Wine Country

Last updated
Wine Country
Wine region
Domaine Carneros, Napa Valley, CA USA - panoramio (9) (cropped).jpg
Castello di Amorosa courtyard 2.JPG
Hop Kiln (Walters Ranch), May 2012.jpg
Via Sattui Winery - panoramio (cropped).jpg
Chateau Montelena Winery.gk.jpg
Autumn in Napa Valley vineyards.jpg
Top to bottom to right: Domaine Carneros in Los Carneros AVA ; Castello di Amorosa in Napa Valley AVA ; the historic Walters Ranch Hop Kiln; V. Sattui Winery; Chateau Montelena in Calistoga AVA ; Inglenook in Rutherford AVA ; Napa Valley in autumn.
Year established1812
Years of wine industry1812–present
CountryUnited States
Part of California wine
Sub-regions Wine Country AVAs
Climate region Mediterranean

Wine Country is the region of California, in the northern San Francisco Bay Area, known worldwide as a premier wine-growing region. [1] The region is famed for its wineries, its cuisine, [2] Michelin star restaurants, boutique hotels, luxury resorts, historic architecture, [3] and culture. [4] Viticulture and wine-making have been practiced in the region since the Spanish missionaries from Mission San Francisco Solano established the first vineyards in 1812.

Contents

There are over 1700 wineries in the North Bay, (according to Alcoholic Beverage Control of California), mostly located in the area's valleys, including Napa Valley in Napa County, and the Sonoma Valley, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Bennett Valley, and Russian River Valley in Sonoma County. Wine grapes are also grown at higher elevations, such as Atlas Peak and Mount Veeder AVAs. [5] Cities and towns associated with the Wine Country include Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Sonoma, Kenwood, Petaluma, Sebastopol, Guerneville, Windsor, Geyserville, and Cloverdale in Sonoma County; Napa, Yountville, Rutherford, St. Helena and Calistoga in Napa County; and Hopland and Ukiah in Mendocino County. Wine is also becoming an important part of the economy in nearby Lake and Solano Counties.

Appellations

Hot air ballooning over Napa Valley. Napa Valley, United States (Unsplash Az3kQbCND2o).jpg
Hot air ballooning over Napa Valley.
Chateau and vineyards in Napa. Vineyard and Chateau - Napa.jpg
Chateau and vineyards in Napa.

Wine Country is generally regarded as the combined counties of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, and Solano. These counties contain the following American Viticultural Areas (AVAs): [6]

The six-county North Coast AVA overlaps with the Wine Country as defined here and also includes Marin County. In addition, the names of the counties themselves are legal for use as appellation names. [7]

History

Buena Vista Winery, in Sonoma, is the oldest commercial winery in California, founded in 1857. Buena Vista Winery, Sonoma, CA (cropped).jpg
Buena Vista Winery, in Sonoma, is the oldest commercial winery in California, founded in 1857.

The earliest prehistory of the Wine Country involves habitation by several Native American tribes from approximately 8000 BC. [8] The principal tribes living in this region included the Pomo, Coast Miwok, Wappo and Patwin, whose early peoples practiced certain forms of agriculture, but probably not involving the cultivation of grapes. During the Mexican Colonial period and after, European settlers brought in more intensive agriculture to the Wine Country, including growing grapes and wine production. Some of the historical events that led to the establishment of California as a state transpired in the Wine Country. In particular, the town of Sonoma, is known as the birthplace of American California. Agoston Haraszthy is credited with being one of the forefathers of the California wine industry in Sonoma by his planting of grapes in the lower Arroyo Seco Creek watershed of Sonoma County. [9]

In 2017, many portions of California's Wine Country were heavily devastated by wildfires, including the October 2017 Northern California wildfires. [10]

Ecology

Sonoma Mountain AVA vineyard in front of the Mayacamas Mountains. Sonomamtnvineyard.jpg
Sonoma Mountain AVA vineyard in front of the Mayacamas Mountains.

