WINES OF THE WORLD I

Week

Four

United States

©WSET®2003NORTH AMERICA

Seattle

San Francisco

Los Angeles

Chicago

Toronto

Ottawa

New YorkPhiladelphia

Washington DC

BRITISHCOLUMBIA

ONTARIOWASHINGTONSTATE

OREGON

IDAHO

CALIFORNIA

NEW YORKSTATE

R. Arkansas

R. Missouri

R. M

ississippi

P A C I F I CO C E A N

Hudson Bay

A T L A N T I C O C E A N

N

0 500 1000 Km

0 300 600 Miles

C A N A D A

U. S. A.

MEXICO

50N 50N

40N 40N

30N30N

CALIFORNIA

©WSET®2003

NORTH COASTCENTRAL VALLEYSIERRA FOOTHILLSNORTH CENTRAL COASTSOUTH CENTRAL COASTSOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

AR IZONA

N E V A D A

MEXICO

O R E G O N

Sacramento

San Francisco

Los Angeles

San Diego

N

0 100 200 Km

0 100 Miles32N 32N

34N34N

36N 36N

38N38N

40N

42N

P A C I F I CO C E A N

MENDOCINO

LAKE

SONOMANAPA

SAN JOAQUIN

LIVERMORE

SAN BENITO

MONTEREY

SAN LUIS OBISPO

SANTA BARBARA

SANTAYNES

CALIFORNIA From missionaries to international

recognition

Late 1700s – Spanish missionaries, mission grapes

Gold Rush

Award-winning wines internationally

Vine problems

Prohibition – 1920-1933; lost connection with seeing it consumed and serving with food too

Wine for churches (sacramental)

“Wine kits” – grapes, yeast, instructions

CALIFORNIA Push for quality over quantity again

Ernest and Julio Gallo

Andre Tchelistcheff

Robert Mondavi

1976 - Judgment of Paris

Phylloxera (root louse) and AXR-1 root stock

Pierce’s Disease – spread by glassy-winged sharpshooter

Constellation Brands, Inc.

CALIFORNIA American Viticultural Area – AVA

Central Valley – 80% of CA production

Napa only 4%

Too large to lump all regions together for a vintage

Climate - UC Davis’ Degree Days Chart (I-V)

Soil types

Today, produces 90% of U.S.’s total wine production; just under 3000 wineries

CALIFORNIA Key grapes – In 1985, BATF said 75% or

more Chardonnay – style is peach, tropical, hazelnut, oak,

butter, lower acid, high alcohol; bigger since 1976; Russian River, Carneros

Sauvignon Blanc – Fume Blanc by Mondavi

Cabernet Sauvignon – simple to complex; bigger in Napa Valley since 1976

Merlot – fashionable, simple; Monterey and Napa

Pinot Noir – Russian River, Carneros, sparkling

Zinfandel – “own”, uneven, “white”, primitivo, old vines

Will try anything – Rhone varieties (“Rhone Rangers”), Cal-Ital, Meritage (1988); UC Davis hybrids

OREGON http://www.winesnw.com/orhome.html

OREGON History – over 400 wineries

1960s – birth of modern wine industry

“Pinot-ville”; #4 in US wine production behind New York State

Compared to Burgundy, France

AVAs

Willamette Valley

Mild winters, warm and cloudy summers; influence from ocean and currents

Between coastal and Cascade mountains

Key grapes – pinot noir, pinot gris, chardonnay

Washington http://www.winesnw.com/wahome.html

WASHINGTON History

1950-60s – birth of modern wine industry

2nd in production after California

Huge and boutique wineries; were 19 wineries in 1981, now over 650

Chateau Ste. Michelle

AVAs - Columbia Valley is about 1/3rd of state

East of Cascade mountains – desert

Need irrigation – run-off, wells, Columbia River

No pests due to soil, wine and cold; most vines self-rooted

Cold winters can kill vines

Every grape – chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling, syrah, merlot, cabernet sauvignon

PHOTO-NEW YORK WINE COURSE AND REFERENCE

NEW YORK History – oldest wine region in the US

Longest continuously operating vineyard and winery in US both in the Hudson River region); started in 1600s

#3 in U.S. wine production behind California and Washington

Charles Fournier – hybrids, sparkling

Dr. Konstantin Frank – from Ukraine; “Mr. Vinifera” led the revolution; not just here

Walter S. Taylor – fought big business and for local grapes and farmers

1976 Farm Winery Act – only 19 wineries here; from no contracts to boutique wineries

NEW YORK AVAs – Hudson River Region, Lake Erie,

Finger Lakes, Long Island and Niagara Escarpment

Terroir – all AVAs cool climate, but Long Island has longer season than upstate

Grapes – newer ones from Geneva Experiment Station

Native – concord, Niagara

Hybrid – vidal blanc, traminette, baco noir

Vinifera – Riesling, cabernet franc, merlot

Now almost 300 wineries

WINE CONSUMPTION AND HEALTH

Pathogens that can harm humans are inhibited or killed off by the acids and alcohols in wine. Wine was considered to be a safer drink than much of the available water up until the 18th century (and beyond )

In November, 1991 "60 Minutes" reported about the French Paradox

Flavanoids – Resveratrol

Antioxidents help slow aging; Alzheimer’s prevention

Protect immune system, block cancer formation, and heart disease

Natural source is better than in a pill

Moderation and regularity