SONOMA

MORE RURAL AND less glitzy than Pablo Bay. In summer, fog hangs Napa, Sonoma is also bigger and about until the morning sun Sonoma’s most more diverse, and its 18 American blows it off; then later, mid- Viticultural Areas (AVAs) more afternoon wind and nightly fog confusing. They overlap and some bring daily temperature swings of encompass several smaller ones, up to 10°C. The result is slower but all have at least a few top- ripening and a long growing exciting AVAs quality and young season, even into November. exploring new The wind helps to reduce yields Larger and more diverse than its California neighbour Napa, Sonoma contains and ideas. Wines and creates smaller berries with from some newer AVAs such as thicker skins, so wines have both 18 different AVAs. From sprawling Sonoma Valley to small Fort Ross-Seaview Fog over the Cline Family Fountaingrove District are hard to acidity and structure, with and hidden gems such as Rockpile, Elin McCoy highlights the most exciting Cellars Catapult Ranch come by, which is why my picks intense aromas and flavours yet winemaking regions here and flags up the producer names you need to know , Petaluma Gap below focus on those whose wines lower levels. About 75 % of are available in the UK. the grapes planted here are cool-climate-loving ; Petaluma Gap the rest are split between Wind is the force behind and and a tiny Sonoma’s most recent AVA, smattering of other varieties. approved in 2017. Much of this The region has a 150-year pastoral valley in southern tradition of -growing and Sonoma County lies inside the remains a region of growers. huge Sonoma Coast AVA, but There are 80 and vintners insist the sub-zone 1,620ha planted, but only nine deserves its own appellation . Most vineyards are because of the ways that the wind small, though Jackson Family makes the wines unique. The Wines has moved in. A handful boundaries are contoured by have been made famous by the where wind maintains a speed of 50 or so wineries outside the AVA at least 13km an hour. that buy Petaluma Gap grapes; The Gap refers to a 24km trendsetter Arnot-Roberts has opening in the coastal hills that made the best vineyards, Gap’s acts as a wind tunnel through Crown and Griffin’s Lair, famous. which cool breezes and chilly fog NAMES TO KNOW: Adobe Road, rush in from the Pacific and south , Keller Estate, to the town of Petaluma and San Sangiocomo ➢

‘Wind is the force behind Sonoma’s most recent AVA, Petaluma Gap... an opening in the coastal hills that acts as a wind tunnel’

Arnot-Roberts, Clary Wind Gap, Gap’s Crown Ranch Syrah, Petaluma Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap Gap 2016 93 2014 92 £55 Roberson £52 Roberson The coolest Syrah vineyard A delicate, lushly aromatic in California, Clary Ranch Pinot from one of the top is in the heart of the vineyards in the Petaluma Petaluma Gap, planted on Gap, made with 100% a hillside near Tomales whole clusters. It’s bright Bay. This 2016 is and lifted, with spicy restrained but powerful, cranberry flavours, and showing bright floral and fresh herb lightly oaked. The has recently aromas along with dark-toned fruit. been sold, so grab this vintage while

Drink 2019-2028 Alcohol 12% you can. Drink 2019-2026 Alc 12% Cline Megan Photograph:

