Los Carneros AVA
Encyclopedia
Los Carneros AVA is an American Viticultural Area
which includes parts of both Sonoma
and Napa
counties in California
, U.S.A.
. It is located north of San Pablo Bay
. The proximity to the cool fog and breezes from the bay makes the climate in Los Carneros cooler and more moderate than the wine regions further north in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley. The cooler climate has made Los Carneros attractive for the cultivation of cooler climate varietal
s 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, the Carneros area was the first wine region in California to be defined by its climate characteristics rather than political boundaries.
producers from Champagne and elsewhere. In the 1970s and continuing to this day, Francis Mahoney of Mahoney Vineyards in conjunction with UC-Davis have conducted a series of clonal trials to determine the best Pinot Noir grapes for the Carneros. 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 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 6000 acres (2,428.1 ha) planted.
The Carneros region covers 90 square miles (233.1 km²) 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 (121.9 m) in 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 the coolest and windiest AVA in both Napa & Sonoma. Early morning fog is a persistent feature.
The 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 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. It is usually put through malolactic fermentation
and giving significant oak treatment to soften some of the acidity. 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 a significant planting in the Russian River, Anderson Valley, Santa Rita Hills and Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
s. 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 the Dijon 115, 667 and 777) produce more alcoholic and concentrated wines with black fruit notes.
were discovered in the Carneros region close to the Napa County line. The discovery of the vineyard pest, which lay eggs on grape leaves with the resulting larva
e feeding on leaves and fruit clusters-leaving them prone to rot, caused concern that parts of the Carneros region may be quarantined just before the busy harvest season. Proposals on how to deal with the vineyard pest have been met with controversy
in the past.
American Viticultural Area
An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....
which includes parts of both Sonoma
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
and Napa
Napa County, California
Napa County is a county located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is coterminous with the Napa, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population is 136,484. The county seat is Napa....
counties in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, U.S.A.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located north of San Pablo Bay
San Pablo Bay
San Pablo Bay is a tidal estuary that forms the northern extension of San Francisco Bay in northern California in the United States. Most of the Bay is shallow; however, there is a deep water channel approximately in mid bay, which allows access to Sacramento, Stockton, Benicia, Martinez, and...
. The proximity to the cool fog and breezes from the bay makes the climate in Los Carneros cooler and more moderate than the wine regions further north in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley. The cooler climate has made Los Carneros attractive for the cultivation of cooler climate varietal
Varietal
"Varietal" describes wines made primarily from a single named grape variety, and which typically displays the name of that variety on the wine label. Examples of grape varieties commonly used in varietal wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot...
s like Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
and Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
. Many of the grapes grown in Los Carneros are used for sparkling wine
Sparkling wine
Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation, either in a bottle, as with the méthode champenoise, in a large tank designed to withstand the pressures involved , or as a result of carbon dioxide...
production. Receiving its AVA status in 1983, the Carneros area was the first wine region in California to be defined by its climate characteristics rather than political boundaries.
History
In 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 1300 acres (526.1 ha) of vineyards. By this time the Carneros region was starting to develop 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 wineSparkling wine
Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation, either in a bottle, as with the méthode champenoise, in a large tank designed to withstand the pressures involved , or as a result of carbon dioxide...
producers from Champagne and elsewhere. In the 1970s and continuing to this day, Francis Mahoney of Mahoney Vineyards in conjunction with UC-Davis have conducted a series of clonal trials to determine the best Pinot Noir grapes for the Carneros. The 1980s saw a wave of investment and development in Los Carneros by producers such as Domaine Chandon, Domaine Carneros, Gloria Ferrer
Gloria Ferrer
Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards is a winery in Sonoma County, California that specializes in sparkling wines, as well as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wine. Located in the Carneros wine appellation, it was the first sparkling wine producer in Sonoma Carneros....
