Napa Valley is America’s most recognized wine area. It was formally recognized for its high-quality wines and distinctive regional terroir when it became California’s first American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1981. But it was five years earlier that the area achieved international reputation by winning out French wines in blind tests in both red and white categories during the 1976 Judgment of Paris. –by Jen Laskey
At around one-sixth the size of Bordeaux, Napa Valley is a relatively tiny yet diversified area. The area’s terrain contains several dips and peaks, ranging from sea-level valley floors to mountain vineyards with altitudes that soar up over 2,000 feet. There is amazing diversity in the region’s soils. Studies have found that Napa Valley comprises more than 100 diverse coastal, volcanic, and alluvial soil differences.
Climatic conditions change considerably along the region’s 30-mile span, particularly during the summer when there might be a 10º to 15ºF variation from one end of the valley to the other. While Napa Valley is best recognized for its prodigious Cabernet Sauvignon output, growing conditions are excellent for a wide range of grapes, from warm-weather types like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc to cool-weather ones like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Geography
Located roughly 50 miles north of San Francisco, Napa Valley’s southern end starts in its eponymous city of Napa. Winds from San Pablo Bay and the Petaluma Gap help keep this portion of the valley reasonably cold. From there, the wine area stretches northwest approximately 30 miles to the town of Calistoga, where summer days may broil and reach temperatures of 100ºF or more.
Napa Valley is situated between two mountain ranges: the Vaca to the east and the Mayacamas to the west. In addition to providing a multitude of perspectives, altitudes, and slopes for grape-growing, these mountains play an essential role in shaping climatic conditions. The Vacas help insulate vineyards from the harsh heat of the Central Valley in the east while the Mayacamas assist block cooler maritime influences from the Pacific Ocean in the west.
Napa’s climatic zone is Mediterranean. The region has long, hot, and dry summer days with cold evenings. Similarly, there are warm, dry days and cold evenings throughout the fall. Winters are normally pleasant with rainfall. Spring is moderate with a wet spell early in the season. There are also varied microclimates around the valley.
Fog is a weather element that impacts the way that grapes mature in this location. On warm evenings, fog floats in from the Pacific via mountain gaps, blanketing valley floor vineyards. It burns off late in the morning or early afternoon as temperatures on the floor begin to heat up. In certain places of the valley, the temperature can change by as much as 40 degrees in a given day. Other locations don’t experience any fog at all.
The region’s diverse soil patterns range from gravelly loam and clay to thin, rocky soils. More than half of the soils that exist on earth may be found in the Napa Valley. Studies have discovered 33 soil series with more than 100 distinct variations.
History
For many, the most memorable episode in Napa Valley’s historical history is the 1976 Judgment of Paris in which 1973 vintages of a Cabernet Sauvignon from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and a Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena trounced their French counterparts in a landmark blind tasting competition. Not only did this spectacular triumph place Napa Valley on the international wine map, it changed the course of history for underdog wines throughout the globe.
But Napa Valley has a history of wine even before that. It originated in the 1830s and flared up around the period of the Gold Rush. By the 1860s, several of the wineries that still exist today were up and operating, including the first commercial winery, which was created by Charles Krug, and the Schramsberg and Beringer wineries. Between 1880 and 1919, Napa Valley winemakers continued to cultivate the land and their wines gained renown, despite a severe attack with phylloxera in the early part of that century. The Great Depression and Prohibition were the following hurdles.
But by 1933, Napa Valley wine country was back on track, and the next generation of winemakers was leading the way. André Tchelistcheff of Beaulieu Vineyard, Robert Mondavi, and Joe Heitz went on to advance the technique, quality, and reputation of winemaking in Napa Valley. In the 1970s and 1980s, the area went from having fewer than 20 wineries to 10 times as many. In the 1990s, it consolidated its image as a premium wine and tourism destination. Napa continues to develop and flourish today.
The Appellations
The AVA system in the United States focuses on geographical classifications, microclimates, and historical uniqueness. If a wine is classified as AVA, 85 percent of the grapes used must come from the AVA region. Monovarietal wines must contain a minimum of 75 percent of the varietal from that AVA. With reference to Napa Valley, the AVAs break down a little like Russian nesting dolls.
Read Also: Top Five Activities To Do In Napa Valley
What’s Happening Today in Napa Valley?
These days, 9 percent of Napa County is under vine. The area is home to 475 wineries and 95 percent of them are family-owned. The wine business produces more than 1,000 distinct brands of wine and earns around $50 billion in yearly revenue.
Producers remain loyal to their distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay wines. They continue to develop several of the best quality and most collectible wines in America. But Napa also has a long history of being a hub for innovation. This lineage persists with the various winemakers who are rejecting tradition and producing less common—and sometimes outright obscure—varieties, such Albariño and Charbono, alongside more traditional ones in their vineyards.
Napa Valley is also a leader in environmental initiatives to safeguard its land through sustainable agriculture techniques, conservation easements and other land preservation programs, and green business practices in the vineyards. Nearly 90 percent of Napa County is under protection from development. Each year, Napa Green certified wineries produce more than 7 million cases of wine.
The recent legalization of recreational cannabis in California is certain to have an influence on Napa Valley—and the state’s wine industry at large. Cannabis producers are already making land grabs all throughout Northern California. Meanwhile, some wineries are contemplating the financial benefits of adding marijuana to their agricultural goods. While rivalry is sure to pop up as the two businesses battle for consumer attention, seasonal workers, and real estate, there are also potential for collaboration. Expect to see marijuana-infused wines come onto the market as well as wine and pot pairings and marijuana tourists establishing a claim in wine country.
