The Napa Valley is, indisputably, one of the world’s most recognized wine regions. The region received its American Viticultural Area (AVA) designation in 1981, making it California’s first AVA, and the country’s second overall.

In the decades since, the growers and winemakers in the region have worked to gain a greater understanding of the climate and soil types within the AVA and, in doing so, have learned that the region is actually home to many different, distinct meso- and microclimates, each suited to specific grape varieties and winemaking styles. This has resulted in the designation of 16 separate sub-appellations within the Napa Valley that recognize and celebrate the viticultural diversity of the region. Here is a rundown of all 16.

Atlas Peak AVA

Established in the early 1990s, this cool, high elevation AVA on the western slopes of the Vaca Mountain Range is the most prominent peak in Napa. Its high elevation keeps it about 10-15 degrees cooler than the valley floor, which results in bright, expressive wines with higher acidity than other Napa Valley appellations. Atlas Peak growers supply premium fruit to dozens of wineries in Napa and Sonoma, and local winemakers produce some of the world’s finest wines made from cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, petit verdot, and merlot, as well as other classic varieties like sangiovese, syrah, and chardonnay.

Wineries to try: Dos Lagos Vineyards, Antica Napa Valley, VinRoc

Calistoga AVA

This AVA not only has one of the warmest climates of the region, it is also the most geologically uniform in all of Napa Valley. While summer temperatures can top 100 degrees, they can also drop into the 40s at night due to cool breezes from the Pacific drawn in through the Chalk Hill mountain gap. This diurnal shift is a grape grower’s dream, as it results in fully ripe grapes balanced by fresh acidity. Principal varieties here include cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, syrah, and petite sirah.

Wineries to try: Fairwinds Estate Winery, Chateau Montelena, Sterling Vineyards, Kenefick Ranch Vineyards

Chiles Valley District AVA

Established in 1999 and located in the Eastern hills of Napa Valley, Chiles Valley is among the smallest AVAs. At about 1,000 ft. elevation, the fog-heavy breezes which cool the Valley floor don’t reach this area, so it can get quite warm. However, nights in the Chiles Valley are cool at this altitude, creating a diurnal shift that greatly benefits the grapes, which include classic Bordeaux varieties. Interestingly, because of the Chiles Valley’s relative isolation, many of the earliest vineyards were spared from phylloxera. As such, the AVA is home to some very old zinfandel vines as well.

Wineries to try: Volker Eisele, Nichelini Family Winery, Brown Estate Vineyards

Coombsville AVA

Napa Valley’s newest AVA, Coombsville received appellation status in 2011. This area, in the Southeastern corner of the Napa Valley, is only ten minutes outside of downtown Napa. The weather is cooled significantly by the AVA’s proximity to the San Pablo Bay, yielding elegant examples of cabernet sauvignon, syrah, pinot noir and chardonnay.

Wineries to try: Ackerman Family Vineyards, Shadybrook Estate, Covert Estate

Diamond Mountain AVA

While you may not find those sparkling gemstones here, you will find wines made primarily from cabernet sauvignon that are just as stunning. Located in the warmer Northwestern part of the Napa Valley, this region, which gained its AVA status in 2001, was actually named for the shards of reflective volcanic glass found in the soils. First planted in 1868 by Jacob Schram of Schramsberg Vineyards, the region has come to be associated with wines that are structured and plush with unmistakable mountain fruit intensity and great aging potential.

Winery to try: Reverie Winery

Howell Mountain AVA

Located on the Northeastern side of the Vaca Mountains just above St. Helena, this is Napa Valley’s first established sub-AVA, and one of the most prestigious. Many celebrate the concentration and signature “wildness” of Howell Mountain wines – predominantly cabernet sauvignon, as well as merlot, zinfandel, and petite sirah. This distinctive character is a result of the region’s warm, dry climate and rocky, porous soils, thanks to its positioning well above the valley floor.

