old world wine maps sonoma napa county retail

Hillsides show more clay-loam and stony-clay composition, mostly marine in origin, with some volcanic outcropping, and less fertility. Soils: On the valley floor, primarily alluvial soils with silty-clay composition of marine origin, with good fertility.With colder winters and spring, as well as strong winds, harvest comes later than on valley floor at Oakville. Climate: Fairly warmer summer days (mid-80☏ plus/28.8 to 31☌), but due to higher elevation and summer fog at night, quite chilly at night (below 50☏/10☌).Principal varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah.Soils: Almost completely of volcanic origin, soils range from rocky, stony loam on the hillsides, to gravelly or cobbly loams on the alluvial fans, and heavier clay-silt soils in the valley center areas.Rainfall: up to 60 inches (96.5 to 150 cm) annually.Daytime summer temperaturesmay peak above 100° (38☌) adn fall to low 40s°(6☌) at night due to cool afternoon and evening breezes drawn in from the Chalk Hill Gap from the Pacific. Climate: Warm to hot, depending upon time of year.Chardonnay: Crisp, floral, aromatic, with distinctive pear-mineral flavors and bright acidity. Principal varieties & characteristics: Cabernet Sauvignon: Bright berry and cherry fruit, and more acidity than wines from Stags Leap District.

Soils: Volcanic in origin, with basaltic red color, shallow with limited water retention, so irrigation is often essential.Climate: Cool, mountain influenced with temperatures about 10–15° cooler than the valley floor in summer above the fog line, there is low day-to-night temperature range, with summer temperatures rarely rising above 90°.Helena, Spring Mountain District, Stags Leap District, Yountville and Wild Horse Valley. Veeder, Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Within the Napa Valley AVA exist 16 nested AVAs, including: Atlas Peak, Calistoga, Chiles Valley, Coombsville, Diamond Mountain District, Howell It is California's first recognized AVA and the second in the United States. The Napa Valley is itself an AVA, and it has been since it received its own designation in 1981. These areas are called American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs.

This great diversity has led our vintners and growers to petition the government to create defined grape growing areas within Napa Valley, giving them names that reflect their regional designations. Today, we have an intimate understanding of the connection between terroir and vine and have realized just how the diversity of Napa Valley’s soil, climate and terrain allow us to grow distinctive wines from specific areas within the valley.

As Napa Valley became better known, vintners decided to market our wines collectively to distinguish them from and compare them to the wines of the great wine regions of the world. The experts agree – in 1981, Napa Valley was named California’s first AVA.ĭuring the early years of winemaking in the Napa Valley, vineyards were often planted in patchwork patterns with many varieties growing side by side, as the practice of matching the most appropriate grape varieties to the particular soil and climatic conditions of a vineyard site was little understood at best.

Old world wine maps sonoma napa county retail