Oakville AVA
Images Courtesy of Suzanne Becker Bronk
The Oakville AVA is a Napa Valley sub-appellation known for its warm climate on the valley floor, which is well suited to wine production. The Oakville AVA is the location of many famous and historic vineyards, including the historic To Kalon vineyard.
Appellation Details
Oakville is located in the heart of Napa Valley. This means it experiences both the heat of the northern reaches and the cooling influence of the Bay’s fog and breezes. Because of this, of the Cabernet-centric valley floor appellations (St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville), its wines, while ripe and powerful, tend to exhibit remarkable finesse and energy. Furthermore, in the western hillsides where the vines are sheltered from the afternoon sun, the wines tend to be more brooding and mineral rich, while those on the volcanic eastern hills that bask in the afternoon sun are dusty, sanguine, with dried fruit tones.
Oakville’s soils vary considerably. In the east they are rust-red and iron-rich with abundant volcanic material mixed into the gravel and loam. In the center of the valley, the soils are deeper, darker in hue and primarily loam-based. The western edge features the famous gravelly fans that include Martha’s Vineyard and To Kalon. Just above this bench, estates such as Harlan are perched on a mix of sedimentary and volcanic rocks and soils.
Elevation:
- 130 – 1000 feet (40 to 305 m).
Soils:
- Primarily sedimentary gravelly alluvial loams on the western side
- Volcanic but heavier soils on the eastern side
- Fairly deep, with average water retention
Climate:
- Moderately warm, with temperatures commonly in the mid-90s°F (35°C) in the summer
- Strongly affected by evening and early morning fog, which helps maintain acidity
- The eastern side of the AVA receives warmer afternoon sun
Rainfall:
- 34 – 36 inches (89 cm) annually
Principal Varieties:
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Merlot
- Cabernet Franc
Oakville AVA History
The Oakville AVA is located in the north of what was the original Rancho Caymus land grant, awarded to early Napa Valley pioneer George C. Yount in 1836. The land grant consisted of two leagues of land bestowed by Governor Nicolas Gutierrez, with influence from Yount’s friend General Mariano Vallejo. As the first major landowner in the area, George Yount had a large influence on how the region would develop and was the first person to plant Mission grapes in the region.
Oakville, the town at the center of the Oakville AVA, started out as a water stop in the 1860’s for the Napa Valley Railroad Company. The small village that grew around it supposedly took its name from the numerous dark green valley oaks that existed in the area at the time. In 1868, H.W. Crabb, an early Napa Winemaker, purchased 240 acres of land close to the Napa River and established a winery there, calling it “To Kalon”, or “The Highest Beauty” in Greek. By the late 1870’s, Crabb was producing over 50,000 gallons of wine per year produced from his 130 acres of planted vines.
Today the Oakville AVA has over 5000 acres of land planted to grapevines, with over 50 wineries sourcing their grapes from this appellation. The University of California, Davis currently maintains a 40 acre research vineyard and laboratory facility called Oakville Station. The Oakville AVA was officially designated an American Viticultural Area in 1993.
Quotes
“It’s all about the place. The Oakville AVA is the epitome of viticultural variations on a diverse theme of bedrock, soils, climate, weather, water, exposure and elevation. The people drawn to farm and make wines from Oakville grapes play a large part in its greatness as they seek to make wines that are pure and transparent, sculpting the essence and adding subtle nuances to express their unique sites.”
– Michael Silacci, Opus One
Notable Wines sourced from Oakville AVA
Robert Mondavi Winery 2008 ‘Oakville’ Cabernet Sauvignon
This Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon opens with intense aromas of juicy ripe plums, black cherries and blackberries. The flavors expand to include black tea, licorice and fresh bay leaf. Broad, ample tannins remind us that this is an Oakville wine and the experience concludes with a lengthy, persistent dark cherry finish.
BRION 2021 ‘Oakville Ranch Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon
Sourced from the Oakville Ranch Vineyards from the eastern hillsides of the Oakville AVA. This wine includes grapes from the Terraces, Vista and Summit blocks. Consulting winemaker for this wine is Mark Herold
ARNS 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon
2022 Arns Cabernet is the first vintage that comes from the hillsides of Oakville Appellation. Made in the same wine making style as the previous Arns Estate Grown Cabernet.
PlumpJack Winery 2012 ‘Reserve Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon
Our Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the most prized blocks on our estate vineyard in the heart of the famed Oakville Appellation.
Oakville Resources and References
- §9.134 Oakville. Code of Federal Regulations.
- Oakville (AVA): Appellation Profile. Appellation America. 2014.
- Palmer, Lyman L.; Wells, Harry Laurenz (1881). History of Napa and Lake Counties, California. Slocum, Bowen & Company. ISBN 978-1363000555.
- Weber, Lin (1998). Old Napa Valley: The History to 1900. Wine Ventures Publishing. ISBN 9780966701401.
- Oakville Winegrowers Members.
- Oakville Winegrowers.