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Napa's most prestigious wines and vineyards

Some of the most prestigious wines of Napa

Wines and Vineyards

provided by Cocktails & Wines | http://www.cocktailsandwines.com

Amuse Bouche, Beringer, Burgess, Cain five, Far Niente, Folie a Deux, Grigich Hills, Harlan Estate, Pahlmeyer, Paradigm, Quintessa Rutherford, Robert Mondavi, barrel 23, Stag Leap, Bond, Bouchain, Brabant, Cakebread, Dominus Estate, Duckhorn, Etude, Insignia, Miner, nickel and nickel, Opus One, Rutherford Hill, Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak and Deer Leap

Appellations of Origin

During the first decades of winemaking in Napa Valley, grapes are often planted in vineyards mosaic pattern in which Many varieties are mixed. But experience has demonstrated the wisdom of matching grapes with locations whose microclimates and soils are better suited to particular grape varieties. Within the Napa Valley, regions have emerged that possess distinct microclimates and terrains, imprinting recognizable characteristics on the grapes grown within them. Winegrowers and producers in these regions delineate the boundaries of these growing areas, giving them names that reflect their regional designations, or appellations.

The data supporting a proposed American Viticultural Area, or AVA, is submitted to the government, which decides whether the designation of the proposed name will be granted. The Napa Valley is itself a denomination. Within the denomination of origin Napa Valley there are 14 subappellations, or AVA, including:

Atlas Peak, Chiles Valley District, Diamond Mountain District, Howell Mountain, Los Carneros, Mt. Veeder, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, Spring Mountain District, Deer Leap District, Yountville, Wild Horse Valley and Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley. The Calistoga appellation is still pending approval.

Atlas Peak AVA Climate:

Cool mountain of influence, with temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees C colder than the valley floor in summer. Above the fog, not a change daytime low temperatures summer rarely exceed 90 ° F (30 °). Altitude: 760 to 2600 feet (231m to 792m). Precipitation: 38 inches (96 cm) per year. Soil: volcanic in origin, with the red basalt, shallow, with limited water retention, so irrigation is often essential. Main characteristics and varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon: fruits red cherry, and more acidity than from Deer Leap District wines. Chardonnay: Crisp, flora, aromatic with pear distinctive mineral flavors and excellent acidity. Chiles Valley District AVA Climate: Quite hottest days of summer fog (mid 80 ° F or above), but due to the higher elevation and summer at night, quite cold at night (below 50 ° F). With cold winters and spring and strong winds, harvest comes later than the valley floor in Oakville. Altitude: 800 to 1300 feet (242 to 394m). Precipitation: 35 inches (88cm) per year.

Soils: In the valley floor, alluvial soils mainly with the composition silty clay of marine origin, with good fertility. Foothills show more clay and silt stone-clay composition, mostly of marine origin, with some volcanic outcroppings, and less fertility.

Main varieties and characteristics:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc: Cabernet normally reveal a lush yet firm texture, good acidity, firm tannins and distinctive cherry flavors of BlackBerry. Merlot usually has vibrant flavors black cherry mixed with a touch of cocoa.

Diamond Mountain District AVA Climate:

Moderately warm temperatures with maximum temperatures over low minimum temperatures and high background in the Napa Valley north, due to topography and altitude. Significantly cooler than the valley floor near Calistoga, 50 to 95 ° F in the growing season (10 to 32 ° C). Altitude: 400 to 2200 feet (130 to 530 m) Rainfall: 40 to 55 inches (135 cm) per year.

Soils: residual volcanic soils on high, often reddish, very fine grain, even in the sandy texture, composed of both sedimentary origin volcanic and eroded.

Main varieties and characteristics:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc: firmly structured flavors, rich and quite tannic when young, with black currant, powerful, minerals, and cedary. Less flexible and fleshy valley or benchland wines with good aging potential. Chardonnay: full, yet revealing mineral aromas of green apple and peach with quite firm acidity, less rich texture of wine the valley. Howell Mountain AVA Climate: Similar to the Spring Mountain AVA facing, however, slightly warmer and drier in general due to the strong influence of the afternoon Sun Fairly cool nights in both ranges and higher elevations help maintain good acidity. Altitude: 600 to 2200 feet (184 to 675m).

