Mount Veeder AVA

Mt. Veeder is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located near the western boundary of Napa County, California, in the most southerly portion of the Mayacamas Mountains which separates Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley landforms. The wine appellation was established on February 20, 1990, as the nation's 107^th, the state's 62^nd and the county's fifth AVA by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Mr. Robert E. Craig, President of Napa Valley Estate Vineyards and Winery, on behalf of local vintners, proposing a viticultural area named "Mt. Veeder."
Although the petition was for the name "Mt. Veeder-Napa Valley," ATF only approved the name "Mt. Veeder" since the evidence submitted with the petition and during the comment period did not support the inclusion of "Napa Valley."

Mount Veeder is the prominent 2,677-foot (816 m) peak in the area. The mountain and viticultural area are named for Reverend Peter V. Veeder, who arrived in Napa in the mid-1850's and became pastor of the Napa Presbyterian Church in 1859. Reverend Veeder appears to have been a frequent visitor to the mountains west of Napa during the 1850s and 1860s, where he enjoyed hiking and climbing. The exact date his name was first applied to the peak is uncertain, although the Napa Daily Register referred to the peak by his name in a July 11, 1879 article.
The boundaries of the appellation encompasses 24 square miles (15,000 acres) with 1,000 acres (400 ha) under vine in thin volcanic soil. Many vineyards are found on the steep mountain face some as steep as 30°. The steepness of the angle gives the vineyards benefits of more direct sunlight and better drainage. The unique sense of place, or terroir of Mt. Veeder AVA produces wines that are typically powerful in structure – depending on how they are made and how the vines are tended. For example, Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the mountain commonly shows "briary" flavors, moderate to bold tannins and herbal, floral aromatics. With the increasing interest in wine in America, wines grown in sub-appellations such as Mt. Veeder are gaining recognition for their unique terroir. Mt. Veeder is responsible for about 1.3% of total Napa Valley production, or 40,000 cases per vintage. There are 35 vintners producing wines from Mt. Veeder viticultual area, such as Alpha Omega, Black Stallion, Domaine Chandon, Hess, Mayacamas winery, Rudd and The Vice. The plant hardiness zones are 9a and 9b.

In 1993, an addendum for the AVA was established where 363 acres (147 ha) was added to the northern boundary including a 30-acre (12 ha) vineyard that was completed after the 1990 designation. The petitioner, actor Robin Williams, stated that his estate and vineyard, in the extension area, was a project under construction prior to the appellation recognition and completed afterwards. He believed the omission of this acreage was an oversight. As evidence, Mr. Williams presented documentation supporting the boundary revision from the original petitioner, the present Chairperson of the Mt. Veeder Appellation Council, and the same experts in soil and climate who reviewed the original petition. The addition also is located in Napa County on the eastern slope of the Mayacamas Mountains that separates Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley contiguous to the northernmost boundary of the existing viticultural area.