Costco Connection - September 2007

Napa Valley, the best known of California’s 117 distinct American Viticulural Areas, produces great Merlots and Cabernets.

wine connection

The Golden State is rich in wine variety, heritage

C heers,

California!

By Annette Alvarez-Peters

SEP TEMBER IS California Wine Month. Let’s toast the state with a glass of Chardonnay,

Let’s take a brief tour through the state to discover what these diverse areas have to offer.

Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah From south to north
or whichever varietal you may have on hand. Starting in the south, the Temecula AVA is
The beauty of California wines is that near San Diego and is considered a hot area by
they’re limited only by what Mother Nature viticultural standards. Temecula is greatly
offers. Unlike winegrowers in some European influenced by cooling breezes off the Pacific
countries, California winegrowers can plant and has success with white grape varieties
any grape variety anywhere. The result is suchas Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
some fascinating and charming Moving north, we pass through the his-
wines, and a lot of the m: torically citrus-growing counties of
California is America’s Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura, on
largest wine-producing our way to Santa Barbara County,
state, by far. featuring the Santa Ynez and Santa
California offers Maria Valley AVAs. This region hugs
perfect grape-growing the Pacific coastline, moderating
conditions: abundant the temperatures to favor luscious
sunshine, warm tem- Chardonnays with tropical fruit fla-
peratures, low rainfall, ^ANNETTE_{ALVAREZ-PETERS}vors and Pinot Noirs that are ripe
fertile hillsides and valley and fruit forward.
floors, and climatic diver- San Luis Obispo County
sity influenced by barrier ^Wine ^Guideincludes the Paso Robles and
mountain ranges and the cool- ^For ^information ^on Edna Valley AVAs. The Paso
ing effects of the long, beautiful Costco’s Kirkland Signature^™Robles region, which has a
Pacific Ocean coastline. wines, including vintage notes very warm climate, is
Interestingly, a near disas- _and _food-pairing _tips, _go _to known for its medium- to
ter propelled the state’s quest _costco.com_, _click _on “_Costco full-bodied Cabernets, big,
to produce high-quality wines. intensely fruity Zinfandels
A devastating outbreak of phyl- ^Connection ^Magazine,” and wonderfully spicy Syrahs.
loxera (a root louse that attacks ^then “^Kirkland ^Signature The much cooler, east-west-
and eventually kills grapevines) ^Wine ^Connection.” facing Edna Valley produces deli-
forced a massive replanting of vines in cious, fruity Chardonnays.
the 1980s throughout premium viticultural Continuingnorth,veryold-vine Zinfandel
areas. As a result, wineries were able to employ is grown in the Sierra Foothills AVA, while the
modern analysis to match grape varieties to fog plays a role in shaping the character of
the appropriate microclimates, soils and other Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in the
optimum growing conditions to create more Livermore Valley AVA.
vibrant and healthier vineyards.

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and softly textured Cabernets from the Alexander Valley AVA are among California’s finest, while the Russian River Valley AVA produces elegant Chardonnays and intense Pinot Noirs. Zinfandels from the Dry Creek Valley AVA are ripe, rich and lush.

The Carneros AVA is shared by the Sonoma and Napa valleys. Bright apple and pear flavors are common in this area’s Chardonnays, and Pinot Noirs with spicy berry and cherry fruit excel there. Some of California’s finest sparkling wine is produced from Carneros fruit as well.

JUPITER IMAGES/RACHEL WEILL

Arguably the most famous California wine region, the Napa Valley lies between two mountain ranges and produces some of the richest, most concentrated Cabernets found anywhere. Big Cabernets are found in several AVAs, including Oakville, Rutherford, Stags Leap District, Spring Mountain District and Howell Mountain.

Merlot also thrives in the Napa Valley. Many wineries produce Meritage®, which is a blend of mostly Cabernet and Merlot and often includes other Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot).

Farthest north, in Mendocino County, the Anderson Valley AVA is a cool area known for exceptional sparkling wines, as well as crisp Chardonnays and juicy Pinot Noirs with hints of earth.

With so many regions, climates and grape varieties, a common question is “Which wine do I choose and will I like it?” The only reliable way to train your palate is to taste, taste and taste some more!

For your next dinner party, organize a California wine tasting. Assign an AVA to each guest and ask him or her to bring a representative bottle. Taste through the “tour” and let everyone pick a favorite varietal and AVA. It’s both educational and fun. C

Annette Alvarez-Peters oversees Costco’s national wine, spirits and beer program.

California now has 117 American Viticulture Areas (AVAs)—designated grape-growing regions recognized for specific characteristics— and 2,275 wineries (compared to 807 in 1990).

Napa Valley and beyond

Climatically, Sonoma County is California’s most diverse region, with some of the warm-est and coolest grape-growing areas. The rich

COSTCO WINE LIST California wine sampler* Cambria Chardonnay, Santa Barbara Item #40485 Edna Valley Pinot Noir, Edna Valley Item #88834 J Lohr Chardonnay, Paso Robles Item #33162 Wente Chardonnay, Livermore Item #31124 Treana White Meritage, Monterey Item #307014 Acacia Pinot Noir, Carneros Item #58889 Chateau Ste. Jean Robert Young Chardonnay, Sonoma Item #34223 Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley Item #89789 *Not all wines available at all locations. See costco.com for more wine choices.