Precipitation: 40 to 50 inches (125cm) per year. Soils: Predominantly volcanic, shallow and sterile. Drainage is high, low fertility. Main characteristics and varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel: Powerful enterprise, BlackBerry currant flavors and often richly tannic, with excellent acidity for aging. Chardonnay, Viognier: Sinewy firm and not as fruits, such as the valley floor, revealing more citrus and stone fruit flavors.

The Rams Climate AVA:

Fresh, with the sea winds of San Pablo Bay and Petaluma imbalances in the west. The high summer temperatures rarely exceed 80 ° F (27 ° C) with less diurnal range variation. Height: 15 to 400 feet (4.6 m to124)

Rainfall: Lowest in Napa Valley: 18 to 24 inches (7.2 to 9.6 cm) per year.

Soil: Clay dominated, very shallow, in general, more open and alluvial slopes in the northern section. The yields are often limited by the hard Claypen subsoil, which prevents deep roots.

Main varieties and features:

Chardonnay:

minerally pear, apple and spice flavors.

Merlot:

muscular and slightly herbal, with fine tannins and elegant structure.

Pinot Noir:

ripe cherry flavors cinnamon spice, with earthy notes.

Mount Veeder AVA Climate:

Cool to moderate, with most vineyards above the fog-line, ie, warmer nights and cooler days and less diurnal range than the valley floor. Typical mid-summer high temperatures above 85 ° F (30 ° C).

Altitude: 600 to 2,100 feet (183 to 650).

Precipitation: 35 inches (87.5cm) per year. Soils: sedimentary basis, the former marine, shallow and generally well drained and more acidic, with low fertility. Most have a texture loamy sand or sandy. Main varieties and characteristics: Ageability is a hallmark of Mt. Veeder wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel:

Low yields in the red wines of a firm, tannic structure with the mainland, berry aromas and rich, but powerful flavors.

Chardonnay:

minerally, Appley, including citrus flavors with good acidity. Weather Oak Knoll District Napa Valley AVA: moderately cold: sea air and fog can remain until midmorning. Afternoon breezes occur frequently, keeping temperatures slightly cooler than the upper valley. In mid-summer temperatures can reach 92 degrees F (31.5 C) and drop to around 50F (10C) at night.

Altitude: sea level to 800 feet (244m) Rainfall: 36 inches (90 cm) per year.

Soils: The valley's largest alluvial fan formed by Dry Creek creates the defining feature of the region. The northwest area is composed of volcanically derived soil with gravel or stony consistency. Southern and eastern areas are transitional gravel silty clay loam.

Main varieties and characteristics:

Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon benefit of greater growing season with a slightly cooler temperature, though crop size is generally less than in other AVA. Elegant style is the common note with flavors cassis fruit, snuff and spices typical of Bordeaux-style reds. Chardonnay has fresh aromas of apple, mineral notes and tropical fruit with good acidity.

Oakville AVA Climate:

Moderately warm, with temperatures commonly in the mid-range-90 ° C in summer, but also remains strongly affected night and fog in the morning, which helps maintain good levels of acidity. East side of the AVA receives over warm afternoon sun.

Altitude: 75 to 500 feet (23 to 150). Precipitation: 35 inches (87.5 cm) per year.

Soils: alluvial loams mainly sedimentary gravels in the west, with volcanic soils, but heavier on the eastern side. Low to moderate fertility and fairly deep, with water retention in California.

Main varieties and characteristics:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot:

Ripe currants and mint flavors, rich texture and full, the structure of the company tempered by a large fruit.

Sauvignon Blanc:

Complete, steel, however, very meaty, and not especially crisp.

Rutherford AVA Climate:

Moderately warm, slightly influenced by fog in the morning. West Bank area is cooler, less afternoon sun, tempered by afternoon sea breezes. (This AVA average a little warmer Oakville and deer that Leap District). Usual high summer temperatures are mid 90 ° F day with good range.

