Napa

Photo: Stan Shebs CC BY-SA 3.0

Napa Valley's fame is all the more remarkable for having been built over only the last 60 years, as compared with the centuries of viticultural history enjoyed by it's European rivals. Napa has its glitzy tasting rooms and celebrity wineries, but these are only possible because the astounding range of soils, temperatures and altitudes produce some of the greatest wines on earth. Napa is most associated with big, bold Cabernet Sauvignon, but look a little deeper into the woods, higher up the mountain slopes, and farther down the gravel lanes, and you'll discover a world of variety in this small valley in Northern California.