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Napa Valley

America's most celebrated wine region. 30 miles of extraordinary Cabernet Sauvignon, iconic estates, and world-class tasting experiences.
699Wineries
16Sub-AVAs
$65-$120Avg Tasting Fee
🍇
Best Varietals
Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay
📅
Peak Season
Sept - November (Harvest)
🌡
Climate
Warm days, cool nights
📍
Location
30 miles north of San Francisco
🚗
From SF
~1 hour drive
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🤓 Did You Know?
Napa Valley is only 30 miles long and 5 miles wide at its widest point, yet it produces wines that sell for more per bottle than nearly any other region on Earth.

Love the trail history? Read the full story: The Silverado Trail: Napa's Historic Back Road.

About Napa Valley

Napa Valley is the undisputed capital of American fine wine. Stretching just 30 miles from the San Pablo Bay in the south to Mount St. Helena in the north, this narrow valley is home to 472 wineries and 16 distinct sub-appellations, each with its own distinct terroir and personality.

"The 1976 Judgment of Paris changed everything, Napa's Cabernets beat the finest French wines in a blind tasting, and the world of wine was never the same."

The valley floor is dominated by the classic Napa Cabernet style: rich, structured, and age-worthy. Moving up into the mountain appellations, Howell Mountain, Diamond Mountain, Spring Mountain, the wines become more powerful and austere. The cooler Carneros district at the southern end produces exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Sub-Appellations

All Napa Stags Leap District Oakville Rutherford St. Helena Calistoga Carneros Howell Mountain Diamond Mountain Spring Mountain Mount Veeder Atlas Peak Coombsville Chiles Valley Wild Horse Valley Yountville

Napa Wineries

View all Napa wineries →
Explore by Sub-Region

Napa Valley's Four Regions

🌊
Southern Napa Valley
Carneros · Oak Knoll · Yountville
Cool-climate sparkling wine, Michelin-starred Yountville dining, fog-influenced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
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Central Napa Valley
Oakville AVA · Rutherford AVA
The golden mile. Opus One, Robert Mondavi, Inglenook, and the legendary To Kalon Vineyard, the heart of Napa Cabernet.
🏛
Upper Napa Valley
St. Helena · Stags Leap District
Historic Beringer (1876), Stag's Leap Wine Cellars (winner of the 1976 Paris tasting), and charming Main Street St. Helena.
🌋
Northern Napa Valley
Calistoga AVA · Diamond Mountain
Volcanic soils, hot spring spas, the medieval Castello di Amorosa castle, Schramsberg's historic 1862 caves.
Plan by Town

Napa Valley Towns

🍽 Yountville
Culinary capital · French Laundry
🍷 Oakville
To Kalon · Opus One · Far Niente
🌿 Rutherford
Rutherford dust · Inglenook · Caymus
🏘 St. Helena
Main Street · Beringer 1876 · CIA
♨️ Calistoga
Hot springs · Castle · Schramsberg

See all 732 Napa wineries →

Best Time to Visit

🌸
Spring
Wildflowers, bud break, smaller crowds, cooler weather. Excellent for hiking between tastings.
Great
☀️
Summer
Hot and busy. Book well ahead. Great for outdoor tastings and concerts at the wineries.
Good
🍂
Fall (Harvest)
Crush season, the most exciting time. Grapes being picked, tanks fermenting, energy everywhere.
Peak Season
🌧
Winter
Quieter, cheaper, and more intimate. Rain brings lush green scenery. Fewer crowds, more personal attention.
Quiet & Affordable

Sub-Appellations & Districts

🍇 St. Helena
St. 113 wineries listed.
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🍇 Oakville
Oakville is arguably the single most prestigious Cabernet Sauvignon address in North America. 65 wineries listed.
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🍇 Rutherford
Rutherford is the source of the famous 'Rutherford dust', the elusive, dusty-tannin signature that legendary winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff described in the valley's greatest Cabernets. 57 wineries listed.
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🍇 Calistoga
Calistoga anchors the warm northern end of Napa Valley, where volcanic soils and the valley's highest daytime temperatures produce bold, concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. 45 wineries listed.
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🍇 Howell Mountain
Howell Mountain was Napa's first sub-AVA, and it remains one of its most distinctive. 42 wineries listed.
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🍇 Stags Leap District
Stags Leap District is the small but mighty AVA whose Cabernet famously bested the great Bordeaux estates at the 1976 Judgment of Paris. 22 wineries listed.
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🍇 Yountville
Yountville is Napa Valley's culinary capital, home to The French Laundry and one of the highest concentrations of acclaimed restaurants in the country. 27 wineries listed.
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🍇 Mount Veeder
Mount Veeder is Napa's wildest, most rugged mountain AVA, climbing the Mayacamas in the valley's southwest corner. 12 wineries listed.
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🍇 Coombsville
Coombsville is Napa's cool, up-and-coming AVA in the hills just east of Napa city, a natural amphitheater open to the bay's cooling influence. 11 wineries listed.
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🍇 Atlas Peak
Atlas Peak rises high in the Vaca range above the eastern valley, where vineyards sit above the fog at elevations approaching 2,600 feet. 12 wineries listed.
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🍇 Oak Knoll District
Oak Knoll District spans the cooler southern Napa Valley between Napa city and Yountville, one of the valley's most climatically versatile AVAs. 6 wineries listed.
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Napa Valley Planning Guides

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Frequently Asked Questions

What wine is Napa Valley known for?

Cabernet Sauvignon is Napa's signature grape, favored by the valley's warm days and cool nights. You'll also find outstanding Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Zinfandel.

What are the main towns and sub-AVAs in Napa Valley?

The valley runs from the city of Napa north through Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, and Calistoga, with prized sub-AVAs including Stags Leap District, Rutherford, Oakville, Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder, and Los Carneros.

What makes Napa Valley's terroir special?

Napa packs remarkable diversity into a narrow valley, from cool, bay-influenced Carneros in the south to warm Calistoga in the north, with volcanic and alluvial soils and dozens of distinct microclimates that shape each sub-AVA's style.

When is the best time to visit Napa Valley?

Fall harvest, from late August through October, is the liveliest and busiest stretch. Spring is greener and quieter, and weekdays are calmer than weekends year-round.

From the Journal
Napa Valley for First-Timers → Mistakes to Avoid in Napa → Napa vs Sonoma: Which to Choose →

Wondering about vintages? Our Napa Valley Vintage Guide covers every year from 1990 to 2025 - the growing season, harvest timing and how the wines turned out.