Misplaced Pages

#204795

30-508: Los Carneros (also known as Carneros ) is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) which includes parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties in California , U.S.A. The 37,000 acres (58 sq mi) area was recognized on September 18, 1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) , Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Beaulieu Vineyards proposing to establish

60-629: A petition is accepted as complete, the TTB may choose to seek public input on the proposal and at its sole discretion may approve the proposed AVA. Before the AVA system, wine appellations of origin in the United States were designated based on state or county boundaries. All of these appellations were grandfathered into federal regulations and may appear on wine labels as designated places of origin in lieu of an AVA, such as Sonoma County . In order for

90-489: A reputation for the quality of the Chardonnays and Pinot noirs that came from this cool-climate region. This reputation caught the eyes of sparkling wine producers from Champagne and elsewhere. In the 1970s and continuing to this day, Francis Mahoney of Mahoney Vineyards and Fleur de California in conjunction with UC-Davis have conducted an ongoing series of clonal trials to determine the best Pinot noir grapes for

120-782: A significant planting in the Russian River , Anderson Valley , Santa Rita Hills and Santa Lucia Highlands AVAs . In recent years there has been a focus by Carneros Pinot noir producers on the changing style of the region's Pinot due, in part, on emerging modern philosophies in winemaking and on clonal selections . The older clones found in Carneros include the Martini and Swan clones which produce wines that are lighter, more elegant with some earthy complexity. They are also noted for their distinctive aromas of green herbs , beets and mint . The newer French clones being planted, (such as

150-608: A viticultural area named "Los Carneros.” The proximity to the cool fog and breezes from San Pablo Bay to the south makes the climate in Los Carneros cooler and more moderate than wine regions farther north in Napa and Sonoma Valleys . The cooler climate has made Los Carneros attractive for the cultivation of cooler climate varietals like Pinot noir and Chardonnay . Many of the grapes grown in Los Carneros are used for sparkling wine production. Receiving its AVA status in 1983,

180-401: A wine to be labeled with a state or county appellation, at least 75% of the grapes used to make the wine must have been grown within the boundary of the appellation, and the wine must be fully finished within the state in which the appellation is located. Some states have more stringent rules, such as California , which requires 100% of the grapes used to make the wine be from California and that

210-499: A yield of 100 hl/ha is possible to combine with high quality, provided that careful canopy management is used. In general, white wine is seen as less sensitive to high yields, and some grape varieties, such as Pinot noir , as particularly sensitive to overcropping. Many examples exist where a vintage-to-vintage variation of yields is in fact positively related with quality, since the low yields can be due to loss of grapes due to adverse conditions such as hail or grey rot . For

240-413: Is a typical representative figure for many countries and regions. While yield is generally seen as an important quality factor in wine production, views differ on the relative importance of low yields to other aspects of vineyard management. In general, there is consensus that if vines are cropped with a very high amount of grape clusters, a poor wine will result because of slow and insufficient ripening of

270-486: Is not always the case. See map on the right showing the outline of the Paso Robles AVA , California's largest in total area, and the eleven distinct AVAs contained within it. In 2018, the second session of the 115th Congress recognized the contribution of American Viticultural Areas to the economy. The Blunt-Merkley Resolution passed unanimously. It noted that an AVA allows vintners to describe more accurately

300-454: The Bordeaux vintages of the 1980s, it is generally recognized that the most abundant harvests also gave the best vintages. In both France and Italy, the maximum allowed yields are regulated in wine laws , and vary between appellations. In France, the maximum yields are given in the regulations for each appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC). The maximum allowed yield for given AOC in

330-589: The Cole Ranch AVA in Mendocino County , California, at only 60 acres (24 ha). The Augusta AVA , which occupies the area around the town of Augusta, Missouri , was the first recognized AVA, gaining the status on June 20, 1980. There are currently 276 AVAs spread across 34 states, with over half (154) in California. An AVA may be located within one or more larger AVAs. For example,

SECTION 10

#1732772794205

360-660: The Santa Clara Valley AVA and Livermore Valley AVA are located within the boundaries of the San Francisco Bay AVA , which is itself located within the Central Coast AVA . In such cases, the wine may be labeled with any of the relevant AVAs, but winemakers generally label wines with the most specific AVA allowed for each wine. Smaller AVAs are often perceived to be associated with smaller production and higher quality wines, though this

390-400: The Carneros area was the first wine region in California to be defined by its climate characteristics rather than political boundaries. In the year 1942, wine producer Louis M. Martini purchased the old Stanly Ranch and began a replanting effort. By the 1970s, the Carneros region had more than 1,300 acres (530  ha ) of vineyards. By this time the Carneros region was starting to develop

420-491: The Carneros region. The 1980s saw a wave of investment and development in Los Carneros by producers such as Domaine Chandon , Domaine Carneros , Gloria Ferrer , Mumm Napa and Codorníu Napa that made Carneros one of the centers of California sparkling wine production . In the late 1980s, phylloxera returned to the Carneros region prompting extensive replanting efforts. In addition to taking advantage of better phylloxera-resistant rootstock , many Carneros producers also took

450-560: The Dijon 115, 667 and 777) produce more alcoholic and concentrated wines with black fruit notes. In August 2008, two light brown apple moths were discovered in the Carneros region close to the Napa County line. The pests lay eggs on grape leaves and the resulting larvae feed on the leaves and fruit clusters, leaving them prone to rot. Thus, their discovery caused concern that parts of the Carneros region may be quarantined just before

480-529: The acidity, the current winemaking style in California emphasizes the fruit. The style now favors stainless steel and neutral French Oak, while rarely using more than a portion of the wine undergoing malolactic fermentation. Pinot noir from the Carneros is known for its crisp acidity and tight structure and frequently exhibits spicy berry fruit. The Carneros region was one of the early pioneers of cool-climate Pinot noirs in California-long before it became

510-513: The amount of wine produced from a unit mass of grapes varies. It is therefore not possible to make an exact conversion between these units. Representative figures for the amount of grapes needed for 100 L of wine are 160 kg for white wine , 130 kg for red wine , and 140 kg for a mixture of red and white wine. Thus: Yields vary greatly between countries, regions and individual vineyards, and can be vintage-dependent. Somewhere around 50 hectoliters per hectare, or 3 tons per acre,

540-493: The busy harvest season . Proposals on how to deal with the vineyard pest have been met with controversy in the past. 38°15′12″N 122°24′11″W  /  38.25347°N 122.40296°W  / 38.25347; -122.40296 American Viticultural Area An American Viticultural Area ( AVA ) is a designated wine grape -growing region in the United States , providing an official appellation for

570-434: The coolest and windiest AVA in both Napa & Sonoma. Early morning fog is a persistent feature. The soils of the Carneros region are predominantly clay and very thin and shallow (approximately 3 feet/1 meter deep), providing poor drainage and fertility. The fierce and persistent winds coming off the bay encourages the grapevines to struggle and retain moisture. While this aids in keeping crop yields small, it can also delay

600-616: The foothills to near sea level closer to the bay. The official boundaries of the AVA fall into both Napa and Sonoma counties with the largest portion being in Sonoma and entitled to use the Sonoma Valley AVA designation as well. The Napa portion of Los Carneros is similarly entitled to use the Napa Valley AVA designation. The region is moderately cool and windy with marked influences from nearby San Pablo Bay , making it

630-590: The grapes from ripening sufficiently. In vintages with a long, drawn out growing season that allow the grapes to ripen, intense and vivid flavors can develop. Los Carneros is primarily associated with the cool-climate wines such as Chardonnay and Pinot noir, as well as the sparkling wines made from those grapes. Many wineries in Napa & Sonoma use Carneros grapes as a cool-climate blending component. In recent years there has been interest in Merlot and Syrah coming from

SECTION 20

#1732772794205

660-807: The grapes that make up the wine must have been grown in the AVA, and the wine must be fully finished within the state where the AVA is located. The boundaries of AVAs are defined by the Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), a component of the United States Department of the Treasury . The TTB defines AVAs at the request of wineries and other petitioners . Prior to the TTB's creation in 2003, the Treasury’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) received and handled petitions for viticultural areas, wine production and labeling. Section 4.25(e)(2) of

690-489: The grapes, due to an unfavorable leaf to fruit ratio. This is a situation that would typically correspond to yields of, say, 200 hl/ha or more, depending on grape variety and many other factors. Beyond that, there are differing schools of thought. One school of thought, generally subscribed to in France, claims that great red wine is impossible to produce at yields exceeding 50 hl/ha. Another school of thought claims that

720-567: The maximum allowed yield is therefore regulated for many wine appellations . In most of Europe , yield is measured in hectoliters per hectare , i.e., by the volume of wine. In most of the New World , yield is measured in tonnes per hectare (or short tons per acre in the USA) – i.e. by mass of grapes produced per unit area. Due to differing winemaking procedures for different styles of wine, and different properties of different grape varieties,

750-408: The mutual benefit of wineries and consumers. Winemakers frequently want their consumers to know about the geographic pedigree of their wines, as wines from a particular area can possess distinctive characteristics. Consumers often seek out wines from specific AVAs, and certain wines of particular pedigrees can claim premium prices and loyal customers. If a wine is labeled with an AVA, at least 85% of

780-551: The opportunity to plant some of the new French clones of Pinot noir and Chardonnay. The surging popularity of Chardonnay in the 1980s further stimulated plantings in the Carneros region. By the early 1990s, the region had over 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) planted. The Carneros region covers 90 square miles (58,000 acres) located along the low-lying hills of the Mayacamas range as it descends underneath San Francisco Bay . Elevations of most vineyards range from 400 feet (120 m) in

810-460: The origin of their wine, while helping vintners to build and enhance the reputation and value of the wines produced. AVAs also allow consumers to attribute a given quality, reputation, or other characteristic to a wine made from grapes grown in an AVA. AVAs also help consumers identify what they purchase. Yields (wine) The yield is often seen as a quality factor, with lower yields associated with wines with more concentrated flavours, and

840-400: The regulations (27 C.F.R. § 4.25(e)(2)) outlines the procedure for proposing an AVA and provides that any interested party may petition the TTB to establish a grape-growing region as an AVA. Section 9.12 of the TTB regulations (27 C.F.R. § 9.12) prescribes the standards for petitions for the establishment or modification of AVAs. Petitions to establish an AVA must include the following: Once

870-452: The warmer areas of the region. In 1996, the first possible plantings of Albarino in the United States were planted in the Carneros region. Carneros Chardonnay is marked by its high acidity that can bring balance to the fatter, rounder Chardonnays produced in the warmer climate areas of Sonoma and Napa. While in the past, chardonnay was usually put through malolactic fermentation and was given significant oak treatment to soften some of

900-699: The wine be fully finished within the state. Washington requires 95% of the grapes in a Washington wine be grown in Washington, although notably the Columbia Valley AVA , Columbia Gorge AVA , and Walla Walla Valley AVA are shared with Oregon. AVAs vary widely in size, ranging from the Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA , at more than 19 million acres (29,900 square miles (77,000 km )) across four states ( Illinois , Iowa , Minnesota , and Wisconsin ), to

#204795