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WSET Level 4 - D3 > USA - Oregon > Flashcards

USA - Oregon Flashcards

(66 cards)

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1
Q

How much area is under vine?

A

13,750 ha

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2
Q

How many AVAs are fully in Oregon and how many are shared with other states?

A
  • 15 AVAs fully in Oregon
  • 4 AVAs shared with other states
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3
Q

When were the first modern vineyards planted an how did it become famous?

A
  • 1961
  • Pinot Noir wines achieved high ranks in blind tastings
  • Hence, many Burgundian producers bought land there
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4
Q

What is different in types of business involved compared to California and Washington?

A

Dominated by smaller, family-owned businesses

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5
Q

What is the current trend in terms of wineries?

A
  • Strong growth
  • 5-fold increase in last 20 years
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6
Q

Where are vineyards located, what is the climate and what are climatic influences?

A
  • In the western part, close to the Pacific Ocean
  • At 42–46°N in latitude
  • Coast Range provides some protection from Pacific influences, however some influence of cold ocean currents and winds
  • Cool to moderate climate
  • Long daylight hours in summer and autumn
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7
Q

What is the soil?

A

Free-draining marine sedimentary, volcanic and loess soils

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8
Q

What is the rainfall and when does it occur?

A
  • High levels of annual rainfall
  • Mainly in winter, with little rainfall in the summer months
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9
Q

What climatic conditions have a major effect on vineyard management and what is the effect?

A
  • Windy and dry summers
  • Low disease pressure
  • Enable sustainable grape growing practices
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10
Q

How much of vineyards are certified as sustainable? How about biodynamic practices?

A
  • About 50%
  • About 50% of all Demeter vineyards in the US are in Oregon
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11
Q

What are the varieties grown? What is the most planted one (incl. %)?

A
  • Pinot Noir (57%)
  • Pinot Gris (decreasing)
  • Chardonnay (increasing)
  • Other: Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Riesling
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12
Q

What is important in Oregon regarding growing of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay?

A

Clonal selection

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13
Q

What clones are used for Pinot Noir? Why?

A
  • Wadenswil
  • Pommard
  • Dijon
  • -> clonal diversity to better choose clones suited to the specific climate and soil
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14
Q

What clones are used for Chardonnay?

A
  • Wente
  • Clone 108
  • Earlier-ripening Dijon was introduced, but due to recent warmer vintages sometimes ripens to early
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15
Q

How are Pinot Noir wines produced? (fermentation, oak)

A
  • Use of whole bunches has increased
  • Some use ambient yeasts and experiment with alternative fermentation and storage vessels, including amphorae
  • Majority is matured in oak, proportion of new oak is decreasing
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16
Q

Describe the typical style of Pinot Noir (aromas, acidity, tannin, alcohol, quality, price)

A
  • Red cherry and raspberry fruit to black cherry and plum
  • Medium(+) acidity
  • Medium to medium(+) tannins
  • High alcohol
  • Good to outstanding quality
  • Premium priced (some super-premium)
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17
Q

Name two significant producers of Pinot Noir

A
  • Bergström Wines
  • Evening Land
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18
Q

In what two styles are Pinot Gris wines produced? (pressing, fermentation, skin contact, oak, lees)

A
  • Fruity style: whole-bunch pressing and cool fermentation in stainless steel
  • Complex wine with texture: skin contact, old barrels and lees contact
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19
Q

Describe the typical style of Pinot Gris (sweetness, aromas, acidity, body, quality, price)

A
  • Dry and off-dry
  • Pear, peach and melon fruit, sometimes nutty or honeyed note
  • Medium to medium(+) acidity
  • Medium to full body
  • Good to very good quality
  • Mid-priced
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20
Q

How are Chardonnay wines produced? (pressing, fermentation, oak, malo, lees)

A
  • Often whole bunch pressing
  • Fermentation and maturation in oak (mostly old oak)
  • Malo + lees contact
  • Lees usually left without stirring to encourage low levels of reductive sulfur compounds to develop, giving smoky, struck match aromas
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21
Q

Describe the typical style of Chardonnay (aromas, acidity, body, quality, price)

A
  • Lemon and peach
  • Medium(+) acidity
  • Medium(+) body
  • Good to very good quality
  • Mid- to premium priced
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22
Q

What are the two major AVAs and how many sub-AVAs does each have and how much of plantings (%)?

A
  • Willamette Valley AVA
  • 7 sub-AVAs
  • 68% of vineyards
  • Southern Oregon AVA
  • 5 sub-AVAs
  • 25% of vineyards
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23
Q

What three AVAs are on the Oregon-Washington state border?

A
  • Columbia Gorge AVA
  • Columbia Valley AVA
  • Walla Walla Valley AVA (1 sub-AVA)
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24
Q

What AVA is on the Oregon-Idaho state border?

