A Brief History of Napa Valley Wine Country
Quick answerNapa Valley first vines were planted in the 1830s by pioneer George Yount. The region exploded onto the global stage in 1976 when Stag Leap Wine Cellars beat top French chateaux in the famous Judgment of Paris blind tasting, redefining the world view of California wine.
Pioneer Beginnings (1830-1900)
George Yount, after whom the town of Yountville is named, planted the first vines in the valley in the 1830s. Charles Krug founded the first commercial winery in 1861 and Napa quickly grew into one of the most ambitious wine regions in the United States.
Phylloxera and Prohibition (1890-1933)
The phylloxera plague destroyed most California vineyards in the 1890s, and US Prohibition (1920-1933) almost wiped out the industry. Only a handful of wineries survived by making sacramental wine.
The Judgment of Paris (1976)
In May 1976 a London wine merchant organized a blind tasting in Paris pitting top California wines against the best Bordeaux and Burgundy. Stag Leap 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon and Chateau Montelena 1973 Chardonnay won. Napa was suddenly on the global wine map.