Sonoma County Wineries

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SONOMA COUNTY WINERIES

SONOMA COUNTY WINERIES RUN THE GAMUT IN VARIETALS

Because of Sonoma Couny's highly varied landscape and its many different microclimes, there's room within the county for a huge variety of wines and wineries.

You'll find that Sonoma wineries number over 200, they produce thirteen different varietals, and they're classified under thirteen reknowned appellations!

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THE SECRET WEAPON OF SONOMA COUNTY WINERIES

Sonoma County Vineyard;
Photo by Suzi Rosenberg

With the Pacific Ocean lapping at the county's western edge, and the Russian River running through, Sonoma wineries can count on the maritime influence of an oceanic fog to keep temperatures in the moderate zone.

Warm days and cool nights are excellent companions to grape growing and winemaking.

Add to that the wide range of terrains
with interior valleys, rolling hills, and mountains, little to no rainfall during the growing and harvest seasons, and the almost total absence of hard frosts, you've got the ideal environment for growing a variety of grapes and producing many varietals of wine from them!

In the world of winemaking, the French
word terroir applies - that combination of geography, geology, climate, soil composition, weather conditions, and farming techniques that gives each wine its own special characteristics.

You just can't beat the California Wine Country for producing quality wines that have even been known to beat the French at their own winemaking game, but that's another story!

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THE APPELLATIONS OF SONOMA COUNTY WINERIES

(CC) Chris Devers;
Table Set with Champagne

An appellation is the official name given to a geographical area where wine grapes are grown.

It's a convention which tells the winelover who is familiar with the various wine growing regions something about the bottle of wine bearing the appellation.

For instance, if you were looking at a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that bears the Alexander Valley appellation, you'd have reason to believe that this would be an especially soft Cab with few or no rough tannins.

If your bottle is a sparkling wine from a Sonoma Valley Winery you
could expect it to be balanced in texture, with both citrusy and fruity flavors.

A Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley, on the other hand, is all about texture with "sensual, succulent, juicy, fleshy, slides-down-your-throat mouth feel" you can rely on.

In the end, drinking wine is all about your own personal tastebuds - what YOU like. But getting to know the characteristics of an appellation that you enjoy can help you make informed decisions about other wines with similar characteristics.

So - enough! Are you ready to visit some Sonoma County wineries? Here are some of the best, grouped by appellation:

Alexander Valley
Noted for its Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots particularly.

Bennett Valley
Small but passionate and powerful.

Carneros-Sonoma
California's first wine region to be deliniated by its climate rather than its politics.

Chalk Hill
Named for the chalky-colored volcanic ash which lies just beneath the topsoil.

Dry Creek Valley
Noted for the spicy Zinfandels and spicy stories that predate Prohibition.

Green Valley
With its trademark fog, it's the most consistent North Coast appellation for soil, climate, and flavor.

Knights Valley
One of Sonoma's original five appellations, it has the warmest climate.

Northern Sonoma
Gallo of Sonoma was the driving force behind the formation of this appellation.

Rockpile
Adheres to the old adage, "the vine must suffer that the wine be distinctive".

Russian River Valley
One of the largest appellation areas in Sonoma (outdone in size only by the Sonoma Coast Appellation).

Sonoma Coast
Noted for its cool climate and high rainfall, with a broad range of microclimates.

Sonoma Mountain
Because it rises above the fog line, Sonoma Mountain grapes have the opportunity to ripen slowly and evenly.

Sonoma Valley
The Sonoma Valley appellation contains three sub-appellations: Carneros, Sonoma Mountain, and Bennett Valley.

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