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Introduction to the Yountville Wine Region in Napa Valley Jan 20

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Introduction to the Yountville Wine Region in Napa Valley

If you are planning a stay in Napa Valley, you may wish to make your accommodations in Yountville. You will find a number of luxurious options in Yountville as well as a variety of boutique shopping options. As a result, this is one of the most popular regions in Napa Valley among tourists.

Most of the wineries in this region have developed right along with the town. If you had visited the region twenty years ago, you would have found only a handful of wineries. In the last few years a number of changes have come to this part of Napa Valley. As a result, this area has also experienced tremendous development.

The climate of this area tends to be somewhat moderate and breezy. You will find when visiting this region that the evenings are far cooler than many of the other regions that are actually located more to the north. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes tend to thrive in this region while Zinfandel, Merlot and Syrah grapes are also planted as well. The consistent terrain of Yountville makes this one of the premier wine growing regions in the area.

The growing season in this region tends to be somewhat long with mornings that are foggy and clear afternoons. As a result of the warm summer days and cooler afternoons, this area specializes quite well in Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot. Other varieties that are also substantially planted include Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.

The terrain in this region has also had a contribution to the region as well. Within this region there are deposits of debris and geological material that cannot be found at any other region within Napa Valley. The Yountville Mounts located north of town provide protection from the fog and the wind of San Pablo Bay. This protection has allowed some of the most highly acclaimed vineyards in the region to develop.

The history of this region as a wine growing area can be traced back more than 150 years. George Calvert Yount was granted 11,000 acres in 1836. This became the Caymus Rancho. A large portion of the Valley Floor between St. Helena and Yountville was included in the grant. Eventually Yount made improvements on the land and was the first to actually plant vineyards in the Napa Valley. The land where these vineyards were planted is now owned by Dominus Estate.

A portion of Younts land was sold to Charles Hopper in 1850. A town was laid out on the property several years later. Originally, this town was known as Sebastopol; however, a town in nearby Sonoma County had already laid claim to this name. As a result, the town was renamed Yountville in 1867 after George Younts death.

A distillation facility and large winery were constructed by Gottlieb Groezinger in 1870. Vintage 1870 now encompasses this property. When in the region you will find a number of high-end restaurants as well as shops here.

While expansive activity had be]en going on in the region for a number of years, the town of Yountville was not incorporated until 1965. In 1999, the area was granted AVA status.

Some of the most well known wineries in the region include Dominus Estate, Gemstone Vineyard, Chanticleer, Jessup Cellars, Domaine Chandon, Goosecross Cellars and Parador Cellars.

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Guide to Stags Leap Wineries in Napa Valley Jan 18

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Guide to Stags Leap Wineries in Napa Valley

As you travel through Stags Leap, you will notice that there are numerous notable wineries in this region. As with most regions in Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon rules here; although, you will find some wineries that experiment with other types as well including Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. This is one of the premier regions in the area, consisting of a number of well known wineries as well as family owned and operated wineries.

Clos du Val – Originally established in 1972 by John Goelet and Bernard Portet, this is one of the most expansive winery operations in the region as vineyards are also owned by Clos du Val in Carneros as well as Stags Leap.

Shafer Vineyards – A larger number of wineries in this region are quite excellent; however, Shafer Vineyards is considered to be a premier winery. The Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon is widely regarded to be one of the best produced throughout the Napa Valley region.

Regusci Winery – The Regusci Family has been making wine since 1932. Today; Angelo and his son produce Merlot as well as Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chimney Rock Winery – You will find Chimney Rock off Silverado Trail. This winery specializes in Bordeaux varietals, particularly Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and Petit Verdot.

Quixote Winery – Only a limited amount of Petite Sirah and Cabenet Sauvignon is produced by Quixote winery; although Quixote does also produce under the Panza label as well.

Robert Sinskey Vineyards – Owner Robert Sinskey has been an important part of Carneros for a number of years before beginning production in Stags Leap. Today, his Merlot and Pinot Noir wines are well regarded. The winery produces some 25,000 cases of wine each year. If you are in the area, this winery is worth stopping by.

Stags Leap Wine Cellars – Originally founded in 1972, this winery went on to receive critical acclaim and help to move Napa Valley onto the map at the 1976 Blind Tasting in Paris. The wines of Stags Leap Wine Cellars managed to edge out competition from some of the premier Bordeaux red wines.

Steltzner Vineyards – One of many family wineries in the region, Steltzner is one of the most highly regarded wineries in the area. Founder and owner Richard Steltzner began establishing his vineyards in the area as far back as 1965.

Cliff Lede Vineyards – This breathtaking 60 acre estate is one of the most spectacular in the Stags Leap region. The Poetry Inn as well as an art gallery are also located on the property.

