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"It was found that the mountains on the east side of the valley were full of silver ore of untold, because unknown, richness. Simultaneous with this good discovery, every unemployed man from Soscol to Calistoga turned prospector. Blankets and bacon, beans and hard bread rose to a premium, and the hills were lighted at night with hundreds of campfires." W.F. Wallace's 1901 History of Napa County |
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The history of Atlas Peak is as rough and tumble as its terrain and has all the makings of a Hollywood western filmed at 2,000 feet above sea level. The Wappo Indians, Sierra Nevada silver miners, European hoteliers, lung specialists, wild animals, forest fires, and of course, wine grape growers, all play a unique role in the history of this fascinating region. The peak itself is located in Napa County, California on the western slopes of the Vaca Range, separating the Napa and Sacramento valleys. At an elevation of 2,663 feet, Atlas Peak is the most prominent peak in the area and became the recognized name for the surrounding region in or around 1875, when A.V. Evans built and named his legendary hotel, the Atlas Peak Resort. At that time, Atlas Peak and the nearby Soda Canyon and Foss Valley areas were known as fashionable summer resort or country estate playgrounds for wealthy individuals and families from San Francisco and elsewhere in California. Established at the base of Atlas Peak in the late 1850's, Napa Soda Springs was the most luxurious and exclusive resort in all Napa Valley, dominating the competition at the turn of the century and playing a key role in the growth and development of Napa County's tourist industry. Even the 23rd President of the United States, Benjamin Harrison, saw fit to experience the Resort's natural attractions -- awesome views, rugged scenery, exceptionally mild climate and curative mineral springs -- in 1894. Vineyards were first planted in the region in 1870, when James Reed Harris planted 1,000 vines on his ranch property located one mile southeast of Atlas Peak and now owned by Elan Vineyards. By 1893, he had grown his original one-acre planting to 47 acres of wine grapes. Other area pioneers included Christian Moser, Sebastian Raymond Dickey and Francis Varty. Moser and Varty, both European immigrants, likely made their way to the Sierra foothills trying to strike it rich in the years that followed the 1849 Gold Rush. Interestingly, Napa County was known as a favorite wintertime base camp for miners from the Sierras, where they prospected for placer, silver and mercury (quicksilver), and could have been the impetus for Moser and Varty establishing permanent roots in Atlas Peak. From 1880 to 1901, the area experienced a slow but steady growth in vineyard acreage which surprised many – this was the era of Phylloxera – a deadly louse that attacks the root system of grapevines and which ultimately wiped out most of California's vineyards. Amazingly, Atlas Peak historical records show that the area was virtually immune to the disease, due perhaps to a combination of its remote location, high elevation and climate. These very same characteristics – mountain climate (especially low relative humidity) and elevation – made Atlas Peak one of the most highly recommended regions in which to recuperate from respiratory ailments. During this era, oral history and diary entries indicate that wine grapes grown in Atlas Peak were hauled by wagon to wineries in or near the town of Napa or to the old Borreo winery in Soda Canyon. At that time, varietal plantings included chasselas, malvoisie, burgundy, zinfandel, muscat, flaming tokay, mission and riesling. When Prohibition was enacted in 1920, records show that virtually all of the Atlas Peak area vineyards subsequently died from lack of care and old age or were replanted to alternative crops. After Prohibition was repealed, the first new vineyard was planted in Atlas Peak in 1940 on Mead Ranch, one mile west of Milliken Canyon. However, it was not until 1981 that large plantings began in earnest, along with the establishment of the first winery – Atlas Peak Vineyards – in 1985. A renaissance of the once well-established grape growing tradition had begun. Today, there are over 1500 acres planted to vineyards in the 11,00-plus acres of land that encompass the Atlas Peak appellation. Once known primarily for zinfandel, the Atlas Peak appellation is producing top-notch varietals used to create Bordeaux style wines -- Cabernet Sauvignon, cabernet franc, petite verdot, malbec and Merlot; as well as others including syrah, marsanne, sangiovese, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant varietal. Atlas Peak growers supply fruit to tens of dozens of wineries in Napa and Sonoma counties, helping to create some of the finest wines in the world. Other Atlas Peak vintners and winemakers produce, bottle and market their own brands. And, since establishment of the region as an American Viticultural Area in the early nineties, producers are now featuring the Atlas Peak designation on their labels to help consumers recognize the regional characteristics and distinct style of Atlas Peak appellation wines. References
"Petition for Establishment of the Atlas Peak Viticultural Area" (December 1990)
Annual Report of the Board of State Viticultural Commissioners for 1892-93
Directory of the Grape Growers and Wine Makers of California
History of Napa County
Summary of Major Findings Regarding the History of the Foss Valley Viticultural Area
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