Mt. Veeder is a unique and historic viticulture district located in the southeast portion of the Mayacamas Mountains, which divide Napa and Sonoma Counties.
Some of Napa Valley's first wines came from Mount Veeder. The first recorded wine from the area was produced by Captain Stelham Wing and presented to the 1864 Napa County Fair. Commercial scale production began in 1900 when Theodore Geir bought the property that would later become the Christian Brothers' Mont La Salle Winery. By the late 1890's, there were some 20 vineyards and 6 wineries on the slopes of Mount Veeder. Prohibition diminished the vineyards and production was not resumed until the 1950 to 1960. AVA status was granted in 1993.
The Mount Veeder appellation encompasses 25 miles of some of the steepest vineyards and the most remote wineries in California, at the heart of which stands the 2,677 foot-high volcanic peak of Mt Veeder. The rugged characteristics of Mount Veeder produces grapes with intense flavor. The altitude, steep slopes and shallow, volcanic topsoil result in tiny berries with intense flavor concentration yet soft tannins. The region averages between 35 - 50 inches of precipitation per year, and several special climatic conditions provide the vines with a long, cool, even ripening period. Mount Veeder grapes mature slower than their valley counterparts due to the cooler days and warmer nights.
These qualities combine to create the very specific viticultural region that yields Thomas LaTour Vineyards unique multifaceted grapes. The vineyard, located at the top of Mount Veeder, near the Oakville Cross Road, produces Chardonnay, Syrah and Pinot Noir grapes.