Tove Svendson 
Napa Valley is America’s most recognized wine area. It was formally recognized for its high-quality wines and distinctive regional terroir when it became California’s first American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1981. But it was five years earlier that the area achieved international reputation by winning out French wines in blind tests in both red and white categories during the 1976 Judgment of Paris. –by Jen Laskey
At around one-sixth the size of Bordeaux, Napa Valley is a relatively tiny yet diversified area. The area’s terrain contains several dips and peaks, ranging from sea-level valley floors to mountain vineyards with altitudes that soar up over 2,000 feet. There is amazing diversity in the region’s soils. Studies have found that Napa Valley comprises more than 100 diverse coastal, volcanic, and alluvial soil differences.
Climatic conditions change considerably along the region’s 30-mile span, particularly during the summer when there might be a 10º to 15ºF variation from one end of the valley to the other. While Napa Valley is best recognized for its prodigious Cabernet Sauvignon output, growing conditions are excellent for a wide range of grapes, from warm-weather types like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc to cool-weather ones like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Geography
Located roughly 50 miles north of San Francisco, Napa Valley’s southern end starts in its eponymous city of Napa. Winds from San Pablo Bay and the Petaluma Gap help keep this portion of the valley reasonably cold. From there, the wine area stretches northwest approximately 30 miles to the town of Calistoga, where summer days may broil and reach temperatures of 100ºF or more.
Napa Valley is situated between two mountain ranges: the Vaca to the east and the Mayacamas to the west. In addition to providing a multitude of perspectives, altitudes, and slopes for grape-growing, these mountains play an essential role in shaping climatic conditions. The Vacas help insulate vineyards from the harsh heat of the Central Valley in the east while the Mayacamas assist block cooler maritime influences from the Pacific Ocean in the west.
Napa’s climatic zone is Mediterranean. The region has long, hot, and dry summer days with cold evenings. Similarly, there are warm, dry days and cold evenings throughout the fall. Winters are normally pleasant with rainfall. Spring is moderate with a wet spell early in the season. There are also varied microclimates around the valley.
Fog is a weather element that impacts the way that grapes mature in this location. On warm evenings, fog floats in from the Pacific via mountain gaps, blanketing valley floor vineyards. It burns off late in the morning or early afternoon as temperatures on the floor begin to heat up. In certain places of the valley, the temperature can change by as much as 40 degrees in a given day. Other locations don’t experience any fog at all.
The region’s diverse soil patterns range from gravelly loam and clay to thin, rocky soils. More than half of the soils that exist on earth may be found in the Napa Valley. Studies have discovered 33 soil series with more than 100 distinct variations.
History
For many, the most memorable episode in Napa Valley’s historical history is the 1976 Judgment of Paris in which 1973 vintages of a Cabernet Sauvignon from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and a Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena trounced their French counterparts in a landmark blind tasting competition. Not only did this spectacular triumph place Napa Valley on the international wine map, it changed the course of history for underdog wines throughout the globe.
But Napa Valley has a history of wine even before that. It originated in the 1830s and flared up around the period of the Gold Rush. By the 1860s, several of the wineries that still exist today were up and operating, including the first commercial winery, which was created by Charles Krug, and the Schramsberg and Beringer wineries. Between 1880 and 1919, Napa Valley winemakers continued to cultivate the land and their wines gained renown, despite a severe attack with phylloxera in the early part of that century. The Great Depression and Prohibition were the following hurdles.
But by 1933, Napa Valley wine country was back on track, and the next generation of winemakers was leading the way. André Tchelistcheff of Beaulieu Vineyard, Robert Mondavi, and Joe Heitz went on to advance the technique, quality, and reputation of winemaking in Napa Valley. In the 1970s and 1980s, the area went from having fewer than 20 wineries to 10 times as many. In the 1990s, it consolidated its image as a premium wine and tourism destination. Napa continues to develop and flourish today.
The Appellations
The AVA system in the United States focuses on geographical classifications, microclimates, and historical uniqueness. If a wine is classified as AVA, 85 percent of the grapes used must come from the AVA region. Monovarietal wines must contain a minimum of 75 percent of the varietal from that AVA. With reference to Napa Valley, the AVAs break down a little like Russian nesting dolls.
Read Also: Top Five Activities To Do In Napa Valley
What’s Happening Today in Napa Valley?
These days, 9 percent of Napa County is under vine. The area is home to 475 wineries and 95 percent of them are family-owned. The wine business produces more than 1,000 distinct brands of wine and earns around $50 billion in yearly revenue.
Producers remain loyal to their distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay wines. They continue to develop several of the best quality and most collectible wines in America. But Napa also has a long history of being a hub for innovation. This lineage persists with the various winemakers who are rejecting tradition and producing less common—and sometimes outright obscure—varieties, such Albariño and Charbono, alongside more traditional ones in their vineyards.
Napa Valley is also a leader in environmental initiatives to safeguard its land through sustainable agriculture techniques, conservation easements and other land preservation programs, and green business practices in the vineyards. Nearly 90 percent of Napa County is under protection from development. Each year, Napa Green certified wineries produce more than 7 million cases of wine.
The recent legalization of recreational cannabis in California is certain to have an influence on Napa Valley—and the state’s wine industry at large. Cannabis producers are already making land grabs all throughout Northern California. Meanwhile, some wineries are contemplating the financial benefits of adding marijuana to their agricultural goods. While rivalry is sure to pop up as the two businesses battle for consumer attention, seasonal workers, and real estate, there are also potential for collaboration. Expect to see marijuana-infused wines come onto the market as well as wine and pot pairings and marijuana tourists establishing a claim in wine country.