Napa Valley
Mediterranean
A narrow, sun-drenched valley north of San Francisco Bay whose Cabernet Sauvignon put California on the world fine-wine map.
Overview
About Napa Valley
The Napa Valley is about 30 miles long and a few miles wide, walled by the Mayacamas range to the west and the Vaca range to the east. It was recognised as an AVA in 1981 and now contains 16 sub-appellations, including Oakville, Rutherford, Stags Leap District and Howell Mountain, each with its own conditions and style.
Napa is small by volume but high in prestige and price. Cabernet Sauvignon is by far the most important grape, making ripe, powerful, long-lived reds, with Chardonnay, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc among other significant plantings.
Hover a marker to see what's grown there, and click it to open that place. On a touch screen, tap once to preview and again to open. Bigger markers have more grapes linked to them.
United States of America
Shaded: California. Map units are states, provinces or départements, so a smaller place appears as the larger area that contains it.
The land
Climate & terroir
Climate
Mediterranean
Warm to hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Cool fog from San Pablo Bay makes the south of the valley cooler, while the northern end near Calistoga is much hotter; big day-night temperature swings preserve acidity.
Terroir & soils
What the vines grow in
One of the most geologically varied wine regions on earth: volcanic soils on the eastern hills, marine sedimentary soils from the western Mayacamas, and alluvial fans along the valley floor.
Side by side
Three Cabernet AVAs
Oakville
- Soil
- Gravelly alluvial fans on the valley floor, and volcanic and sedimentary hillsides
- Dominant grapes
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Typical style
- Dark and dense, with blackcurrant, cedar and sometimes a hint of mint
Rutherford
- Soil
- Gravelly loam on the benchland
- Dominant grapes
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Typical style
- Ripe and rich, with fine, dusty tannins ('Rutherford dust')
Stags Leap District
- Soil
- Volcanic rock and gravelly alluvial loam
- Dominant grapes
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Typical style
- Silkier and more supple, with plum and dark cherry
Go deeper
Rules, years & producers
Napa Valley is an AVA that contains sixteen smaller AVAs, and there is no quality ranking inside it.
Sub-AVAs
Sixteen, including Oakville, Rutherford, Stags Leap District, Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder, Spring Mountain District and Diamond Mountain District.
Napa Valley AVA
Established in 1981. At least 85% of the grapes must come from the valley, and a varietal wine must be at least 75% of that grape.
No official ranking
Prestige comes from the estate, vineyard and vintage, not from any classification.
Within Napa Valley
Appellations
Oakville
A small stretch of the Napa valley floor and its western foothills, home to some of California's most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignons.
Rutherford
Napa's classic Cabernet country, famous for 'Rutherford dust': a fine-grained, dusty tannin texture said to come from its soils.
Stags Leap District
A cool, rocky corner of the Napa Valley whose silky, supple Cabernet beat Bordeaux in the 1976 Judgment of Paris.
What's grown here
Grapes
Grapes linked to Napa Valley or to a place within it. Each grape's page links back here.