USA - North Coast; Mendocino, Lake Counties & Sonoma Flashcards
(50 cards)
Where is the North Coast AVA located? What is a key natural factor influencing climate?
A large AVA running about 160km down the Pacific Ocean coastline and reaching 80km inland. It encompasses substantial proportions of Napa County, Sonoma County, Mendocino County and Lake County.
The Mayacamas Mountains run through the N Coast AVA, dividing Mendocino and Lake County, and extends S for over 80km into Napa and Sonoma, down to San Pablo Bay.
Where is Mendocino located? What’s the size and key areas for vines?
Runs along the Pacific Ocean to the W, Lake County to the E, and Sonoma County to the S.
1m ha in size, with around 7000 ha planted to vine.
Vineyards are either grouped in cooler AVAs closer to the Pacific Ocean or further inland in warmer areas, some of which are planted at altitude.
Which varieties are planted where in Mendocino? What price do they fetch and what’s their use case?
Coastal AVAs, eg, Anderson Valley tend to be planted with PN, Chardonnay and aromatic whites.
Inland AVAs, eg, Redwood Valley, are able to ripen Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Cab Sauv.
Vineyards at altitudes, eg, Potter Valley, and produce aromatic whites, eg, Riesling and Sauv B.
Priced lower than Sonoma and Napa, and often used for multi-regional blends.
How many AVAs are in Mendocino County?
- Mendocino AVA starts at Russian River headwaters, covers 6 of the county’s AVAs (Anderson Valley, Yorkville Highlands, McDowell Valley, Potter Valley, Redwood Valley and Cole Ranch) and can be used for blends between these AVAs.
Which AVA is the most well known of Mendocino? What’s the climate and topography?
Anderson Valley AVA. The Valley runs from NW, only a few km from the Pacific, to SE, further inland.
Day time temperatures can be warm but cold air and fog are funnelled inland along the Navarro River, giving cold evenings and mornings.
Further inland, the Valley becomes narrower and reduces the flow of ocean breezes and fog, and conditions become warmer.
What is rainfall like in Anderson Valley? What are other climatic hazards?
Relatively high, 900-2000mm per annum, mostly falling in Winter and Spring, with the NW side of the valley being the wettest.
Cold nights mean frost can be an issue in Spring, especially in low lying areas. , meaning the majority of vineyards are planted on the sloped sides of the valleys.
What key styles are produced from Anderson Valley? How many ha under vine?
Just over 1000 ha.
The early ripening PN and Chard are most planted, and used for both still and spk.
For still wines, PN is especially reputed.
Styles vary depending on climate, clones and clipping (harvest), but the wines generally have fresh raspberry, cherry and plum, medium body and medium (+) acidity. Generally good to outstanding and premium, with some super. Key P are Littorai and Williams Selyem.
Aromatic Alsace style wines from Gewurz, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Blanc are also successfully produced.
How many wineries are in Anderson Valley AVA? What does their reputation lead to?
Approx 85, many of which have cellar doors to take advantage of tourist trade around Mendocino Coast.
The reputation for the AVA for high quality fruit means a number of wineries from other areas of the state buy Anderson Valley fruit to make appellation specific or even vineyard specific wines.
What’s the climate of Lake County?
In the rain shadow of the Mayacamas to the W and the Vaca Range to the E, giving a warm climate.
Most vineyards are in the S part of the county around Clear Lake, the states largest natural Lake.
How many AVAs are in Lake County?
- The largest of Clear Lake AVA, and has four sub-AVAs.
What is the climate of Clear Lake AVA?
The Lake, which takes up about half the area of the AVA, provides afternoon breezes.
Where and what are the main bulk of plantings in Clear Lake AVA? How many ha under vine?
The slopes and ridges around the lake and, at 400-450m altitude, benefit from the cooling effects of altitude.
Black grapes make up the majority of plantings and Cab Sauv and Sauv B are the two most planted varieties.
Just over 200 ha.
What quality of wine is produced in Clear Lake AVA?
A small number of prestigious vineyards and wineries.
