Diamond Mountain District On the Northern end of the Mayacamus Mountains. Volcanic soils and impressive meaty Cabernet and Zinfandel wines. The area has low nighttime temperatures and high daytime temperatures similar to mountain AVAs. Helena and the edge of the valley where the Vaca Mountains and the Mayacamus Mountains intersect. Calistoga Just a few miles north of the town of St.

However, many major cellars and homes are in this area including Heitz, Duckhorn, Beringer, Merryvale.

Helena So much traffic! This area is mostly fluvial soils that are deep, making the wines slightly less unique. Really dusty and savory Cabernet Sauvignon and home to the famous but a bit snobby Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. Stags Leap District On the Silverado Trail which has slopes and alluvial fans of the Vaca Mountain range (the Eastern Mountains). Hold your wallet close, it gets expensive. Awesome and expressive Cabernet Sauvignon. Rutherford Valley floor, warmer than Oakville. Big names like Silver Oak, Far Niente and Groth are neighbors. Home of the original Brun & Chaix’s Napa Valley Vineyards. Oakville Slightly warmer than Yountville. Half of the area is planted with 4,000 acres and Cabernet is good. Home of the culinary genius of Thomas Keller’s French Laundry. Yountville In the valley and also an alluvial fan of the Mayacamus mountains. Cabernet from this area is not what most Napa lovers want. Oak Knoll The rolling hills leading into Napa, lots of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay because of fog and dank weather. Up-and-coming region for Cabernet Sauvignon. Coombsville New! Located just east of the city of Napa, mostly an alluvial fan of the Vaca Mountains. There are presently 16 subregions within Napa Valley including 2 that overlap into Sonoma and Solano Counties. They made dry Bordeaux style red wines and an oaked-aged sauvignon blanc which they labeled: “Fumé Blanc.” Now the Mondavi label is owned by Constellation brands and produces 1.5 million cases of wine. Two things happened that nearly stamped out the growing California wine industry for almost 50 years: phylloxera (a grape root eating louse) and Prohibition.įinally, in the 1940’s, a wine loving Italian family, called the Mondavi’s, bought Krug’s estate.

A significant influence in the area was Charles Krug’s winery that was established in 1861 with a 540 acre dowry upon his marriage to the daughter of Edward Bale, a Napa pioneer.īesides Krug, in 1889 an entreprenuer named William Bowers Bourn II built a million gallon winery in what is now the The Greystone. The first vineyards were planted in Napa during the 1850’s. Red Grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Charbono White Grapes Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Muscat, Viognier There are 45,275+ acres (18,300 hectares) of vineyards in Napa Valley AVA. Napa Valley is 40 miles north of San Francisco and 40 miles inland. Merlot can taste as big as Cab when aged in American oak. But there are some Napa Valley examples that are as good, if not better, than their Cabernet Sauvignon breathren.

$20-$50 Merlot Merlot is looked down on by wine snobs. They usually have brighter fruit flavors than Shiraz. $30-$40 Syrah Big blueberry flavors with rugged tannin are typical in Napa Valley. We love Brown Estate, Robert Biale, Green & Red, and Outpost. The wines have rich mocha, five-spice and black pepper flavors. $20-$30 Zinfandel –Kickass Zinfandel wines from Napa Valley are usually 14%+ ABV. Look for values from major producers such as Groth, Cakebread, Grgrich, Joseph Phelps and Hall. You can find famous producers for under $20 a bottle. Napa Valley produces a few excellent values: Under $20 Sauvignon Blanc with aromas of tropical fruit, peach and lemon-lime. Napa Cabs less than $38 are most likely 2nd label or a rebranded wine.Ĭabernet Sauvignon with its lush full-bodied nature demands high prices, but there are other great Napa wines for much less. A second label wine is a ‘beginner’ wine from a winery specifically made to be more affordable.

California wine maps