Wineries to try: ADAMVS, Clif Family Winery, W.H. Smith Wines, Howell Mountain Vineyards

Los Carneros AVA

The Los Carneros AVA, established in 1983, actually straddles land in both Napa and Sonoma Valleys, making it the first California wine region to be defined by its unique climate as opposed to political boundaries. This is a cool climate appellation heavily influenced by prevailing winds from the San Pablo Bay, with daytime temperatures rarely exceeding 80 degrees. Stunning examples of chardonnay, pinot noir, and sparkling wines, as well as some merlot are produced in Carneros thanks to this distinctly cool climate.

Wineries to try: Domaine Carneros, Etude, Cuvaison, Artesa

Mount Veeder AVA

Formed from an ancient seabed, the Mount Veeder appellation boasts one of the longest growing seasons and the lowest yields in the Napa Valley. It is also the only hillside appellation that adjoins the cool, bayside Carneros. These factors, combined with the steep, rugged conditions that severely limit mechanization, have allowed the region to develop a reputation for intensely concentrated, hand-crafted, and age-worthy wines made from cabernet sauvignon, merlot, zinfandel, and chardonnay.

Wineries to try: Fontanella, Mount Veeder Winery, O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery

Oak Knoll District AVA

This district achieved its AVA status in 2004 as a result of local winemakers’ concerted efforts to have the region’s cool climate and relatively long growing season recognized. The region boasts Napa Valley’s largest alluvial fan – triangular-shaped deposits that form from water as it descends from the mountains – which is one of Oak Knoll’s defining characteristics. The emerging granular soil forces vines to dig deep in search of water, resulting in small, highly concentrated grapes and elegant, intensely perfumed wines made from the most diverse lineup of grape varieties in the Napa Valley.

Wineries to try: Trefethen, Robert Biale, Materra | Cunat

Oakville AVA

Named for the groves of native oak trees that covered the area in the 1800s, Oakville was actually once just a steam train stop in the Napa Valley. Today, wines from Oakville are among some of the most recognized and sought in the world. Marquis names like Opus One, Screaming Eagle, and Harlan have helped create the concept of “Cult Cabernet” so synonymous with the Oakville appellation, while other smaller, family-run producers in the area continue to maintain its stellar reputation for world-class wines and hospitality.

Wineries to try: Opus One, Cardinale

Rutherford AVA

Located just North of Oakville as the geographic and historic center of the Napa Valley, and boasting a warm climate moderated by cooling Bay Area fog, Rutherford is a classic Valley floor appellation with vineyards reaching from the base of the Mayacamas to the Silverado Trail. Some of the region’s wineries date back to the late 1800s, when wheat was Napa Valley’s main crop. Thomas Rutherford, for whom the AVA was named, settled and began planting grapes instead. Today, visitors will find rich, ripe wines made from cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, and zinfandel, with some sauvignon blanc as well.

Wineries to try: Peju, Beaulieu Vineyard, Round Pond Estate

Spring Mountain District AVA

Located above St. Helena on the Eastern side of the Mayacamas and connecting with the border of Sonoma County to the North, the region gets its name for the many natural springs that mark the area. Spring Mountain District is rich with history – it is said that the region’s first vineyard, planted in 1874, withstood Prohibition because it was so remote. Today, the challenging mountain terroir yields complex, “intellectual” wines made from Bordeaux varieties as well as other unique grapes like riesling, sémillon, gewürztraminer, and even traditional Portuguese grapes.

Wineries to try: Fantesca Estate, Robert Keenan Winery, Smith-Madrone

St. Helena AVA

Thought of as the birthplace of Napa Valley’s commercial wine industry, Napa’s oldest wine estate, Charles Krug, was established here in 1861. St. Helena is home to 6,800 planted acres of grapes and 400+ vineyards, more than any other AVA in the Napa Valley. With a warmer climate than other AVAs, the region produces ripe yet structured cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, zinfandel, and sauvignon blanc. The region also organizes an annual wine tasting and food pairing competition called BASH.

