USA Flashcards
(116 cards)
1
Q
What are the 3 main vine species native to America?
A
Vitis labrusca
Vitis rotundifolia
Vitis aestivalis
2
Q
When is the earliest recorded plantings of Vitis Vinifera in the USA?
A
1619
3
Q
Why did Vitis Vinifera fail when initially planted in the USA?
A
Phylloxera
4
Q
Who were the first people to plant vines in California?
A
Franciscan Monks
5
Q
Who was the first American settler to plant vines in California?
A
George Yount
6
Q
When was California annexed by the USA from Mexico?
A
1847
7
Q
Which Hungarian producer is the founder of Buena Vista, and called the father of Californian wine?
A
Agoston Haraszthy
8
Q
When did Phylloxera destroy vines in California?
A
1870s and 1880s
9
Q
Who was the first person to understand the resistance of American vine species to phylloxera?
A
Charles Valentine Riley
10
Q
What happened in the USA from 1920?
A
Prohibition
11
Q
When did prohibition in the USA end?
A
1933
12
Q
What sort of wine quality were Americans focused on after prohibition?
A
Bulk, cheap wines, low quality
13
Q
Who did Robert Mondavi work for?
A
Charles Krug
14
Q
Who is credited with the creation of the Napa Valley brand?
A
Robert Mondavi
15
Q
What famous wine did Robert Mondavi release for the first time in 1968?
A
Fume Blanc, an oaked style of Sauvignon Blanc
16
Q
What event propelled America’s wine reputation in 1976?
A
The judgement of Paris, organised by Steven Spurrier
17
Q
Which 2 wines were the American standouts in the Judgement of Paris?
A
Stags Leap Cellar’s Cabernet Sauvignon
Chateau Montelena’s Chardonnay
(Both from Napa Valley)
18
Q
What happened in the 1980s in America?
A
Phylloxera returned and devastated much of California
19
Q
Which 3 American cult producers gained huge followings in the 1990s?
A
Screaming Eagle
Harlen Estate
Colgin
20
Q
What is an AVA?
A
American Viticultural Area
USAs equivalent of a GI or AOP
21
Q
Which organisation finalised the AVA system in the late 1970s?
A
ATF
(Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms)
22
Q
Which appellation was awarded the first AVA in 1980?
A
Augusta in Missouri
23
Q
When did Napa Valley gain its AVA?
A
1981
24
Q
Which organisation oversees the AVA system today?
A
TTB
(Tac and trade bureau)
25
What is the function of an AVA?
To indicate an area of origin for the wines. It does not set out limitations in the vineyard or winery
26
How much of a wines grapes must come from an AVA if named on the bottle?
85%
27
How much of a wines grapes must come from a county if named on the bottle?
75%
28
How much of a wines grapes must come from the county’s of California, Oregon, or Washington if named on the bottle?
For California and Oregon: 100%
For Washington: 95%
29
How much of a wines grapes come from a single vineyard if named on the bottle?
95%
30
How much of a wine must be made from a varietal if stated as a varietal wine in the USA?
75%
31
If labelled, how much of a varietal wine of Vitis Labrusca must make up a wine?
51%
32
What are the 5 overarching AVAs of California?
North Coast
Central Coast
South Coast
San Francisco Bay
Sierra Foothills
33
Where are most fine wine districts located in California?
Near the coast where temperatures are mitigated by the sea and fog
34
Where does 75% of California’s wine come from?
The Central Valley, which is not recognised as an AVA
35
What is Meritage?
Used by American producers to indicate a premium blend where no grape accounts for more than 90% of the blend. The blend must be made from Bordeaux varieties, and can be red or white
36
What are the counties of California’s North Coast?
Napa County
Sonoma County
Mendocino County
Lake County
Solano County
Marin County
37
Roughly how much of California’s vineyard acreage is in Napa Valley AVA?
4%
38
How many sub-AVAs does Napa Valley have?
16
39
What is the Petaluma Gap?
A gap in the mountains in Napa Valley which allows cool ocean breezes and fog to sweep into the south of Napa Valley and cool vineyards
40
What is the altitude range in Napa Valley?
0-600m
41
What are the mountain ranges either side of Napa Valley?
Mayacamas Mountains to the west and the Vaca Mountains to the east
42
What are the 3 mountain AVAs on the Vaca Mountain Range in Napa Valley?
Mount Veeder
Diamond Mountain District
Spring Mountain District
43
What are the 2 mountain AVAs on the Mayacamas Mountain Range in Napa Valley?
Atlas Peak
Howell Mountain
44
What are the style of mountain AVA wines from Napa Valley?
Density, dark fruit, concentration, high acidity
45
What are the 6 valley floor appellations of Napa Valley?
Yountville
Oakville
Stag Leaps District
Calistoga
St Helena
Rutherford
46
What are the style of valley floor AVAs in Napa Valley?
More elegant fruit with less intensity and a more supple palate
47
Describe a typical Napa Valley Chardonnay
Full bodied
Creamy and buttery
Rich and oaky
48
Which sub-AVA in Napa Valley specialises in sparkling wines?
Los Carneros
49
Where is Sonoma County situated?
West of Napa Valley on the Californian coastline
50
How much of California’s total production comes from Sonoma County?
6%
51
How many sub-AVAs are within Sonoma County?
19
52
Which AVA has land in both Sonoma County and Napa Valley?
Carneros AVA
53
Which Champagne producer has significant holdings in Carneros AVA?
Taittinger
54
What is the Winkler Index?
