Napa Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Napa County within the wider North Coast AVA in the state of California. Robert Joseph suggests ‘Napa owes its present fame and success to historic and geographical accident. It is conveniently to San Francisco [just north of San Francisco Bay] and in the 1960s many high-fliers decided to establish their wineries and vineyards there. The region stretches for 25 miles, from Carneros in the south, past Stags Leap District and Rutherford, to the town of Calistoga up north.

Terroir: The terrain ranges from sea level to slopes that rise nearly 2,000 feet (600 metres). Hill slopes face both east and west.

Sustainability initiatives: Napa Green (a fish-friendly farming programme rebranded as Napa Green).

Wineries

Certified Biodynamic: Raymond Vineyards.

Certified organic, Biodynamic Practices

Certified organic: Dirty & Rowdy (purchased fruit). | Napa Wine Co.

No certification: Behrens & Hitchcock. | Chateau Montelena.