St. Helena

St. Helena AVA gained status as an AVA in 1993 and is a sub-appellation of the Napa Valley AVA. The AVA is situated on 9,000 acres and is centered on the town of St. Helena, California. St. Helena is Napa Valley's northernmost AVA and sits between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. The soils of the region are sedimentary, gravel-clay soils, with lower fertility and moderate water retention The location, means the region is isolated from the cool ocean breezes and fog that is prevalent in the southern valleys. These conditions make for bright sunny days with radiating heat off the mountains and full-bodied wines that are fruit forward and jammy. The featured wines of the region are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Zinfandel.