Napa Valley AVAs Flashcards
Napa Valley AVA
Maycamas Mountains to the west. Forms the border between Napa and Sonoma.
Mount Saint Helena in Calistoga marks the northern border.
Vaca Mountains to the east.
16 nested AVAs.
Los Carneros AVA
Rainfall: 18-24 inches/year.
Overlaps with Sonoma which means the wine can be bottled as Napa or Sonoma, even if the wine comes from the opposite side.
Gently rolling hills
Close to San Pablo Bay
- Fog and ocean breezes.
Clay dominant sandy soil.
Pockets of volcanic soil can be found in the north near Mount Veeder.
Irrigation is essential due to large rock formations underground that limit root depth.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; Merlot has been gaining traction.
-Examples of Zweigelt and St. Laurent can be found too.
Recovery from Prohibition didn’t really start until the Carneros Creek winery opened in 1972.
Notable Vineyards:
Hudson
Poseidon* - Obsidian makes a baller Chardonnay from here.
Sangiacomo
Stanly Ranch
Truchard- Vineyard and winery.
Howell Mountain
Rainfall: 40-50 inches/year
Located in the northeast corner of Napa Valley on the Vaca mountains.
-Angwin is the main town here.
Vineyards must be located above 1,400 feet elevation to claim the AVA.
- This is the fog line and above.
NW side of the mountain has iron and clay.
SE is compressed grey and volcanic ash or tuff.
Cooler than the valley floor but diurnal shifts are small.
- Makes for thick skinned, and smaller berries.
Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel.
Dunn is considered the benchmark producer of Howell Mountain.
Notable Vineyards:
Bancroft Ranch
Beatty Ranch
Black Sears
Cade
Dragon
Dunn
Hershey
Ink Grade
La Jota
Las Posadas
Rattlesnake Ridge
Steinhauer Ranch
True
W.S. Keyes
Wild Horse Valley AVA
Rainfall: 35 inches
East into the Vacas; east of Coombsville and Atlas Peak.
- Most of the AVA is Solano county.
High elevation, cool climate with rocky, red iron-rich volcanic soil.
Small production
-Sauvignon Blanc
-Pinot Noir
-Chardonnay
Heron Lake is the only notable vineyard.
Stags Leap District AVA
Average Rainfall: 30 inches/year
Ancient landslides from the Vacas creates smooth knolls all over the flatland below.
- Knolls funnel breezes keeping vines disease and rot free; also helps cool the vines in hot afternoons.
-Create east facing hillsides.
It is the only AVA on the valley floor that does not cross the river.
Soil composition is complex: sand stone, shale, volcanic material on the eastern edge; clay and loam on the western side.
Stags Leap also boasts the Vaca’s largest alluvial fan which descends from the mountain to the south of the AVA. Two vineyards under Stags Leap Wine Cellars are located here; Fay and S.L.V.
Area began with plantings by Nathan Fay and later Warren Winiarski from Stags Leap.
-First vintage from S.L. won the Judgement of Paris.
Three Stags Leap(s)- Pay attention to apostrophes.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
Stags’ Leap Winery
Stags Leap District
Notable Vineyards:
Fay
S.L.V.
Futo 5500
Hartwell
Pine Ridge
Poetry
Regusci
Shafer
Silverado
Sinskey
Steltzner
Wappo Hill
Mount Veeder
Rainfall: 35 inches/year
Located on the Mayacamas range, north of Carneros.
-Moon Mountain is the Sonoma side of Mount Veeder.
One of the valley’s least developed appellations.
Napa County forbids planting on slopes steeper than 30°.
- Much of Mt Veeder is unplantable.
Coolest of the mountain AVAs.
-Proximity to the bay forces ocean breezes and fog.
Shale, sand stone, clay and sandy loam are common soils rather than volcanic.
Cabernet Sauvignon-Chardonnay-Sauvignon Blanc-Zinfandel-Syrah
Notable Vineyards:
Abel 1833
Hess
Lagier Meredith
Mayacamas
Progeny
Scaggs
Sky
Atlas Peak AVA
Rainfall is 38 inches/year.
Eastern side of the valley on the Vaca range- north of Coombsville.
One of the highest peaks in the area reach 2,600 feet.
Vines cultivated all the way to the summit.
10-15 degrees cooler than the valley floor.
