Wine Regions In Napa Valley
Napa Valley is the most famous wine region in the United States, if not the most famous in the world. Sonoma County wines are delicious, but some wines, such as Napa Valley’s Cabernets are denser and more structured than other parts of Sonoma County. Napa Valley has more soil types and microclimates than other areas of Sonoma County, thus creating a fuller, well rounded wine.
Before heading out to Napa Valley, be sure to map which wineries you plan on going to. Also be sure to call ahead. Some of the wineries in Sonoma County and Napa Valley need appointments.
Here is a list of some of the regions to visit in Napa Valley:
Carneros
The climate at Carneros has a cooler and breezier climate than most of the valley. Breezy and cool climates are best for Chardonnay’s and Pinot Noir’s. Some of the wineries in the Carneros area are Saintsbury, Carneros Creek, and Acacia.
Diamond Mountains
The soil in Diamond Mountains is rocky and rough. The climate is heavily influenced by the ocean breeze. The temperatures vary day to day. One day, the temperature can be warm, and the next day can be cold due to fog.
Diamond Mountains is well known for their Cabernet. Diamond Mountain wines tend to be more tannic than other Napa Valley wines, but have a nice fruit finish.
Dyer Vineyard is located in the Diamond Mountains and has been known to create a full bodied Cabernet with a hint of chocolate. Another vineyard is Von Strasser, which produces a fine Bordeaux type of blend called Sori Blicco. The Sori Blicco really shows off the earthy tones that a Pinot Noir tends to show at times.
Oakville
You’ll find the famous Robert Mondavi in the region of Oakville. All of Oakville Cabernets have a beautiful scent to them and has been best described as a minty-cedery smell. This is the best way to define if the Cabernet is from Oakville or not. The vineyard Screaming Eagle is a Cabernet to be on the look out for.
Rutherford
Ruthford can be found west of Highway 29 and is known for their rich and fruity Cabernets. Some of the famous vineyards are Flora Springs, Niebaum Coppola, and Hewitt Vineyards.
Stags Leap
The climate in Stags Leap is cool and breezy, thus creating fine wines with lots of character. Their Cabernets have been described as full bodied with lots of character. It’s been described to me as “art in a bottle.” Some of the vineyards to visit in Stage Leap are Shafer Vineyards, Silverado Vineyards, and Cliff Lede Vineyards.
Mount Veeder
Mount Veeder use to be an easy wine to identify. Their Cabernets had a very strong tannin taste to it. Nowadays, their Cabernets still have the tannins, but not as offensive as before. Hess is the biggest vineyard in Mount Veeder and Lokoya.
Yountville
The best thing about the Yountville region is the vineyards produce all sorts of wines. Not only do they produce Cabernets, they also produce white wines such as Chardonnay and Zinfandels. The vineyard Domaine Chandon doesn’t shy away from making white wines.
St. Helena
The district of St. Helena doesn’t really have a particular wine that they’re known for. The most popular wines to come out of St. Helena are the Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyards to look for are Spottswoode, Parry Cellars, and Hourglass.
Howell Mountain
Howell Mountain is high up, which means warm days and cool nights. Because of this, Howell Mountain is well known for their Cabernets. Not only do they dabble in Cabernets, they also create a nice Zinfandel. Dunn Vineyards and Beringer Vineyards are some of the wineries in this region.
Spring Mountain
If you ever hear of Spring Mountain, be aware that there is no such a place as Spring Mountain. This area is located just about St. Helena between Mount Vedeer and the Diamond Mountain district. Spring Mountain has many natural springs; this is why they call the area Spring Mountain. Spring Mountain produces a very rich, dark Cabernet. One of the vineyards that deal with Spring Mountain grapes is Barnett Vineyards. Other vineyards are Spring Mountain Vineyards and Pride Mountain Vineyards.