Much of the inexpensive Lake County grapes are used for multi regional blends.
Where does Sonoma County border? What is the breakdown of key AVAs within? What is the purpose of them?
Borders the Pacific Ocean and Mendocino, Lake, Napa, and Marin Counties.
Encompasses 18 AVAs.
3 overarching AVAs, Northern Sonoma AVA, Sonoma Coast AVA and Sonoma Valley AVA, so large they overlap each other and encompass various smaller AVAs with specific climates and geographical features.
These allow P to use the term ‘estate bottled’ when vineyard and winery are spread far apart, whilst still permitting the word ‘Sonoma’ on the label (rather than North Coast).
What other legal definition applies to wines that come entirely from an AVA that sits within Sonoma County?
The words ‘Sonoma County’ must appear on the label.
Where does Northern Sonoma AVA lie?
It covers a large area, from the Mendocino border to the north, the Mayacamas to the E, down to Santa’s Rosa, situated in the middle of Sonoma County.
It’s vineyards are separated from the Pacific Ocean bythe Sonoma Coast AVA.
What key factor influences water availability in Northern Sonoma AVA?
The Russian River, which starts north in Mendocino County and flows through Northern Sonoma AVA where it fills underground aquifers and provides water for vineyards, before flowing into the Pacific.
Which key AVAs are within Northern Sonoma AVA?
Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Rockpile, Chalk Hill, Russian River Valley (plus Green Valley of RRV) and Dry Creek Valley.
Where does Alexander Valley AVA lie? What’s the climate and vineyard area?
The NE corner of Sonoma County.
Warm climate, cooled in the evenings by the Pacific air funnelled in from the Petaluma Gap and Russian River Valley to the S.
Vineyards are planted on the valley floor and on the W and SW facing slopes and bench lands of the Mayacamas mountains, at elevations of 100-750m. The aspect and altitude gives long hours of sunshine, leading to grapes high in colour and tannins. Altitude helps retain acidity.
Soils are a mixture, with greater fertility on the valley floor, and low nutrient free draining sand and gravel at higher altitudes, generally leading to less vigour and lower yields.
Rainfall is over 800mm a year, but mainly falls in winter.
What is the key variety of Alexander Valley AVA? Characteristics?
Cab Sauv, most planted.
Full bodied with ripe flavours of blackberry, blackcurrant, dried herbs and chocolate.
Plantings on the valley floor tend to have less tannin, whereas grapes from the slopes and benchlands are more structured and concentrated.
Good to outstanding and mid to premium, with some super premium.
What other varieties are grown in Alexander Valley AVA? Significant P?
Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel, Petit Verdot and Malbec.
Kendall-Jackson (Stonestreet Estate) and Seghesio
Where does Knights Valley AVA lie? What’s the climate?
The furthest-inland AVA, separated from the northern end of Napa County by the Mayacamas mountains.
One of the warmest areas of Sonoma County, surrounded by hills and sheltered from any cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean.
Where are the best sites of Knights Valley AVA? What’s the key wine? (And other wines)?
Cooler sites found by planting at higher altitudes (450m) in the foothills of the Mayacamas.
The warm temps and warm, free draining volcanic soils help to produce ripe, full bodied Cab Sauv (most planted).
Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel and some Chard and Sauv B are also grown.
Where does Dry Creek Valley AVA lie? What natural factors influence climate?
It’s a narrow valley 3 by 26km with vineyards planted on both the valley floor and on slopes and benchlands either side of the Dry Creek river, a tributary of Russian River.
Sheltered by coastal mountains to the W, Dry Creek Valley has warm days.
However, mountains on either side of the valley funnel cool ocean air and fogs from San Pablo Bay (a tidal estuary, the northern extension of San Francisco Bay). This occurs during the afternoons and evenings, giving much cooler nights and helping retain acidity.
There’s slight climatic differences throughout the valley. Coastal influence means the S of the valley is cooler. W facing vineyards on the E side of the valley, exposed to the afternoon sun are warmer than those on the W slopes.