, Mumm Napa and Codorníu Napa that made Carneros one of the centers of California sparkling wine production
Sparkling wine production
There are four main methods of sparkling wine production. The first is simple injection of carbon dioxide , the process used in soft drinks, but this produces big bubbles that dissipate quickly in the glass. The second is the Metodo Italiano – Charmat process, in which the wine undergoes a...
. In the late 1980s, phylloxera
Phylloxera
Grape phylloxera ; originally described in France as Phylloxera vastatrix; equated to the previously described Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, Phylloxera vitifoliae; commonly just called phylloxera is a pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America...
returned to the Carneros region prompting extensive replanting efforts. In addition to taking advantage of better phylloxera-resistant rootstock
Rootstock
A rootstock is a plant, and sometimes just the stump, which already has an established, healthy root system, used for grafting a cutting or budding from another plant. The tree part being grafted onto the rootstock is usually called the scion...
, many Carneros producers also took 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 6000 acres (2,428.1 ha) planted.
Geography and climate
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
. Elevations of most vineyards range from 400 feet (121.9 m) in the foothills to near sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
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
Sonoma Valley AVA
The Sonoma Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California, USA which centers on the Sonoma Valley in the southern portion of the county...
designation as well. The Napa portion of Los Carneros is similarly entitled to use the Napa Valley AVA
Napa Valley AVA
Napa Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Napa County, California, United States. Napa Valley is considered one of the top wine regions in the United States...
designation. The region is moderately cool and windy with marked influences from nearby San Pablo Bay
San Pablo Bay
San Pablo Bay is a tidal estuary that forms the northern extension of San Francisco Bay in northern California in the United States. Most of the Bay is shallow; however, there is a deep water channel approximately in mid bay, which allows access to Sacramento, Stockton, Benicia, Martinez, and...
, making it the coolest and windiest AVA in both Napa & Sonoma. Early morning fog is a persistent feature.
Viticulture
The soils of the Carneros region are predominately 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 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.Grape varieties and wine
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
and Syrah coming from the warmer areas of the region. In 1996, the first possible plantings of Albarino
Albariño
Albariño or Alvarinho is a variety of white wine grape grown in Galicia , Monção and Melgaço , where it is used to make varietal white wines.Albariño is actually the Galician name for the grape...
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. It is usually put through malolactic fermentation
Malolactic fermentation
Malolactic fermentation is a process in winemaking where tart-tasting malic acid, naturally present in grape must, is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid. Malolactic fermentation tends to create a rounder, fuller mouthfeel. It has been said that malic acid tastes of green apples...
and giving significant oak treatment to soften some of the acidity. 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 a significant planting in the Russian River, Anderson Valley, Santa Rita Hills and Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Monterey County, California. It is part of the larger Monterey AVA, and located in the Santa Lucia Mountains above the Salinas Valley. Over of vineyards are planted in the AVA, some as high as above sea level, with about...
s. 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
Mentha
Mentha is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae . The species are not clearly distinct and estimates of the number of species varies from 13 to 18. Hybridization between some of the species occurs naturally...
. The newer French clones being planted, (such as the Dijon 115, 667 and 777) produce more alcoholic and concentrated wines with black fruit notes.
Light brown apple moth sightings
In August 2008, two light brown apple mothLight brown apple moth
The light brown apple moth is a leafroller moth belonging to the lepidopteran family Tortricidae.-Adult moths:...
were discovered in the Carneros region close to the Napa County line. The discovery of the vineyard pest, which lay eggs on grape leaves with the resulting larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e feeding on leaves and fruit clusters-leaving them prone to rot, caused concern that parts of the Carneros region may be quarantined just before the busy harvest season. Proposals on how to deal with the vineyard pest have been met with controversy
Light brown apple moth controversy
The Light brown apple moth is a leafroller moth belonging to the lepidopteran family Tortricidae. The insect is regarded as an herbivorous generalist, and the larvae consume numerous horticultural crops in Australia and New Zealand...
in the past.