St. Helena, Napa Valley
St. Helena is near the top of the Napa Valley, where it narrows significantly between Spring and Diamond Mountains to the west and Howell Mountain to the east. It is densely planted and has over 30 wineries.
Commercial wine production in the Valley began with St Helena Wineries and helped to shape the history of wine production in the golden state. In 1861, a German immigrant named Charles Krug founded the first winery in the valley. A number of other notable Germans soon followed, including the Beringers and the Schrams.
St Helena wineries make wine with grapes grown in a very warm climate. The terrain of St Helena is made of alluvial and volcanic soils. The San Pablo Bay once covered several southern AVAs in Napa Valley, but it never extended as far north as St Helena. Well-known St Helena wineries abound.
Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are the most prominent grapes that thrive in the sunny climate. These wines are usually fuller-bodied than examples from cooler, more southerly regions.