History of Napa Valley Wines

Wine aficionados and casual wine drinkers alike know one thing to be true — there’s no beating Napa Valley wines.

One of the most premier wine regions in the world, Napa Valley is known as the winemaking capital of America for a reason. The area’s Mediterranean climate is tailor made for producing the best wine grapes in the country, with a diverse terroir that allows many different varieties of grapes to thrive.

However, Napa Valley hasn’t always been the winemaking giant that we know it to be today. To fully appreciate the beauty of the Napa we all love, you first have to understand the area’s rich history.

Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about the history and development of Napa Valley wines.

A History of Napa Valley Wines

Like many of the world’s most iconic people, places, and things, Napa Valley came from humble beginnings. It was once nothing more than unsettled land — until the first settlers came to Napa, completely unaware of the fact that they were about to change the world of winemaking forever.

The Beginning of Napa Valley Wine Country

Winemaking in Napa got its start in the 1830s, when settlers first came to the area, recognizing its potential for something great. George Calvert Yount planted the first grape seeds, and this early step was developed further when Joseph Osborne came to the area in the 1850s, bringing with him a passion for the production of fine wine.

Napa’s First Vineyards

As people began to realize just how perfect Napa’s land was for growing grapes, the first vineyards began to sprout up. Joseph Osborne planted on land that he dubbed Oak Knoll — the beginning of the Oak Knoll AVA. Meanwhile, John Patchett also started planting vines in the 1850s alongside Charles Krug — the founder of the first winery in Napa Valley.

From there, vineyards would pop up all across the valley — the beginning of something great.

An Outpouring of Challenges

Just as Napa began to flourish, however, the area was hit with multiple blows that would be no easy job to recover from. At the time, these challenges felt insurmountable — but the stubborn tenacity of Napa Valley winemakers would eventually prevail, despite the difficulties they faced.

Phylloxera

Phylloxera is a parasitic insect that affects particular varieties of vines. It takes roughly 15 years to be detected, as it works by burrowing into a vine and creating open wounds within the vine’s root system, allowing fungi to invade.

In other words, it’s a vineyard’s worst nightmare.

Phylloxera was first seen in Europe before making its way to America, probably via vines brought to the new land from overseas. The parasite spread like wildfire, destroying an estimated 80-90% of grapevines in Napa Valley between 1890-1900. This was devastating to Napa vineyards, which were just beginning to get their footing and start to thrive.

Prohibition

Phylloxera was damaging, no doubt — but the true death blow to Napa’s wine industry came through the passing of Prohibition.

When the Volstead Act, otherwise known as the National Prohibition Act, became law in in 1919 and was immediately followed by the passing of the 18th Amendment, Napa Valley changed nearly overnight. The production, transportation, and sale of alcohol became illegal, and Napa Valley’s winemaking community was devastated.

The community wouldn’t go down without a fight, it’s true, and remnants of what once had been could still be seen if you knew where to look. It wasn’t illegal to grow grapes, and while the crops were still struggling to an extent from phylloxera, vineyards could, in fact, still produce grapes. Bootlegging began to run rampant, with DIY winemaking becoming all the rage.

Furthermore, wine was still legal for medicinal and religious purposes, so a few wineries turned to a new market in order to still remain open. Whether or not those wines were actually used solely for medicinal and sacramental purposes? Well, that’s another question entirely.

A Rebirth of an Industry: Napa Valley’s Most Popular Early Wines

As Napa began to grow and flourish again in the years following Prohibition, growers and winemakers began to discover which grapes were the best fit for the area. Napa’s diverse land allows for a wide variety of grapes to grow well, but there were definitely a few standouts from the very beginning.
Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Grenache were a few of the most popular red grape varieties grown during this time in the Napa Valley, with Riesling and Muscat among the most popular choices of white grapes.

As the years passed, winemaking in Napa continued to develop, culminating in an event that would change the landscape of American winemaking forever — the famed Judgment of Paris tasting of 1976. In this world-renowned wine tasting competition, Napa Valley wines received top honors, beating their European counterparts in several categories. No longer could anyone question the quality of Napa Valley wines — the results stood for themselves.

Napa Valley Wines Today

Today, Napa Valley stands tall as the most esteemed winemaking area in America, and is noted alongside the most iconic wine capitals of the world — France, Italy, Spain. Napa wines are praised and respected for their brilliance, complexity, and fullness.

While Napa is known for many different wines, a few stand out above the rest. Cabernet Sauvignon reigns supreme in Napa, both as the top grape widely planted in the area as well as the most renowned wine. People come from all over the world to experience Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for themselves, and the results are never less than extraordinary.

However, Cabernet Sauvignon is not the only red wine to make a name for itself in Napa Valley. Merlot and Pinot Noir are favorites in the area, and Zinfandel has continued to be beloved in the area after all these years.

White wines, too, have a place in Napa Valley’s fame. Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay wines are the most common in the area, and are unlike any other white wines in the world. Chenin Blanc, Riesling, and Viognier are also known to call Napa home.

At the end of the day, whether you prefer Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay in your wine glass, one thing is for certain: you’ll never be disappointed when you’re sipping a Napa Valley wine.

Experience the Best Napa Valley Wines at Davis Estates

At Davis Estates, we’re proud to be a part of the rich winemaking legacy of Napa Valley. Our family has been a staple of the Napa wine community since 2011, when we began restoring this beloved century-old estate winery, and it has been a joy to see this historic site flourish into the 21st century.

We offer a wide range of wines, from beloved reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot to stunning whites such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. We have no doubt that we can help you discover your new favorite wine.

Make a reservation to stop by our tasting room and see for yourself why Napa Valley wines truly are the best in the world.