A diversity of aquatic and terrestrial organisms populate the Wine Country and its riparian zones. Winter-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tsawytscha), Delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are the most prominent fishes. Researchers have studied anadromous fish-movements extensively in Sonoma Creek and in the Napa River as well as in the Laguna de Santa Rosa - not only in the mainstems, but in many of the tributaries. These investigations have demonstrated a historical decline in spawning and habitat value for these species, primarily due to sedimentation [11] and secondarily to removal of riparian vegetation since the 19th century. [12]

Beringer Vineyards is Napa Valley's oldest continuously operating winery. Beringer Brothers-Los Hermanos Winery, 2000 Main St., St. Helena, CA 10-16-2011 2-18-03 PM.JPG
Beringer Vineyards is Napa Valley's oldest continuously operating winery.

A variety of salamanders, snakes and frogs are also present in the Wine Country. The federally listed as threatened California red-legged frog is present in the northern reach draining the south slopes of Annadel State Park. [13] Several endangered species (mostly associated with the Napa Sonoma Marsh) present include Ridgway's rail (Rallus obsoletus), California black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis), California brown pelican (Pelicanus occudentalis), California freshwater shrimp ( Syncaris pacifica ), salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris ), Suisun shrew (Sorex ornatus sinuosus), Sacramento splittail (Pogonichtys macrolepidotus). The above are endangered species with the exception of the splittail, steelhead and black rail, which are federally designated as threatened. [14]

Charles Krug Winery, est. 1861, is a National Historic Landmark. Charles Krug Winery, 2800 St. Helena Hwy., St. Helena, CA 10-16-2011 3-23-11 PM (cropped).JPG
Charles Krug Winery, est. 1861, is a National Historic Landmark.

Upland ecosystems drained include mixed California oak woodland, chaparral and savannah woodland. [15] In these upland reaches one finds plentiful black-tailed deer, coyote, skunk, raccoon, opossum, wild turkey, turkey vulture, red-tailed hawk and occasionally bobcat and mountain lion. Prominent higher elevation trees include: Coast live oak, Garry oak, Pacific madrone, California buckeye, Douglas fir, whereas valley oak is prevalent on the Wine Country valley floors. [16]

Tourism

The Wine Country has undergone a boom in tourism. In 1975 there were only 25 Napa Valley wineries; [17] today there are well over 800 wineries in Napa and Sonoma Counties. [18] Tourists come to the region not only for wine tasting, but also for hiking, bicycling, hot air ballooning, and historic sites, as well as the extensive culinary choices.

Numerous notable chefs and restaurateurs are present in the Wine Country, including Thomas Keller, John Ash, and Sondra Bernstein. [19] Besides the obvious winery attractions, the Wine Country is known for the Sonoma County coastline along the Pacific Ocean, the Russian River valley, redwoods, hot spring baths, petrified forests and other natural areas.

Greystone Cellars, 2555 Main St., St. Helena, CA 10-16-2011 2-58-32 PM.JPG
The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone is a prestigious Napa culinary school.

The Wine Country tourism boom has its downside, exemplified by traffic congestion on State Route 29, particularly on summer weekends, when the number of tourists often exceeds the carrying capacity of the road. The Napa Valley is also experiencing pressures for increased urbanization and roadway upgrading. [20] There have also been issues related to regulating home sharing. After a boom in residents renting rooms in private homes, the city government of Napa was forced to require any Napa Airbnb properties to register. [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Napa County, California</span> County in California, United States

Napa County is a county north of San Pablo Bay located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 138,019. The county seat is the City of Napa. Napa County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Parts of the county's territory were given to Lake County in 1861.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonoma Valley</span> Valley in the North Bay region of California famous for winemaking

Sonoma Valley is a valley located in southeastern Sonoma County, California, in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Known as the birthplace of the California wine industry, the valley is home to some of the earliest vineyards and wineries in the state, some of which survived the phylloxera epidemic of the 1870s and the impact of prohibition in the early 20th century. Today, the valley's wines are promoted by the U.S. federal government's Sonoma Valley and Carneros AVAs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Valley AVA</span> Wine region in California

The Alexander Valley is a Californian American Viticultural Area (AVA) just north of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. It is home to many wineries and vineyards, as well as the city of Cloverdale. It is the largest and most fully planted wine region in Sonoma. Highway 101 runs through the valley, and the Russian River flows down the valley, surrounded by vineyards on both sides. From the higher elevations of the valley rim, there is a view as far south as Taylor Mountain and Sonoma Mountain. The region was named for Cyrus Alexander, owner of a part of the Rancho Sotoyome Mexican land grant, in 1847. Granted AVA status in 1984, the boundaries of the appellation are defined in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 27, Section 9.53.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Napa Valley AVA</span> Wine region

Napa Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Napa County, California. It was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) on January 27, 1981. Napa Valley is considered one of the premier wine regions in the world. Records of commercial wine production in the region date back to the nineteenth century, but premium wine production dates back only to the 1960s.

