Wine region | |
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Type | American Viticultural Area |
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Year established | 2024 [1] |
Years of wine industry | 154 [2] |
Country | United States |
Part of | California, North Coast AVA, Napa County, Napa Valley AVA |
Other regions in California, North Coast AVA, Napa County, Napa Valley AVA | Los Carneros AVA, Howell Mountain AVA, Wild Horse Valley AVA, Stags Leap District AVA, Mt. Veeder AVA, Atlas Peak AVA, Spring Mountain District AVA, Oakville AVA, Rutherford AVA, St. Helena AVA, Chiles Valley AVA, Yountville AVA, Diamond Mountain District AVA, Coombsville AVA, Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA, Calistoga AVA [3] |
Soil conditions | Weathered and eroded igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks made of tuff [2] |
Total area | 4,117 acres (6.4 sq mi) [1] |
Size of planted vineyards | 230 acres (93 ha) [1] |
No. of vineyards | 30 [1] |
Grapes produced | Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc [4] |
Crystal Springs of Napa Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Napa County, California within the boundaries of the prestigious Napa Valley AVA. The 4,117 acres (6 sq mi) viticultural area was established as the state's 154th AVA on October 16, 2024 by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury after reviewing the petition from Steven Burgess, president of Burgess Cellars, Inc., submitted on behalf of local vineyard owners and winemakers proposing the viticultural area named "Crystal Springs of Napa Valley." [1] [2] [4]
Crystal Springs is the 17th viticultural area established in the 120,000 acres (188 sq mi), 40-year-old, world-renown Napa Valley AVA that lies within the expansive multi-county North Coast appellation. Crystal Springs does not overlap with any of the adjacent viticultural areas. TTB modified the proposed Crystal Springs and the existing Calistoga AVA boundaries responding to comments received during the petition review period. To accommodate an existing vineyard whose terroir matches the proposed AVA, approximately 11 acres (4 ha) of the Crystal Springs Vineyard, previously within the Calistoga AVA, and its remaining 6 acres (2 ha) were placed entirely within the Crystal Springs AVA borders. The comment noted the vineyard’s name displays association with the "Crystal Springs" name and shares a similar climate, hillside topography and soils of the AVA. The vineyard elevations are between 500 and 1,200 ft (152 and 366 m), which is within Crystal Springs' range of elevations above the floor of the Calistoga Valley and below the 1,400 ft (427 m) mountainous levels of the adjacent Howell Mountain AVA. At TTB's announcement, Crystal Springs encompasses only 4,117 acres (6.4 sq mi), with 30 vineyards cultivating about 230 acres (93 ha), making it one of the smallest AVA in the country. [1] [2]
Crystal Springs of Napa Valley is locally referred to simply as "Crystal Springs." The petitioner added the phrase "of Napa Valley" to distinguish the viticultural area from the numerous locations in the United States that are also named "Crystal Springs." The appellation gets its name from the dozens of crystal springs in local hillsides and describes the west-facing slopes of the Vaca Range from Mount Saint Helena to Soda Springs. In the 1870's, the Crystal Springs Rural Health Retreat, a Seventh-day Adventist undertaking, was founded and built by Dr. John Kellogg and others in the St. Helena locale as a sanitarium promoting various types of water treatments. [5] The modern hospital, Adventist Health St. Helena, currently sits on the former sanitarium property on which Crystal Springs Resort still stands. One of the buildings on the hospital campus is named Crystal Springs Manor. [2]
The petition also included several additional examples of current use of the term “Crystal Springs” within the area. For example, Crystal Springs Road and North Fork Crystal Springs Road both run through the region. Also, the Crystal Springs Vineyard is resident in the AVA. An article about biking in the region lists the “Silverado–Howell Mountain–Crystal Springs–Franz Valley–Ida Clayton” route. A 2016 article in the Napa Valley Register about a conflict between residents in the proposed AVA and the owner of a winery was titled, “Crystal Springs neighbors trying to stop Woodbridge's winery project”. Finally, a real estate video for an estate in the proposed AVA is titled “North Crystal Springs Estate, Napa Valley”. [2]
Viticulture in the Crystal Springs region goes back to circa 1870s. 1884 was when the Rossinis purchased the property that became Souverain, and is now Burgess Cellars. Albino Pestoni immigrated from a small Swiss village and established a vineyard in the 1898 and currently many vintners are sourcing fruits from the Crystal Springs area. [2] [6] The Crystal Springs region was the origin of the 2020 Glass Fire.
