The Quality of Sun
Light
Plants create
most of their fruit from sunlight, so when Galileo said that grapes were
sunlight held together with water he was correct. The quality of the sunlight that the vines
receive affects the flavor of the wine in complex ways. This is especially true in the Napa Valley. It
is a wide valley between two mountain ranges.
It is angled from southeast to northwest. So, the morning sunlight angles into the
valley, but the afternoon sunlight the hits the eastern slope full in the face.
Also, the geology of the two mountain ranges is very different. In the east the mountains are volcanic rock. In
the west the mountains were created by two plates coming together.
As a result,
vines on the western slopes produce grapes with a great deal of fruit flavor. Vines
on the eastern slopes produce grapes with larger amounts of tannin. Grapes
containing more tannin require more time in the barrels aging. But the quality
of sunlight is about more than just the direction of the sun. It is also about the quality of the air. This
is one of the reasons that Napa is unique. During the summer when the grapes
are developing their flavors, thick fog flows into the valley at night. In the
morning it lies on the valley floor like a carpet, coating the vines with
moisture.
As the sun rises,
the fog retreats towards the bay, and the sunlight passes through the fog
creating rainbows of color. The vines use these colors, they become
micro-nutrients. Those micro-nutrients are what makes wonderful and complex flavors.
The Stags Leap district is famous for its wine. It was a cabernet sauvignon
blend from Stags Leap that won at the Judgment of Paris 1976. This announced to
the world the potential of Napa wines.
Even within
Napa, Stags Leap is unique. The hills
face west, so they receive the hot afternoon sunlight, that makes strong tannins. But, it is in the
southern part of the valley, close to the Bay, so it sits in fog for many
hours. The area is composed up small valleys and hills that trap the fog. So,
the grapes are washed with color filled sunlight for much of the morning. The
result is a wine with great fruit and substantial tannins for aging. It is a
wonderful combination.
Napa and
Sonoma are filled with these micro climates and unique geological regions. It
allows wine makers to choose from very different grapes that grown in a
relatively small region. That appeals to the American love of variety and
change. It is part of what makes this
region so special and popular as a destination.
Ralph & Lahni de Amicis are authors of the Amicis Winery
Guides, and owners of Amicis Tours. They are authors of over twenty books on
health, design, business and travel. Their iPhone Apps, The Napa Valley Wine
Tour, and The Sonoma Winery Tour are a tour guides approach to these beautiful
area, complete with 1000’s of photos and insights. Their articles and products
can be found on the sites http://www.amicistours.com
and http://www.spaceandtime.com
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