Regional Map / Napa River
Upper napa river
The Upper Napa River watershed extends from the northern headwaters of the Napa River on Mount St. Helena to Howell Mountain in the east and Sulphur Creek in the west. Mount St. Helena was named by Russian surveyors who traveled inland from their coastal outpost at Fort Ross to climb the 4,344 ft. peak. The upper valley is narrow and confined by high ridges. Tributary creeks include: Jericho Canyon, Garrett, Blossom, Cyrus, Nash, Ritchie, Mill, Bell Canyon, Dutch Henry, and Selby.
Spring Mountain |
Calistoga geyser |
The Calistoga Palisades are made up of volcanic rock
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Bale Grist Mill |
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| Historic postcards of upper Napa Valley and Mount St. Helena |
Certified Sites:
Enrolled Sites:
Certified
Araujo Estate Wines
This 160-acre site borders Simmons Creek and the volcanic hills of the rocky eastern side of upper Napa Valley. Grapes are grown using organic and biodynamic methods. A revegetation project using drought-resistant native plants was completed along Simmons Creek as part of the Araujo’s farm plan. Vineyards take up 39 acres, leaving a significant wildlife area. Visit www.araujoestatewines.com.
Eisele Vineyard on Araujo estate. |
Sticky monkeyflower is one of the
native plants installed along Simmons
Creek as part of the Araujo Estate farm plan |
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Beaulieu Vineyards (BV)
Beaulieu (Beautiful Place) Vineyards was founded by George de Latour in Rutherford in 1900. In 2007, Beaulieu Vineyards’ parent company, Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines, received an award from Friends of the River recognizing Exceptional Actions and Dedication to Environmental Conservation. Visit www.bvwines.com.
Calistoga Ranch
This is a large 336-acre site with numerous waterways. This ranch stretches from Highway 29 on the west where Nash Creek enters the property, encompasses the Napa River, and extends farther east to the alluvial fan of Selby Creek. Revegetation of these waterways with native plants is part of this site’s farm plan.
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| Both the Napa River and Selby Creek flow through the large Calistoga Ranch site. |
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Beringer Vineyards
Brothers Jacob and Frederick started Beringer Vineyards in 1876 in St. Helena, where the Beringer Rhine House still stands. Beginning in 2004, Beringer Vineyards made a commitment to enroll and certify all of their lands in Sonoma and Napa counties in the Fish Friendly Farming Program. In 2007, Beringer and its parent company Fosters Wine Estates Americas received an award from Friends of the River for Exceptional Actions and Dedication to Environmental Conservation. Visit www.beringer.com.
Beringer Rhine House in 1890
Bale Lane Vineyard
This vineyard, 57 acres, lies on the western edge of the Upper Napa Valley. This site uses water conservation and an off-stream reservoir to avoid affecting creek and river flows.
Chabot Vineyard
The 35-acre Chabot Vineyard borders Bell Canyon Creek and extends partway up adjacent hillsides. Removing invasive plants and planting natives along the creek is part of the farm plan for this site.
Bell Canyon Reservoir impounds Bell Canyon Creek
upstream of the Chabot Vineyard
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Boeschen Vineyards
The Boeschen family farms 7.5 acres of vineyard near Bell Canyon Creek, and has a winery and cave on this site. Beautiful flower gardens enhance the historical house and wine estate. Visit www.boeschenvineyards.com.
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Buckeye Vineyards
The Piña brothers developed this 6-acre site on Howell Mountain near Angwin in 1996. The vineyards include a partially terraced hillside with a gentler bowl below. The vineyards are farmed sustainably with cover crops of rose clover, crimson clover, and Blando brome; owl houses and raptor perches also encourage wildlife. Visit www.pinanapavalley.com.
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Cakebread Cellars
Cakebread Cellars was started by Jack Cakebread in the early 1970s in Rutherford. Visit www.cakebread.com.
Dancing Bear Ranch
Only 28 acres are farmed on this 194-acre site on Howell Mountain. The vineyard managers use motion sensors, cameras, and high fencing to monitor the presence of a resident family of bears, and typically lose several thousand dollars of grapes to the bears’ late summer snacking.
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Duckhorn Wine Company
Duckhorn Wine Company was founded in 1976 by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn. Visit www.duckhorn.com.
Monitor Ledge Vineyard
The 43.5 acre Monitor Ledge Vineyard is located on the Selby Creek alluvial fan on the volcanic side of the upper Napa Valley. The largely dry Selby Creek fan supports drought-tolerant plants such as pine and manzanita.