Wineries to try: Ehlers Estate, Titus Vineyards, Raymond Vineyards, Charles Krug

Stags Leap AVA

The potential of this region was cemented when Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon won the infamous Judgment of Paris tasting over more famous wines from Bordeaux. Thought of as a “valley within a valley,” the appellation is only one mile wide and three miles long and planted with mostly Bordeaux varieties. It’s a warm region moderated by cool bay winds at night, with diverse soils that allowed the region to be the first AVA to be approved based on the distinctiveness of its soils.

Wineries to try: Cliff Lede Vineyards, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Pine Ridge Vineyards, Clos du Val

Wild Horse Valley AVA

While one of the earliest AVAs to be established, the Wild Horse Valley appellation remains one of Napa Valley’s most obscure. In fact, unlike most other Napa Valley AVAs, this region serves as more of an area for growers who supply winemakers with fruit of unique terroir, usually from pinot noir, chardonnay, and syrah, thanks to the cool climate and shallow, volcanic soils.

Winery to try: Heron Lake Winery

Yountville AVA

Not to be confused with the downtown area of Yountville, home to the famous French Laundry, the Yountville AVA has a rich history in Napa. Geourge Yount, for whom the town is named, planted the first vineyards in the region in 1836 in the area that would ultimately become Dominus Estate. Established in 1999, the AVA stretches from the Mayacamas in the West to the Vaca Mountains in the East, and exhibits a diverse range of microclimates and soil types that allow for many different grape varieties to be grown – a distinctive characteristic of the region.

Wineries to try: Goosecross Cellars, JCB Tasting Salon, Stewart Cellars

Close to St. Helena, but off the beaten path on the side of Howell Mountain, you can find the quintessential Napa Valley winery experience at Burgess Cellars. This family-owned gem offers generous hospitality, exceptional and highly-rated wines, and sweeping views that span from the city of Napa all the way up to Calistoga.

History & Family

Always enamored by the beauty of Napa Valley, pilot Tom Burgess came to the region in the 1970s to explore the vineyards for sale. He selected the most interesting of the six available: a hillside vineyard on Howell Mountain planted in the 1880s by Swiss-Italian immigrants. In 1972, this purchase was far ahead of the curve of development in the Napa Valley; at the time there were only 20 other wineries and California had not yet gained its acceptance onto the world stage for wine. Tom didn’t come to Napa Valley because it was famous, he was one of the pioneers who made it famous.

This history is still lauded by the winery, and Tom’s son Steven Burgess now holds the reins. From the pen and ink label depicting the vineyard in 1972 to the winery’s logo being a copy of Tom’s father’s signature, you can find family dedication in all aspects of the winery. They continue the tradition of only making wines from hillside fruit from the original 1880 Estate Vineyard and their Haymaker Vineyard on the Eastern side of Howell Mountain, as well as a chardonnay from the second-generation, family-owned Burnside Road Vineyard in Sonoma County (also located on a hillside, naturally). The 1880 Estate Vineyard is planted with cabernet, cabernet franc, and zinfandel — a recent addition harkening back to the vineyard’s original plantings — while the Haymaker vineyard boasts cabernet, syrah, petite sirah, petit verdot, and malbec.

Howell Mountain

The dedication to hillside fruit isn’t just to pay homage to Burgess Cellars’ history, but to also showcase the unique terroir of Howell Mountain — an area that looms above the fog line with many unique microclimates that contribute to cooler days and warmer evenings instead of the more exaggerated heat spikes common to the valley floor. The result is consistently rich, ripe fruit with bold structure, elegant tannins, and concentrated flavor. Though the appellation sees more rainfall than those on the valley floor, the soil is rocky and drains well, meaning it retains less moisture, resulting in smaller berries and more concentrated flavor. This also affects the barrel selection winemaker Kelly Woods uses on these wines. Because the wine is already so structured from the mountain tannins, she opts instead for mostly neutral barrels, only using 20% new oak barrels to elevate aromas.

