1881 NAPA WINES
Napa Valley AVAs
Atlas Peak | Calistoga | Carneros | Chiles Valley District | Coombsville | Diamond Mountain District | Howell Mountain
Mount Veeder | Oak Knoll | Oakville | Rutherford | Spring Mountain District | St. Helena | Stags Leap District | Yountville
Year Established |
1991 |
Acres Planted |
1,609 |
Climate |
Cool, mountain-influenced weather with temperatures about 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the valley floor in summer. Above the fog line, the day-to-night temperature swing is minimal. Summer temperatures rarely rise above 100 degrees F (38 degrees C). |
Elevation & Soils |
Primarily reddish-colored volcanic soils with limited water retention. |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Merlot |
Year Established |
2010 |
Acres Planted |
3,199 |
Climate |
Warm to hot, depending on the time of year. Daytime summer temperatures may peak above 100 degrees F (38 degrees C) and fall to the low 40s degrees F (5 degrees C) at night due to cool afternoon and evening breezes drawn in from the Pacific Ocean. |
Elevation & Soils |
300 to 1,200 feet (92 to 366 meters). Primarily rocky loam on the hillsides; clay-silt soils in the center of the valley. |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc |
Year Established |
1983 |
Acres Planted |
6,611 |
Climate |
One of the coolest regions in Napa Valley thanks to marine winds blowing inland from nearby San Pablo Bay and through the Petaluma Gap to the west. High temperatures during summer rarely exceed 90 degrees F (32 degrees C). |
Elevation & Soils |
Sea level to 700 feet (0 to 213 meters). Primarily clay and sandy soils on the floor of the region; more loam on the low rolling hillsides. |
Leading Grapes |
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot |
Year Established |
1999 |
Acres Planted |
881 |
Climate |
Fairly warm summer days (80 to 90 degrees F, 26 to 32 degrees C), but due to higher elevation and summer fog, quite chilly at night (below 50 degrees F, 10 degrees C). Chiles Valley has colder winters and springs, as well as stronger winds than the floor of the Napa Valley proper. As a result, harvest here generally comes later. |
Elevation & Soils |
600 to 1,200 feet (183 to 366 meters). Primarily silty-clay soils of marine origins on the valley floor; stonier hillsides. |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Petit Sirah |
Year Established |
2011 |
Acres Planted |
1,528 |
Climate |
Coombsville's weather is moderated by its proximity to the San Pablo Bay. During the summer months, daily average high temperatures can be as much as 10 degrees F cooler than most other AVAs in the Napa Valley, and heat spikes here tend to be rarer and less severe. As a result of its generally cooler weather, Coombsville is suitable for growing a wide variety of grape varieties. |
Elevation & Soils |
100 to 1,000 feet (30 to 305 meters). |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah |
Year Established |
2001 |
Acres Planted |
509 |
Climate |
Due to Diamond Mountain's altitude and topography, its weather is usually moderately warm but not hot, with lower maximum temperatures than the valley floor. During the growing season, daily temperature swings may range from 50 to 95 degrees F (10 to 35 degrees C.) |
Elevation & Soils |
400 and 2,200 feet (122 to 671 meters). Primarily volcanic ash and reddish-colored soils with a fine-grained, gritty texture. |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc |
Year Established |
1984 |
Acres Planted |
1,164 |
Climate |
Located above the fog line on the eastern side of the valley, Howell Mountain is hotter and drier than most other Napa Valley AVAs and has more hours of sunshine and little to no marine influence. In the summer, the sun setting in the west still shines on vineyards here often until 9 pm. |
Elevation & Soils |
1,400 to 2,600 feet (427 to 793 meters). Primarily shallow volcanic rock, which drains quickly. |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Sirah, Sauvignon Blanc |
Year Established |
1990 |
Acres Planted |
1,257 |
Climate |
Mount Veeder has cool to moderate weather. Most vineyards lie above the fog line, meaning warmer nights and cooler days than on the valley floor. Typical mid-summer high temperatures usually do not exceed 95 degrees F (35 degrees C.) |
