Hey Yabloka

[wineguruchgo]

Sorry it took me so long to get this to you, but I had to look in a great many places to get the info that I needed. Unfortunately the myriad of books that I have aren’t really specific with many of the AVA’s.

I don’t agree with Brom. I certainly believe that you can break down the list by AVA’s and give a generalization. The people who will be enlisting your help are intimidated and do not know the list. Those that do know wine and what they want won’t ask for your help.

With that being said let’s get started.

California

Napa: Obviously the most widely recognized AVA in the United States.

Rutherford: it produces balanced, vivacious, delicately spiced, dense, world-class Cabs
Many of these wines will have a slight mineral characteristic which is known as “Rutherford Dust”

Oakville: Slightly cooler than Rutherford. The Cabs are meaty and juicy, luscious yet well structured. The cabs from this area are full of finesse.

Stags Leap: The soil of SLD lend Cabernet and Merlot particularly soft tannins, an attractive roundness and fresh berry fruit.

Mt. Veeder: The volcanic soils produce low yields of fruity, wildly spicy, well-structured Cabernet and Chardonnay

Spring Mt.: Known for powerful Zinfandels, Petite Syrahs, Cabernets and Merlots.

Diamond Mt: Full Cabernets with dark berry fruit flavors and well developed tannins.

St. Helena: Chardonnays have remarkable power while the Cabernets are dense, full-bodied, tannin-rich wines with rich cassis and raspberry fruit aromas.

Calistoga: Warmer climate produces powerful well-rounded Cabernets and Zinfandels along with creamy Sauvignon Blancs.

Howell Mt: Highly concentrated Zinfandels and extraordinarly dense, fruity rich Cabernets.


Sonoma: Best known for softer, more elegant wines than those of Napa.

Chalk Hill: Mineral-filled, tangy fresh-grass Sauvignon Blancs, Chardonnays of power and substance, and the black currant and cassis defined Cabernet Sauvignons


Dry Creek: Zinfandels are ripe, rich, with berrylike fruit and peppery nuances. The areas Sauvignon Blanc can often be too exuberant in a pungent, weedy-grassy manner, needing some calming influence from barrel fermentations or from blending with Semillon. The finer Cabernet Sauvignons are very expressive, with a strong bell pepper, green olive, earthy nature.

Russian Russian River Valley Chardonnays are clearly world class, being slightly
more lean than those of Alexander Valley. Pinot Noir from this area is sensual, succulent, juicy and fleshy.

Alexander Valley Grows Cabernet Sauvignon so innately soft, fluid and welcoming that it rarely requires the softening mixture of Merlot.

Knights Valley Sauvignon Blanc in its ripest exposition, showing full fig and melon fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot are richly-fruited beauties, with plenty of cassis and tobacco, with cedary hints and the rich chocolate notes of perfectly mature warm climate grapes.

Carneros/Sonomainot Noirs, which clearly demonstrate their Carneros breeding, often show a jammy strawberry character, while Carneros Chardonnays possess delicate floral, white peach and white grapefruit qualities that are subtle, yet alluring. Merlot is full of cassis and black currant fruit and a softness in the mouth

I will try to do more in the coming week but I think that this covers more than 1/2 of the list.

Hope it helps you.