从8月开始，我们将推出新的专栏《美国葡萄酒》，这是讨论美国葡萄酒和葡萄酒酿造区的月度博文。本月介绍纳帕谷/赤霞珠。在每篇博文最后，我们将提出几个问题，最先答对的两位网友将获得当月的特色葡萄酒。本月的特色是Long Meadow Ranch 2006年赤霞珠干红。

 

请在下周三（8月17日）下午5点之前，将答案发送到ircacee@state.gov

 

纳帕谷：这个地区是目前美国地区最有名的主要葡萄酒酿造区，气候非常类似欧洲最好的葡萄酒产区。第一个商业葡萄园由约翰•帕奇特始建于1858年。纳帕谷葡萄酒在“巴黎的决定”时闻名于世，当时专家在蒙眼品尝测试中将纳帕谷赤霞珠评为优于法国最著名的波尔多葡萄酒。今天，纳帕谷在一个面积仅为60公里长8公里宽的地区已有超过450家酒庄。纳帕谷已成为一个主要旅游目的地，每年吸引约450万观光者。

 

赤霞珠：也许是世界上获得最广泛认可的红葡萄酒葡萄，赤霞珠最近才起源，是白苏维浓和品丽珠品种之间的交叉品种。葡萄种植者对它的喜爱源于其对各种各样气候的适应性和对寒冷和腐烂的抵抗性。对酿酒师来说，它的吸引力在于酿酒师在生产能辨识为赤霞珠葡萄酒的最终产品上所能施加的影响，在于他们在生产葡萄酒过程中所做的选择。赤霞珠葡萄酒的一个关键要素是苦素（单宁），苦素是果汁与皮肤接触时（浸渍期）产生的。酿酒师可以通过减少浸渍期或储存葡萄酒更长时间来控制苦素。

 

另一种减少单宁的手段是将葡萄酒装在橡木桶中陈化。橡木对赤霞珠有特别的强烈影响，以至于橡木的特定原产地可以影响口味。源于俄勒冈的橡木一般比来自中西部或东海岸的橡木对口味的影响更柔和。有些酿酒师混合不同类型的橡木，以获得更平衡的效果。在不锈钢大桶中使用碎屑或木板发酵葡萄酒，往往会增加橡木味。桶的大小也可以影响传给葡萄酒的橡木味的多少。赤霞珠也常被用于混合型葡萄酒。

 

特色葡萄酒：这个月的特色葡萄酒是Long Meadow Ranch 2006年赤霞珠干红葡萄酒。 Long Meadow Ranch的酒因高雅和均衡性而出名。Long Meadow Ranch以其持续的农耕作业而著名。这个葡萄园获得了2010年杰斐逊杯金奖。

 

问与答：

 

问：大多数葡萄酒都随酒龄越变越醇。

 

a）是的，但葡萄酒必须妥善储藏。

b）否，大多数葡萄酒用瓶装，供一两年内的消费。

c）否，只有红葡萄酒才可陈化。

d）是，所有的葡萄酒都愈久醚香，无论储藏条件如何。

 

问：请将以下国家按其葡萄酒产量排序。

a）澳大利亚，美国，法国，智利

b）法国，澳大利亚，智利，美国

C）法国，澳大利亚，美国，智利

D）法国，美国，澳大利亚，智利

 

问：美国最大的葡萄酒出口州是：

a) 弗吉尼亚

b) 加利福尼亚

c) 华盛顿

d) 纽约

 

问：世界上最大的葡萄酒消费国是：

a) 法国

b) 美国

c) 意大利

d) 中国

 

 

Wines of the United States – a monthly blog discussing wines and wine growing regions of the United States

 

This Month: Napa Valley/Cabernet Sauvignon

 

The Napa Valley: This region is by far the best known of the major wine growing regions of the United States, with a climate very similar to Europe’s best wine producing regions. The first commercial vineyard was founded in 1858 by John Patchett. Napa Valley wines became world famous during the “Decision of Paris” when expert reviewers in a blind taste test rated a Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon as superior to France’s most famous Bordeaux wines. Today Napa valley has over 450 wineries in an area only 60 kilometers long and 8 kilometers wide. Napa has become a major tourist destination, attracting some 4.5 million visitors every year.

 

Cabernet Sauvignon: Perhaps the most widely recognized red wine grape in the world, cabernet sauvignon is recent in origin, being a cross between the sauvignon blanc and cabernet franc varieties. Its popularity with grape growers stems from its adaptability to a wide range of climates and resistance to cold and rot. For winemakers, its appeal is based on the influence the winemaker can have on the final product while producing a wine recognizable as cabernet, based on the choices they make in producing the wine. A key element for cabernet wines are the bitter elements (tannins) produced while the juice is in contact with the skins (the maceration period). Winemakers can control this by reducing the maceration period, or by aging the wine longer.

 

Another means of reducing the tannins is by aging the wine in oak. Oak has a particularly strong effect on cabernet sauvignon, so much so that the specific origin of the oak can affect the flavor. Oak sourced from Oregon generally has a milder impact than that sourced from the Midwest or East Coast. Some winemakers blend different types of oak to get a more balanced effect. Use of chips or planks while fermenting the wine in stainless steel vats tends to increase the oak flavor. Barrel size can also affect the amount of oak qualities imparted to the wine. Cabernet is also often used in blended wines.

 

The Featured Wine: This month’s featured wine is a 2006 cabernet sauvignon from Long Meadow Ranch. Long Meadow Ranch wines are renowned for their elegance and balanced style, and the Ranch is known for its sustainable farming practices. This vintage won a Gold Medal at the 2010 Jefferson Cup.

 

Q and A:

Q: Most wines improve with age.

a) Yes, but wines must be stored properly.

b) No, most wines are bottled for consumption within a year or two.

c) No, only red wines can be aged.

d) Yes, all wines improve with age, regardless of storage conditions.

 

Q: Rank the following countries according to their wine production volume.

a) Australia, the U.S., France, Chile

b) France, Australia, Chile, the U.S.

c) France, Australia, the U.S., Chile

d) France, the U.S., Australia, Chile

 

Q: The largest wine exporting state in the United States is:

a) Virginia

b) California

c) Washington

d) New York

 

Q: The world’s largest wine consuming nation is:

a) France

b) The United States

c) Italy

d) China