A index to show the average climates of sub-appellation and regions across California. Region 1 are the coolest climates going up to region 5. Premium quality wines are almost always produced between Region 1 and Region 3
55
Which 2 AVAs are most prominent in Region 1 climates within Sonoma County?
Carneros AVA
Sonoma Coast AVA
56
What climate factor helps maintain cooler temperatures in Region 1 climates in Sonoma County?
Ocean breezes and fog
57
Which Region 1 AVA was marked out in 2017 and is known for its wind and fog?
Petaluma Bay AVA
58
Which grapes are most commonly found in Sonoma County Region 1 AVAs?
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah
59
Which famous AVA is considered a Region 2 climate of Sonoma County?
Russian River Valley AVA
60
What grape varieties is the Russian River Valley known for?
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
61
What are the soils of the Russian River Valley?
Fertile, alluvial soils
62
What AVA is a sub-AVA of the Russian River Valley?
Green Valley
63
What are the 4 major Region 3 climate AVAs of Sonoma County?
Alexander Valley
Dry Creek Valley
Rockpile
Knights Valley
64
Which AVA is the warmest in Sonoma County?
Knights Valley
65
What grapes varieties dominate in the Region 3 climates of Sonoma County?
Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon
66
Which 2 Sonoma County AVAs are known for Zinfandel?
Dry Creek Valley
Rockpile AVA
67
Where is Mendocino County located?
North of Sonoma
68
How many sub-AVAs does Mendocino county have?
11
69
Which 2 rivers are 9 out of the 11 sub-AVAs of Mendocino located around?
Russian River
Navarro River
70
What are the 2 small, secluded AVAs located in the north of Mendocino?
Dos Rios
Covelo
71
What is America’s smallest AVA and where is it located?
Cole Ranch AVA
Located within Mendocino County
72
Which Champagne producer makes sparkling wine from the Alexander Valley AVA in Mendocino County?
Louis Roederer
73
Where is Lake County located?
East of Mendocino
74
How many AVAs does Lake County have?
9
75
How many AVAs make up the Central Coast of California?
10
76
Which AVA represents the northernmost area of California’s Central Coast?
San Francisco Bay AVA
77
What are the 2 major AVAs east and south of San Francisco?
Livermore Valley
Santa Cruz Mountains
78
What is the quality grape of Livermore AVA?
Sauvignon Blanc
79
Which famous wine comes out of Santa Cruz Mountains AVA?
Ridge’s Monte Bello
80
Which county is immediately south of the San Francisco area?
Monterey County
81
Which 2 valleys lie within Monterey?
Carmel Valley
Salinas Valley
82
What quality of wines does the majority of Monterey end up in?
Low quality, bulk blends
83
Which county is south of Monterey?
San Luis Obispo
84
What is the overarching AVA of San Luis Obispo?
Paso Robles
85
How many sub-AVAs does Paso Robles have?
11
86
What is the southern county of California’s Central Coast?
Santa Barbara
87
What are the 2 major AVAs within the Santa Barbara county?
Santa Maria Valley
Santa Ynez Valley
88
Which famous vineyard in Santa Maria Valley was planted in the 1970s?
Bien Nacido
89
What is the 2 important AVAs within the Central Valley?
Lodi
Sierra Foothills
90
Which grape dominates Lodi AVA?
Zinfandel
91
Which grape dominates Sierra Foothills AVA?
Zinfandel
92
Which state is the USA’s second largest producer of premium wines?
Washington
93
Where are 99% of Washington’s vineyards located?
East of the Cascade Mountains
94
What effect does the Cascade Mountains have on Washington’s climate?
The cause a rain shadow, giving Washington a continental climate
95
What are the main soils of the Cascade Mountains?
Basalt with a topsoil of sandy or silt
96
What is the largest AVA within Washington?
Columbia Valley
97
What was Washington’s first AVA, and when was it approved?
Yakima Valley
1983
98
How many sub-AVAs does Yakima Valley have?
5
99
What are the 3 most planted grape varieties of the Yakima Valley?
Merlot
Riesling
Cabernet Sauvignon
100
Where id the Walla Walla Valley located?
On the southern border of Washington sharing some of the land with Oregon
101
What is the Walla Walla Valley AVA known for?
Premium red wines based off Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah
102
What is the major AVA of Oregon?
Willamette Valley
103
What is the Williamette Valley known for?
Quality Pinot Noit
104
Which Burgundy producer famously purchased land in the Williamette Valley in 1987?
Joseph Drouhin
105
How many sub-AVAs does the Williamette Valley have?
15
106
What are the 3 dominant white grapes of the Williamette Valley?
Riesling
Chardonnay
Pinot Gris
107
Which state in the USA produces the 3rd largest amount of wine?
New York
108
What is the most planted grape variety of New York?
Concord
109
What are the 2 American grape species commonly found in New York instead of Vitis Vinifera?
Vitis Labrusca
Vitis Aestivalis
110
Who was the first person to successfully cultivate Riesling in New York?
Dr. Konstantinos Frank in the 1950s, in Finger Lakes Valley
111
Which AVA bottles 90% of the wines from New York?
Finger Lakes AVA
112
How do the Finger Lakes benefit vines?
They moderate the temperatures of the surrounding vineyards, preventing frosts and overheating
113
What is the flagship grapes of the Finger Lakes?
Riesling
114
Which 2 lakes within Finger Lakes have their own AVAs?
Seneca Lake
Cayuga
115
Where is Long Island AVA situated?
East of New York City on Long Island
116
What grapes are commonly found in Long Island AVA?
Bordeaux varieties
Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Riesling
