Our next tasting will feature wines from Napa Valley!

What makes Napa Valley so special?

The short answer to that is “pure luck.” And, pure luck translates into a great combination of soil and climate for wine grapes. The conditions are so favorable for growing wine grapes that a grower could almost do a poor job of farming and still get pretty good results.

But, most growers and winemakers there aren’t content with “pretty good.” They want to grow great grapes and make wonderful wine! So, the third, key element is people. People who are fanatical about what they do. Any winemaker will tell you that if the vineyard grows superlative fruit, they are 90% of the way home. Their job is to try not to mess it up.

The fact that the valley is small and produces only 4% of California’s wine adds to the “luck” when it comes to demand. If you look at the most famous winegrowing regions worldwide, the soils aren’t alike. Grapes are hearty and adaptable. But, they have some key things in common. The soils are usually well drained and not particularly good. You’ll find gravel in Bordeaux, chalk in Champagne and slate in the Mosel.

Napa Valley soils are diverse.

 Over the last 10 million years, massive collisions of the earth’s crust created the mountains and valleys in Napa Valley. Repeated volcanic eruptions spewed rock, lava and ash, and created some of the small knolls you see as you drive through the valley. Changing sea levels sent flood waters in and out of the valley, depositing layers of sedimentary clay and sand of vastly different ages. 

The valley is just over 30 miles long and up to four miles wide at the widest point. So, the two very different mountain ranges that form the valley have a major influence on the composition of the valley floor.

Overall, the soils are considered moderately fertile, so the response is to be rather stingy with the water and fertilizer. Years can go by between boosting the nitrogen or potassium.

Climate

The San Pablo Bay, at the southern end of the valley is the key to the climate. Most days of the growing season tend to be warm but, the breeze picks up late in the day and the fog moves in during the evening, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. The marine influence decreases as you move north through the valley, which explains why it’s suitable for many different varieties. Heat-loving varieties dominate the middle and northern areas and varieties that do best in cool conditions are concentrated in the south. 

All winemakers want the same thing.

Growers and producers worldwide want to have just enough sun to get the grapes ripe and not too much more. And, every region has complaints. In Napa Valley, they worry about too much heat. In Burgundy, they worry about not enough. Everyone worries about rain at harvest. It’s best if it’s dry.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018

Evergreen Community Center

3430 Evergreen Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237

7:00

PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR WINE GLASSES. 

 The cost for members or guests

$30

Please reply before March 8, 2019 to:

kedred2006@gmail.com

Or you may reply to:

 412-979-6565 or 412-979-9594

Mail your check, payable to AWS to:

Robert Dering

38 Perry Lane

Pittsburgh PA  15229

Don’t forget to visit the website for directions, useful tips, and recipes.

Click here for our homepage