Where: Hugging the Pacific Coast and running east until it hits the Mayacamas Mountains, Sonoma County is about an hour north of San Francisco.
Map of Sonoma County wine regions (AVAs) from www.sonomawine.com
What: A vast and varied wine region that nevertheless boasts a strong sense of pride, community and Sonoma identity — in fact, all wines made in the county must be labeled “Sonoma County.” In addition to that moniker, you’ll find labels sporting one of 15 Sonoma AVAs: Carneros (which is shared with Napa), Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Mountain, Bennett Valley, Sonoma Coast, Northern Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Green Valley, Chalk Hill, Dry Creek Valley, Rockpile, Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak and Fort Ross-Seaview.
Sonoma predates Napa Valley; its original vineyards were established in 1824 with the Mission San Francisco (located in the town of Sonoma)… and that very vineyard went on to supply vines to George Yount, who planted Napa’s first vineyard over ten years later. And while Sonoma became a veritable hub of winemaking in the mid-1800s, publicly it sat in the shadows of Napa, which caught the attention of wealthy investors and came to symbolize more of a luxe wine country lifestyle. Never mind, Sonoma growers were happy to be left to their own devices, focused intently on their unique vineyards and quality winemaking.
As you might guess, those vineyards and winemaking styles run the gamut. In Sonoma, wine is affected by how close to the ocean the grapes are grown or how deep into the valleys the chilly coastal fog can breathe. In AVAs like Fort Ross-Seaview or Green Valley (a westerly sub-appellation of the famous Russian River Valley), growers have big success with the likes of Pinot Noir, which appreciates a long and cool growing season. Conversely, in the warm and sunny Dry Creek Valley or Alexander Valley, bold Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon ripen to a rich, silky and seductive texture.
With: Chardonnay is the most planted variety in Sonoma, and a warm summer evening is ideal for enjoying a bottle of it with a filet of halibut topped with fresh fruit salsa. Feel like barbecuing? Go classic all-American with a Dry Creek Zinfandel matched to your sweet-spicy ribs.
Who: Peay makes truly coastal and truly beautiful Sonoma Coast wines from their far-flung outpost just four miles in from the Pacific. Meanwhile, though their cellars are in Oakland, Dashe makes their top-quality Zinfandels with grapes grown throughout Sonoma’s Dry Creek.
