Knowing Napa

People come from far and wide to visit California's most renown wine region. So how long has it been around, what's the big hype, and why has Napa gained the reputation it has?

Like most of the wineries in the United States, Napa's wine industry started in the 1800s. With Charles Krug, Shramsburg, Chateau Montelena, and Beringer leading the pack, these pioneers helped start a tradition in Napa that still thrives today. Though it wasn't without its setbacks. Prohibition, industry-threatening stalk-root mites, earthquakes, and a less-than-stellar reputation in the eyes of French wine connoisseurs all jeopardized the success of California-based wines.

After surviving legal restrictions, pestilence, and natural disaster, reputation was all that stood in its way. Finally, in 1976 Napa flexed its fruit against the big bad Bordeauxs of France and finally put themselves on the map. In a France vs. California blind taste test (Paris Wine Tasting of 1976), Stag's Leap (Cabernet Sauvignon) and Chateau Montelena (Chardonnay) bested long-time stalwarts know for being top in France. Among the other California wineries appearing in the top ten were: Ridge, Heitz, Clos Du Val, Mayacamas, Freemark Abbey, Chalone, Spring Mountain, Veedercrest, and David Bruce. Since then, tourists and locals have come by car, bus, plane, and train to taste for themselves why Napa is, well, Napa.

But how does Napa get the variety and quality of grapes that it does? Running almost 10-times as long as it is wide, the area we call Napa Valley actually consists of a number of sub-regions (Yountville, St. Helena, Oakville, and Calistoga just to name a few). Each of the sub-regions (and even regions within each sub-region) all have differing climates, differing elevations, and differing soil. In fact, Napa Valley boasts over half of all soil types found in the entire world! Hence, the sheer number of grapes types that can grow here is vast, and even the same varietals yield very different characteristics based on where in Napa they grow.

So you see, like wine connoisseurs themselves who place great value on the balance of complexity in their wines, Napa grapes come from a vast array of complex environmental conditions that make them superior.