Napa’s Nested AVAs: Coombsville
Coombsville AVA is named after Nathan Coombs, a Massachusetts-born pioneer who was granted land here in 1836. One of the early settlers of Napa County who purchased the area as part of the original Rancho Tulocay from Juarez Cayetano in 1845. Nathan Coombs went on to found the City of Napa on this piece of land in 1847. However, the part of the land grant on the east side of the Napa River was left mostly rural and was focused on farming and livestock.
Nathan Coombs
From the 1840's on, Coombsville’s agricultural orientation was initially focused on livestock and subsistence farming as opposed to vineyard development. It was only in the mid-20th century that the region began to attract attention from grape growers and vintners. During prohibition, there was little to no wine produced in the area and prune orchards were the dominant form of agriculture. However, vintners began to appreciate the unique climate and geographic features in the mid to late 1960's. In the mid 1970's and continuing into the 1980's more wineries were founded in the area, establishing Coombsville as a unique wine growing region. In 2011, Coombsville was officially recognized as an American Viticultural Area.
Since becoming an official American Viticulture Area in 2011, Coombsville has taken off with its potential for wines with elegance. The valley's bay influence means it's a lot cooler than most of the rest of Napa Valley which means longer hang time and slower ripening. The result is wines with fresher fruit flavors (like floral "blueberry" notes in the Cabernet), more acidity and tartness, and lower potential alcohol. Wine produced from Cabernet Sauvignon reigns king here, which are typically more earthy and fine than the lush, more structured wines from further up the valley. That being said, Coombsville wines can vary considerably in style
You'll find Cabernet Sauvignon and the full spectrum of Bordeaux varieties here including Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Carménère, and Malbec. Additionally, due to its proximity to the bay, there's great Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and even rosé! The keen highlight of terroir in Coombsville is the marine layer of clouds and fog that lowers temperatures across the AVA. The fog layer can alter temperatures by 10°F compared to the rest of the valley. There's a substantial amount of volcanic ash settled in the valley from Mt. George which gives wines rich floral aromas. Gravelly loams and rocky volcanic soils are typically on the knolls in Coombsville. These tend to be used for Cabernet vineyards and give wines a refined, earthy, pencil-lead aromas.
Coombsville is Napa Valley's southernmost AVA, save for Carneros, which lies a little way to the southwest, and Wild Horse Valley, which it borders on its eastern side. Coombsville was approved as an AVA in December 2011, and ranks among Napa Valley's youngest official wine-growing sub-regions. The region sits at the base of Mount George, at the southern end of the Vaca mountain range.
Just like its immediate neighbors Carneros, Oak Knoll and Stags Leap, the Coombsville AVA benefits significantly from the cooling effects of fog and sea breezes blowing in from San Pablo Bay just to the south. This climatic phenomenon means that the effects of bright sunshine are mitigated, allowing the berries to retain acidity as they ripen and develop flavors and tannins. That being said, Coombsville's gently hilly topography means that there are warmer pockets, making lusher, more opulent styles of wine. The high content of ash in the subsoil holds moisture well, keeping the vines hydrated throughout the dry growing season, although the free-draining gravels and rocks in the topsoil means that this moisture is never overwhelming for the vines.
