Wine region | |
Type | American Viticultural Area |
---|---|
Year established | 1981 [1] |
Years of wine industry | 186 [2] |
Country | United States |
Part of | California, North Coast AVA, Napa County |
Other regions in California, North Coast AVA, Napa County | Sonoma Valley AVA |
Sub-regions | Los Carneros AVA, Howell Mountain AVA, Wild Horse Valley AVA, Stags Leap District AVA, Mt. Veeder AVA, Atlas Peak AVA, Spring Mountain District AVA, Oakville AVA, Rutherford AVA, St. Helena AVA, Chiles Valley AVA, Yountville AVA, Diamond Mountain District AVA, Coombsville AVA, Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA, Calistoga AVA, Crystal Springs of Napa Valley AVA [3] [4] |
Climate region | Region III |
Total area | 122,735 acres (49,669 ha) |
Size of planted vineyards | 43,000 acres (17,401 ha) [5] |
No. of vineyards | 400+ |
Varietals produced | Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot noir, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, and more |
No. of wineries | 612 [5] |
Comments | 38°23′12″N122°21′00″W / 38.3867°N 122.3500°W |
Napa Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Napa County, California. The area was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury on February 27, 1981 after reviewing the 1978 petition submitted by the Napa Valley Vintners and Napa Valley Grape Growers Association on behalf of valley vineyard owners and winemakers proposing to establish a viticultural area named "Napa Valley" as an appellation of origin in wine labeling and advertising would help consumers of wine to better identify Napa Valley wines. [2] [6] Napa Valley is considered one of the premier wine regions in the world. [7]
Historical records of viticulture in the region date back to the nineteenth century, [8] but the modern premium wine production grew in the 1960s. [7] The combination of Mediterranean climate, geography and geology of the region are conducive to growing quality wine grapes. George C. Yount was the first vineyardist on record in Napa Valley planting his vines in 1838. John Patchett established the Napa Valley's first commercial vineyard in 1858. [9] In 1861 Charles Krug established another of Napa Valley's first commercial wineries in St. Helena. [9] By 1880, its first great period of prominence, the Napa Valley had 443 vineyards with a thousand or more vines each. Of these major holdings, 72 were in the Calistoga district, 126 were in Napa City and 245 in the St. Helena area. Viticulture in Napa suffered several setbacks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including an outbreak of the vine disease phylloxera, national enactment of Prohibition, and the Great Depression. The modern wine industry in Napa Valley gradually recovered and gained immediate recognition by the surprising outcome at the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 where Napa Valley vintages scored top honors against primer French wines establishing its place as an international viticulture producer bettering Old World wine regions. Napa Valley is now an major international enotourism destination. [2]
The valley floor is flanked by the Mayacamas Range on the western and northern sides and the Vaca Mountains on the eastern side. [10] Several smaller valleys exist within these two ranges. The floor of the main valley gradually rises from sea level at the southern end to 362 feet (110 m) above sea level at the northern end in Calistoga at the base of Mount Saint Helena. The Oakville and Rutherford viticultural areas lie within a geographical area known as the Rutherford Bench in the center of the valley floor. [11] The soil in the southern end of the valley consists mainly of sediments deposited by earlier advances and retreats of San Pablo Bay while the soil at the northern end of the valley contains a large volume of volcanic lava and ash. Several of the small hills that emerge from the middle of the valley floor near Yountville are indicators of the region's volcanic past.
Several mesoclimates exist within the area due to various weather and geographical influences. The open southern end of the valley floor is cooler during the growing season due to the proximity of San Pablo Bay while the sheltered, closed northern end is often much warmer. [12] The eastern side of the valley tends to be more arid due to the rain shadow caused by the western mountains and hills.
