It all started more than 150 years ago. Napa Valley landscapes started to see the birth of vineyards in the entire valley. And the predecessor of these wineries was George Yount, who first planted the very first Napa Valley vineyard in 1838. By the mid-1850, there were 50,000 grapevines planted in Napa Valley, and by 1860, about 200,000. But during the same period, this region of California encountered a serious problem called Phylloxera, an aphid-like insect, that feed on the roots and leaves of grapevines, gradually cutting off the flow of nutrients and water to the vine. This phenomenon has been pretty devastating on the area, and as a result, a prohibition on the Napa Valley wines was decided in 1919, up to its repeal in 1933, which affected the growth of the industry.

Then in 1944, the Napa Valley Vintners was founded, and counts today a total of 350 wineries as active members of this trade group. This group was founded during the struggling years of World War II, when a group of vintners came together to share ideas on grape growing and winemaking, and created a friendly atmosphere represented by a handful of good friends share the same passion about good food and wine.

During the 50′s and 60′s, Napa Valley continued to gain notoriety in wine circles, and welcomed visitors by sponsoring promotional activities showcasing for wines. As an example, 700 Harvard University graduates were hosted in 1949, and 2,000 guests from General Electric enjoyed a western-style barbecue with Napa Valley wines at the Napa County Fairgrounds in 1952.

Today, Napa Valley is looked at by the  world wines circles as the leader in the world wine community. Some Napa Valley Cabernets went head to head with legendary French Bordeaux in a blind tasting and won critical acclaim at an international wine tasting competition in Paris, during the 70′s.

Also, the great thing about Napa Valley vintners is that they are committed to supporting the well-being of the local community. They have given 85 million dollars to healthcare, housing and youth development organizations since the inception of Auction Napa Valley, the organization’s community fundraiser.