Yountville

In 1836, George Calvert Yount, one of Napa Valley’s earliest settlers, was granted his Rancho Caymus by the Mexican government, which still controlled the area. The hunter and trapper soon planted the first vineyard in the area just outside the town that now bears his name.

Since then, vineyards have always existed in the appellation. Today, the wines of Yountville are known internationally. Great wine houses reside here and continue a proud heritage of winegrowing. Many people rank Yountville wines among the very best of the Napa Valley.

Just above the Los Carneros AVA, the Yountville AVA has one of the valley’s coolest vineyard exposures. A definite marine influence and overnight fog contributes to cool summer mornings and the marine breezes keep afternoons more comfortable than further up valley. Mid-summer peak temperatures may reach 90°F, with noticeable day time fluctuations to the mid-50°F range. Its long, chilly growing season produces incredibly long-lived Cabernet Sauvignon, with rock-hard tannins and deep concentration.

At just 20 to 200 feet in elevation the Yountville appellation sits on the valley floor. Made up of a little over 8,000 acres in area, nearly half of the appellation is under vine. Those vines are planted principally in gravelly silt loams of sedimentary origin, and rocky, gravelly alluvial soils. Rainfall amounts to about 32 inches a year, with most of that falling in the winter months as is typical of the rest of the valley.

Yountville favors the Cabernet and Merlot grapes and produces wines with ripe, violety aromas and rich but supple flavors and firm tannins.