The distinguishing feature of the Crystal Springs viticultural area in Napa Valley is its topography. The petition describes the AVA as an “all hillside” region with no flat areas or natural lakes exist along the western face of the Vaca Range. However, being hillside, there are springs and seasonal creeks as well as drainages. Slopes are generally west-to-southwesterly facing, and slope angles range from 15 to 40 percent. Elevations range from 400 to 1,400 ft (122–427 m). According to the petition, the reason for limiting the AVA to this range of elevations is that the 400 ft (122 m) contour marks the transition point between the foothills of the Vaca Range and the floor of the Napa Valley. Additionally, the 1,400 ft (427 m) contour along the northern boundary of the AVA coincides with the southern boundary of the established Howell Mountain AVA. To the north of the AVA, the elevations rise up to 2,200 ft (671 m) within the established Howell Mountain AVA. The topography of the Howell Mountain AVA contains hillsides, like Crystal Springs of Napa Valley AVA, but also has a rolling, plateau-like feature at the summit. The region to the east of the AVA has elevation similar to those of the AVA, but the slopes have a more easterly-to-northeasterly exposure. South and west of the AVA are the established St. Helena and Calistoga AVAs, which have lower elevations and include the flat lands along the floor of the Napa Valley. The petition describes slope angles within the established St. Helena AVA as mostly less than 5 percent, while the established Calistoga AVA is described as having “a multitude of slopes, from steep mountains to benchlands to fans, to flat valley floors to riparian habitats.” According to the petition, the topography of the Crystal Springs of Napa Valley AVA has a major effect on viticulture. For instance, the western and southwestern aspects of the viticultural area slopes receive larger amounts of solar radiation than slopes with northern or eastern aspects, allowing grapes to mature easily each growing season. Additionally, the petition states that the soils within the AVA are shallower than the soils in the neighboring valleys because natural weathering processes have moved the soils downhill and into the valleys. [1]
Crystal Springs of Napa Valley AVA now officially describes most of the lower elevations of the Howell Mountains, from 400 to 1,400 ft (120–430 m), while the elevated area above is the Howell Mountain AVA. Below 400 ft (120 m) to the valley floor defines the Calistoga and St Helena AVAs. [1]
The Vaca Range in Crystal Springs is volcanic in origin. From the palisades made of igneous rocks, to metamorphic and sedimentary rocks made of tuff. Some areas also have obsidian and red volcanics. [2]
The most significant effect of topography is on the climate of the Crystal Springs. The topography contributes to the AVA's frost-free and reliable growing period. First, the cold air does not remain on its hillsides. Instead, cold air flows downhill and pools in the lower elevations on the floor of the Napa Valley in the neighboring St. Helena and Calistoga AVAs, making frost more common in those regions. Due to the frost threat on the valley floor and higher elevations, vineyards within the affected Calistoga, St. Helena and Howell Mountain AVAs require frost protection measures such as orchard fans, heaters, sprinklers, or misters. By contrast, vineyards in the Crystal Springs AVA do not require frost protection. Additionally, since elevations within Crystal Springs are below 1,400 ft (427 m), the region is not as susceptible to frost caused by adiabatic cooling, also known as elevation cooling. According to the petition, adiabatic cooling can lower temperatures by 3 to 6 °F (−16 to −14 °C) per 1,000 ft (300 m) of elevation. As a result, higher elevations in the adjacent Howell Mountain viticultural area have a higher risk for damaging frosts. In fact, the petition notes that the use of frost protection measures in Howell Mountain vineyards commonly extends into June. By contrast, Crystal Springs of Napa Valley does not have frost concerns during its bud break period. [1] [2]
Weathering and erosion over millions of years has left little top soil, therefore exposed rocks including parent material are common. Uplifting and weathering has made the available soils quite varied even within a parcel. Soils are important, but they are tertiary concern compared to climate, exposure and slope in viticulture. The hills are covered mostly with drought-tolerant species such as oaks, chaparral, ghost pines and manzanita. [2]
Topography is the key distinguishing feature of Crystal Springs of Napa Valley according to the submitted petition. It sits adjacent to the borders of St. Helena and Calistoga AVAs and in the foothills below Howell Mountain. Vineyards here are often mistaken for being located within the Howell Mountain AVA where its elevation boundary starts at the 1,400 ft (427 m) contour above the maritime fogline, whereas Crystal Springs' vineyards lie below that contour level and are often shrouded in fog, which makes a crucial difference in a wine's flavor profile. [7]
The most famous winery in Crystal Springs is the 40-year-old Viader whose founding winemaker, Delia Viader, said she doesn't need the new AVA designation because her brand has already been established with the Napa Valley label. Julien Fayard makes a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from the new AVA for Somnium Vineyard, founded by race-car driver Danica Patrick, and a single-vineyard Merlot for Brion, a much smaller winery. "It's a very rough area with a lot of volcanic rock. It's very steep," Fayard told Wine-Searcher. "Not a lot of vegetation. The cooling effect really helps. Cabernet Sauvignon is mostly what is planted, but Somnium is planted with a large amount of Cabernet Franc, almost 30 percent." [7]
Salvestrin is the only winery to date to make a wine with "Crystal Springs" on the label. For several years it made a Sauvignon Blanc from Crystal Springs Vineyard and the last vintage of that wine was in 2021. The vineyard was sold and Salvestrin lost its lease on it, so the winery transitioned to making a Napa Valley AVA Sauvignon Blanc. "There's lots of water in that region. Good wells, good water," Richard Salvestrin told Wine-Searcher. "The property that we farmed had the spring called Crystal Spring on it. There was definitely some wind that would develop based on the hillside flow. It got shading and afternoon breezes. That was great for the Sauvignon Blanc." Viader raises a valid point about how much the new AVA will matter. Previously wines from within the valley's undesignated areas were branded as Napa Valley AVA, which is the most valuable AVA name in the nation. Will Crystal Springs of Napa Valley boost the local vineyards' reputation? [7]
Napa Valley itself received AVA status more than 40 years ago, in 1981, and today it encompasses 17 official sub-zones, or "nested" AVAs. The Crystal Springs appellation, located in the foothills of Howell Mountain, is Napa Valley’s newest AVA in 13 years when Coombsville was the previous AVA addition established in 2011. [8]
The new AVA can finally help consumers understand what distinguishes Crystal Springs wines from others in Napa Valley, Steven Burgess explains. It could also command higher bottle prices. Burgess described Crystal Springs wines, mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, as having “extremely dark, complex flavors and rich aromatics.” [9] "The recognition of our sites with a formal AVA would make us proud and satisfied," said Burgess, who authored the petition of the application for Crystal Springs of Napa Valley submitted to the TTB. "Our choices to be hillside vintners where expenses are higher, [and] yields are lower would be recognised," he told Decanter. [10]
Livermore Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Alameda County, California, centered around the city of Livermore in the Tri-Valley region which is composed of Amador, San Ramon, and Livermore valleys. The valley was named by Robert Livermore, an 18th century landowner whose holdings encompassed the area who planted the first grapevines in the region. The 96,000 acres (150 sq mi) AVA was established on September 1, 1982 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by fifteen Livermore Valley vintners and growers to establish a viticultural area in Alameda County named "Livermore Valley."
Arroyo Seco is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Monterey County, California, southeast of Monterey Bay. The state's 15th appellation was established on May 16,1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by the Arroyo Seco Winegrowers and Vintners, an association composed of grape growers and vintners with vineyards, to establish a viticultural area within Monterey County known as "Arroyo Seco."
Washington wine is a wine produced from grape varieties grown in the U.S. state of Washington. Washington ranks second in the United States in the production of wine. By 2017, the state had over 55,000 acres (220 km2) of vineyards, a harvest of 229,000 short tons (208,000 t) of grapes, and exports going to over 40 countries around the world from the 940+ wineries located in the state. While there are some viticultural activities in the cooler, wetter western half of the state, the majority (99.9%) of wine grape production takes place in the shrub-steppe eastern half. The rain shadow of the Cascade Range leaves the Columbia River Basin with around 8 inches (200 mm) of annual rain fall, making irrigation and water rights of paramount interest to the Washington wine industry. Viticulture in the state is also influenced by long sunlight hours and consistent temperatures.
