This grape growing region is shaped like an irregular grapefruit slice at the top of the Bay. While people think of the whole body of water as being the San Francisco Bay, the northern reaches that border Napa and Sonoma are called the San Pablo Bay. Los Carneros is the only growing region that is shared by Napa and Sonoma, something that would not happen today. Every other growing region stops at the county line because Napa does not play well with others, and is very serious about protecting its brand.
Napa Carneros is larger, encompassing some lovely hill just to the west of downtown Napa, and butting up to the Mount Veeder region. The primary grapes grown in Los Carneros are those from Burgundy; Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. There are also a number of other varietals in the area, especially Syrah and even Cabernet Sauvignon, although most of the region is too cool for that heat loving grape. Thanks to those microclimates hidden in the rolling hills it’s possible to find warm spots that support all kinds of grapes.
What is most interesting about Los Carneros (the name relates to the sheep that were grazed here) is the wind, the fog and the blazing sunshine. San Francisco is famous for its fog, and the Golden Gate is the pathway that funnels it into the bay late in the day. After the grapes have been feasting on the abundant sunshine all day the fog flows up the valleys and cools them down at night, preventing them from releasing the all important acid, and coating them with a restorative coating of dew.
The fog is propelled up the valleys by the Carneros winds, a steady, strong breeze that comes in off the bay, it swipes the whole region like a silk glove, and when it swipes hard the grapes close up their leaf pores to limit moisture loss, shutting down. This lets the flavors mature without the sugar developing. Those high acid levels make these wines excellent for food, since they clean the palate between bites and aid digestion.
The whole of the Napa and Sonoma Valley’s benefit from this influx of fog, but the rolling hills of Los Carneros are where it is most strongly felt. Unlike most of the up valley vineyards which are volcanic and river sedimentary soils, Los Carneros is ocean floor clay, as is Mount Veeder to the north (the coolest hillside vineyards in Napa). They always say that grapes have to struggle to produce good wine, and between the thin clay soils, the strong winds, the blazing sunshine, alternating with the heavy fogs these vines go nine rounds and still come out swinging.
Due to America’s reverence for French wines Los Carneros has been planted to the Burgundy grapes for many years. In fact, one of the first Napa growers to plant premium grapes there was Mahoney. More recently (2000) they planted the Italian grape Vermentino and I was thoroughly impressed by the results, and hoping that other people plant more. By looking at this region as more akin to Italy than France they are taking a page from Sam Sebastiani’s book when he started his winery Viansa, focused on Italian varietals. When they grew their first successful Pinot Grigio they named the wine Victoria, for the victory they achieved. Next door to them Jacuzzi also focuses on Italian varietals.
Now admittedly, Sonoma has a very bigger Italian tradition, with large numbers of northern Italians came there starting in the late 1800’s, and Italians are always trying to get back to their roots, their history. Maybe they are on to something, as I’ve asked before, is Los Carneros the Southern Italian Riviera, grape-wise, of America? Maybe so!
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