A wine-lover’s guide to the Napa Valley

Aug 30

California’s Napa Valley is widely recognized as one of the world’s top wine-growing regions. Within the valley, there is a huge diversity of climates, soils and topographies, and these variations make a big difference in the way a wine turns out. Understanding the Napa Valley’s many sub-regions is the key to finding the best wines for any wine-lover’s palate.

The valley is divided into 16 sub-regions, which each have commonalities that distinguish them within the diversity of the Napa Valley. These areas are officially referred to as American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs. The characteristics of each region drastically change the flavor of the grapes grown there, and in turn, the wines they are made into. When you find a Napa wine you love, knowing which AVA it came from provides an easy pathway to finding others like it.

The AVAs of Napa

Here are Napa’s 16 AVAs and their primary climate characteristics, according to Napa Valley Vintners:

Atlas Peak

760-2600 ft

Climate: Cool, mountain influenced with temperatures about 10–15° cooler than the valley floor in summer; above the fog line, there is low day-to-night temperature range, with summer temperatures rarely rising above 90°.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay

Calistoga

300-1200 ft

Climate: Warm to hot, depending upon time of year. Daytime summer temperatures may peak above 100° and fall to low 40s° at night due to cool afternoon and evening breezes drawn in from the Chalk Hill Gap from the Pacific.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah

Chiles Valley

600-1200 ft

Climate: Fairly warmer summer days (mid-80°F plus), but due to higher elevation and summer fog at night, quite chilly at night (below 50°F). With colder winters and spring, as well as strong winds, harvest comes later than on valley floor at Oakville.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel

Coombsville

100-1000 ft

Climate: Weather is moderated by its proximity to the San Pablo Bay. Daily average high temperatures can be as much as 10 degrees cooler during the hot months than most other AVAs, and heat spikes tend to be less severe.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir

Diamond Mountain District

400-2200 ft

Climate: Moderately warm temperatures with lower maximum (90°F) and higher minimum (50°F) than the valley floor, due to topography and altitude. 50 to 90°F in growing season.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc

Howell Mountain

1400-2600 ft

Climate: Located above the fog line on the eastern side of the valley, the AVA is warmer and drier than other AVAs with more hours of sunshine and little-to-no marine influence.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Viognier

Los Carneros

Sea level-700 ft

Climate: Cool, with prevailing marine winds from the San Pablo Bay and through the Petaluma Gap to the west. High temperatures during summer rarely exceed 80°F with less diurnal range variation.
Principal Varieties: Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir

Mount Veeder

500-2600 ft

Climate: Cool to moderate, with most vineyards above the fog-line, meaning warmer nights and cooler days and less diurnal range than the valley floor. Typical mid-summer high temperatures about 85°F.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel

Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley

Sea level-800 ft

Climate: Moderate to cool: marine air and fog can remain until late-morning. Late afternoon breezes frequently occur, maintaining slightly cooler temperatures than upper valley. Mid-summer temperatures may reach 92° F and drop to around 50°F at night.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling

Oakville

130-1000 ft

Climate: Moderately warm, with temperatures commonly in the mid-90°F range in high summer, but also still strongly affected by night and early morning fog, which helps keep acidity levels good. East side of the AVA receives warmer afternoon sun.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Franc

Rutherford

155-500 ft

Climate: Moderately warm, still marginally influenced by early morning fog. Western bench area is cooler, with less late afternoon sun, tempered by afternoon marine winds. (This AVA averages a bit warmer than Oakville and Stags Leap District). Usual summer peak temperatures are mid-90°F with a large diurnal range.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Franc

Spring Mountain District

600-2600 ft

Climate: Cool to moderate depending on elevation and aspect. Most vineyards sit above the fog line, providing warmer nights and cooler days than the valley floor. typical mid-summer high temperatures reach 85°.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Zinfandel

St. Helena

200-475 ft

Climate: Warm, due to greater protection from western hills, with less fog or wind incursions. This narrowest part of the Napa Valley floor floor provides more heat reflection off the hillsides. Mid-summer temperature peak is often in tmid-to-high 90°s.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, Viogner

Stags Leap District

Sea level-400 ft

Climate: Moderately warm with afternoon marine winds acting as an "air-conditioner" to cool the warmer air radiating off the bare rocks of Stags Leap itself and the surrounding hillsides. Mid-summer temperatures can reach 100°F, but more regularly are in mid-90° range.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc

Wild Horse Valley

850-2130 ft

Climate: Due to elevation and proximity to San Pablo Bay, it is the coolest of all the Napa Valley AVAs. The air mass that passes over Carneros cools another 10 degrees by the time it rises to the AVA.
Principal Varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay

Yountville

20-200 ft

Climate: Moderate, with cool marine influence and fog contributing to cool summer mornings and the strong breezes of San Pablo Bay keeping afternoons more comfortable than further up valley. Mid-summer peak temperatures may reach low90°F, with noticeable diurnal fluctuation to the mid-50°F range.
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

Where do Backstage Winery’s grapes come from?

Backstage Winery is located in the Oak Knoll District of the Napa Valley, but our grapes grow on small vineyards in eight different Napa Valley AVAs. Each wine we create is made with grapes from a single vineyard. By choosing a variety of growing locations, we’re able to showcase the varying regions of the Napa Valley through our wines.

Matt Pera