Iron stained volcanic soil.
Cabernet Sauvignon-Chardonnay-Syrah
Heidi Barret and Kongsgaard are the most notable producers.
Heidi Barret is married to Bo Barret- Chateau Montelena. AKA “The First Lady of Wine. She is a roving winemaker and has made wines at Amuse Bouche, La Sirena, Kenzo, Fantesca, and Au Sommet, only to name a few.
- In some years she has declined to make a vintage for a winery which has caused backlash. Some wineries have tried to blame her for making bad wine when she has declined to make the wine due to the poor vintage. As she is listed as their winemaker she gets the blame. Check out this article.
https://www.bountyhunterwine.com/blog/wine/heidi-barrett
Kongsgaard is a winery that sources primarily from the family’s Judge vineyard which was planted in the 70s. First vintage was 1996. They make two Chardonnays (Napa AVA and Judge Vineyard), small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah and even smaller quantities of Albarino, Viognier, and Sauvignon Blanc.
Notable Vineyards
Two massive vineyards occupy this area:
Stagecoach (owned by Gallo)
Antica (Antinori)
Kongsgaard
Stagecoach
Water Ranch
Rutherford AVA
Rainfall is 38 inches/year
Directly in the center of the valley. Oakville to the south, St. Helena to the north.
Widest stretch of the valley giving it the most sunlight.
Home of Ingelnook and Beaulieu Vineyard.
Terrain appears flat but the foothills of both mountain ranges are occupied by vineyards; a unique series of mounds and hills are scattered around (mostly occupied by Quintessa) and the Rutherford Bench which is an alluvial fan that spreads gravel across the AVA.
Cabernet Sauvignon-Zinfandel-Chardonnay-Sauvignon Blanc.
Notable Vineyards
Beckstoffer Georges III
Beckstoffer Melrose
Booth Bella Oaks
Bosche
BV Ranch #1
BV Ranch #2
Cakebread
J.J. Cohn
Inglenook
Frog’s Leap
Long Meadown Ranch
Quintessa
Raymond
Round Pond
St. Supery
Staglin
Star-Chardonnay
Sycamore
Trailside
Oakville AVA
Rainfall is 35 inches/year.
Considered the contemporary “heart” of Napa.
Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Dalla Valle, Rudd, Silver Oak, Groth, Opus One.
–To-Kalon–
Arguably the most important vineyard in California.
Est. by HW Crabb in 1868.
Eventually the vineyard burned down and fell into obscurity.
Martin Stelling acquired the vineyard in 1943 and sold an 89-acre property to Beaulieu vineyards. This parcel is now known as Beckstoffer To Kalon.
The remainder of the vineyard was owned by Charles Krug and would eventually be awarded (through legal negociations) to Robert Mondavi who built his winery there.
Mondavi renamed it To-Kalon and still owns the majority of land. Beckstoffer still owns his portion and four other growers have smaller portions.
To Kalon Deep Dive
https://www.guildsomm.com/public_content/features/articles/b/stamp/posts/the-true-story-of-to-kalon-vineyard
To Kalon is part of the Rutherford Bench alluvial fan.
Eastern area of the AVA is red volcanic soil.
Hillsides protrude into the valley floor.
Four different type of Cabernet Sauvignon
Eastern edge: Red fruit with iodine.
Center: Full-bodied and fruit forward.
Benchland: Classic, balanced styles.
West: Blue fruited and stoic.
Notable Vineyards:
Backus
Beckstoffer
Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper
Dalla Valle
Detert
Far Niente
Gamble Ranch
Groth
Harlan
MacDonald
Martha’s Vineyard
Martin Stelling
Oakville Ranch
Opus One
Rudd
Silver Oak
Eden
Tench
To-Kalon
Vine Hill Ranch
Weitz
Spring Mountain District AVA
Rainfall is 40-50 inches per year.
Northwest Napa Valley- west of St. Helena.
On the Mayacamas range.
Soil is highly variable and site specific; the region is a transitional zone between the volcanic peaks of the north and more sedimentary peaks of the south.
East and west are the dominant aspects but slope aspect are as variable as the soil.
Spring Mountain is the AVA- not an actual mountain.
-The area is difficult to cultivate due to the steep and rugged terrain.
-The type of terrain is beneficial in ways because it allows for a plethora of microclimates.