Knights Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Sonoma County, California. One of Sonoma County's original five AVAs, Knights Valley AVA was formally designated an American Viticultural Area on October 21, 1983. Knights Valley AVA includes approximately 37,000 acres (150 km2). Over 30 growers maintain the 2,000 acres (8 km2) planted to wine grape vineyards. The easternmost designated Sonoma County wine region, Knights Valley AVA has the warmest climate in the county. The valley lies between the Alexander Valley AVA and Chalk Hill AVA wine regions to the west and the Mayacamas Mountains to the east. Geographically, the appellation separates the rest of Sonoma County from the Napa Valley AVA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domaine Chandon California</span>

Domaine Chandon is a winery located in the town of Yountville, California, in the Napa Valley. Established in 1973 by Moët et Chandon, and led by businessman John Wright, who operated the company for over 20 years, it was the first French-owned sparkling wine producer in the Napa Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suisun Valley AVA</span>

The Suisun Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Solano County, California, located just east of the Napa Valley wine region in the Coast Range. It was established as a wine appellation on 27 December 1982, making it among the first AVAs of California, Napa Valley being the first.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ceja Vineyards</span>

Ceja Vineyards is a family-owned winery in Napa founded by Mexican-American immigrants. The Ceja family have been growers in the Napa and Sonoma valleys in California for three generations. The wine production company was founded in 1999 and focuses on premium wines. The principals are; Amelia Moran Ceja, President; Martha Ceja, Vice President; Pedro Ceja, Secretary; and Armando Ceja, Treasurer. As of 2008 production is around 10,000 cases per year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mendocino County wine</span>

The Mendocino County wine is an appellation that designates wine made from grapes grown mostly in Mendocino County, California. The region is part of the larger North Coast AVA and one of California's largest and most climatically diverse wine growing regions. Mendocino County is one of the northernmost commercial wine grape regions in the state with two distinct climate zones separated by the Mendocino Range. Ten American Viticultural Areas have been designated within Mendocino County. Mendocino is one of the leading wine growing regions for organically produced wine grapes. Nearly 25% of the acreage in Mendocino County is grown organically. In 2004, the residents of the county voted to become the first GMO-free county in the United States in an initiative that was supported by many of the county's largest wineries. The county's widespread focus on organic viticulture has inspired journalists to describe it as "California's organic wine Mecca".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonoma County wine</span> Wine made in Sonoma County, California

Sonoma County wine is wine made in Sonoma County, California, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Carneros AVA</span>

Los Carneros AVA is an American Viticultural Area which includes parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties in California, U.S.A. It is located north of San Pablo Bay. The proximity to the cool fog and breezes from the bay makes the climate in Los Carneros cooler and more moderate than the wine regions farther north in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley. The cooler climate has made Los Carneros attractive for the cultivation of cooler climate varietals like Pinot noir and Chardonnay. Many of the grapes grown in Los Carneros are used for sparkling wine production. Receiving its AVA status in 1983, the Carneros area was the first wine region in California to be defined by its climate characteristics rather than political boundaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Coast AVA</span> American Viticultural Area in California

The North Coast AVA is an American Viticultural Area in the state of California that encompasses grape-growing regions in six counties located north of San Francisco: Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, and Solano. This large appellation covers over 3,000,000 acres (5,000 sq mi) and includes a number of smaller sub-appellations that all share the common ecology trait of weather affected by the fog and breezes off the Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonoma Valley AVA</span>

The Sonoma Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California which centers on the Sonoma Valley in the southern portion of the county. The name 'Sonoma' means 'Valley of the Moon' in the local Native American dialect. The appellation is bordered by two mountain ranges: the Mayacamas Mountains to the east and the Sonoma Mountains to the west.

