mountain ranges in Napa Valley AVA?
West: Mayacamas
East: Vaca
Categorise the AVAs in Napa County:
Mayacamas Side
1. Calistoga AVA
2. Diamond Mountain AVA
3. Spring Mountain District AVA
4. Mount Veeder AVA
Silverado Trail Side (slightly inland)
5. Crystal Springs of Napa Valley AVA
6. St. Helena AVA
7. Rutherford AVA
8. Oakville AVA
9. Yountville AVA
10. Stag’s Leap District AVA
11. Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA
Vaca Side
12. Howell Mountain AVA (1st AVA in Napa)
13. Chiles Valley District AVA
14. Atlas Peak AVA
Southern Outliers
15. Los Carneros
16. Coombsville
17. Wild Horse Valley (coolest AVA)
How many AVAs are there in Sonoma County AVA? And what are them?
19 AVAs, north-south:
(in North Coast)
- Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA (shared with Mendocino)
- Alexander Valley AVA
- Knights Valley AVA
- Rockpile AVA
- Dry Creek Valley AVA
- Russian River Valley AVA
- Chalk Hill AVA (sub-AVA of Russian River Valley)
- Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA (sub-AVA of Russian River Valley)
- Fountaingrove District AVA
- Sonoma Coast AVA
- Fort Ross-Seaview AVA (sub-AVA of Sonoma Coast)
- Petaluma Gap AVA (partially overlaps Sonoma Coast)
- Sonoma Valley AVA
- Moon Mountain District AVA (eastern ridge above Sonoma Valley)
- Bennett Valley AVA
- Los Carneros (shared with Napa County)
- Northern Sonoma AVA
- Sonoma Mountain AVA
- West Sonoma Coast AVA
What large body of water has a significant cooling effect on Napa Valley?
San Pablo Bay
a continuation of San Francisco Bay which extends northward, helps usher cool Pacific breezes and morning fog
Which Napa Valley AVAs reside above the region’s fog line?
West facing:
•Howell Mountain AVA
•Atlas Peak AVA
East facing:
•Diamond Mountain District AVA
•Spring Mountain District AVA
•Mount Veeder AVA
Unlike the valley floor AVAs which are cooled by fog, these mountain AVAs are cooled by elevation.
What feature allows Russian River AVA to produce its famous Pinot Noir and Chardonnay?
An opening in the Coastal Mountain range, known as the Petaluma Gap, through which cool Pacific Ocean breezes blow. These breezes bring fog and cool air.
Categorise the AVAs in Sonoma County:
Coastal
•Fort Ross Seaview AVA
•Sonoma Coast AVA
•Petaluma Gap AVA
Central Pinot Area
•Russian River Valley AVA
•Green Valley AVA (goldridge soils)
•Chalk Hill AVA
Sonoma Valley
•Los Carneros AVA (shared with Napa)
•Sonoma Valley AVA
•Sonoma Mountain AVA
•Bennett Valley AVA
•Moon Mountain AVA
•Fountaingrove District AVA
Mountainside (Cab Sauv and Zinfandel)
•Rockpile AVA
•Dry Creek Valley AVA
•Alexander Valley AVA
•Knights Valley AVA
•Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA
How many AVAs are there in Mendocino County AVA? And what are them?
11 AVAs, north-south:
(in North Coast)
- Covelo AVA (most northern)
- Dos Rios AVA
- Mendocino Ridge AVA
- Anderson Valley (largest AVA)
- Yorkville Highlands AVA
- Cole Ranch AVA (monopole, smallest AVA)
- Potter Valley AVA
- Redwood Valley AVA
- Mendocino AVA
- McDowell Valley AVA
- Pine Mountain-Cloverdale (shared with Sonoma)
What so special about Cole Ranch AVA?
located in Mendocino County
it is the smallest AVA in USA
What is Anderson Valley AVA?
WHITE / RED , STILL / SPARKLING
(under Mendocino AVA)
white: Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling
red: Pinot Noir
largest AVA in Mendocino, premier cool-climate, home to many sparkling wines
What AVAs are under the Mendocino AVA umbrella?
6 AVAs:
- Anderson Valley AVA
- Cole Ranch AVA
- McDowell Valley AVA
- Potter Valley AVA
- Redwood Valley AVA
- Yorkville Highlands AVA
How many AVAs are there in Lake County AVA? And what are them?
9 AVAs, north-south:
(in North Coast)
- Upper Lake Valley AVA
- High Valley AVA
- Benmore Valley AVA
- Clear Lake AVA
- Big Valley District-Lake County AVA
- Kelsey Bench-Lake County AVA
- Red Hills-Lake County AVA
- Long Valley-Lake County AVA
- Guenoc Valley AVA
What AVAs are under the Clear Lake AVA umbrella?
4 AVAs:
- Big Valley District-Lake County AVA
- Kelsey Bench-Lake County AVA
- Red Hills-Lake County AVA
- Upper Lake Valley AVA
Where are San Francisco Bay AVA & Santa Cruz Mountains AVA located?
it is a diverse region in just the north of large area Central Coast, they are also include in the Central Coast AVA
What are the subregional AVAs in San Francisco Bay AVA?
4 of them:
- San Ysidro District AVA
- Livermore AVA (Bordeaux blends)
- Santa Clara AVA
- Pacheco Pass AVA
What are the subregional AVAs in Santa Cruz Mountains AVA?
only one:
- Ben Lomond Mountain AVA
only one winery, Beauregard. Making Cab Sauv, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
How many counties are there in Central Coast AVA?
6 counties:
- Santa Barbara
- San Luis Obispo
- Monterey
- San Benito
- Santa Clara
- Santa Cruz Mountains
4 counties that are partially included:
- San Mateo
- Alameda
- San Francisco
- Contra Costa
How many AVAs are there in Monterey AVA? And what are them?
9 AVAs:
(in Central Coast)
- San Lucas AVA (warmest)
- Hames Valley AVA
- Arroyo Seco AVA
- Santa Lucia Highlands AVA (foggy morning, afternoon sun)
- Monterey AVA (umbrella AVA, encompasses Salinas Valley)
- San Bernabe AVA
- Carmel Valley AVA
- Chalone AVA
- San Antonio Valley AVA
- Gabilan Mountains AVA
How many AVAs are there in San Luis Obispo AVA? And what are them?
5 AVAs, north-south:
(in Central Coast)
- Paso Robles AVA (has 11 sub-AVAs)
- York Mountain AVA
- Edna Valley AVA (Pinot Noir)
- Arroyo Grande Valley AVA
- San Luis Obispo Coast AVA
What are the sub-AVAs in Paso Robles AVA?
11 sub-AVAs:
(in San Luis Obispo AVA)
- Adelaida District
- Willow Creek District
- Templeton Gap District (cool Pacific influenced)
- Paso Robles Estrella District
- Paso Robles Geneseo District
- Paso Robles Highlands District
- El Pomar District
- San Miguel District
- Santa Margarita Ranch
- Creston District
- San Juan Creek
famous for Cab Sauv, Merlot, Syrah, East side of mountain experience hot and sunny weather (high-volumes), West side cooled by marine air, plant more Zinfandel and Rhône varieties
How many AVAs in Santa Barbara County? And what are them?
7 AVAs, north-south:
(in Central Coast)
- Santa Maria Valley AVA (home of Au Bon Climat)
- Alisos Canyon AVA
- Los Alamos Valley AVA
Santa Ynez Valley AVA
4. Sta. Rita Hills AVA
5. Ballard Canyon AVA
6. Los Olivos District AVA
7. Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA
