Introduction
The wineries of Napa Valley, California are among the most known among wine lovers all over the world. For some, a visit to this region is a permanent dream vacation due to its pleasant climate and beautiful scenery. It is located in Northern California, and you can hire the best limo tours to explore the valley.
The following are the things that you can see in Napa Valley:
Location
If you have ever been to the Napa Valley, you will immediately relate to this. Napa Valley starts on the north end of San Pablo Bay just off of the San Francisco Bay. Just inland from the bay start two small mountain ranges about 5 miles apart that proceed north. The valley in between those two sets of hills is the Napa Valley. And, as the hills go north, the two ranges get closer together. So, on the southern end, they are wide apart, and on the northern end, in Calistoga, they are only about a mile apart. This is the key.
Because of this geography, you get a wide range of climate and soil.
Cold weather
This is why the Napa Valley is so unique. In the Carneros region at the southern end, the climate is cooler with more overcast or fog. This is perfect for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. As you travel up the valley, the climate is progressively warmer with more sun. So, at the north end, Calistoga is much hotter and dryer and is great for Zinfandel and other warm varietals.
Vineyards
The Napa Valley is only 38 miles long, yet contains a full spectrum of growing regions called appellations. That is the key to Napa Valley’s greatness. In a relatively short distance, you can efficiently build a wide variety of great grapes that turn into terrific wine.
And it isn’t just the valley floor that makes for great fruit. The surrounding hills provide incredible growing regions for hardy varietals.
Wineries
There are over 400 wineries in the valley, and they all have their own, unique wines and winemaking philosophies. Some wineries and wine makers produce good wine, while others produce fabulous wines. And, many of the fantastic wines are very reasonably priced, but we’ll cover that in another article.
Conclusion
Napa Valley is a terrific destination for wine lovers and those wanting to learn about wine. A large number of wineries in this beautiful valley enable you to see, taste and learn a great deal in a short stay.