Napa Valley

Napa Valley is an American wine region located in Napa County, California. It is considered one of the most prestigious wine-producing areas in the United States, with a wine-making heritage dating back to the 19th century. At the turn of the century, Napa Valley winemakers overcame the phylloxera crisis and then Prohibition, which affected alcohol sales in the United States from 1920 to 1933, and today offer wines of great renown.

Napa Valley enjoys a Mediterranean-type climate, subject to oceanic influences, with a geology and terrain conducive to the cultivation of quality vineyards.

The valley is home to 340 vineyards that use several grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, and others. Most estates produce a Napa Valley wine typical of the valley, and a few choose to blend or assemble their wines, using wines from the valley and surrounding hills. US law allows a Napa Valley wine to be labeled according to a grape variety if at least 75% of the grapes used belong to that variety. As a result, many Napa Valley wines labeled as Cabernet Sauvignon often contain a proportion of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Durif, or Syrah. Similarly, a wine can be labeled Napa Valley if at least 85% of the grapes come from the wine region of the same name, allowing winemakers to source grapes from other regions, often at lower prices, to blend their wine.