| To the first inhabitants of the valley, 'the Wappo | | | | generation of winemakers and vintners. The |
| Indians', the term 'Napa' meant the land of many, | | | | 1970s brought with them a whole plethora of |
| conjuring images of a vast sprawling land that | | | | wine making innovations and creativity that |
| was home to salmon-filled waterways, green | | | | enabled the Valley wines to win an international |
| valley floors with multitudes of wildcats, black | | | | Wine Tasting competition in Paris which literally put |
| bears, grizzlies and elks. George Calvert Yount | | | | Napa Valley and its cabernets at par with French |
| was the first to establish a local homestead with | | | | Bordeaux. The Napa Valley organization has not |
| vineyards in what is now known as Yountville. | | | | only ensured that great wine is produced but it |
| Some of the other early pioneers would include | | | | has also helped in creating leaders that help the |
| John Patchett, Hamilton Walker Crabb and Dr, | | | | winemaking industry in California the best it is |
| George Crane. | | | | today. |
| Charles Krug can be called the founder of Napa | | | | In 1968, the Agriculture preserve ordinance was |
| Valley, as he was responsible for developing the | | | | formed and has helped in ensuring the well being |
| first commercial winery of the region in 1861. | | | | of locals, vintners and the development of the |
| Wineries like Schramsberg, Beringer and Inglenook, | | | | Napa Valley by organizing Auctions and raising |
| now the best, most popular and oldest wineries of | | | | millions of dollars. The year 1982 was a historical |
| the region were all in place along with 140 other | | | | year for Valley when it was designated the |
| wineries by the year 1889. This is when the | | | | much-recognized American Vitcultural Area. Napa |
| worst happened to the vineyards. Phylloxera, an | | | | Valley has been recognized as a place of |
| epidemic hit the vineyards, destroying most of | | | | multifaceted topography, assorted bedrock, |
| the crops in the Valley. This was just one of the | | | | surficial geology and a place having large varieties |
| hurdles that the wineries of today had to deal | | | | of soil that make Valley perfect for growing and |
| with. | | | | making wines, and makes it one of the most |
| By 1919, the Napa Valley had another enemy, | | | | popular wine regions of the world. |
| that in the form of 'Prohibition'. Most of the | | | | Home to over 300 wineries, Napa Valley has been |
| vineyards and wineries had to close down, except | | | | recognized as a leading wine producing region all |
| for those, which were producing holy wines used | | | | over the world. From the Zinfandel to the |
| by the Churches. This act of Prohibition lasted for | | | | Cabernets, if you are a wine enthusiast Valley is |
| more than 14 years and later during the time of | | | | probably the place for you. You can go on wine |
| the world war II these vintners of the Valley laid | | | | tours where you can get to visit the oldest and |
| the foundation of the Napa Valley Vintners an | | | | most enchanting wineries of the region and also |
| organization formed to improve the quality of | | | | of the world. Now, the Valley attracts millions of |
| wine and to promote all things related to wine. | | | | tourists and wine aficionados from all over the |
| The 1950s and 1960s saw the growth and | | | | world where as in the years gone by, it was just |
| recognition of the Napa Valley is social circles | | | | a sprawling space inhabited by the Wappo Indian |
| where wine was most consumed and most talked | | | | tribe. |
| about. This decade or two saw the birth of a new | | | | |