The World's Best Napa Wines

Napa Valley measures just 30 miles north to south and produces 4% of California’s wine. Yet it’s responsible for America’s most prestigious and collectible wines. Cult Napa Valley wines sell for thousands of dollars and regularly achieve perfect 100-point scores from the world’s top wine critics.

Highlights:

●      Napa Valley has over 100 different soil types, numerous microclimates, and 2,800 hours of sunlight per year, making it ideal for premium winemaking.

●      The Judgement of Paris blind wine tasting in France in 1976 cemented Napa’s reputation as a world-class wine region.

●      Napa is especially famous for its premium Cabernet Sauvignon as well as Bordeaux-style blends and oaky Chardonnays.

Why are Napa Valley wines so famous?

Despite being roughly the size of Washington D.C. Napa Valley boasts more than 100 different soil types and a long, warm growing season with up to 2,800 hours of sunlight per year. There’s everything from volcanic slopes and high mountain vineyards to foggy coastal sites and the sunbaked valley floor.

Conditions here are ideal for premium winemaking, and that’s why many of the world’s most collectible bottles like Screaming Eagle and Harlan Estate begin life here. Yet this is a fairly recent phenomenon. Napa Valley wines only achieved global fame following the 1976 Judgment of Paris blind wine tasting in France. A panel of wine experts selected Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon and Chateau Montelena’s Chardonnay over the top Bordeaux and Burgundy wines of the day.

The Best Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

While Bordeaux in France is famous for its Cabernet-dominant blends, Napa is the premier region for single varietal Cabernet-Sauvignon. The top Cabernet Sauvignon producers in Napa include:

●  Screaming Eagle: This is the most famous cult Cabernet from Napa with a track record of 100-point scores and release prices from $3000 and up. The winery is based in Oakville in the heart of the valley and is known for powerful, structured wines that can age beautifully for decades. Screaming Eagle is rare and highly collectible since each vintage they produce 500 cases or less of their iconic namesake wine.

●  Harlan Estate: Set in the Vaca Mountains, this estate is known for its opulent, intense Cabernets and meticulous winemaking. Their grapes grow on volcanic soils in steep mountain vineyards where the cooler nights help lock in freshness and elegance. Vines here produce tiny quantities of intensely-concentrated grapes, setting Harlan apart from its valley-floor neighbors.

● Opus One: This collaboration between Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Bordeaux and Napa winemaking legend Robert Mondavi set out to create the best wines from Napa Valley by blending Bordeaux structure and elegance with Napa intensity. The winery is located in Oakville where rich loamy soils and ample sun exposure produce smooth, fruit-forward wines.

●  Caymus Vineyards: This legendary Napa winery is located in Rutherford which is famed for “Rutherford dust”, the slightly dusty or earthy cocoa-like texture found in many Cabernets made here. Their flagship wine is one of the very few bottles to have won Wine Spectator’s “Wine of the Year” twice.

●   Colgin Cellars: Colgin deserves a mention for their high mountain wines grown above Stags Leap and Pritchard Hill on well-draining volcanic soils. These Cabernets are known and loved for their impressive aromatics and distinctive minerality.

Top Napa Wines Beyond Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is just the beginning when it comes to understanding Napa Valley wines. Other top-rated Napa Valley red wines to put on your bucket list include:

●      Duckhorn Merlot which is grown on St Helena’s gravelly, well-draining soils, giving a silky smooth texture and rich dark fruit character. Duckhorn helped put Napa on the map for Merlot, and their iconic wines are now a benchmark for the variety across the USA and beyond.

●      The Prisoner is a classic Napa blend combining Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and Syrah. It was first created in 2000 by maverick winemaker Dave Phinney who had previously made a name for himself in Napa with his Orin Swift Bordeaux-style blends.

Top Napa Valley White Wines

Napa is also known for its cult Chardonnays from premium Napa wine brands like Rombauer and Far Niente. Rombauer is typically big and buttery in style, while Far Niente is more Burgundy-style with great balance, minerality and ageing potential. The best vineyards for Chardonnay tend to be in cooler spots like Carneros, Oak Knoll, and the southern valley floor which are cooled by fog and sea breezes.

A Benchmark for American Wines

Napa might be a newcomer compared to Bordeaux or Burgundy, but over the last 50 years it’s become a benchmark for premium American winemaking. Whether you’re stocking your cellar or just browsing the best Napa wines to buy online, you can't go wrong with this world-class region.