Napa Valley's climate and geography are shaped by a unique cooling effect, crucial for premium grape growing. [13] Originating from a cold ocean current from Alaska, this effect involves fog formation and cool air influx from the Pacific, offset by warmer air rising from California's Central Valley. This dynamic results in a climate system where fog and cooler sea air are drawn inland through valleys, create ideal conditions for high-quality viticulture. [14] The region's complexity extends to varying topography, sun exposure, and diverse soils, contributing to a wide array of microclimates or terroirs within a relatively small viticulture area. Napa Valley, despite its linear appearance, is a tapestry of climate influences from the adjacent Vaca and Mayacamas mountain ranges, alongside varied lithologies influencing vineyard substrates. [15] This geographical diversity, coupled with the Mediterranean climate characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, impacts grape growing in the Napa Valley. Rainfall distribution and the daily summer fog, which typically shrouds the valley until mid-morning, vary across the region, affecting grape variety and quality. [15] However, the potential impacts of climate change pose new challenges: rising global temperatures and possible disruptions to the cooling effect could alter the conditions that have historically favored premium grape growing in Napa Valley. [16]
Early settler and pioneer vineyardist George C. Yount is generally credited as the first to plant grapevines in Napa Valley in 1838. [2] [9] In 1864, on the marriage of one of his granddaughters to Thomas Rutherford, Yount gave the couple around 1,000 acres (2 sq mi) of land, which Rutherford dedicated to viticulture. [17] Other pioneers followed in the 1840s and 1850s, by which time vineyards were established in and around Napa City and up the length of the valley to Calistoga. Commercial production began in 1858, with John Patchett selling wine for $2 per gallon. [9] His wine cellar, built in 1859, narrowly predates that established in 1861 in St. Helena by Charles Krug, although this is commonly cited as the Napa Valley's first winery. [18]
Captain Gustave Niebaum established Inglenook Winery in 1879 near the village of Rutherford. [19] This was the first Bordeaux style winery in the US. Inglenook wines won gold medals at the 1889 World's Fair in Paris.
In 1868 H. W. Crabb bought land near Oakville close to the Napa River. Crabb established a vineyard and winery named To Kalon, and by 1877 had planted 130 acres (0.5 km2) and was producing 50,000 US gallons of wine per year. Crabb experimented with over 400 grape varieties to find the types best suited for the area.
By 1880, its first great period of prominence, the Napa Valley had 443 vineyards with a thousand or more vines each. Of these major holdings, 72 were in the Calistoga district, 126 were in Napa City and 245 in the St. Helena area. At the end of the nineteenth century, there were more than one hundred and forty wineries in the area. Of those original wineries, several still exist in the valley today including Beaulieu, Beringer, Charles Krug, Chateau Montelena, Far Niente, Mayacamas, Markham Vineyards, and Schramsberg Vineyards. [2]
Viticulture in Napa suffered several setbacks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Phylloxera louse killed many of the vines throughout the valley. Prohibition, enacted in 1920, caused many wineries to shut down. A few remained open with agreements to produce sacramental wine. Growers who elected to keep their vines planted sold their crops to home winemakers. [20] The Great Depression slowed the wine business further. These events stalled the growth of the wine industry in Napa County, California for years.
André Tchelistcheff is generally credited with ushering in the modern era of winemaking in California. Beaulieu hired Tchelisticheff in 1938. [21] He introduced several techniques and procedures to the region, such as aging wine in small French Oak barrels, cold fermentation, vineyard frost prevention, and malolactic fermentation.
Following Prohibition, Beringer Vineyards invited attendees of the Golden Gate International Exposition to visit the winery using promotional maps printed with the phrase "All roads lead to Beringer" in 1939. The winery also invited Hollywood stars including Clark Gable, Charles Laughton and Carole Lombard to visit. These early promotions are considered to be the birth of wine-based tourism that is now a large part of the economy of Napa Valley today. [22]
Brother Timothy of Christian Brothers winery was also instrumental in establishing the modern wine industry in Napa. After an earlier career as a teacher, he transferred to the order's Mont La Salle located on Mount Veeder in the Mayacamas Mountains northwest of Napa in 1935 to become the wine chemist for the order's expanding wine operations. Christian Brothers had grown grapes and made sacramental wine in Benicia, California during Prohibition, but decided to branch out into commercial production of wine and brandy after the Repeal of Prohibition. The science teacher was a fast learner and soon established Christian Brothers as one of the leading brands in the state's budding wine industry. Brother Timothy's smiling face in advertisements and promotional materials became one of the most familiar images for wine consumers across the country. Following the Second World War, the wine industry in Napa began to thrive again.
In 1965, Napa Valley icon Robert Mondavi broke away from his family's Charles Krug estate to found his own winemaking operation in Oakville. It was the first new large scale winery to be established in the valley since prohibition and included the original To Kalon land. After this, the number of wineries in the valley grew rapidly, as did the region's reputation.
During the Bicentennial, the region gained international recognition from the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 when featured Napa Valley Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon vintages ranked #1 honors, scored by renown French oenophiles, besting several famous French labels in a blind tasting format. The news of the wine competition, termed the "Judgment of Paris", was immediately published by a Time magazine article and later portrayed in the 2008 Hollywood film, Bottle Shock. The results of the momentous event established Napa's international reputation as a premier wine-producing region. [23] [24] [25]
A modern outbreak of phylloxera was discovered in the valley in 1983 in a vineyard planted with AxR1 rootstock. [26] Many growers seized upon this outbreak as an opportunity to switch to varieties that were better suited to the climate and soil. By the late 1990s about 75% of the affected vineyards had been replanted with phylloxera resistant rootstock. [27] The growers in the region have since channeled their energy to battle the Glassy-winged sharpshooter, a non-native pest that carries Pierce's disease. [28]
A trend of larger national and international companies like E & J Gallo Winery, Diageo and Constellation Brands buying smaller wineries, vineyards and brands began to gain momentum in the early part of the 21st century. [29] Today Napa Valley features more than 450 wineries that grow grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, among others. While winemakers may produce wines from specific AVAs within the valley, many wines are made as a blend from grapes grown on the valley floor and the surrounding hillsides.
