Napa Valley
A little more than an hour across the Bay Bridge from San Francisco, you
enter the narrow corridor of Highway 29 guiding you through the soul of
Napa Valley. Nestled between the Mayacamas Mountains on the west and
the Vacas Range on the east, the visual splendor of rolling hills and lush
green vineyards of the valley stretches 30 miles long. Along the southern
divide, the sojourn begins at the cool fringes of San Pablo Bay and Los
Carneros passing through the towns of Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford and
St. Helena before ending in the warm northern edge of Calistoga.
Vineyards were cultivated early on by missionaries for sacramental wine
purposes prior to the arrival of George C. Yount in 1836. Currently, Napa
Valley is subdivided into 16 AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas) or
designated grape growing regions. These areas of geographic pedigree are
spread across the valley floor and mountainous hillside divides.
While Cabernet Sauvignon has always dominated the landscape of Napa
Valley, Chardonnays from this area can be equally impressive and more
modestly priced. It was the Judgment of Paris Tasting in 1976 that placed
Napa Valley Chardonnay at the top of the charts. Afterwards, recognition of
this grape varietal flourished. The cooler, southern fringes of Napa benefit
from the windswept fog near the San Pablo Bay. These Chardonnays have
more of a classic style with stone fruits and lemon zest along with a
framework of fresh acidity. As you move northward, temperatures rise and
Chardonnays can express more tropical elements of mango, pineapple and
papaya.