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Jericho Canyon Vineyard
The Old Lawley Toll Road, which once allowed stage coaches and horse-pulled wagons to travel to Lake County, now leads to Jericho Canyon vineyard. This 152-acre site surrounds Jericho Canyon Creek, and owner Dale Bleecher manages the creek for native habitats by removing invasive plants. Visit www.jerichocanyonvineyard.com.
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| The Lawley family operated a toll road and inn on the road to Middletown in Lake County |
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Ladera Vineyards
This 185-acre site on Howell Mountain dates back to 1877 as one of the first vineyards planted on Howell Mountain. Pat Stotesbery, who previously ran several ranches in Montana, owns and manages the 81 acres of vineyards to minimize soil erosion and sediment delivery to the small creek on the property. Visit www.laderavineyards.com.
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Parry Cellars
Sue and Stephen Parry manage their one-acre vineyard to protect water quality by using cover crops and no-till farming methods. Visit www.parrycellars.com.
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Poston Crest Vineyard
This small vineyard in the headwaters of the Napa River is managed with the strategic use of deer-friendly fencing around only the vineyard portion of the property. Arlene Poston’s family has owned this property since the late 1970s.
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Salvestrin Wine Company – Crystal Springs Ranch
This site at the base of Howell Mountain contains a vigorous year-round spring that feeds the small creek on the property. The vineyards are set back from the creek, providing an opportunity for the manager to work with FFF staff to revegetate the creek corridor. Visit www.salvestrinwinery.com.
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Sterling Vineyards
Sterling Vineyards was established in 1964 by British businessman Peter Newton. A tram brings visitors to the winery atop a hill in the upper Napa Valley. In 2007, Sterling Vineyards’ parent company, Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines, received an award from Friends of the River recognizing Exceptional Actions and Dedication to Environmental Conservation. Visit www.sterlingvineyards.com.
Sterling Vineyards Winery
Bear Flats Estate Vineyard
Bear Flats Estate Vineyard covers 87 acres on the Ritchie Creek alluvial fan where the creek exits Bothe Napa State Park. As part of a larger program directed by CLSI, a management program for the creek channel is underway. During floods, alluvial fan channels fill with cobble and boulders. Typically, these are then removed and piled alongside the channel. This bedload material needs to deposit into the Napa River to produce spawning beds for Chinook salmon.
Ritchie Creek crosses through an alluvial fan
Calistoga Vineyard
This vineyard lies along the upper Napa River, where invasive non-native plants such as Arundo donax, tree-of-heaven, and periwinkle have infested large areas of the riparian corridor. The managers of this site are working with Fish Friendly Farming staff to remove these invasive plants and establish native plants, to improve the wildlife habitat of the river corridor.
Diamond Mountain Ranch
This 120-acre ranch is located on slopes near the top of Diamond Mountain, west of Calistoga. The limited water in this area encourages dry-farmed grapes on smaller vines. Intensive management is used to assure soil conservation on the steep terraced vineyards.
View from Diamond Mountain Ranch
Nolasco/Larsen Vineyards
These vineyards occupy the valley floor directly below the Sterling Vineyards winery. The site is being managed to eradicate invasive non-native plants such as Giant reed and tree-of-heaven from the Napa River corridor.
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Stony Hill Vineyard
The McCrea family developed this 160-acre site on Spring Mountain in 1943. Thirty-nine acres of vineyard occupy former pastures surrounded by forest. Soil conservation through improved road drainage, use of cover crops, and vineyard improvements were implemented as part of the farm plan for this site. Visit www.stonyhillvineyard.com
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Enrolled Sites:
Engelhard Vineyard
This 7-acre site developed by Dick and Edie Englehard is surrounded by oak woodland.
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Larkmead Vineyards
The Solari family manages this 145-acre-site adjacent to the Napa River. Visit www.larkmead.com.
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Schramsberg Estate Vineyard and Winery
Jacob Schram purchased this 277-acre site on Diamond Mountain in 1862 and developed vineyards and a winery. In 1965, the Davies family purchased and restored the site, including 50 acres of vineyard. Repair of older roads was completed as part of the farm plan to protect water quality in on-site creeks. Visit www.schramsberg.com.
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Sterling Vineyards
Sterling Vineyards was established in 1964 by British businessman Peter Newton. A tram brings visitors to the winery atop a hill in the upper Napa Valley. In 2007, Sterling Vineyards’ parent company, Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines, received an award from Friends of the River recognizing Exceptional Actions and Dedication to Environmental Conservation. Visit www.sterlingvineyards.com.
Petersen Ranch
Located at the western boundary of Napa County, approximately half of this 100-acre site is planted to vineyard. The managers of this site are working toward dry-farming to reduce their water use.
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