Winemaking

Kelly started at Burgess Cellars with the 2013 vintage, bringing her expertise in both vineyard and winemaking processes. She sees herself as a steward of the land and the wines, allowing the terroir and vineyard to shine instead of manipulating the winemaking. She makes decisions of when to pick the fruit row by row instead of large blocks at a time and keeps every lot separate until the wine is ready to be blended for bottling. This allows Kelly to fine-tune the process, understanding that every vine develops and expresses itself differently. The goal is to make the wine in the vineyard, meaning every decision in the vineyard is made to protect the integrity of the final wine. This also leads to incredibly age-worthy wines, as evidenced by their extensive library collection.

Mountainside Tasting

The winery holds back a few hundred cases of wine each vintage for its library, not to be released until at least 10 years have passed. If you have a special date you’re looking for, the winery has mostly everything from 1980 to their current release available for purchase. If you are wanting to try the current 10-year library wine and current release Reserve Cabernet (the 2009 and 2013, respectively, at the time of this writing), treat yourself to the by-appointment-only Mountainside Tasting experience, a semi-private, seated 90-minute wine exploration. During this tasting, you’ll learn about the history of Burgess Cellars and Howell Mountain and discuss the nuances of the winemaking, all while taking in the panoramic vista to better understand what makes mountainside wines so special.

You’ll start your tasting with a sip of rosé from the view deck, allowing for an opportunity to savor the views before heading to the cellar for the 2016 Chardonnay. From the mountainside tasting room, you’ll enjoy the current release small production and reserve wines, such as their richly complex Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon — a quintessential expression of the Howell Mountain appellation — or the elegant Estate Mountaineer Blend, a reserve that is made looking at the vineyards as a whole. Completing the tasting is a sample of the 2009 library wine, the perfect way to experience the evolution of wine. As you contemplate the nuances of your perfectly-aged glass, take a moment to enjoy the sweeping views. The room is set right into the vineyard and has a magical view of the Napa Valley from north to south, providing amazing context of the geography of the region and the unique position of Burgess Cellars.

Burgess Cellars’ library program is not only a fun new way to discover wine, it’s a true rarity in the Napa Valley. Each wine tells a different chapter in the history of Napa Valley, so if there’s a particular vintage not included in the tasting that piques your interest, you can purchase a bottle to explore as part of the tasting. Just because the wine is bottled doesn’t mean its evolution and development is complete, which gives you reason to revisit these library wines time and time again and always find something new to enjoy.

Tasting in the Cellar

To experience the classic barrel room at Burgess Cellars, be sure to make a reservation for the 60-minute Tasting in the Cellar. This tasting allows you to enjoy Burgess Cellars’ wines in the active barrel cellar surrounded by their display of vintage bottles and a museum wall that shows the history of Burgess Cellars and the Howell Mountain vineyards. During the tasting, your host will guide you through the history of the winery and innovations in winemaking. You’ll listen and sip on a selection of delightful wines, such as their Rosé of Syrah from the Haymaker Vineyard and current release Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of grapes from the 1880 Estate Vineyard and Haymaker that perfectly encapsulates what makes this mountain appellation so special. Single vineyard bottlings are often included in this tasting, made only when Kelly feels the wine deserves to be on its own stage.

No matter which tasting experience you reserve, the team at Burgess Cellars is sure to make you feel welcome to their mountainside oasis. The views cannot be beat and the wines showcase the mountain distinction of this Howell Mountain gem. Tom Burgess was often quoted as saying, “better lucky than good,” and while he may have been lucky to find this jewel on Howell Mountain, everything about Burgess Cellars — from the people to the views, and of course, the wine — is not just good, it’s exceptional.

1108 Deer Park Road, Deer Park, CA 94576, (707) 963-4766

Rising between 1,400 to 2,500 feet above sea level, Napa Valley’s Howell Mountain has become a legend in the wine world. Its porous, rocky, iron-rich soils lend themselves to the making of bold, concentrated, and refined wines. And, while unique microclimates across the hillsides allow for a variety of grapes to grow, this area is particularly great for cabernet sauvignon. A two-day tour of Howell Mountain’s wineries allows wine enthusiasts to explore some of the most beautiful, distinct vineyards in the region, while tasting standout cabernet sauvignon and other red Bordeaux varietals.

