Wine enthusiast? Join the Wine Forums at http://www.DiscussFineWine.com today!
Napa Valley wine doesn't just come from one of the top wine regions in California, but in all of the United States. The climate, geography and geology trifecta come together to make the perfect environment for growing quality wine grapes. Because of various geographical and weather influences, the region is fantastic for growing several different types of grapes, many of which need separate climates to thrive.
In 1864, pioneer George C. Yount decided to plant the first wine grapes in Napa Valley. That year, Yount's daughter, Elizabeth, and her new husband received 1,040 acres of land in Napa Valley as a wedding gift. That area, known as Rutherford, has been established as one of the best places for grapes that get turned into high quality wine.
The valley's first commercial vineyard was established by John Pratchett in 1858, followed in 1861 by the area's first commercial winery in St. Helena. However, things weren't always peachy in the Napa Valley.
In the late 19th and 20th centuries, the phylloxera root louse killed a lot of the vines in the valley. Just as they were starting to recover, prohibition was enacted and many wineries were forced to shut down (although a few were allowed to remain open to produce sacramental wine). Some vineyards remained open, selling grapes to home wine makers. When the Great Depression hit, the wine business slowed even more.
Fortunately, not all was lost. In 1933, Prohibition was repealed. Around that time, Georges de Latour started importing vines that were resistant to the phylloxera pest. These insect resistant vine strains are still used today.
Currently, Napa Valley wine is being consumed more than ever. There are more than 340 Napa Valley wineries producing many different kinds of the beverage. More than 4.7 million people visit the region each year, making it the second most popular tourist attraction in California, following Disneyland.
- Related Articles
- Related Q&A
- Experiencing Napa Valley Wine Tours is Something Worth Planning for
- How to Enjoy Your Napa Valley Wine Tour
- Napa Valley Wine Tasting: Land Of The Free!
- Napa Valley Wine Auctions
- Napa Valley Wine - What you Probably Don't Know About Napa Valley Wine
- THE JOURNEY OF NAPA VALLEY WINE COUNTRY:
- Napa valley wine tours in United States
- Tasting Wine at Napa Valley Wine Tours
Desert Wines Are Oh So Sweet
By: Phillip Wainwright | 10/11/2009You have just finished a lovely meal, satisfying really, in a chic new restaurant that just opened in your area. As you begin to replay the evening’s delicacies in your mind you are suddenly interrupted. In front of you is placed the piece de resistance, a perfectly chilled, shimmering glass of Sauterne and a thinly sliced wafer of foie gras.
How to Choose the Right Wine Bottle Cooler
By: Anthony Howell | 09/11/2009The sizes and styles of wine bottle cooler that are made is tremendous. An individual will find coolers that are very small and will only hold a few bottles of wine. Or, one may see huge coolers that are slightly smaller than a wine cellar. Deciding what size and style of cooler will be most appropriate for the individual wine collector can be a challenge.
CEO/ Former Actress Turns Sour Grapes into Successful Wine-Cabinet Business
By: Uwemp | 09/11/2009India Hynes, age 42, has come a long way from her days as an actress, where she appeared in, among many other programs, The Young and The Restless. Following in the footsteps of her father, a businessman who at one time was a prisoner of war, Hynes is now the CEO of Vinotemp, a $17 million wine-cabinet producer. India has expanded the business to national retailers like Home Depot and Target, while also making custom cabinets for prestigious clients like the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.
No Sour Grapes: Overcoming the Odds to Create a Nevada Wine Industry
By: Uwemp | 09/11/2009By the late 1980s, Rick Halbardier had made enough money in the burgeoning technology industry to semi-retire. So what does a 26-year old fiber-optics specialist do with time to kill and money to spend? Pioneer the wine industry to Nevada, naturally. Halbardier spent more than 10 years and significant dollars to develop the first vineyard in the state. No one had ever been able to grow grapes there before. That was just one small problem to overcome.
sauvignon cabernet, order Syrah wine, california sauvignon blanc, california sauvignon
By: ancient peak | 09/11/2009Our Cabernet vineyards were first planted by Robert Mondavi, whose Cabernet Napa Valley is known as a benchmark cab wine. Our Cabernet wines are naturally different from the Cabernet Robert Mondavi, due to the unique location of our Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards. However, we are proud of their link to one of California’s pioneers of fine red wine.
Wine Rack Cabinets - How To Buy Wine Rack Cabinets!
By: Al Hardy | 07/11/2009With all of the choices you have in Wine Rack Cabinets, it is a good idea to do a little research on the Internet. You will be able to find the perfect Wine Cabinet to fit your needs and budget!
Buy Beer Brew Starter Kits-Hold On A Minute!
By: Bryon Zirker | 06/11/2009Having a high quality beer making guide that will enhance and help you complete...
Home Brewing Instructions For Beer Or Ale
By: Chris George | 05/11/2009Brewing one's own beer and ale is growing in popularity as people find out how easy it is to make beer that has unique flavor and is good. Home brewing instructions are available on many websites that provide tips and techniques for brewing beer. The basic instructions for home brewing are simple and straightforward.
Wine Tasting - a Guide to Wine Tasting Events
By: Jennifer Waite | 21/12/2007 | Wines & SpiritsWine tasting events are becoming more and more popular. From college classrooms to vacations to Napa Valley, if you're going to a wine tasting event and aren't familiar with the protocol, you'll stick out like a sore thumb...
Wine Online - How to Learn About Wine Online
By: Jennifer Waite | 21/12/2007 | Wines & SpiritsYou can learn a lot about wine online. The internet is a great resource to utilize before going into an actual wine store and making a purchase, as well as a wine tasting event. This is particularly true if you aren't familiar with proper wine...
Wine Club - Reasons Why you Should Join a Wine Club
By: Jennifer Waite | 21/12/2007 | Wines & SpiritsIf you love wine but hate going to the wine store, you may want to consider joining a wine club. This is also great if you're a novice wine drinker, because along with the monthly...
Shiraz - the History of Shiraz Wine
By: Jennifer Waite | 21/12/2007 | Wines & SpiritsShiraz, known as syrah in France, Chile, Argentina and most parts of the United States, is a type of grape. This grape, used to make wine, has a deep purple color. Shiraz is a unique wine, and has one of the highest serving temperatures of them all, 65 degrees Fahrenheit...
Red Wine - a Guide to Red Wine
By: Jennifer Waite | 19/12/2007 | Wines & SpiritsThere are several different kinds of red wine. Most wines are made from grapes, including syrah, cabernet and zinfandel varieties. If only one variety (merlot, for example) is listed on the label, the wine is varietal and is named after the grape with a capital letter...
Napa Valley Wine - What you Probably Don't Know About Napa Valley Wine
By: Jennifer Waite | 19/12/2007 | Wines & SpiritsNapa Valley wine doesn't just come from one of the top wine regions in California, but in all of the United States. The climate, geography and geology trifecta come together to make the perfect environment for growing quality wine grapes...
Italian Wine - the Long History of Italian Wine
By: Jennifer Waite | 19/12/2007 | Wines & SpiritsItalian wine has a long and interesting history. In fact, Greek settlers were producing wine in the region way before the Romans started planting and harvesting their own vineyards in the second century before Christ. While the Greeks may...