Most everyone is familiar with the Napa Valley. However, within this popular wine growing region, a number of wine makers are not in the "valley" at all, but up on the various hills, mountains and ridges that border it.

Napa Valley’s is bordered to the west by the Mayacamas Mountains and to the east by the Vaca Mountains. Thanks to the geological forces that created these mountains, they are endowed with mineral-rich, well-drained soils that are particularly well-suited to growing grapevines.

Within the Vaca Mountains lie the sub-regions of Howell Mountain, Pritchard Hill, Atlas Peak, Soda Canyon, and Hennessy Ridge. In the Macayamas range are Diamond Mountain, Mount Veeder, and Spring Mountain. According to a recent article in Drinks magazine, several notable winemakers have headed for the hills, claiming that the altitude, climate, soil and degree of slope offers some advantages over the growing conditions of the valley floor.

One such winemaker is Delia Viader, who maintains that her hillside vineyard on Howell Mountain offers better control of the vegetative cycle for cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc grapes than vineyards have on the valley floor. She adds that cabernet franc should definitely be grown in the hills to avoid having cropped, herbal qualities. Likewise, Fiona Barnett of Barnett Vineyards, whose winery is located across the valley on Spring Mountain, tells Drinks magazine that grape varieties such as cabernet sauvigon, cabernet franc and merlot are right for mountain conditions.

Veteran winemaker Randy Dunn, whose Howell Mountain wines have been long been considered hallmarks of fine quality cabernet, also touts the benefits of hillside vineyards. He claims he makes his wines the same way as he did decades ago, and views with disdain what he calls the "flabby, high-alcohol" winemaking techniques that have become prevalent in recent years.

What the mountain vineyards share are altitude and light soils. High altitude tends to bring about temperature fluctuations and reduce heat spikes, while delaying ripening. Lighter soils lead to lighter grape yields, which, some vintners claim, give them greater intensity of flavor.

Critics, however, can’t seem to agree on whether or not there is a noticeable taste difference between mountain-grown wines and valley floor wines. While growing conditions and soil are important, so too are winemaking techniques, which have gotten increasingly more sophisticated in the past 20 years.

It’s more fun to see for yourself, and there are many fine mountain-grown wines from Napa Valley to choose from. Among those highly recommended are Barnett Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District 2002, Caine Five 2001, Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon 2002, and Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 2001. More to consider are Miner "The Oracle" Red Wine 2001, Strerling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain Ranch 2000 and Viader 2002.