The
Atlas Peak AVA is an
American Viticultural Area located within
Napa Valley AVA just northeast of the city of
Napa. The
appellation sits on a higher elevation than most of Napa's wine region which limits the effects of the cool fog coming in from
Pacific Ocean. The westward orientation of most vineyards on the
Vaca Mountains also extends the amount of direct sunlight on the grapes. The soil of this AVA is
volcanic and very
porous which allows it to cool down quickly despite the increased sunlight. The area has a fairly significant
diurnal temperature variation upwards of between daytime and night. This contributes to the balance of
acidity that grapes from Atlas Peak vineyards are known to have.