St. Helena AVA

The St. Helena AVA (or Saint Helena AVA) is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley, centered on the town of St. Helena, California.

St. Helena AVA
Wine region
A Cabernet Sauvignon from St. Helena
TypeAmerican Viticultural Area
Year established1995[1]
CountryUnited States
Part ofNapa Valley AVA
Other regions in Napa Valley AVAAtlas Peak AVA, Calistoga AVA, Chiles Valley AVA, Diamond Mountain District AVA, Howell Mountain AVA, Los Carneros AVA, Mt. Veeder AVA, Coombsville AVA, Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA, Oakville AVA, Rutherford AVA, Spring Mountain District AVA, Stags Leap District AVA, Wild Horse Valley AVA, Yountville AVA
Total area9,000 acres (36 km2)[2]
Varietals producedZinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petit Verdot

Geography

The appellation covers 9,000 acres (3,642 ha) along the flat narrow land towards the northern end of the valley between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains.[2] Its soil is mostly loam with good water retention and varying amounts of gravel.[3]

Climate

The area has a Warm-summer Mediterranean climate,[4] and is somewhat hotter than nearby wine growing regions with summer temperatures that often reach the mid 90s Fahrenheit.[5] It receives approximately 40 inches of rainfall per year.

History

In 1860, George Belden Crane planted Mission vines in St. Helena, and the vineyard produced its first wine in 1862. By 1874, the vineyard produced 500,000 gallons of wine annually.[4] Charles Krug, one of pioneers of Napa Valley winemaking, opened his winery in St. Helenea in 1861.[2] Krug founded the St. Helena Viticultural Club in 1876.[6]

In 1995, the St. Helena AVA was approved.[6] The AVA hosts more than 80 wineries.

Viticulture

The region is known for its red wines, including Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Pinot noir, although white wines are also produced there such as Chardonnay.[5] Its terroir is particularly well suited to Bordeaux grapes, particularly Sauvignon Blanc.[4] St. Helena's Cabernet Sauvignon is noted for its quality.[3]

References
  1. "§ 9.149 St. Helena" (Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Part 9— American Viticultural Areas; Subpart C— Approved American Viticultural Areas). Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR). Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  2. "St. Helena (AVA): Appellation Profile". Appellation America. 2007. Archived from the original on 2018-08-29. Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  3. Brook, Stephen (2011-03-07). The Finest Wines of California: A Regional Guide to the Best Producers and Their Wines. University of California Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-520-26658-2.
  4. "St. Helena AVA — What Everyone Should Know". FredSwan.wine. 2019-12-27. Retrieved 2022-05-01.
  5. Villano, Matt; Doerper, John; Wood, Sharron S. (2011). California Wine Country. Compass American Guides. p. 116. ISBN 978-1-4000-0492-8.
  6. Walker, Larry (2005-03-17). The Wines of the Napa Valley. Octopus. ISBN 978-1-84533-625-7.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.