| Even if you are not deeply involved in the wine | | | | stage was quite successful and exciting, but as the |
| world, you must be familiar with Napa Valley | | | | years passed rapid expansion meant more and more |
| Vineyards. It is the primary center of wine production | | | | people opened vineyards in the Napa Valley, resulting |
| in not only California but for the rest of the country | | | | in a cheap grape price meaning that grapes would be |
| as well. The history of Napa Valley Vineyards dates | | | | going southwards due to abundance of grapes. Later |
| back to the 19th century. Today it is famous for | | | | a phylloxera pest infested several vineyards which |
| growing various high quality vine varieties like Merlot, | | | | resulted in huge losses for the people hence changing |
| Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Chardonnay. The | | | | the price back upwards due to a smaller supply as |
| Napa Valley Vineyards is so popular that more than 5 | | | | many went bankrupt because they based their |
| million visitors come here each year. | | | | operating estimations on the earlier higher price. |
| The first inhabitants of the Napa region, the Native | | | | The passage of a Prohibition Act in 1920 was the |
| Americans, were aware of the natural resources of | | | | biggest crisis for the wine industry in Napa Valley. |
| the region. They were surrounded by numerous wild | | | | The people in the wine industry were taken by |
| animals like wildcats, elk, salmons and grizzlies. | | | | surprise and several vineyards had to close down. |
| Moreover, there were plenty of wild grapes which | | | | The Prohibition was repealed in 1933 which was |
| were a source of food for the local people. Though | | | | greeted with much joy among the people and it |
| the idea of making wine did not arrive yet, the early | | | | heralded in a new beginning for vineyards and wine |
| settlers were not the first ones to establish these | | | | makers. A 1933 bottle is a treasured item for a wine |
| vineyards. | | | | collector since little was not drunk immediately. |
| George Calvert Yount, one of the first settlers of | | | | The 1940s saw a reorganization of the Napa Valley |
| the region built a local homestead in 1836 and was | | | | Vineyards when several winemaker decided to form |
| the first to plant a vineyard in Napa Valley. He planted | | | | a group where they shared advice and ideas. This |
| vineyards for the sole purpose of recreation and was | | | | formed the foundation of Napa Valley Winemakers |
| not the only person responsible for Napa Valley | | | | whose main task thereafter was to promote wines |
| Vineyards' growth. There were other people who | | | | produced in Napa Valley in the global market. Grape |
| popularized the concept of commercial production like | | | | growers joined this group in 1975 to form the Napa |
| John Patchett, owner of the first vineyard for | | | | Valley Grape Growers Association. |
| commercial production, Hamilton Walker Crabb, who | | | | The year 1981 saw the beginning of a traditional |
| experimented on more than 400 varieties of grapes | | | | event for Napa Valley Vineyards when Napa Valley |
| and Dr. George Crane, who promoted grape vine | | | | Wine Auction was started with the sponsorship of |
| plantations through his newspaper columns. | | | | Napa Valley winemakers. The Meadowood Resort |
| The establishment of Napa Valley Vineyard did not | | | | was chosen for the occasion and the affair was |
| initially or immediately take off for wine making as | | | | highly successful. The wine makers did not look back |
| grapes were put to other uses at the first. It was | | | | since then and today it is one of the flourishing |
| after Charles Krug who set up the first winery for | | | | charity events in wine making and beyond. Over the |
| commercial purpose in 1861. His making of wines was | | | | years more than $85 million has been collected in |
| an idea whose time had come. More than 140 | | | | donations which have been distributed for health |
| wineries were in operation by 1889 which included the | | | | care, youth and housing initiatives. |
| famous Schramsberg and Beringer wineries. The initial | | | | |