Ritchie Creek- separates Spring Mountain AVA from Diamond Mountain.
Sulphur Creek marks the southern boundary.
-There is a large amount of streams and springs.
Majority of properties are small and family run.
Spring Mountain Vineyard is the only one that is much larger; occupies most of the AVA. It is a collection of estates.
-La Perla
-Miravalle
-Chateau Chevalier
Cabernet Sauvignon is not as dominant as it is elsewhere in the valley.
Chardonnay-Riesling-Syrah-Zinfandel-Pinot Noir.
Notable Vineyards
Barnett
Behrens
Cain
Marston
Newton
Pride
Ritchie Creek
School House
Smith-Madrone
Spring Mountain
Stony Hill
Togni
St. Helena AVA
Rainfall is 38-40 inches
Located in the north of Napa Valley- city of St. Helena; north of Rutherford.
Valley floor appellation and is shaped like an hourglass.
The town of St. Helena is an important commerce hub for wine.
The area is hot; fog is rare as are ocean breezes.
Gravel, loam, and gravelly loam; mostly in the western side.
Volcanic soil are mostly found in the north.
Red Bordeaux varietals are common as is Petit Sirah, Zinfandel, and Sauvignon Blanc.
Notable Vineyards
Aida
Beckstoffer Bourn
Beckstoffer Las Piedras
Beringer
Cappella
Charles Krug
Crocker
Edge HIll
Forman
Grace
Hayne
Heitz
Hourglass
Kayli Morgan
Kronos
Lewelling
Library
Madrone
Phelps
Quella Spottswoode
Turley
Tychson Hill
Vineyard 29
Yountville AVA
Rainfall 32 inches a year.
French Laundry is here.
-Well known for restaurants.
Named after George C. Yount- planted Napa’s first Vinifera vines in 1838.
Dominus-Kapcsandy-Blankiet- D. Chandon
More vineyards than wineries.
Lots of knolls- deposited from ancient landslides.
Soil varies according to location.
-Gravel, clay, and alluvial deposits in the west.
-Volcanics and sedimentay soil in the east.
-Rich, deep loam in the center.
Cool and often foggy.
Finessed and silky Merlot.
Cabernet Sauvignon-Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon-Chardonnay.
Notable Vineyards
Gemstone
Ghost Block
Grgich
Kapcsandy
Napanook
Paradise Hills
Sleeping Lady
Chiles Valley AVA
Rainfall 35 inches/year.
Northeast area; east of Napa Valley; on the east side of the Vaca Range.
Clay and silt soil.
Heat is mitigated by the valley walls- like a rain shadow but for heat.
Important source for less expensive fruit mostly used as blending partners. Despite this there are a large amount of quality estates.
Green & Red-Volker Estate-Brown-Nichelini
Red Bordeaux grapes-
Notable Vineyards
Brown
Green & Red
Nichelini
Volker Estate
Diamond Mountain District AVA
Rainfall 40-55 inches/year.
Rugged and remote. North of Spring Mountain, west of Calistoga.
Petrified Forest (it’s kind of fun but more of a kid thing. I walked in and didn’t realize I was supposed to pay until I left. Everything in there is literally petrified, like it was frozen in time. Trippy, but really more of a kid thing)
…anyway…
Many sloping, jagged hillsides. No actual Diamond Mountain.
Fog has a cooling effect.
Highly volcanic soil.
Area was started by Jacob Schram in the 1860s.
Diamond Creek was the first cult wine- this was also the first wine to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon exclusively.
Diamond Creek also the first to focus on terroir by subdividing its production according to soil type.
Some “big wine” investment but many have not offered what Diamond Mountain is known for producing.
Notable Vineyards
Constant
Dyer
Gravelly Meadow
Jasud Lake
Red Rock Terrace
Schramsberg
Volcanic Hill
Oak Knoll AVA
Rainfall is 36 inches per year.
Southern in the valley; directly north of the city of Napa.
Named after Oak Knoll Ranch started in the 1850s by John Osbourne.
Flat AVA. Dry, cool, and foggy.
Merlot and Chardonnay are champions here although Cabernet Sauvignon is of course prevalent.
Alluvial fan from the ancient Dry Creek runoff. Volcanic soil.
Notably Vineyards
Aldo’s
Blackbird
Hendry Ranch
Trefethen