Red Mountain is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) that encompasses the local region surrounding Red Mountain in Benton County, Washington. The viticultural area was formally recognized on June 11, 2001 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Lorne Jacobson of Hedges Cellars to establish an area known as "Red Mountain." It lies entirely within the Yakima Valley and vast Columbia Valley appellations and is a small AVA in the state at only 4,040 acres (6.31 sq mi) in area and lies between Benton City and the City of West Richland. The area has more than 2,225 acres (900 ha) under cultivation of primarily red varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. The reputation of the area's wines has brought Red Mountain worldwide attention and acclaim for producing some of the most desired Washington State vintage wines.
Napa Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Napa County, California. The area was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on February 27, 1981 after reviewing the 1978 petition submitted by the Napa Valley Vintners and Napa Valley Grape Growers Association on behalf of valley vineyard owners and winemakers proposing to establish a viticultural area named "Napa Valley" as an appellation of origin in wine labeling and advertising would help consumers of wine to better identify Napa Valley wines. Napa Valley is considered one of the premier wine regions in the world.
Sonoma County wine is wine made in Sonoma County, California, in the United States.
St. Helena is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located within Napa Valley, centered in and around the town of St. Helena, California. It was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) on October 11, 1995, after the ATF received a petition from Mr. Charles A. Carpy, Chairman of the St. Helena Appellation Committee, proposing to establish a new viticultural area in Napa County to be known as "St. Helena."
The Chiles Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Napa County, California and a sub-region within Napa Valley AVA. It was established as California's 81st AVA by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) on April 19, 1999 after the ATF received the petition from Mr. Volker Eisele, owner of the Volker Eisele Vineyard and Winery proposing a new viticultural area in Napa County to be known as "Chiles Valley District".
Howell Mountain is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Napa County, California and the first sub-AVA within the internationally-acclaimed Napa Valley. The 14,080 acres (22 sq mi) region was effectively recognized on January 30, 1984 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by members of the grape-growing and wine-producing industries in the area proposing to establish a viticultural area named "Howell Mountain."
The Spring Mountain District AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Napa Valley AVA in California. Spring Mountain District AVA was officially established as an American Viticulture Area in 1993. Encompassed within its bounds are about 8,600 acres (3,480 ha), of which about 1,000 acres (400 ha) are planted to vineyards. Given the small crop yields on hillsides, the region represents less than 2% of Napa Valley wine. Currently the region has just over 30 winegrowers.
Lake County wine designates wine made from grapes grown mostly in Lake County, California. The region is located north of Napa County and east of Mendocino County. Although each region within Lake County has unique viticultural attributes, many are influenced by Clear Lake, the largest inland body of water in California.
Lake Chelan is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Washington state. The appellation lies about 112 miles (180 km) northeast of Seattle located in north-central Washington's Lake Chelan Valley and is a sub-appellation of the vast Columbia Valley AVA. It lies east of the Puget Sound viticultural area and north or west of the other Washington State viticultural areas. It borders the Columbia Valley viticultural area on is eastern side and does not include any portion of other Washington viticultural areas except the Columbia Valley AVA.
The Calistoga AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the northern portion of California's Napa Valley AVA. The appellation is distinguished by its volcanic soil, high temperatures up to 100 °F (38 °C) during the day, and cool nights during the growing season due to breezes from the Russian River, causing the highest diurnal temperature variation in the Napa Valley—up to 50 °F (28 °C).
Cakebread Cellars is a Napa Valley winery known for its Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines, which are internationally distributed. Founded in 1973 by Jack and Dolores Cakebread in Rutherford, California, the winery produces approximately 200,000 cases of wine per year.
Adelaida District is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located on the northwest portion of the Paso Robles AVA in San Luis Obispo County, California. It was established by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) on November 10, 2014 after reviewing the petition submitted by The Paso Robles Viticultural Area Committee (PRVAC) to establish 11 new distinct viticultural areas located within the spacious Paso Robles AVA. The 59 wine industry members who constitute PRVAC cumulatively own or manage over 10,000 acres (4,047 ha) of cultivated vineyards within the proposed AVAs. Wineries located within the Adelaida District are: The Farm Winery, Peachy Canyon Winery, Le Cuvier, Alta Colina, Carmody McKnight Estate Wines, Wild Coyote, Villicana, McPrice Myers, Jacob Toft, Chronic Cellars, Vines on the Marycrest, Nenow Family Wines, Hawks Hill Ranch, Adelaida Cellars, DAOU, Calcareous, Law Estate, Nadeau, Minassian Young, Michael Gill, Villa Creek, Brecon, HammerSky, Oso Libre, Poallilo, Thacher Winery, Whalebone Vineyard, Tablas Creek Vineyard, Halter Ranch, Rangeland, Justin, Kukkula, Dubost, and Starr Ranch.
