Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is the most important, widely consumer varietal. People drink a wide range of wines, but the famous Cabernet is first among the rest. These wines are produced at large, wide-scale wineries as well as the many smaller boutique wineries that dot the landscape.
Handwritten Wines is a boutique winery specializing in crafting Napa Cabernet Sauvignon from the grapes of mostly high-elevation vineyards, producing excellent wines that evoke a sense of place from which they are sourced. Always hillside or mountain fruit, Handwritten Wines’ limited production draws raw material from several Napa Valley districts for their production.
Here is a list of the Napa Valley sources for Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that wineries use each year for their Napa Cabernet Sauvignon production:
Los Carneros
Known for its cooler climate due to the fogs and winds emanating from San Pablo Bay, the area is highly suitable for Pinot Not and Chardonnay. However, Handwritten Wines has identified some areas where Napa Cabernet Sauvignon grapes thrive.
Coombsville
The Coombsville AVA is a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Appellation with a wide range of elevations known for its cooler, marine-influenced climate directly east of the City of Napa.
Also, because of its proximity to San Pablo Bay, Coombsville experiences cooler temperatures than AVAs further north, allowing winemakers to harvest grapes later and at more developed phenolic ripeness. Wines from Coombsville show generous soft tannins and notes of dark black fruits such as blackberry and blackcurrant while retaining moderate alcohol and refreshing acidity.
Oak Knoll
The Oak Knoll District AVA is a Napa Valley Appellation located at the southern end of the mid-valley floor and close to San Pablo Bay. The location results in relatively cooler and more moderate temperatures. From a climatic perspective, the frequent fog keeps the temperatures down, and the wines tend to be among the more elegant and understated.
Oakville
The Oakville AVA is a sub-appellation on the valley floor known for its warm climate and is well suited for wine production. Oakville produces some of the finest Napa Cabernet Sauvignons and is located near many of the most famous and historic vineyards.
Stags Leap
Stags Leap District wines are known for being an “iron fist in a velvet glove.” This area is low in the valley and receives breezes and fog from San Pablo Bay, which makes for a cooler environment. Also, the knolls and the Palisades work to form a wind tunnel. This area produces some of the finest Napa Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
Yountville
Closer to Handwritten Wines’ home, Yountville’s wines are among Napa Valley’s most elegant, refined, and intricate creations, especially the Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The elegance comes from Yountville’s more southerly position, allowing a more constant fog and wind.
The wines produced from fruit here are very supple as they come from a low-elevation region without mountain influence.
Mount Veeder
The Mt. Veeder AVA is one of the coolest of Napa Valley’s Mountain AVAs, and the rugged mountain terrain results in low grape yields but high ageability of its wines. The Napa Cabernets from here tend to have high tannin and acidity and are capable of great age. Many Mt. Veeder Cabernets also feature a distinct “mintiness.”
Diamond Mountain
The Diamond Mountain District AVA is in the northwestern corner of Napa County. Though the Diamond Mountain District lives in the warmer northern end of Napa Valley, the Diamond Creek River drainage allows a channel of cool air to penetrate the hillside. This effect prolongs the growing season and mitigates late-season heat spikes.
Furthermore, unlike the rest, Diamond Mountain vineyards face eastward and are protected from the hot afternoon sun. The elevation and meager soils combine to make powerful, ripe wines rich in sturdy tannins and bright acidity.
Howell Mountain
The Howell Mountain AVA was the first mountainous nested appellation to be established, with the southern boundary of the AVA beginning at 1400 feet above sea level. Unlike the other mountains, which run down to connect with the valley floor appellations, the AVA’s actual southern boundary is 1,400 feet (427m) above sea level.
Calistoga
The Calistoga AVA is a Napa Valley Appellation located in the northern part of Napa County, California. This area features volcanic soil and is known for its high temperature variation from high to low during the growing season.
Reserve Your Place at Handwritten Wines
Handwritten Wines produces wines that reflect the flavors of many of these locations. While each differs in some way, each is a high-quality, handcrafted, world-class wine.
Make your reservations to sample some of these at Handwritten Wines Yountville Tasting Room. You can do this by visiting the company website and making the arrangements online.
Or, for questions or special arrangements, phone Handwritten Wines at (707)-944-8524.