Altitude: 100 to 500 feet (33 to 150).

Precipitation: 38 inches (95 cm) per year.

Soils: Western benchland is sedimentary, gravel-sand and alluvial, with retention of good quality water and moderate fertility. The eastern side has volcanic soils, moderately deep and more fertile.

Principal varieties and characteristics:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel:

It is Cabernet country. "Intense cherry and mineral, almost earthy aromas. full flavors, ripe and, in particular, with firm currant, but flexible tannins for long aging.

St. Helena AVA Climate:

Caliente, due to increased protection of the western hills, with less fog or wind incursions. The narrowing of the valley provides more heat reflection off the hillsides. Mid-summer temperature peak is often in the midrange to high 90 ° F (31 to 35 ° C).

Altitude: 150 to 600 feet (46 to 185m). Precipitation: 38 to 40 inches (95 to 100 cm) per year.

Floors: South and west limits are more silty gravel, clay soils with lower fertility and moderate water retention. More north and east the soils are predominantly of volcanic origin and are deeper and more fertile.

Main varieties and characteristics:

Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot:

deep flavors, ripe, often Jammy, with firm tannins for structure, attractive fruit aromas and black raisins.

Rhone varieties (Syrah, Viognier)

Fleshy, soft, slightly earthy. Zinfandel: Blackberry-like, well structured.

Spring Mountain District AVA Climate:

Similar to Mt. Veeder AVA, with cool weather prevailing and changes smaller daytime. Pretty cool nights and higher elevations help maintain good acidity.

Altitude: 600 to 2200 feet (184 to 675m). Precipitation: 40 to 50 inches (125cm) per year.

Soils: Primarily sedimentary eroded sandstone / shale, loamy and friable in texture. Drainage is high, low fertility.

Principal varieties and characteristics: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel: corporate-wide scope, blackberry and currant flavors often richly tannic, with excellent acidity for aging.

Chardonnay, Viognier:

Robust, strong and not as fruits, such as the valley floor, revealing more citrus and stone fruit flavors.

Deer Leap District Climate AVA:

Moderately warm, with afternoon marine winds act as an "air conditioner to cool the hot air radiates from the bare rocks deer jump itself and the surrounding hillsides. This AVA is often up to 10 degrees hotter than in F Yountville AVA. In mid-summer temperatures can reach 100 ° F, but most often is the mid-90 range (32-34 ° C).

Height: 66 to 400 feet (20 to 123 m).

Precipitation: 30 inch (75cm) per year. Soil: volcanic gravel loams on the valley floor, with rocky slopes and low to moderate fertility due to hard bedrock subsoil clay 2 to 6 feet below.

Main varieties and characteristics:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese:

Distinguished by lush, velvety texture and fine scented cherry and red fruit flavors, supported by soft tannins.

Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc:

Round and ripe, especially Sauvignon Blanc, without losing excellent citrus and apple flavor.

Wild Horse Valley Climate AVA:

A warmer climate rather well to the east of the Napa Valley proper, but still restrained by both the altitude and the prevailing winds coming Suisun southeast.

Altitude: Wild Horse Valley from 400 to 1500 feet (123 and 460m).

Precipitation: 35 inches (94 cm) per year.

Soils: Volcanic in origin, with the red basalt, shallow, with limited water retention, so that irrigation is often essential.

Main varieties and characteristics:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese:

Red fruits and cherry fruit, more acidity than from Deer Leap District wines.

Chardonnay:

Crisp, the flora, aromatic with pear distinctive mineral flavors and excellent acidity.

Yountville Weather:

Moderate, with clear influence cold sea fog and help cool summer morning and the sea breeze keeping most comfortable afternoon above the valley. In mid-summer High temperatures can reach 90 ° F (31 ° C), with significant diurnal fluctuation in the mid-range 50 ° F (13 ° C).

Altitude: 20 to 200 ft (6 to 61 m).

Precipitation: 32 inches (80 cm) per year.

Article provided by Cocktails & Wines | Cyrus www.cocktailsandwines.com

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