More than 4.5 million people visit Napa Valley each year, making it a very popular tourist destination in California. [30]
As of 2024, within Napa Valley AVA, there are seventeen sub-AVAs: [1] [3]
Area | Date established |
---|---|
Los Carneros (Carneros) | Aug 18, 1983 |
Howell Mountain | Dec 30, 1983 |
Wild Horse Valley | Nov 30, 1988 |
Stags Leap District | Jan 27, 1989 |
Mt. Veeder | Feb 20, 1990 |
Atlas Peak | Jan 22, 1992 |
Spring Mountain District | May 13, 1993 |
Oakville | Jul 2, 1993 |
Rutherford | Jul 2, 1993 |
St. Helena | Sep 11, 1995 |
Chiles Valley | Feb 17, 1999 |
Yountville | Mar 19, 1999 |
Diamond Mountain District | Jun 1, 2001 |
Oak Knoll District | Feb 25, 2004 |
Calistoga | Dec 8, 2009 |
Coombsville | Dec 14, 2011 |
Crystal Springs | Oct 16, 2024 [4] |
Napa County is a county north of San Pablo Bay located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 138,019. The county seat is the City of Napa. Napa County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Parts of the county's territory were given to Lake County in 1861.
Livermore Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Alameda County, California, centered around the city of Livermore in the Tri-Valley region which is composed of Amador, San Ramon, and Livermore valleys. The valley was named by Robert Livermore, an 18th century landowner whose holdings encompassed the area who planted the first grapevines in the region. The 96,000 acres (150 sq mi) AVA was established on September 1, 1982 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by fifteen Livermore Valley vintners and growers to establish a viticultural area in Alameda County named "Livermore Valley."
California wine has a long and continuing history, and in the late twentieth century became recognized as producing some of the world's finest wine. While wine is made in all fifty U.S. states, up to 90% of American wine is produced in the state. California would be the fourth largest producer of wine in the world if it were an independent nation.
Arroyo Seco is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Monterey County, California, southeast of Monterey Bay. The state's 15th appellation was established on May 16,1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by the Arroyo Seco Winegrowers and Vintners, an association composed of grape growers and vintners with vineyards, to establish a viticultural area within Monterey County known as "Arroyo Seco."
Washington wine is a wine produced from grape varieties grown in the U.S. state of Washington. Washington ranks second in the United States in the production of wine. By 2017, the state had over 55,000 acres (220 km2) of vineyards, a harvest of 229,000 short tons (208,000 t) of grapes, and exports going to over 40 countries around the world from the 940+ wineries located in the state. While there are some viticultural activities in the cooler, wetter western half of the state, the majority (99.9%) of wine grape production takes place in the shrub-steppe eastern half. The rain shadow of the Cascade Range leaves the Columbia River Basin with around 8 inches (200 mm) of annual rain fall, making irrigation and water rights of paramount interest to the Washington wine industry. Viticulture in the state is also influenced by long sunlight hours and consistent temperatures.
Sonoma County wine is wine made in Sonoma County, California, in the United States.
The wide variety of wild grapes in North America were eaten by the indigenous people. The first Europeans exploring parts of North America called it Vinland because of the profusion of grape vines found there. The various native grapes had flavors which were unfamiliar to European settlers and did not like using them in the initial production of American wine. This led to repeated efforts to grow familiar Vitis vinifera varieties. The first vines of Vitis vinifera origin came up through New Spain (Mexico) and were planted in Senecu in 1629, which is near the present day town of San Antonio, New Mexico.
Los Carneros is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) which includes parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties in California, U.S.A. The 37,000 acres (58 sq mi) area was recognized on September 18, 1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Beaulieu Vineyards proposing to establish a viticultural area named "Los Carneros.” The proximity to the cool fog and breezes from San Pablo Bay to the south makes the climate in Los Carneros cooler and more moderate than wine regions farther north in Napa and Sonoma Valleys. The cooler climate has made Los Carneros attractive for the cultivation of cooler climate varietals 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.
