Sonoma County, one of the world's premium winegrowing regions,
contains a vastly diverse range of topography, including numerous
small valleys with distinct microclimates, the Russian River, and the
Pacific Ocean. A moderate climate with a cooling maritime influence,
Sonoma County embodies ideal and diverse grape-growing weather: from
valley to hillside, moist ocean coast to dry inland, and cool southern
regions that complement the warmer, more northern areas.
History: Sonoma County reflects the character of old
California, and grapes and wine have been integral to its history. As
early as 1812, Russian colonists planted and cultivated grapes at
Ft.
Ross on the coast,
but it was the Spanish Franciscan monks who laid the foundation for
California wine. This occurred in 1823 in what is now the town of
Sonoma, when Padre Jose Altimera planted several thousand grape
vines at the San Francisco Solano mission (despite its name, the mission is in Sonoma).
Cuttings from those vineyards were carried throughout
northern California in the following decade, starting a plethora of new vineyards. When the missions were abandoned upon
order of the Mexican government, General Mariano Vallejo took over the
vineyards and planted more vines on his lands. Sonoma County continued
to expand its vineyard land with the arrival of Count Agoston
Haraszthy who is credited with bringing to Sonoma 100,000 vines of
some 300 varieties. Sonoma was home to 256 wineries pre-Prohibition,
only 50 of which survived by the time Prohibition was repealed. Today,
Sonoma is again home to about 300 wineries.
Acreage &
Production: Sonoma County totals more than one million acres of land,
with 60,000 acres planted to wine grapes. Stretching from the
rugged Pacific coast to the Mayacamas Mountains, the area offers
a rich and varied landscape. In 2006, the county's wineries accounted
for nearly six percent of the state's total crush. That's about 216,000 tons of
wine grapes, representing a farmgate value of $430 million (California
Dept. of Food and Agriculture 2006 Grape Acreage Report).
Viticultural Areas and Varieties: Sonoma's vineyard acres are planted among the county's
13 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), defined grape-growing areas
distinguishable by geographic, climatic and historic features, whose boundaries have been delineated in a petition filed and accepted by
the federal government. AVAs are one kind of appellation. An
appellation can also be a political designation, such as the name of a
country, a state or states, or a county or counties within a state.
More information on AVAs and appellations can be found on the
Wine
Institute website.
Sonoma County AVAs
include: Alexander Valley, Bennett Valley, Carneros, Chalk Hill, Dry
Creek Valley, Knights Valley, Northern Sonoma, Rockpile, Russian River
Valley, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Valley Green Valley, Sonoma Mountain and
Sonoma Valley. The county is also part of the larger North Coast AVA.
The principal varieties grown in the county include: Chardonnay, Pinot
Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc.
Climate:
Sonoma's climate is tempered by cool maritime breezes and coastal fog
that creep into the valleys via large crevices such as the Petaluma
Gap and up from the south through the San Francisco Bay. Summer
daytime averages are 71F. Starry summer nights average 40F. Winter
temperatures are equally pleasant, accompanied by moderate rains,
rarely experiencing hail or snow, providing the optimal growing
conditions.
Tasting Rooms &
Wineries: Sonoma County contains some 300 wineries, half of which are less than 20
years old. And, just like it was over 150 years ago, small,
family-owned wineries continue to exist comfortably alongside larger
entities, each producing premium wine in its own unique style.
Major Attractions:
The towns of Sonoma, Healdsburg and Santa Rosa offer
boutique shopping, art galleries, nationally-reviewed restaurants,
tasting rooms, spas and hotelsall centered around picturesque town squares.
Take a hot air balloon ride in the morning, then spend an afternoon on
the coast, walk the beach in
Bodega Bay, or play golf at one of more
than 20 golf courses in the county. Take a sip and cycle excursion
with one of three tour companies that provide the perfect experience.
Alternatively, enjoy a picnic at one of 45 winery picnic
grounds or tour one of several wine caves throughout the county.
Ecotourism is plentiful, but the history of the land may be best
expressed at the Armstrong Redwoods State Park where
you can gaze
at a 1400-year-old treethe oldest known redwood in Sonoma County.
You can also take it to the wild side at
Safari West, enjoying
a safari through terrain filled with African animals, wine, music and dance.
And the
bounty of Sonoma County
provides nearly 20 farmers markets throughout the week. For the
schedule, go
here.
Also see:
Value Tips: Sonoma County Visitors |
Napa Wine Country Overview |
California's Wine Regions
|
California
Wine Varietals |
How Wine is
Made | Guide
to Winespeak |
How to Taste
Wine
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