Sonoma County has more than 200,000 acres stretching from the rugged Pacific coast to the Mayacamas Mountains. This particular area offers a rich and varied landscape steeped in history. Discover more about the past of this great land, and the bounty it holds for those that cultivate the vines living there, and pride themselves on hand-crafted works of art like Hideaway Creek Wines.
The Storied Past of Sonoma County
Few districts have more of the character of old California than Sonoma County, 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 Fathers who laid the foundation for our wine industry in 1823 when Padre Jose Altimera planted several thousand grape vines at their northernmost mission, San Francisco Solano in Sonoma.
In 1834, political upheaval brought an appropriation of all missions by the Mexican government. During this period of disarray, cuttings from the Sonoma Mission vineyards were carried throughout the northern California area to start new vineyards.
By the time of the "Bear Flag Revolt " and the subsequent annexation of California by the United States in 1854, the vineyards of General Mariano Vallejo, the military Governor of Mexican California, were producing an annual income of $20,000. Other areas in the county were developing at this time: Rocky Mountain trapper Cyrus Alexander in northern Sonoma first planted grapes in what would become Alexander Valley; the county's first "feminine vineyardist ", Senora Maria de Carrillo, had 2,000 vines in what would be Santa Rosa; Captain Nicholas Carrigan, probably the first American settler, had vineyards in the Valley of the Moon, and later in 1852, his neighbor William Hill, planted the first non-mission grapes in the county.
All of this viticulture activity took place prior to the arrival in 1855 of the man considered "The Father of California Wine Industry ", Count Agoston Haraszthy. The Hungarian Count purchased the Salvador Vallejo vineyard in Sonoma Valley, renamed it Buena Vista, and soon was producing fine wines from the vineyard. In 1861 he was commissioned, but never paid, by the California legislature to study viticulture in Europe. He returned to Sonoma County the following year with over 100,000 cuttings of prized grape varietals from France, Italy and Spain. Haraszthy is credited with first promoting the concept that fine table wines could be produced in Sonoma County as well as Europe.
Today, in Sonoma County approximately 190,000 tons of grapes are produced on nearly 65,000 acres of vineyards. There are over 250 wineries, over half less than 20 years old. And, as 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.
Unique Geography
In the triumvirate of North Coast counties, Sonoma stands out for its diversity of vineyard locations and grape varieties. Within the broad east-west expanse, bounded by the moderating Pacific Ocean and a range of low mountains, Sonoma County is a land of unlimited potential for grape growing and wine making.
Long before vineyards covered much of the land, what we now know as Sonoma County was an inland sea. Violent tectonic upheavals of the coastal plates created present day Mayacamas Mountains that form the eastern boundary of the county. In sharp contrast are the southern rolling hills of Sonoma Carneros, once grazing land for sheep but now highly praised land for grape vines, and the slightly higher coastal hills that run the length of the county’s western edge.
All great world wine regions benefit from a body of water, often a river, to moderate climatic swings. In Sonoma County, the mighty moderator is the Russian River, meandering through a lush valley of vineyards, it provides a conduit pulling fog through Healdsburg and into the Alexander Valley, as well as forming its own appellation. On the west side of the county, the Russian River continues its run through Green Valley, finally emptying into the ocean at Jenner.
Today, Sonoma County physical geography is a balance of redwood forests, viticulture and orchards, all in a delicate dance with the pulse and growth of Sonoma County’s business and residential communities.
A Special Climate
Sonoma County is a diverse landscape for grape growing that, climatically, is strongly influenced by maritime variations. Cool nights and days that rarely get hot contribute to layers of oceanic fog that creep into Sonoma’s interior valleys through numerous spots like the Petaluma Gap.
Daytime temperatures average a comfortable 71F, with the warmest summer days rarely topping 84F. Nighttime temperatures stay mostly in the 40s, meaning hard frosts are a rarity, even in the spring, the critical flowering time for grapes. In September, at the start of the autumn grape harvest, the weather remains moderate with little to no rainfall. Sonoma County experiences no measurable snow or hail and normal rainfall measures between 25 and 30 inches a year.
Grapes thrive in this climate and while the county does experience the occasional temperature extreme and hard rains, the reliably moderate diurnal swings are tempered by coastal fog and only trace amounts of summer rain.
While growing premium wine grapes in Sonoma County is not quite as easy as putting a stick in the ground then stepping back to watch it grow, for grape growers and winemakers, Sonoma County is truly a Garden of Eden.
The Appellations of Sonoma County
Alexander Valley:
The valley named for pioneer Cyrus Alexander flanks the straight southwest flowing, eminently canoe-able stretch of the Russian River from Cloverdale to Healdsburg. Here, along heavily graveled benchlands grows Cabernet Sauvignon so innately soft, fluid and welcoming that it rarely requires the softening admixture of Merlot, a variety often employed to tame the rough tannins usually associated with the Cabernet.
Forty years ago, prunes and walnuts held sway in Alexander Valley, and the flatlands were dotted with bovine herds. Today, the lowlands produce Chardonnays that achieve a flavorful ripeness, with rich, long textures that incite glorious dining. Nothing wrong with that.
The warmer northern end of the valley favors Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and newcomers like the French Syrah and Italian Sangiovese. Vineyards that scale the hillsides surrounding the valley floor provide rich and complex flavors. Hunt around, and you can still find some of the juiciest, most succulent prunes you’ve ever tasted.
Bennett Valley:
Bennett Valley is a place where nature truly thrives. Pastoral hillsides, horse and cattle ranches and, of course, pristine vineyards all harmonize to create a unique setting for the making of world class wines. Indeed, the wines produced from the grapes grown in Bennett Valley benefit from extended hang time, thus ensuring the grapes will reach optimal maturity. The long growing season helps maximize flavors, increase concentration and soften green astringent tannins enabling wines to be made which reflect the essence of each individual varietal.
Roughly defined by the Matanzas Creek watershed, three mountains uniquely define the valley: Taylor to the west, Bennett to the east and Sonoma to the south. A gap in the mountains permits cool coastal fog and wind to pour into Bennett Valley on a regular basis throughout the growing season. This consistent marine influence creates ideal growing conditions for cool weather varieties most notably Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The varied elevations, between 250 and 1850 feet, and compass spanning sun exposures provide numerous microclimates, many of which also permit the successful cultivation of other varietals.
Bennett Valley has less than 700 acres in vines which are farmed primarily by small independent growers with a passion for quality and a commitment to the production of world class wines. Expect to see the stature of this unique appellation grow in coming years.
Carneros
On the northernmost edge of San Francisco Bay (here called San Pablo Bay), is the Carneros region which rises gradually from flush-with-wildfowl wetlands where tiny pink brine shrimp thrive in the salt marshes. The thin-soiled gently rolling hills spill over into neighboring Napa County, and was once home to shepherds and their wooly flocks, hence the name which is Spanish for “ram.”
One of the coolest regions in Sonoma County–partly because of the Bay’s moderating influence–the Carneros is prime Pinot Noir and Chardonnay country, varieties used both for crisp sparkling wines of great stature and for lean, table wines. Pinot Noirs, which clearly demonstrate their Carneros breeding, often show a jammy strawberry character, while Carneros Chardonnays possess delicate floral, white peach and white grapefruit qualities that are subtle, yet alluring.
Chalk Hill
On the north side of Windsor, extending along a short stretch of the Russian River, is the Chalk Hill district, which takes its name from the warm, blanched volcanic ash hillsides that offer excellent drainage and sunny exposures.
An Olympic quality equestrian show ring sits in one fold of hills, and over another is an expansive African wildlife park that features critters from springbok and eland to wildebeest and zebra. Various nurseries specialize in chipotle peppers, cut flowers, and clematis vines. Orchards of olive trees have spawned a small but growing olive oil industry and one nature preserve caters almost solely to wood ducks.
The real lure of Chalk Hill, to enophiles, are the mineral-filled, tangy fresh-grass Sauvignon Blancs, Chardonnays of power and substance, and the black currant and cassis defined Cabernet Sauvignons that thrive on these tawny slopes. In addition, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, both of which are often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to add nuance and complexity, also do well in this appellation.
Dry Creek Valley
In many ways, Dry Creek Valley is quintessentially Sonoma County, where warm days are tempered by morning fogs from the Pacific and food-pleasing varieties like Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel emerge in all their glory, both on the narrow valley floor and the wooded hillsides above. Nobody makes wine from them, but local kiwi fruit grown in Dry Creek is excellent too. As are the plethora of fruits grown in Dry Creek’s salubrious climate: apricots, peaches, plums, pears and olives.
Originally planted by French immigrants in 1870, Italian pioneers soon discovered a vinous geography that recalled their native Tuscany and Piedmont. They planted Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and Carignane to produce hearty red wines. Today, the leading varieties (after Zinfandel) include Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot. The severe, stone-strewn soils are ideal for concentrating fruit and flavor character, and the resulting wines are rock solid examples of their types.
Picturesquely located at the foot of Lake Sonoma’s expansive boating and recreation area, Dry Creek Valley produces warm, flavor-forward wines that are equally at home with the pizza as with the filet mignon.
Green Valley
The apple trees are one clue. Blueberries and tangled thickets of blackberries and raspberries–and the densely-fruited jams, jellies and preserves they produce–are the other. Both reference a climate that is just cool enough to bring out the most fully matured fruit flavors that Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc can mount.
Tucked away on the edge of Sebastopol– once the world’s home to the Gravenstein apple–Green Valley offers an admixture of redwood forests, llama and Christmas tree farms, ornamental flower nurseries (even normally fragile orchids thrive here), Luther Burbank’s famed Gold Ridge Farm, old style Italian restaurants . . . and wine grapes with distinctive “cold climate” identities. Also used for sparkling wine, Pinot Noirs are velvet-textured and supple with spicy black cherry, and local Chardonnays are crisp and creamy, with nutty spices all their own. Then there’s the spice queen, Gewurztraminer, with nutmeg and cinnamon pushing forward hothouse floral aromas that entice and lure.
Knights Valley
Thousands of years ago, the Russian River traversed Alexander Valley, continued through Knights and Napa Valleys, finally emptying into the sea somewhere near present day Monterey. An ancient eruption of Mt. St. Helena–which continues to have a profound influence on Knights Valley’s vinous sense of place–pushed the course of the Russian River west at Healdsburg, altering the landscape.
Protected from direct Pacific influence, Knights Valley is the warmest of the county’s Viticultural Areas. Thus you see the excellence of Sauvignon Blanc in its ripest exposition, showing full fig and melon fruit. Then, too, there are the Bordeaux Meritage varieties–Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot–in all their various and distinct combinations. These are richly-fruited beauties, with plenty of cassis and tobacco, with cedary hints and the rich chocolate notes of perfectly mature warm climate grapes.
The climate is ideal for vegetable “truck” gardens that supply the finest restaurants throughout wine country. Renowned cattle ranchers provide succulent Black Angus beef to match the rich reds this region is best known for.
Rockpile
It is rare enough for an appellation’s name to be so descriptive of its geophysical nature, rarer still to so closely adhere to the ancient adage that “the vine must suffer that the wine be distinctive.”
In the northwestern most corner of Sonoma County, on stark, hardscrabble ridgelines overlooking manmade Lake Sonoma sits the county’s newest viticultural area: Rockpile.
The name comes from Rockpile Ranch, that once counted 20,000 acres in cattle and sheep. Local lore has legendary Sheriff Tennessee Bishop putting prisoners to work grading roads to his mountain ranch. The cons dubbed it “rockpile,” and the story may well have the virtue of truth on its side.
Viniculturally, Rockpile is known for the intense, highly defined red wines grown between rugged rock outcroppings since 1872. Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon evolve dramatically from the spare, demanding soils that are over 800 feet above sea level. Thus, though cooled by coastal breezes, it remains above the evening fog layer; the extra sun exposure ripens red grape varieties to peerless perfection.
Russian River Valley
You can still come harvest your own raspberries in September, pick your own pumpkins come Halloween, or chop down a Christmas tree while December nights darken along the wending patch of the Russian River as it descends to meet the Pacific at Jenner-by-the-Sea. Commercial gardens grow flowers that decidedly define the color spectrum and a prize-winning dairy provides an expanse of mind-soothing, stress-busting, brown-eyed milkers.
As good as the Russian River Valley Chardonnays are–they are clearly world class, being slightly more lean than those of Alexander Valley, but still fruit developed enough to sustain months in oak barrels for depth and complexity–this is where Pinot Noir shines.
Where most red wines focus on flavor, Pinot Noir is about texture, that sensual, succulent, juicy, fleshy, slides-down-your-throat mouth feel that is so alluring. It is a textural delight that can only be found where morning river fogs moderate afternoon temperatures so that fruit maturity is achieved without loss of depth and suppleness.
Sonoma Coast
The hottest new region in the county is, in fact, its coolest. What’s hot is the recognition that a place so close to the Pacific, with more than twice the annual rainfall of its inland neighbors, can still be warm enough to ripen wine grapes to their fullest flavor potential.
The answer, simply enough, is that these vineyards rise up above the fogline on slopes once given over to natural forestlands, punctuated by the occasional flock of sheep or herd of cows. On the coast, a thriving seafood industry provides the perfect accompaniment to the region’s vinous offerings. Chardonnay with the crab? Oysters? It’s so deliciously Sonoma County.
Though at 750 square miles it’s the county’s largest Viticultural Area, it is at present the least planted. But that is changing rapidly as consumers discover the depth of flavors that can be generated when varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are planted where the end of the growing season is coincident with their fullest flavor maturity. That’s how you come up with Chardonnays loaded with fresh dairy cream and toasted hazelnut character and Pinot Noirs sulky and silken with black cherry fruit and sandalwood spice.
Sonoma Mountain
Rising above Sonoma Valley to the east and the Santa Rosa Plain to the west–and set apart by being well above the morning fog line–Sonoma Mountain is primarily an enclave of powerful, yet elegant Cabernet Sauvignons. The region’s primarily eastern exposure allows full morning sunlight to promote a long, even ripening season, without pushing the process along too quickly. Well-drained soils and steep slopes allow smaller berries to focus on clear, intensely singular fruit flavors, from black currant to cassis, with notes of blackberry and violets that only add to the wines’ inherent complexity.
Due to the wide variety of slope and exposure, other varieties are grown as well. They include Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (early season varieties), Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon (a later season variety, like Cabernet), and some highly distinctive Zinfandels, whose uneven ripening patterns defy category. That said, it is the singularity of Cabernet Sauvignon that most concretely defines the Sonoma Mountain Viticultural Area.
Sonoma Valley
Northern California’s history is encapsulated in the “Valley of the Moons,” where Franciscan Padres planted the county’s first grapes (1823) at the last of the missions and the rapscallion Hungarian “Count” Haraszthy inaugurated commercial winemaking. Across the street from the Mission, local insurgents staged the Bear Flag Revolt, a premature attempt at wresting California from its Mexican proprietors. Downtown Sonoma’s homegrown cheeses offer the ideal accompaniment to this region’s equal variety of homegrown wines.
Many ancient winery stone shells still stand, a reminder of the valley’s vinous history, while present winegrowers take advantage of a climate warmed by slanting rays of sun and cooled by airflows from both the Bay (to the south) and the Santa Rosa Plain (to the northwest).
In the coolest locations, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are grown for both table and crisp sparkling wines. Up valley, sweet apple Chardonnay continues to hold sway, while currant-laden Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wave the flag for red wines. Higher up, near the ridgelines, Zinfandel comes into its own as a wine of peppered spiciness and zingy, raspberry fruitiness.
*Source: Sonoma County Vintners
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