A number of wineries emerged, and today Napa is home to hundreds of producers ranging from boutique to corporate. The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980s, when producers scooped up vineyard lands and planted vines throughout the county. In the 1960s, a few key wine families settled the area and hedged their bets on the valley's world-class winemaking potential-and they were right.

One of the world's most highly regarded regions for wine production as well as tourism, the Napa Valley was responsible for bringing worldwide recognition to California winemaking.