Hartwell Vineyards – Established in 1986, today Hartwell Vineyards produces nearly 4,000 cases of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon every year.

Baldacci Family Vineyards – Although this is a small vineyard, you will find that some of the best wines in the region hail from it including some exceptional Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer wines.

Silverado Vineyards – For more than two decades, Silverado Vineyards has been producing wines in Stags Leap. The wines from this vineyard are primarily produced using estate grown grapes. Silverado Vineyards produces Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Sangiovese wines that are all considered to be exceptional.

Reynolds Family Winery – During the time he lived in German as a youth, Steve Reynolds dreamed of the day he would start his own winery. Today he has made that dream come true with the establishment of Reynolds Family Winery.

William Hill Estate – Founded in 1978, this winery produces a wide variety of wines included Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Pine Ridge Winery – Five different AVAs within the Napa Valley contribute fruit to the Pine Ridge wine; making it truly unique. You will find a lovely Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay as well as blend of Chenin Blanc and Viognier.

Stags Leap Winery – Originally established in the late 19th century, this winery has become one of the most prominent in the region today, focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah.

Pillar Rock Vineyard – This 23 acre estate was purchased by Ron and Teri Kuhn in 1995. Win production today is handled by highly acclaimed Cary Gott.

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The History and Development of the St. Helena Wine Region in Napa Valley Jan 16

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The History and Development of the St. Helena Wine Region in Napa Valley

St. Helena was the focal point of early commercial wine production in the Napa Valley region. As a result of the production of wine in this region, the entire wine industry in California was shaped.

The town of St. Helena was established in 1855. Several years later, in 1861, the first winery was established in the Valley by a German immigrant. His name was Charles Krug. A number of other German immigrants soon followed in his steps, including the Schrams and the Beringers.

Krug went on to become one of the first major vintners in Napa Valley. Born in 1825 in Prussia, Krug had been a political radical as a youth. Later he moved to Alto, California and became a neighbor of Agoston Haraszthy, who became Krugs mentor regarding the production of grapes and wine. Before long, Krug began producing wine for others. One of his first clients was George Yount, of Yountville fame.

Krug established his first commercial winery at the age of 27. Quickly, he became well known for his use of a cider press in order to extract juice from his grapes. Krug also became associated with a number of other innovations for the production of white wine as well. These methods included aging as well as fermentation techniques. Considering the era, Krug was quite careful in his selection of varietals and rootstocks.

Throughout the next thirty years, Krug continued the development of his winery and vineyards. He was not able to escape the ravages of the pest phylloxera, however, and he was eventually forced to declare bankruptcy as a result. Krug died in 1892 and the following year his winery was purchased by James Moffitt. In 1943, the winery was sold once again; this time to Cesare Mondavi.

Without any hesitation, Mondavi began to renovate the vineyards as well as the production facilities. Mondavi was assisted by his sons, Peter and Robert, in the operation of the winery. The Mondavi family continues to operate the winery.

Beringer Vineyards has also earned quite a reputation. The vineyard was established in 1876 by Frederick and Jacob Beringer. That same year local vintners established the St. Helena Viticultural Club. The Beringer brothers had been attracted to the region because the growing conditions were quite similar to that of their home region in the Rhine Valley of France. At the time, the task of developing the vineyard was arduous due to the fact that brothers had to literally carve caves into the hills that were situated directly behind their winery. The work was completed by Chinese laborers and upon completion the caves proved to be the ideal place for the aging of Beringer wines. Today, those same caves are still in use.

Beringer Vineyards produces a number of different wines; many of which are produced with grapes that are actually sourced from different regions. Although other vineyards in St. Helena are just as well known as Beringer, Beringer Vineyards has the sole claim to being the oldest winery in Napa Valley that has been continuously operated.

The flagship wine of the winery is the Beringer 1999 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Only the best fruit from numerous AVAs in Napa Valley are used in the production of the wine. They are all aged separately, using French Oak, and then blended together later. This extremely complex wine is considered a premier wine of the region.

The development of the St. Helena wine region has certainly been greatly assisted by the Krug and Beringer wineries; however, they are certainly not the only wineries in the region. As early as the 1880s there were nearly 3,000 acres of vineyards planted in St. Helena and more than a dozen wineries in operation. Unfortunately; however, the combination of Prohibition and phylloxera almost completely decimated the region.

Even some of the oldest wineries in St. Helena eventually went out of business as a result of Prohibition. During this time period, the acreage was converted to the growth of other products.

In the 1940s; however, the venerable Krug winery began to return from the ashes after it was purchased by the Mondavi family. Today, the Krug winery is still one of the most respected in the state.

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