Helena and the valley's newest and hottest AVA, Calistoga. Farthest south and coolest from the influence of the San Pablo Bay is Carneros, followed by Coombsville to its northeast and then Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that claim specific wine characteristics based on situation, slope and soil. White wines from Napa Valley are usually Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely the grape of choice here, with many winemakers also focusing on Bordeaux blends.
A number of wineries emerged, and today Napa is home to hundreds of producers ranging from boutique to corporate. The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980s, when producers scooped up vineyard lands and planted vines throughout the county. In the 1960s, a few key wine families settled the area and hedged their bets on the valley's world-class winemaking potential-and they were right.
One of the world's most highly regarded regions for wine production as well as tourism, the Napa Valley was responsible for bringing worldwide recognition to California winemaking.