Upper Hiwassee Highlands is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) that straddles two counties in the southwestern corner of North Carolina, United States, adjacent to the Tennessee border across state lines into three counties of northern Georgia. It is located near the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains and expands over portions of Cherokee and Clay Counties, North Carolina into Fannin, Towns and Union Counties, Georgia. The appellation was recognized, as the Georgia's initial and North Carolina's 4th AVA, on August 18, 2014 by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Eric Carlson, owner of Calaboose Cellars, on behalf of himself and members of the Vineyard and Winery Operators of the Upper Hiwassee River Basin group, proposing the establishment of the AVA to be designated "Upper Hiwassee Highlands."
Moon Mountain District Sonoma County is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) within Sonoma Valley and North Coast viticultural areas, just north of the city of Sonoma. This mountainous region on the very eastern edge of Sonoma County has a historic reputation for producing rich, intensely-flavored wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah varietals since the 1880s. The District was established on November 1, 2013, by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). Its designation covers 17,663 acres (28 sq mi) of land stretching north-south along the western slopes of the Mayacamas mountains between Sugarloaf Ridge State Park and Los Carneros viticultural area with the Napa Valley’s Mount Veeder viticultural area outlining the eastern slopes. Its name is derived from Moon Mountain Road, which traverses through the area and itself a reference to Sonoma, which means 'valley of the moon' in the local Native American dialect. A clear view to San Francisco 50 miles (80 km) south is not uncommon from Moon Mountain District vineyards.
Candy Mountain is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Washington that encompasses the slopes surrounding Candy Mountain in Benton County located southwest of Richland along the Columbia River. The viticultural area is the state's 16th AVA formally established on September 24, 2020, by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Dr. Kevin R. Pogue, professor of geology at Whitman College, on behalf of the following industry members with wine businesses within the Candy Mountain appellation: Ramer Holtan, who is developing a commercial wine grape vineyard on Candy Mountain; Premiere Columbia Partners LLC, owners of Candy Mountain Vineyard; and Paul and Vickie Kitzke, owners of Kitzke Cellars. For wines to bear the “Candy Mountain AVA” label, at least 85% of the grapes used for production must be grown in the designated area, Candy Mountain is a sub-appellation entirely within the Yakima Valley and the expansive Columbia Valley AVAs adjacent to the eastern boundary of Goose Gap AVA and few miles southeast of Red Mountain AVA. Within the 815 acres (330 ha) minute AVA, there are currently two producing commercial vineyards, Candy Mountain Vineyard and Kitzke Cellars, which cultivate approximately 54 acres (22 ha) with future expansions for 200 acres (81 ha)
White Bluffs is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located about 10 miles (16 km) north of Tri-Cities on the plateaus overlooking the Columbia River. The area lies entirely within the established vast Columbia Valley appellation. White Bluffs AVA was recognized by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau {TTB), Treasury on July 19, 2021, after reviewing the petition submitted by Whitman College professor and geologist, Dr. Kevin Pogue, on behalf of local winemakers and vineyard owners, proposing to establish the viticultural area named "White Bluffs." Within its 93,738 acres (146 sq mi), the area has nine commercial vineyards cultivating approximately 1,127 acres (456 ha) and a single winery. The distinguishing features of White Bluffs are its topography, geology, soils, and climate.
Dahlonega Plateau is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in the state of Georgia's northern region across portions of Lumpkin and White Counties. The state's 2nd appellation was recognized on July 30, 2018 by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Amy Booker, president of he Dahlonega–Lumpkin Chamber & Visitors Bureau, on behalf of the Vineyard and Winery Operators of the Dahlonega Region of Northern Georgia group, proposing the establishment of the AVA to be designated "Dahlonega Plateau."
38°33′34″N122°28′24″W / 38.55957091°N 122.47344224°W