Located just north of San Francisco, California, you’ll find one of the world’s premier wine regions with over 500 wineries, Napa Valley. It is no secret that Cabernet Sauvignon is the star of Napa Valley, but it was also a bottle of Chardonnay that got them their first 15 minutes of fame! In 1976, at the Judgement of Paris, Chateau Montelena’s Chardonnay won the white wine category over historically prized Burgundies, and Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon won the red wine category. This moment really put Napa on the world stage. Today, you can find incredible bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel. Some fun facts about Napa Valley:
- Charles Krug started the first commercial winery in Napa back in 1861!
- Today you will find over 500 wineries across the 16 sub-regions of Napa.
- Napa is actually one of the smallest wine growing regions in the US.
- The real estate in Napa is some of the most expensive viticultural land in the world!
- Most of Napa’s wineries are actually small family owned properties that make less than 10,000 cases a year.
If you haven’t visited a wine region, such as Napa Valley, take this as your sign to book a trip! There is something magical about seeing vines for miles and miles as the sun is setting in the background. Places like Napa Valley, Sonoma and Paso Robles are basically adult playgrounds!
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