St. Helena is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located within Napa Valley, centered in and around the town of St. Helena, California. It was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) on October 11, 1995, after the ATF received a petition from Mr. Charles A. Carpy, Chairman of the St. Helena Appellation Committee, proposing to establish a new viticultural area in Napa County to be known as "St. Helena."
The Chiles Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Napa County, California and a sub-region within Napa Valley AVA. It was established as California's 81st AVA by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) on April 19, 1999 after the ATF received the petition from Mr. Volker Eisele, owner of the Volker Eisele Vineyard and Winery proposing a new viticultural area in Napa County to be known as "Chiles Valley District".
Howell Mountain is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Napa County, California and the first sub-AVA within the internationally-acclaimed Napa Valley. The 14,080 acres (22 sq mi) region was effectively recognized on January 30, 1984 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by members of the grape-growing and wine-producing industries in the area proposing to establish a viticultural area named "Howell Mountain."
The Spring Mountain District AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Napa Valley AVA in California. Spring Mountain District AVA was officially established as an American Viticulture Area in 1993. Encompassed within its bounds are about 8,600 acres (3,480 ha), of which about 1,000 acres (400 ha) are planted to vineyards. Given the small crop yields on hillsides, the region represents less than 2% of Napa Valley wine. Currently the region has just over 30 winegrowers.
California wine production has a rich viticulture history since 1680 when Spanish Jesuit missionaries planted Vitis vinifera vines native to the Mediterranean region in their established missions to produce wine for religious services. In the 1770s, Spanish missionaries continued the practice under the direction of the Father Junípero Serra who planted California's first vineyard at Mission San Juan Capistrano.
Napa County wine refers to the viticulture and winemaking in Napa County, California, United States. County names in the United States automatically qualify as legal appellations of origin for wine produced from grapes grown in that county and do not require registration with the United States Department of the Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). TTB was created in January 2003, when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, or ATF, was extensively reorganized under the provisions of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
Lake County wine designates wine made from grapes grown mostly in Lake County, California. The region is located north of Napa County and east of Mendocino County. Although each region within Lake County has unique viticultural attributes, many are influenced by Clear Lake, the largest inland body of water in California.
The Cucamonga Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in San Bernardino County, California. It is in the Cucamonga Valley region of the Pomona Valley, about 15 miles (24 km) west of San Bernardino.
Lake Chelan is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Washington state. The appellation lies about 112 miles (180 km) northeast of Seattle located in north-central Washington's Lake Chelan Valley and is a sub-appellation of the vast Columbia Valley AVA. It lies east of the Puget Sound viticultural area and north or west of the other Washington State viticultural areas. It borders the Columbia Valley viticultural area on is eastern side and does not include any portion of other Washington viticultural areas except the Columbia Valley AVA.
Cakebread Cellars is a Napa Valley winery known for its Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines, which are internationally distributed. Founded in 1973 by Jack and Dolores Cakebread in Rutherford, California, the winery produces approximately 200,000 cases of wine per year.
Moon Mountain District Sonoma County is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) within Sonoma Valley and North Coast viticultural areas, just north of the city of Sonoma. This mountainous region on the very eastern edge of Sonoma County has a historic reputation for producing rich, intensely-flavored wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah varietals since the 1880s. The District was established on November 1, 2013, by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). Its designation covers 17,663 acres (28 sq mi) of land stretching north-south along the western slopes of the Mayacamas mountains between Sugarloaf Ridge State Park and Los Carneros viticultural area with the Napa Valley’s Mount Veeder viticultural area outlining the eastern slopes. Its name is derived from Moon Mountain Road, which traverses through the area and itself a reference to Sonoma, which means 'valley of the moon' in the local Native American dialect. A clear view to San Francisco 50 miles (80 km) south is not uncommon from Moon Mountain District vineyards.
Crystal Springs of Napa Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Napa County, California within the boundaries of the prestigious Napa Valley AVA. The 4,117 acres (6 sq mi) viticultural area was established as the state's 154th AVA on October 16, 2024 by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury after reviewing the petition from Steven Burgess, president of Burgess Cellars, Inc., submitted on behalf of local vineyard owners and winemakers proposing the viticultural area named "Crystal Springs of Napa Valley."
In 1846, one of Yount's granddaughters married Thomas Rutherford and Yount gave the newlyweds the very generous gift of about 1,000 acres at the northern edge of Rancho Caymus. Following Yount's lead, Rutherford planted grapes and began investing in winemaking in Napa. By the 1880s, the Rutherford area was well established as one of Napa Valley's premium wine districts.
The Charles Krug Winery, first in the Napa Valley and established in 1861, is owned and operated by the Peter Mondavi Family.