The Mendocino AVA is an American Viticultural Area encompassing Mendocino County, California, within the vast North Coast AVA. Within the appellation are several small AVAs, and applications are pending with the United States Department of the Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to create AVAs in the Sanel and Ukiah valleys along the Russian River. The Mendocino AVA is known for the cultivation of Mediterranean climate grapes including Carignan, Charbono, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Zinfandel. The cooler climate in the Anderson Valley is known for its Pinot noir and sparkling wine production. Many wineries in nearby Sonoma and Napa counties purchase Mendocino grapes to blend into wines labeled with other appellations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spring Mountain District AVA</span> American Viticultural Area in California, United States

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California wine</span> Wine made from grapes grown in California, United States

California wine production has a rich viticulture history since 1680 when Spanish Jesuit missionaries planted Vitis vinifera vines native to the Mediterranean region in their established missions to produce wine for religious services. In the 1770s, Spanish missionaries continued the practice under the direction of the Father Junípero Serra who planted California's first vineyard at Mission San Juan Capistrano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Napa County wine</span> Appelation that designates wine in Napa County, CA

Napa County wine refers to the viticulture and winemaking in Napa County, California, United States. County names in the United States automatically qualify as legal appellations of origin for wine produced from grapes grown in that county and do not require registration with the United States Department of the Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). TTB was created in January 2003, when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, or ATF, was extensively reorganized under the provisions of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calistoga AVA</span> Designated wine grape-growing region in the United States

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).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moon Mountain District Sonoma County</span> American Viticultural Area in California

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.

References

  1. ↑ Elkjer, Thom (2002). Fodor's Escape to the Wine Country: California's Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino. Fodor's. ISBN   978-0-679-00918-4.
  2. ↑ Michael Chiarello, Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking: Wine Country Recipes for Family and Friends, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California.
  3. ↑ Whitesides, Mary (2004). Wine Country: Architecture and Interiors. Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith.
  4. ↑ Molly Chappellet, Gardens of the Wine Country, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California.
  5. ↑ Appelation America.com
  6. ↑ "Title 27, Part 9: American Viticultural Areas". Code of Federal Regulations.
  7. ↑ "Title 27, Section 4.25(a)". Code of Federal Regulations.
  8. ↑ Stewart, Suzanne B., Time before Time: Prehistory and Archaeology in the Lake Sonoma Area. Sacramento, CA: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1985.
  9. ↑ Charles Sullivan, Zinfandel: A History of a Grape and Its Wine, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press, 2003.
  10. ↑ Fuller, Thomas; Perez-Pena, Richard; Bromwich, Jonah Engel (October 10, 2017). "Wildfires Burn Out of Control Across Northern California; 17 Are Dead". The New York Times . Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  11. ↑ Sonoma Creek Watershed Limiting Factors Analysis, Sonoma Ecology Center, with support from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, December 2004.
  12. ↑ Bland, Alastair (November 18, 2019). "Wine Moguls Destroy Land And Pay Small Fines As Cost Of Business, Say Activists". NPR News. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  13. ↑ San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program Fifth Year Report Archived 2007-06-21 at the Wayback Machine pg 19
  14. ↑ "Baylands Ecosystem Habitat Goals" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-03-26. Retrieved 2007-04-19.
  15. ↑ California's woodlands
  16. ↑ Wildlife:The Importance of Hardwood Habitat for Wildlife in California, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1987
  17. ↑ "Napa Valley Wine Tasting Tours". Wine Country Tour Shuttle. Archived from the original on August 22, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Fodor's California Wine Country Online". 2006.
  19. ↑ Bernstein, Sondra (2004). The Girl & the Fig Cookbook: More than 100 Recipes from the Acclaimed California Wine Country Restaurant. ISBN   0-7432-5521-6.
  20. ↑ "Trancas Road/California State Route 29 Intersection Improvements". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-04-02.
  21. ↑ Yune, Howard (September 4, 2015). "Napa planners support Airbnb-type home rental ordinance". Napa Valley Register.
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