Elevation & Soils |
500 to 2,600 feet (152 to 793 meters). Primarily shallow sedimentary rock and sandy soils (derived from an ancient seabed.) |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Syrah |
Year Established |
2004 |
Acres Planted |
4,588 |
Climate |
Oak Knoll District has moderate to cool temperatures, with marine air and fog often remaining until late morning. Late afternoon breezes occur frequently, leading to slightly cooler temperatures here than in the upper valley. Mid-summer temperatures often reach the mid-90s degree F (33 degrees C) and drop to around 50 degrees F (10 degrees C) at night. |
Elevation & Soils |
Sea level to 800 feet (0 to 244 meters). Primarily volcanic soils in the northwest; gravely and clay loam in the south and east. |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot |
Year Established |
1993 |
Acres Planted |
3,893 |
Climate |
Oakville, located near the center of the Napa Valley, has warm weather with temperatures that can occasionally rise to 100 degrees F (38 degrees C) or more in the summer. Nighttime temperatures can drop by 50 degrees F (10 degrees C). The east side of the AVA receives warmer afternoon sun. |
Elevation & Soils |
130 to 1,000 feet (40 to 305 meters). Primarily gravelly soils on the western side; volcanic soils on the eastern. |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc |
Year Established |
1993 |
Acres Planted |
4,130 |
Climate |
Rutherford, like Oakville, is moderately warm, although it is still marginally influenced by early morning fog. The western side of the AVA is usually cooler than the eastern side. Summer daytime temperatures can occasionally rise to 100 degrees F (38 degrees C) or more, while night temperatures drop significantly. |
Elevation & Soils |
155 to 500 feet (47 to 152 meters). Primarily gravelly sedimentary soils on the western side; deep, volcanic soils on the eastern. |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon,Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Chardonnay |
Year Established |
1993 |
Acres Planted |
1,048 |
Climate |
Spring Mountain has relatively cooler temperatures than the valley floor. Most vineyards sit above the fog line, providing warmer nights and cooler days. |
Elevation & Soils |
600 to 2,600 feet (183 to 793 meters). Primarily weathered sandstone and shale. |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay |
Year Established |
1995 |
Acres Planted |
3,212 |
Climate |
St. Helena sits at the narrowest part of the Napa Valley floor and receives considerable heat reflection off the hillsides. It also experiences less fog and wind than most other areas of the valley. All of this results in very warm summer temperatures often in mid-to-high 90 degrees F (35 to 37 degrees C) and above. |
Elevation & Soils |
200 to 475 feet (61 to 145 meters). Primarily gravel-clay in the south and along the western border; mostly deep volcanic soils in the north and east. |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc |
Year Established |
1989 |
Acres Planted |
1,551 |
Climate |
Moderately warm with afternoon marine winds acting as a respite to cool the warmer air radiating off the bare rocks of the Stags Leap Palisades and the surrounding hillsides. Mid-summer temperatures can reach 100 degrees F (38 degrees C), but more regularly are in the mid-90 degree F range (34 to 36 degrees C). |
Elevation & Soils |
Sea level to 400 feet (0 to 122 meters). Primarily volcanic gravel-loam soil on the valley floor; rockier hillsides. |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Sirah, Cabernet Franc |
Year Established |
1999 |
Acres Planted |
2,874 |
Climate |
Yountville has moderately warm summer temperatures influenced by cool marine winds and fog. Mid-summer peak temperatures may reach high 90s degrees F (35 degrees C), with a noticeable drop in night temperatures to the mid-50 degree F range (12 to 13 degrees C). |
Elevation & Soils |
20 to 200 feet (6 to 61 meters). Primarily gravelly silt loam with some rocky areas. |
Leading Grapes |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot |