Sonoma County
Napa Valley may be the most California’s most famous winemaking region, but Sonoma Valley is the true birthplace for fine wine production in the state. Agoston Haraszthy arrived in Sonoma in 1857 and founded the Buena Vista winery, the first winery in California. For most of the present century, Sonoma has lived in the shadow of its more famous neighbor, but over the past decade there has been a huge resurgence of activity in Sonoma County based mainly on its diverse and unique growing regions.
Today, Sonoma is a bustling region of over 172 wineries and 35,000 acres of vineyards, compared with 20 years ago when there were only 11,000 acres supporting 30 wineries. Sonoma wines continue to grow in quality, and the first clue to that quality comes from the other crops grown here. Apples, hops and prunes require a bit cooler temperature than California’s norm, and all thrive alongside the vineyards in Sonoma County, cooled by the ocean breezes.
Sonoma County, although not a true AVA, runs north up the coast from the head of San Francisco Bay, between Napa Valley and the Pacific Ocean. Its southern half is cooled by the Russian River and the marine influence of the San Francisco Bay; the northern area is a bit warmer thanks to the hills that block the ocean influence north of Healdsburg.
Consistent with the rest of the state, climate is usually the determining factor in vineyard location. Good growing climate in this region is a function of the accessibility of Pacific fog and cloud cover. Because of this diversity, Sonoma is best explained by understanding the unique areas that make up Sonoma. Wineries have been successful in Sonoma by creating appellations that best reflect grape types and the wines they produce. Following is a discussion of the most prominent appellations of Sonoma.
