Sonoma County is often overshadowed by the fame of its prestigious Californian neighbor, Napa Valley. But Sonoma has a significant amount of land under vine, around 26,000 hectares, similar to Burgundy. And also like Burgundy, it distinguishes itself by making high-class whites from chardonnay and reds from pinot noir (see our recent Sonoma Report here) although we think that cabernet sauvignon and malbec are pretty awesome too. Plus, there's a big difference between wines from vineyards near cooler coastline and hot inland areas.
The county stretches along the western edge of California and is separated from Napa in the east by the Mayacamas Mountains. Wine styles vary according to producer, but the climate plays an important factor. Among the county’s 18 AVAs, coastal vineyards in particular experience an important cooling effect from fog that rolls in off the cold Pacific Ocean. This acts as a dense blanket over the vineyards in the afternoon, shielding grapes from the hot afternoon rays.
