Capay Valley is an AVA that runs along the north-western edge of Yolo County in California, on the border with Napa County. Its location in a warm, sunny valley between the Blue Ridge mountains and the Capay Hills means that the region is well suited to the production of wines made with the Rhone grape varieties – predominantly Syrah and Viognier.
©Casey Flat Ranch
The first settlements in Capay Valley sprung up in the 1850s, following the discovery of gold in California. It wasn't long before the mostly European settlers began to plant grape vines and produce wine. Despite this long history, the area didn't become an AVA until 2003, after a campaign by the region's most prominent winery, Capay Valley Vineyards. The Cache Creek that flows south into Yolo County from Clear Lake (home to the Clear Lake AVA) lends its name to the Capay Valley – capay means 'stream' in the local Native American dialect.
Capay Valley has a fairly Mediterranean climate with warm days and mild nights. A moderate amount of cold air comes from the mountains in the evenings, and the open-ended valley also feels some cooling breezes from the Sacramento Delta in the south. The warmer climate here means a shorter growing season, and harvest in Capay Valley usually takes place quite early in the autumn. The early-ripening varieties that are planted here reflect this fact.
Vineyards in the Capay Valley are mostly located on the gently rolling valley floor where the soils contain river rock and volcanic ash deposits. The best vineyard sites are found in the mountains surrounding the valley, where the higher altitude is responsible for a more significant drop in temperature overnight. The growing season in these mountain vineyards tends to be slightly longer than on lower elevations, and the wines produced are typically more restrained and elegant in style.
Along with the Rhone varieties, Sauvignon Blanc, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon do well in Capay Valley.
