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WSET level 3 2020 > California > Flashcards

California Flashcards

(68 cards)

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1
Q

What is the U.S’s GI system based on?

A

American Viticultural Area (AVA)

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2
Q

Can AVAs cross borders and/or overlap?

A

Yes and yes

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3
Q

What plays quite a small role in determining the climate of individual Californian vineyards, despite the regions dimensions?

A

(Despite a massive North to South spread)

Latitude

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4
Q

What is the most crucial moderating influence in California?

A

The exceptionally cold California Ocean Current

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5
Q

What can inhibit the cooling effect of the California Ocean Current?

A

Mountainous coast

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6
Q

What two cooling factors does the cool sea bring to land?

A

Cold breezes in the evening

Fog

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7
Q

Monterey and Santa Barbara counties see lots of funnelled cool sea air, why?

A

Mountains at right angles to the sea

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8
Q

What is the climate like in California where there is no exposure to the ocean?

A

Hot

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9
Q

What is a grape-growing hazard in California?

A

Water shortage

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10
Q

There is a scarcity of Autumn rain in California, how has this affected wine styles here?

A

Grapes can be left on the vine long into the season, resulting in concentrated fruit with high amounts of sugar, resulting in high alcohol, full-flavoured ripe wines

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11
Q

What is the most widely planted grape in California?

A

Cabernet Sauvignon

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12
Q

California Cabernet is full-bodied with very concentrated flavours of … and showing prominent …?

A

Ripe Cassis

Spice aromas from new oak

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13
Q

What sort of flavour might be found in a less rich Cali Cabernet?

A

Fresh blackcurrant

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14
Q

Which grape “belongs” to California?

A

Zinfandel

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15
Q

What is ‘White Zinfandel’ made from?

A

Early picked Zinfandel grapes

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16
Q

What is the shared peculiarity of Chenin Blanc and Zinfandel?

A

Uneven grape ripening

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17
Q

Aside from red and black fruit, dried berries and sometimes a herbaceous character from some under-ripe berries, what is a distinctive flavour character of Zinfandel?

A

Liquorice

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18
Q

What level of sweetness and alcohol is found in White Zinfandel usually?

A

Medium-Sweet

Low alcohol

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19
Q

Merlot is widely planted in California, what kind of sites are more premium styles made?

A

Cooler

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20
Q

Can premium Pinot Noir be made in California? Will wines most likely see oak?

A

Yes and yes

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21
Q

What are the five black grape varieties relevant to California?

A 
Cabernet Sauvignon
Zinfandel
Merlot
Pinot Noir
Syrah
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22
Q

Both the following styles of Syrah are made:
- full-bodied and rich
- leaner and pepper
Which is typical to California?

A

Full-bodied and rich

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23
Q

Is there mention of Merlot being blended with Cabernet Sauvignon in the book?

A

No

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24
Q

What are the two white grapes relevant to California?