A

Snake River Valley AVA

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25
**Willamette Valley AVA** What is its size?
* 9,900 ha * Oregon's largest AVA
26
**Willamette Valley AVA** Where is it located?
* Western part of Oregon, close to the Pacific Ocean * Coast Range mountains to the west that provide protection * Still various parts affected by cold Pacific winds
27
**Willamette Valley AVA** What is the climate and climatic influences?
* One of the coolest and wettest areas in Oregon * Benefits from warm, dry summers with long hours of sunshine * High diurnal range during growing season * Air rises from the warm interior of central Oregon and causes cool coastal air to be pulled inland * A lack of humidity in the air over the dry growing season means that temperatures can rise and fall quickly
28
**Willamette Valley AVA** Is irrigation practiced due to the dry summers?
* Mostly no irrigation * Only longest-established producers are allowed to use water from rivers * Typically, producers would need to build ponds on their property to collect water in winter months (costs for installation and maintenance) * Many dry farm if possible
29
**Willamette Valley AVA** What is the soil on valley floors and higher altitudes? What varieties is it best suited for?
* **Valley floors** * fertile loam soils * Most suited to Pinot Gris * If Pinot Noir is grown, vigor must be managed * **Higher altitudes** * Mixture of marine sedimentary soils (e.g. sandstone), volcanic basalt and loess soils * Lower fertility * Smaller cordon-trained or replacement-cane pruned vines with VSP trellising are more common
30
**Willamette Valley AVA** What are the main grape varieties?
* **Pinot Noir** (60-80%) * Pinot Gris * Chardonnay
31
**Willamette Valley AVA** Name the seven sub-AVAs
* Dundee Hills AVA * Chehalem Mountains AVA * Ribbon Ridge AVA * Yamhill-Carlton District AVA * Van Duzer Corridor AVA * Eola-Amity Hills AVA * McMinnville AVA
32
**Willamette Valley AVA - Dundee Hills AVA** Where are the vineyards located and what are climatic influences?
* At 60m to 325m * Higher altitudes than the rest of Willamette Valley * -> retain acidity * Buffered to the west by the Coast Range and to the north by Mountains * -> sheltered from cold wet conditions * -> warmer temperature than other AVAs * -> full fruit ripeness
33
**Willamette Valley AVA - Dundee Hills AVA** What is the soil and what are the effects on grape growing?
* Highest proportion of red iron-rich clay formed from volcanic basalt * -> retains water during dry summers * -> avoids shutting down of vines * -> enables full ripening of grapes
34
**Willamette Valley AVA - Chehalem Mountains AVA** How large are plantings compared to other sub-AVAs?
Most plantings of any sub-AVA
35
**Willamette Valley AVA - Chehalem Mountains AVA** Where are vineyards planted?
* At 60 to 305m * Ridge serves as windbreak
36
**Willamette Valley AVA - Chehalem Mountains AVA** Comment on altitude, aspects, and soil types
* The range in altitude, aspects and soil types * Soils: loess, volcanic basalt and sedimentary * -> diversity of vineyard sites and resulting wines
37
**Willamette Valley AVA - Ribbon Ridge AVA** Where are vineyards located and what are climatic influences?
* At low altitude * -> protected from the wind by surrounding ranges * -> warm and dry growing area
38
**Willamette Valley AVA - Ribbon Ridge AVA** Describe the soil characteristics and influence on grape growing
* Sedimentary soil * Relatively deep but low in nutrients * -> controls vine vigor * Moderate water-holding capacity * -> needed as irrigation is not readily available * -> concentrated ripe grapes
39
**Willamette Valley AVA - Yamhill-Carlton AVA** What is the most planted variety?
Pinot Noir
40
**Willamette Valley AVA - Yamhill-Carlton AVA** Where is it located?
* North west of the Willamette Valley * In the foothills of the Coast Range
41
**Willamette Valley AVA - Yamhill-Carlton AVA** Comment on rain, altitude, aspect, and soil and their influence on the final wine
* Rain shadow from coast range * At 60-300m * South-facing slopes * Warm free-draining sedimentary soils * -> riper fruit flavors, fuller body and lower acidity compared to other sub-AVAs
42
**Willamette Valley AVA - Van Duzer Corridor AVA** Where is it located and what are climatic influences?
* South west of Willamette Valley * Break in the Coast Range funnels in Pacific Ocean winds during the afternoon * -> cooling influence
43
**Willamette Valley AVA - Van Duzer Corridor AVA** Describe the positive and negative effects of the cooling Pacific winds that are funneled through the break in the Coast Range
* **Negative** * Can disrupt flowering and fruit set -> lower yields * Can cause the vine leaf stomata to shut and slow ripening * **Positive** * Slows the ripening process -> slow sugar accumulation while flavours and aromas develop and acidity it retained * Reduces disease pressure
44
