NAPA VALLEY

The Napa Valley sits spiritually and geographically at the heart of the Californian wine industry. Some of California’s finest wine makers can be found at work here.

Vine growing dates back to the mid-19th Century but the region was really put on the map by Steven Spurrier’s infamous Judgement of Paris wine tasting in 1976 when Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays bested their more illustrious French counterparts. Today it is not just Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay but most of Europe’s finest grape varieties that can be found in the Napa.

The leading estates can command prices that match or exceed the great wines of France, but there is plenty of value to be found if you select wisely.