Sonoma Gold
SEASON — September 25-October 25
REGIONS — Sonoma & Marlin Counties
About Sonoma County
Sonoma County is not just a special place to grow world-class grapes and make great wines: It’s one of the most beautiful and resource-rich places on earth! 60 miles of pristine Pacific coastline and many other natural wonders are only the beginning of the story. We are blessed with amazing diversity of foods and produce, along with chefs who take full advantage of Sonoma’s bounty. Add to that our relaxed and friendly vibe and it all converges here.
Want to learn more about Sonoma County’s rich wine history, Sonoma’s 13 appellations, and other wine facts? It’s all here waiting for you to discover.
Sonoma County History
1800's
1812 – Russian Colonists planted grapes at Fort Ross (Sonoma Coast.)
1823 – Spanish Franciscan Father Jose Altamira (Sonoma Mission) planted several thousand vines.
1834 – Political upheaval brought an appropriation of all missions by the Mexican government. During this period, cuttings from Sonoma Mission vineyards were transported and planted throughout northern California.
1845 – Bear Flag Revolt in Sonoma; California becomes independent.
1855 – The Hungarian Count Agoston Haraszthy “The father of California Wine Industry” founded Buena Vista winery in Sonoma Valley.
1856 – Cyrus Alexander plants grapes in northern Sonoma County.
1873 – Worldwide outbreak of phylloxera destroys vineyards.
1920-50’s
1920 – There were 256 wineries. With more than 22,000 acres (8,900 ha) in production, Sonoma County had surpassed Los Angeles.
1920-33 – 18th Amendment launches Prohibition. Home winemaking booms. 200 gallons (757 liters) per household are allowed. California produces 150 million gallons (567 million liters) of home wine. Acreage grows to over 30,000 acres (12,000 ha) in grape production.
1933 – By the time Prohibition is repealed, only 160 of California’s 700 wineries remained. Less than 50 wineries in Sonoma County survive.
1933-1945 – WWII prevented importing of French wines, which helped Sonoma County wineries to slowly build and revive; much of new production went into bulk wines.
1945 – 1955 – Post war grape and wine overproduction showed things down, and pro-ration programs were instituted by the government to deal with the glut. Sonoma County pioneers worked through this to rebuild their wine and grape businesses.
1960s to Present
1960's – As the 1960s redefined so many facets of American life, the decade made its mark on the Sonoma County wine industry. Americans developed a taste for wine and demand began to grow.
Early 1970s – A second generation of wineries are started, following a nationwide wine boom. Consumption grows at a 40% rate.
1975 – Wine labels are regulated and appellations begin to be important in marketing Sonoma County’s wines. Planted acreage returns toward 1920s levels of 24,000 acres (9,700 ha.)
1980s – Sonoma County made the transition from being known as a producer dairy, grain and fruit crops with grapes in fourth position.
By 1989 grapes were Sonoma County’s top revenue-generating agricultural crop. Technological advances in winemaking improved wines to meet the more discerning tastes of consumers.
1999 – There are over 49,000 acres (19,800 ha) of vineyards owned by more than 750 growers and 180 bonded wineries in Sonoma County.
Today – Sonoma County has 13 unique AVAs and more than 50 grape varieties are planted here. It is estimated that the wine industry and related tourism contributes over $8 billion to the local economy each year, about 40% of the county’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Geography & Climate
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.
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.
Wine Facts
The Sonoma County lifestyle is attractive to an increasing number of people who appreciate the county’s efforts in melding and satisfying the needs of expanding communities, with those of grape growing and wine making. The annual Sonoma County grape harvest is, after all, worth an estimated $200 million and represents 61 percent of the county’s total agriculture.
Throughout the county, grape growing and wine production are on a region-by-region basis. To pick just a few examples, cool Carneros and the Russian River Valley are best known for Chardonnay and Pinot, while the warmer Dry Creek Valley and Rockpile boasts some of the state’s best Zinfandel and the Alexander Valley is noted for its excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Chardonnay, America’s most popular white wine is also the county’s leading variety with an impressive 16,000 acres. Sauvignon Blanc is a distant second among white varieties, at 2,500 acres. For red varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon heads the roster with 12,000 acres, followed by Pinot Noir, 10,000, Merlot, 7,500 and Zinfandel, with 5,000 acres. Countywide, annual production of still, sparkling and dessert wine is estimated at more than 30 million gallons, from approximately 200, 000 tons of grapes.