Day 1: Upper Howell Mountain Wineries

On the Peak

Black Sears
2610 Summit Lake Drive
Angwin, CA 94508
(707) 889-1243
Reservations: Required

Black Sears is the highest vineyard on the mountain and offers spectacular vistas of the often fog shrouded oak forests and vineyards below. The winery produces organically and biodynamically grown wine varieties including cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and zinfandel under the Black Sears label.

Insider Tip: If you have the time, schedule a tour of the grounds and the caves while there. The view from the peak is worth the trip.

Rich and Spicy

Outpost Estate Winery
2075 Summit Lake Drive
Angwin, CA 94508
(707) 965-1718
Reservations: Required

Located at 2,200 feet, Outpost Estate Winery makes the most of the hard, rocky, iron-laden Howell Mountain soil to produce rich, spicy wines. The winery uses organic, sustainable farming practices and produces distinctive wine varieties that are never filtered or fined.

Insider Tip: One advantage of visiting Outpost Estate Winery is that tastings often come with a bit of wine history and vineyard farming practices. Try the Outpost Estate Zinfandel available only at the winery.

Hidden Treasure

Summit Lake Vineyards & Winery
2000 Summit Lake Drive
Angwin, CA 94508
(707) 965-2488
Reservations: Required

Summit Lake Vineyards & Winery is everything a small, family run farm should be—hospitable, laid-back and always ready to make guests feel at home. Noted for its fine zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon wines, Summit Lake Vineyards and Winery offers a slice of Howell Mountain living not to be missed. It may be off the beaten track, but it is definitely worth the time and effort.

Insider Tip: Summit Lake Vineyards & Winery is often described as intimate and their tastings often occur around the owner’s dinner table, conducted by extended family members.

Day 2: Central and South Howell Mountain

Italian Roots

Cimarossa Winery
1185 Friesen Drive
Angwin, CA 94508
(707) 307-3130
Reservations: Required

This small, family-owned winery boasts a varied topography from flat to tiered vineyards. With a decidedly Italian leaning, the winery focuses mainly on cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc, and tasty olive oil produced from the 1,200 olive trees planted throughout the property. The staff at Cimarossa enjoys showing off their grounds and vineyards, where this multi-tiered property offers great views and more than enough hospitality to make it well worth the trip.

Insider Tip: The winery’s signature Rive di Cimarossa 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is a good choice.

A Nod to Nature

O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery
1100 Friesen Drive
Angwin, CA 94508
(707) 965-2898
Reservations: Required

O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery sits on a 100-acre hillside property and has two separate vineyards planted with 29 acres of cabernet sauvignon and six acres of cabernet franc, petit verdot, merlot, malbec, carmenere, and St. Macaire. The property features an eco-sensitive stone tiered glass winery, an 11,000 square foot cave, olive trees, as well as rosemary and lavender bushes.

Insider Tip: Guests often use the words “stunning and unique“ when describing the winery’s barrel room and caves attended by the knowledgeable and accommodating staff. Be sure to ask about the winery’s “unique” winemaking process. Their cabernet sauvignons are always popular favorites.

A Mountain Leed(er)

Cade Estate Winery
360 Howell Mountain Road S
Angwin, CA 94508
(707) 965.2746
Reservations: Required
When Cade Estate Winery principals, Gavin Newsom and John Conover, set out to open a winery, they took extra care to create a property that would not only produce fine, organically grown wines but be environmentally sensitive as well. The grounds feature the trademark Howell Mountain vistas, a wine terrace, naturally insulated caves, a fermentation room, and the first LEED Gold Star winery in the Napa Valley. A visit to Cade Estate Winery is an education in sustainable winemaking at its best. No lack of detail was overlooked during the construction of the facilities to incorporate the most up-to-date and environmentally conscious building practices and farming techniques.

Insider Tip: Try the CADE Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon to experience Howell Mountain cab at its best.