(NVR) - “Wine is one of the most civilized and natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, offering a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.” — Ernest Hemingway

Only three percent of the wine grapes grown in California are grown at altitudes above 1,000 feet in elevation. It is widely known that the most costly and exceptional wines tend to come from these high elevation mountain vineyards, where the “terroir” provides a mystical and divine setting.

When one brings up the concept of terroir—a French wine term used to describe a wine’s “sense of place” — you realize the importance that extraordinary vineyard soils and climate have on producing truly exceptional wines.

For me, that “sense of place” is on the mountain slopes of Napa’s wine grape-growing region, where I contend some of the finest wines are produced. Pour a quarter glass of red wine grown in volcanic tufa (a porous gravely soil) swirl it and sniff it to fully absorb its aromas and flavors, and you’ll immediately notice how much more you sense and appreciate those floral sensations.