Sonoma County Wines

Sonoma County is spread across a million acres of mountain side and hills and has 13 distinctive wine regions offering a wide range of world class wines. The region is much larger than its better known neighbor Napa Valley but both are a great place for growing wine grapes. The soil is a rich blend that presents the needed chemistry for cultivating high quality grapes. It is a beautiful place to visit and many of the winery tasting rooms are very inviting, small family owned vineyards.

One of the best traits of Sonoma County Wine is that some of the oldest American vineyards are found in Sonoma County especially in the Dry Creek Valley not far from Santa Rosa. The growers have singled out certain parts of the region where grapes can properly thrive. The grapes grown in the county have produced wine here since 1850s. You can even find 100 year old vines growing in the region.

Plan your wine tasting room tour, there are more than 300 wineries to explore. Most have tasting rooms with gift shops and some have facilities for weddings and music events.The best places to visit are the main appellations of Sonoma County wine country are Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill, Los Carneros, Sonoma Valley, Bennett Valley, Russian River Valley, Glen Ellen, and Sonoma Mountain. Visitors are welcome to pick up a map and explore without an appointment. Grape varieties grown include Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. A blend of these fine county appellations and the right varietal result in award winning wines and that is exactly what make Sonoma County wines so special.

Include a few bottles in a Design It Yourself Wine Gift Baskets or give a gift of a Wine Club.

Sonoma County wines are not generally known to have a high alcohol content. This is because of the cool and steady temperature during summer. The same temperature also results in the bright and pure red fruited vines. The growers take special care to monitor the ripeness and acidity balance of the fruit before harvesting. When the wine must is prepared, extra attention is given to the stemming and crushing so that the fruit and juices of the berries remain undamaged. Steel tanks are often used for fermentation.

The growers in the county are always interested in improving the quality of their wine. Many also use sustainable practices. There is lots of variety, for example some of the winemakers produce light and fruity wines while other make port-like dessert wine. At the heart of the wines, you can find the freshness of berries as well as notes of cassis and black current.

Sonoma County wines have a range of flavors and expressions that can accompany a wide variety of food that include light meals or more formal courses. The wine has balanced acidity. It is rich and deep. The subtly of these wines often go along well with the dark fruit flavors. It is most suitable for parties, picnics and the like and can also handle sophisticated meals in formal settings.

Beginners Wine Guide
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Basic Wine Information
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Wine Guide
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California Chardonnay Wine
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Best Cheap Wines
My best cheap wines list reads like a poster child for the frugal wine drinker. Here budget wines are recommended and don't forget about joining a wine club.

Best Red Wine
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Best White Wine
A list of my my best dry white wine recommendations and wine buying guide with tasting notes. Try of the best wine clubs for more ideas.

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