Thursday Virtual Happy Hour: The Yountville AVA in Napa Valley
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We are starting a four-week exploration of various AVAs within Napa Valley. The idea is to find a bottle of wine made from grapes grown within the AVA. You can choose any varietal or blend that you want.
Yountville is an AVA (American Viticultural Area) in California's world-famous Napa Valley. It enjoys an enviable location at the very heart of the Napa Valley, halfway between the northern shores of San Pablo Bay and the southern slopes of Mount St Helena. Yountville's top wines, made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, are some of the most sought-after in California. The few white wines made in the AVA are based on California's favorite white-wine varieties, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
The AVA surrounds the town of Yountville that lies partway between Napa town and the village of St Helena. Most of the vineyards are situated on the Napa Valley floor, although in the western part of the AVA, vines are planted on rocky, undulating slopes in the foothills of the Mayacamas mountains. Yountville is surrounded by some of Napa's most famous subregions: to the north lies Oakville, to the west Mount Veeder and to the east Stags Leap.
Although Yountville town is one of the warmer spots in this part of the valley, its vineyards, located just to the east, are in a noticeably cooler mesoclimate. The topography which makes Stags Leap and its climate so special also contribute to the relative cool of Yountville's climate. Yountville's cooler growing conditions result in elegant wines with chunky tannins and deep concentration, which can age for a long time in the bottle.
Yountville's modern-day residents include a small handful of California's wine glitterati. Dominus Estate and Domaine Chandon are just a couple of the well-known wineries to set up shop around the town. The town of Yountville itself is well known for its gourmet dining opportunities – Thomas Keller's Bouchon and Ad Hoc restaurants are both here, as is the world-famous French Laundry.
We have a choice of videos to watch including:
- https://youtu.be/LMdcI9TP5Fo?si=Xj9Z7AwpaciHVoTL - Yountville, California - The Heart of Napa Valley Wine Country - The Vintage Estate (2:20)
- https://youtu.be/mE6R8m5OUAs?si=RnusinuZsYNtTpXx - Exploring The Charming Town Of Yountville, California - Napa Winery Inn (1:19)
- https://youtu.be/egdonyLY-pQ?si=yCgqq5eKf1P_fBRc - Yountville, Napa Valley. We invite you to "Taste Life Here!" - The Yountville Chamber of Commerce (3:45)
So, pick up a bottle and watch a couple of videos. Let us know what you’re drinking and eating, and, if possible, the region from which your wine comes. Do you have any comments (positive or negative) about the videos? And, as always, tell us what’s going on in your life - what's happening with you, how you're feeling about things, updates, successes, challenges - as much or as little as you’re willing to disclose. We are in this together. And - thank goodness - we have wine!
Cheers!!