Above the fog line that often covers the southernmost Napa Valley floor is a wine region so remote that very few plant vineyards here: the Wild Horse Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA). One of the smallest AVAs in the Napa Valley, the region spans 3,300 acres but is sparsely planted. Vines that do grow there do so on nutrient-poor, well-draining soils, which results in small amounts of incredibly concentrated grapes.
These cool climate wines are a direct expression of the rugged terroir—their story cannot be removed from their place. For this reason, we’re pairing this AVA with a writer whose work is entirely defined by a sense of place: Thomas Hardy. The renowned novelist and poet grew up in a rural Dorset village in the English countryside and his writing pays homage to the inexorable forces of nature and how they shape human destinies.
The Nature of Wild Horse Valley AVA Wines
We can only do our best to nurture when it comes to Wild Horse Valley AVA wines—nature is sure to take the reins. At elevations between 1,000 to 2,200 feet, the air mass that passes over the famous Carneros AVA cools another 10° before it gets to the Wild Horse Valley.
The few vineyards that do exist are planted to the slopes of the Vaca Mountains on volcanic soils and red basaltic soils, colored by oxidized iron in the ground. The soil is almost too nutrient-poor and well-draining; vines have to dig deep into the earth in search of water. The consequence of this is that yields are low, but the benefit is that what does ripen is intense with phenolics and structure.
This is the story of how the best wine is made: stress yields beauty. Just as Hardy’s characters are at the mercy of circumstances beyond their control, the wines of Wild Horse Valley are shaped by the unforgiving environment in which their vines grow.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grow here, known also for being as captivating as they are complicated. Where a warmer climate might cause problems for these grapes (like mildew and rot), the unflinching wind of the Wild Horse Valley and cool temperatures keep them ripening steadily through the growing season.
The cooler climate offers floral and spice to Pinot Noir and minerality to Chardonnay. A small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon grows here too, but it’s very different from the Cabernet growing on the valley floor. These wines are herbaceous and lighter weight, as well as lower in alcohol.
Pairing Hardy’s Poetry with Wild Horse Valley Wines
I leant upon a coppice gate
When Frost was spectre-gray,
And Winter’s dregs made desolate
The weakening eye of day.
These lines, from Hardy’s poem “The Darkling Thrush” evoke the cool climate and tension of bleakness and beauty that the terrain of the Wild Horse Valley impresses upon the wines. The juxtaposition of desolation and quiet vitality reminds us of the nutrient-poor soils, where vines flourish against all odds.
Hardy’s poem captures a sense of elevation in the physical environment as well as the mood, reminding us of how physical elements of a place can invoke a feeling when drinking wine. The poem depicts nature as beautiful and difficult. Just like the most ardent wine lover, though, Hardy looks directly into the heart of nature with courage and curiosity.