HISTORY OF THE NAPA VALLEY

What's in a Name
Meaning “land of plenty”, the Napa Valley name was given to the area by the native Wappo Indian population. Word of the region's abundance and temperate climate spread quickly in the 19th century and by the late 1840s the area was teeming with quicksilver mines and lumber mills.

Historical Napa Valley
The region's popularity grew when steamships began traveling the three-hour trip from San Francisco to the city of Napa via the Napa River. A railroad line soon became available from the ferry terminal at Vallejo on the shores of San Pablo Bay to the city of Calistoga, creating new access to the healing waters of Calistoga's famed geothermal hot springs.

The Napa Valley has weathered some tough times in its relatively short history. The Valley's once-famed Silverado Mine was exhausted in 1875 after just three years of operation. In 1893 an outbreak of phylloxera, a serious grapevine disease, crippled many of the Valley's 140 wineries.

Prohibition, enacted in 1920, dealt the final blow to the early wine industry. Only a handful of wineries survived the thirteen years of Prohibition by producing sacramental wines and selling grapes to home winemakers. Today, however, with vision and perseverance, the industry has greatly surpassed its earlier "golden age," and now boasts more than 400 wineries, producing some of the world's finest wines.

Preservation
The Napa Valley continues to be a thriving agricultural area, a unique characteristic within the San Francisco Bay Area. This is thanks to a group of concerned citizens who in 1968 had the foresight to create the first Agricultural Preserve in the United States. A land zoning ordinance voted on by a majority of the county's citizens established agriculture and open space as the “best use” for the land within Napa County. The "Ag Preserve” designates more than 438,000 acres (177,300 hectares) within Napa County as agricultural preserve or watershed protection lands.

DESTINATION FACTS

Location
The Napa Valley stretches approximately 35 miles (56 km) in a northwesterly direction; its width varies from approximately 5 miles (8 km) wide at its widest point near the City of Napa in the south to approximately one mile wide near the northern-most town of Calistoga.

Napa Valley's five regions include, from north to south: Calistoga, St. Helena, Rutherford/Oakville/ Yountville, the city of Napa, and Lake Berryessa/American Canyon.

Driving there
• Interstate 80 lies 6 miles (9.5 km) to the east
• Highway 101 lies 25 miles (40km) to the west
• Napa County is serviced by US Highways 29, 121, 12 and 128
• Highway 29 is the County's main north-south artery and wine trail
• The Silverado Trail is the secondary wine route, running essentially parallel to Highway 29 on the east side of the Valley, connected by a number of vineyard-lined cross roads.

Flying there
• San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento International Airports are each approximately 60 miles (85 km) away, and can be reached within 1.5 hours driving time from the southwest, southeast and north.
• The county operates a private, general aviation airport; charter flights are available, but not scheduled commercial flights. The airport can accommodate most private aircraft including jets up to 120,000 pounds (54,000 kilos), dual tandem wheels, and/or a G-5. Hangar space rental is also available.

Press Contact
Margaux Lushing
Margaux@visitnapavalley.com
707-260-0114

Geographic features
The Mayacamas Mountains border the Valley on the west, and the Vaca Range on the east. Rocky knolls and alluvial fans interrupt the level expanses of the Valley floor, remnants of geologic occurrences in the past.

Land Area: Almost the entire county is the Napa Valley AVA—only areas around Lake Berryessa and east are not part of the AVA.
Highest Point: Mount St. Helena - 4,334 feet high (1321 m).
Lowest Point: Sea level in Carneros and American Canyon.
Largest Lake: Lake Berryessa - 21 miles long (34 km).
Napa County encompasses 504,450 acres (788.2 square miles) in total and just over 45,000 acres (72,420 hectares) are planted in vineyards – approximately 9 percent of Napa County.

Climate and Average Temperatures
The Napa Valley is located within the Mediterranean climate zone, which encompasses just two percent of the earth's surface. This climate allows for great consistency vintage-to-vintage for growing the best wine grapes.
Season Avg. High Avg. Low
Spring 75 49
Summer 82 55
Fall 70 49
Winter 62 42

While these are averages Valley-wide, the southern reaches of the region are warmer and drier in winter, and cooler and moister in summer because of seasonal fog that creeps up from San Pablo Bay at night. Temperatures in the northern part of the Valley can be as much as ten degrees warmer than the Carneros region on any given day in the summer. Diurnal shifts – wide swings of temperatures from day to night – during the growing season help the grapes retain acidity that supports good balance in the wines. All of this sets the stage for the great diversity of microclimates within the Napa Valley AVA overall, and what allows grape growers and winemakers to produce top-quality wines from Albarino to Zinfandel.

Viticulture
Only four percent of California's wines are made in the Napa Valley though the region represents over 25 percent of the total value of California's wine economy. With over 400 wine brands, 95 percent of which are family owned and operated, it is the world's most densely concentrated winery region.

Highest Point: Mt. St. Helena - 4,334 feet high (1321 m)
Largest Lake: Lake Berryessa - 21 miles long (34 km)

VISITOR HIGHLIGHTS AND AMENITIES

Lodging
With more than 5000 rooms in 150 properties, the Napa Valley offers a wide variety world-class lodging, ranging from 5-star luxury resorts to intimate bed & breakfasts.

Dining
The Napa Valley's culinary scene is thriving, including more than 125 restaurants. In 2012, Napa Valley restaurants were awarded 14 Michelin stars – more than any other wine region in the world, per capita.

Activities
• Historic downtowns with locally own boutiques and shops offer unique shopping experiences
• Natural geothermal springs and volcanic mud baths provide a foundation for Napa Valley's famed spas and special regionally-inspired spa treatments
• Approximately 120 wineries are open to the public (walk-in or by appointment) and offer engaging and educational tasting experiences
• Outdoor activities include hot air ballooning, biking, hiking and horse riding
• Culinary activities include classes at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone and other venues, and the Napa Valley Wine Train
• Seven golf courses are surrounded by rolling vineyards and forested nature preserves
• Cultural & heritage institutions include the Napa Valley Opera House and Uptown Theater in Napa, the Napa Valley Museum in Yountville, the Cameo Cinema in St. Helena, and the Sharpsteen Museum in Calistoga

Transportation
Twenty transportation companies offer transport to groups and individual travelers. Aerial experiences include hot air ballooning and helicopter tours. Public bus transportation known as “The Vine” is available within the capital city of Napa and between the main towns.

Major Events
November through April is Napa Valley Cabernet Season - a time when the pace slows, the wines are aging in cellars, and the local community shares in the celebration of the Valley's natural beauty, wine, food, arts and wellness activities.

January: Napa Valley Restaurant Month, Napa Truffle Festival
February: Annual Napa Valley Marathon
April: Napa Valley Arts in April
June: Auction Napa Valley
July: Festival del Sole Classical Music Festival
Sep - Nov: Harvest festivals and celebrations throughout the region
November: Napa Valley Film Festival; NVArts Month; Flavor! Napa Valley - a celebration of Wine, Food & Fun
December: Calistoga Lighted Tractor Parade; Yountville Festival of Lights & Winterscape; Napa Historic B&B Tour; Meadowood Resort's 12 Days of Christmas Dinner Series