Oakville Wine Country

To the wine connoisseur, Oakville is synonymous with the magnificence and the majesty of California Cabernet Sauvignon. But for those of us who do not spend our waking hours tasting wine and researching viticulture philosophies, Oakville is just another region in the Napa Valley. To the untrained eye, Oakville is a sleepy town on Highway 29, but it has become California's epicenter for Cabernet production. H. W. Crabb first broke ground in Oakville in the middle of the nineteenth century. His To Kalon Vineyard marked the launching point of a storied winemaking history in Oakville, involving battles with Phylloxera and Prohibition; and its ultimate rise to excellence. Phylloxera (pronounced: Phil - ox - erra) is an aphid like insect that lives its parasitic lifecycle on the rootstocks of grape vines. This menace brought many vineyards to their knees, resulting in the largest wholesale devastation of vineyards in California's history. Crabb did not succumb to the perilous aphid; instead, he pioneered the implementation of Phylloxera resistant rootstocks. This saved To Kalon Vineyard, and laid the foundations for all Napa Valley Vineyards that followed. These Oakville Vineyards, whose rise to prominence began in the 1950's, utilized perfect Cabernet growing conditions to revolutionize California Wine. Warm, sunny days are the primary aspect of the Oakville microclimate that lends itself to Cabernet production. To the south of Oakville are the Yountville Mounts, which block much of the fog that creeps through the valley from the San Pablo Bay. This allows the Cabernet grapes to bask in the sun's glory, giving rise to fruit forward, complex and balanced Cabs. Some of the best Cabs in the world come from this historic region. And the cr