**Willamette Valley AVA - Van Duzer Corridor AVA** Describe the soils and their characteristics
* Marine sediment loam and silt * Shallow and well-draining
45
**Willamette Valley AVA - Eola-Amity Hills AVA** Where is it located and what does it mean for the climate?
* East of the Van Duzer Corridor AVA * Influenced by the same cool ocean winds, leading to slower ripening * However, greater variation because of range of aspects and altitudes
46
**Willamette Valley AVA - Eola-Amity Hills AVA** Where are vineyards located and what is the soil?
* At 75-250m altitude * Shallow rocky volcanic basalt over sedimentary soil
47
**Willamette Valley AVA - McMinnville AVA** Where is it located and what does it mean for the climate?
* Between Yamhill-Carlton AVA to the north and Van Duzer Corridor AVA to the south * Influenced by both areas * Some sites are protected by rain shadow * Areas to the south are more influenced by the cool winds from the Van Duzer Corridor
48
**Southern Oregon AVA** Name the two most important sub-AVAs
* **Umpqua Valley AVA** (incl. 2 sub-AVAs) * **Rogue Valley AVA** (incl. 1 sub-AVA)
49
**Southern Oregon AVA** How many ha are planted to vine?
Roughly 3,300 ha
50
**Southern Oregon AVA** Where is it located, what is the climate and what are cooling influences?
* More southerly latitude -> warmer than Willamette Valley * **Cooling influences** from * Mountains (altitude and cool air descending at night) * River valleys that channel cool breezes during the afternoon and evenings * -> **High diurnal range**
51
**Southern Oregon AVA** Comment on soils, rainfall, and irrigation
* Soils: mixture of marine sedimentary soils, volcanic soils (high proportion of clay helping to retain water) and alluvial soils (more free-draining) * Majority of rainfall in winter -> dry growing season * Irrigation is essential -> warm climate and lower rainfall
52
**Southern Oregon AVA** What are the main varieties grown?
* Better able to ripen black grape varieties than Willamette Valley * **Pinot Noir** (40%) * Pinot Gris (second most planted) * Syrah * Cabernet Sauvignon
53
**Southern Oregon AVA - Umpqua Valley AVA** Where is it located? What are climatic influences?
* Northern part of Southern Oregon * Umpqua River and its tributaries flow through it -> cool afternoon breezes * Warmer than Willamette Valley, but relatively cool for Southern Oregon
54
**Southern Oregon AVA - Umpqua Valley AVA** Comment on altitude, aspect and soil of vineyards
Diverse range of vineyard sites with different altitudes (around 50-400m), aspects and soils
55
**Southern Oregon AVA - Umpqua Valley AVA** What varieties are grown in which part of the Umpqua Valley?
* **North** * Pinot Noir * Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Riesling * **Central and south** * Syrah, Merlot and Tempranillo
56
**Southern Oregon AVA - Rogue Valley AVA** Where is it located and what are climatic influences?
* Closest to California -> **warmest and driest** conditions in Oregon * Cooling influences from **altitude (250-950m)** and cool afternoon and evening **breezes from the Pacific**
57
**Southern Oregon AVA - Rogue Valley AVA** Based on the climate? What varieties are grown here?
* Merlot * Cabernet Sauvignon * Syrah * Tempranillo * Pinot Noir
58
**Multistate AVAs - Walla Walla Valley AVA** Where is it located and what is the climate?
* Far from the coast * Arid continental climate with hot dry summers
59
**Multistate AVAs - Walla Walla Valley AVA** What are the most planted varieties?
* Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) * Merlot * Syrah
60
**Multistate AVAs - Columbia Gorge AVA** How is the climate in different parts of the AVA?
* **Western part**: closest to the Pacific -> cooler, wetter climate * **Eastern part**: warmer and drier
61
**Multistate AVAs - Columbia Gorge AVA** What are cooling influences and what does it mean for grape growing?
* **Cooling influences** from * altitude (up to 600m) * winds funneled by the gorge * -> wide range of growing conditions and varieties
62
**Multistate AVAs - Columbia Valley AVA** Where is it located and what does it comprise?
* Majority is located in Washington State * Includes Columbia Gorge AVA and Walla Walla Valley AVA in Oregon
63
Describe the rough labeling terms (origin, variety, estate)
* 100% of grapes grown in Oregon and 95% of wine from stated appellation (if labeled as such) * Min 90% of variety if labeled as such (California only requires 75%) * If labeled 'estate-bottled': min 100% of grapes from the winery's AVA and fully finished at the estate
64
What businesses are typically involved and what is the current trend?
* Mostly small family-owned wineries (75%) * Considerable growth in recent years
65
How does it compare to other states in terms of production?
* 4th with roughly 1.4% of US production * After California, Washington, and New York
66
How much is exported and what are main export markets?
* 2.5% * Canada, UK, Japan

WSET Level 4 - D3 (56 decks)

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