A

Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc

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25
In what style were high-quality Chardonnays traditionally made in California? (body, alcohol, acid, flavours)
Full-bodied High alcohol Low acid Oak, butter and hazelnut underpinning banana and peach
26
Where are more premium examples of California Sauvignon Blanc found? They are high-acid wines with flavours of ...?
Coastal regions | Citrus
27
Where are mass-produced wines from fertile soils mainly made with the aid of irrigation?
Central Valley
28
There are 5 regions in California but 3 regions that contain the majority of California's county appellations and AVAs, what are they?
North Coast Central Coast Central Valley
29
What are two elements intrinsic to the North Coast of California?
Ocean breezes and fog
30
How does fog and coastal breeze penetrate the mountains on the North Coast?
River valleys and gaps in the ranges
31
Which AVA has some of the most expensive vineyard land? This land is varied in terrain and has many AVAs inside it
Napa Valley AVA
32
What mountain range separates Sonoma and Napa?
Mayacamas Mountains
33
In what bay do morning fogs and cool breezes originate in Napa Valley? What part of the valley do they cool the most?
San Pablo Bay | Southern part of Napa AVA
34
The North coast can be broken into 3 counties, what are they?
Napa County Sonoma County Mendocino County
35
Which AVA is Napa Counties most southerly and cool? Why? What grapes are grown here?
Los Carneros AVA Proximity to San Pablo Bay Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (for still and sparkling)
36
Further north of Los Carneros AVA in the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is the principal variety in all AVAs. What AVAs also widely plant Merlot? (3) What two white grapes are also planted here? (2)
Stags Leap District Oakville Rutherford Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc
37
Which smaller Napa AVAs make premium reds that are said to have the most power and structure? (3)
Stags Leap District AVA Oakville AVA Rutherford
38
Which two Napa Valley AVAs often receive the highest daytime temperatures and as such produce the most full-bodied and concentrated wines in the valley? (2)
St Helena AVA | Calistoga AVA
39
(Napa) What other black grape varieties are grown in the St Helena and Calistoga AVAs? What helps retain acidity in grapes here?
``` Zinfandel and Syrah Cool air (through the Chalk Hill Gap in the Mayacamas Mountains) Cooler night-time temperatures ```
40
Some AVAs in the Napa Valley sit too high to be moderated by morning fog, what is the main moderating influence for these areas?
Altitude
41
Which two AVAs are moderated by altitude rather than fog in Napa? What makes a large difference in warmth between these two areas?
Howell Mountain AVA Mount Veeder AVA Aspect
42
(Napa) Howell Mountain AVA is ...-facing?
West-facing | other non-bold example is Atlas Peak
43
(Napa) Mount Veeder AVA is ...-facing?
East-facing | other e.g. Diamond Mountain and Spring Mountain
44
What makes west-facing vineyards in the northern hemisphere warmer?
Afternoon sun
45
Higher altitude AVAs on the Napa Valley sides tend to exhibit ... levels of tannin and ... richness on the palate?
Higher | Less
46
What are the four AVAs of note in Sonoma County?
Russian River AVA Dry Creek Valley AVA Alexander Valley Sonoma Coast AVA
47
What allows for the growing/production of high-quality, elegant Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays in Russian River AVA?
A gap in coastal mountains letting in cool breezes and fog
48
Which AVA is just north of Russian River Valley and perceptibly warmer? Fog is still of influence here, except higher up where there are plantings of old vine...?
Dry Creek Valley | Old vine Zinfandel
49
In the Dry Creek Valley AVA, what grapes are on slopes and what grapes do better on the valley floor?
Old vine Zinfandel on slopes | Sauvignon Blanc on valley floor
50
What other grapes are popular in Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma County), other than Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc?
Rhone varieties and Cabernet Sauvignon
51
Which Sonoma County AVA has a reputation for softly textured, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon?
Alexander Valley AVA
52
What Sonoma County AVA is not a valley and is situated to the west?
Sonoma Coast
53
Where might grapes be planted in Sonoma Coast AVA? Why? | What varietals might be found here?
South-facing aspects To aid ripening Old vine Zinfandel and Chardonnay (high quality)
54
Which County lies to the north of Sonoma?
Mendocino County
55
Mendocino County consists of the large Mendocino AVA and Anderson Valley AVA. What grapes are grown in these AVAs?
Mendocino - Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah (Soft tannins, full-bodied) Anderson Valley - Riesling, Gewurtztraminer
56
Santa Cruz Mountains AVA produces some of the most elegant Cabernet Sauvignon in California. What other grapes are grown here of high-quality?
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
57
Monterey AVA sees plantings of ... and ... closer to the coast and ..., ... and ... further inland away from breezes
Pinot and Chardonnay | Merlot, Cab Sauv and Syrah
58
Which two counties experience cool breezes encouraged by the east-west laying mountains?
San Luis Obispo | Santa Barbara
59
Which successful AVA is associated with San Luis Obispo?
Paso Robles AVA
60
Paso Robles AVA can be broken into two sections, east and west. What are the climate, soil conditions and varietals of the East? What style are these wines made in? What grapes are grown in the cooler marine East?
Hot, sunny weather Fertile soils Merlot, Cab-sauv, Syrah made in a supple fruity style for high-volume brands Zinfandel and Rhone varieties
61
Paso Robles AVA can be broken into two sections, east and west. What influences the climate and what are the main varietals found in the West? What is the quality like here?
Cool, due to marine air Zinfandel and Rhone varieties High quality
62
Down towards LA is Santa Barbara County. What is the AVA producing premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay here?
Santa Maria Valley AVA
63
What slows ripening of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the Santa Maria Valley of Santa Barbara County?
Fog and exposure to the coast
64
What is the climate in the Central Valley? | What agricultural technique is a common necessity?
Hot and dry | Irrigation
65
New grape varieties Rubired and Ruby Cabernet were bred to take advantage of Central Valley conditions. What other varieties are widely planted?
Cab Sauv, Merlot Chardonnay | Barbera, Colombard and Chenin Blanc
66
Where can you find some of the best and oldest Zinfandel in the state
Lodi AVA
67
Although overlapping the hot Central Valley, Lodi boasts the cooling influence of the San Francisco Bay via ...?
The Sacramento Delta
68
What two valleys does Lodi AVA straddle?
San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys

WSET level 3 2020 (41 decks)

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