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Russian River Valley Moon Mountain District But tucked away on the cooler lower ‘Thin soils Bob Cabral, the former at Williams When screenwriter Robert Kamen showed me hillsides, you’ll find stellar Chardonnay and Selyem, once told me that when God invented around his biodynamic Kamen Estate vineyard Pinot Noir, originally planted in the 1950s by and altitude Pinot Noir, he put his thumb on the Russian on Moon Mountain on a quad bike, he wore Ambassador James Zellerbach when he River Valley. This AVA, established in 1983, is flipflops. Given the rough terrain of broken founded Hanzell Vineyards. define the ground zero for the rise of California Pinot volcanic rocks, I was happy to be in hiking NAMES TO KNOW: Amapola Creek, Hanna, Noir to cult status. Most of its 94 wineries shoes. The spectacular views were to die for. Hanzell, Kamen Estate, Sixteen600 wines, make at least one bottling, and many make This 7,150ha AVA, with about 610ha of half a dozen or more, labelled with vineyard planted vines, was established in 2013. It’s on DuMol, Montecillo Vineyards Cabernet producing names. But the region is also known for its the eastern side of Sonoma Valley, on the Sauvignon, Moon Mountain 2014 92 lush, creamy-textured, lemony Chardonnays. slopes of the southern Mayacamas Mountains, £99.99 AG Wines ageworthy Low-lying and forested, its roads lined with whose ridgeline divides Sonoma and Napa. Although DuMol is located in the Russian redwoods and nearly 5,700ha of mostly The AVA is composed of rugged hillside River Valley and better known for Pinot reds with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Russian River vineyards, some incredibly steep and remote, Noir, the winery buys grapes from this remains one of the most important AVAs in Above: Williams highlight the differences in its five sub-zones. at elevations from 120m to 670m. They face dry-farmed vineyard planted in the late powerful Sonoma. Its boundaries have been disputed Selyem winery in the The coldest, foggiest one, Green Valley, has its southwest, soaking up warm, intense 1960s. This is a big, deep and mineral- and expanded, a reflection of the price Russian River Valley own AVA producing superb sparkling wines afternoon sun and wind from the Pacific, and inflected 100% with and intense premium conferred by its name on the label. with edgy acidity. many are farmed organically with the help of overtones of cherries and liquorice, plus The river of the same name snakes through A handful of adventurous 1970s pioneers, revolutionary viticulturalist Phil Coturri. chewy tannins from 20 months in . flavours’ the region and pulls in dense fog that keeps such as Joseph Swan and Joe Rochioli, showed Thin soils and altitude define the wines, Drink 2021-2030 Alc 14.5% temperatures cool and therefore acidity in the that Russian River could make great Pinots, producing smaller, thick-skinned grapes that grapes, although it’s not as cool as the coast. and their success attracted a second wave, make old-school ageworthy reds with Louis M Martini, Monte Rosso The river’s fog line largely defined the AVA’s such as Merry Edwards (whose winery was powerful, intense flavours. The soil is volcanic Vineyard, Moon Mountain 2013 88 original boundaries, and it is one key to the recently purchased by Roederer), in the 1990s. basalt and ash, sometimes with deposits of £80.50 The Vinorium character of the wines, along with a wide Generally the Pinots are darker in style, clay. The grapes are mostly red Bordeaux Monte Rosso, a historic vineyard made swing in daily temperatures, plus the with plump, ripe plum fruit, a trademark cola varieties and . Cabernet Sauvignon famous by Louis M Martini, is now owned Goldridge soil, a sandy loam. element, and a voluptuous rather than silky produces big, rich, complex wines reminiscent by E&J Gallo. This bold, almost over-the- But Russian River has more diverse texture. Chardonnays, except those from of Napa mountain Cabs from Mount Veeder. top 100% Cabernet Sauvignon has huge microclimates and soils than people realise. Green Valley, are lush and velvety. But times Some of the AVA’s most unique wines come intensity and blackberry richness with There are, for example, a number of old are changing, and more Russian River Valley from Monte Rosso, one of California’s iconic hints of smoke and liquorice from the Below: Hanna Winery’s Zinfandel vineyards and the AVA recently winemakers are aiming to be on trend with old vineyards with red, iron-rich volcanic soils 27 months it spent in oak. Drink vineyards at Bismark launched a ‘neighbourhoods’ initiative to lighter, more food-friendly styles. that was originally planted in the 1880s. 2020-2028 Alc 15.5% ➢ Mountain Ranch NAMES TO KNOW: Carlisle, Croix Estate, DuMol, Dutton-Goldfield, Ramey Cellars, Ryme, Williams Selyem MENDOCINO COUNTY Sonoma County N AVAs Joseph Swan, Cuvee de Trois Pinot Cloverdale 1 Petaluma Gap Noir, Russian River Valley 2014 92 Russian River 2 Russian River Valley 3 Moon Mountain District £32.21-£40 Berry Bros & Rudd, Annapolis Dry Creek 4 Sonoma Valley Christopher Keiller, Highbury Vintners, 5 8 5 West Sonoma Coast 6 6 Dry Creek Valley Vin Cognito 7 Fort Ross-Seaview Pure and spicy, with a silky texture, Healdsburg 8 Knights Valley SONOMA fine-grained tannins from 10 months Highway 17 Highway 101 COUNTY Other NAPA VALLEYAVAs in oak and a lush core of cherry fruit. CALIFORNIA This blend of several vineyards

Pacific Russian 2 Santa shows the Burgundian side of RRV River Rosa Ocean Pinots. Drink 2019-2028 Alc 14.3% Occidental 4 0 10 20 5 Sebastopol 3 kilometres Bodega Williams Selyem, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 2015 90

Highway 101 Highway 99 Sonoma Highway 99W NEVADA 1 £78.33 (ib)-£97.50 Christopher Keiller, Nevada NAPA VALLEY City Corking Wines Petaluma This is a textbook example of Russian

Pacific Ocean CALIFORNIA 4 Santa Sacramento River Valley Pinot. The blend, which SONOMA Rosa Highway 101 COUNTY Napa MARIN spends 11 months in oak, sings with Vallejo COUNTY cherryish fruit and spice notes. It has Lodi Highway 1 San Pablo San Oakland Bay density and power, but there’s also a Francisco juicy elegance to the palate. Drink

Map: Maggie Nelson Maggie Map: 2019-2025 Alc 14%

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Dry Creek Valley overlaps Dry Creek Valley’s northern border: While this narrow, rural valley (26km long, Rockpile AVA. Its rugged landscape of steep 3km wide) is one of the best in hillsides, big winds and wild boars has only California for world-class Zinfandel and Petite 65ha of vines and its intense wines are hard to Sirah, some 30 varieties are grown here. One find, but you’ll hear more about it in the future. of Sonoma’s smallest AVAs, Dry Creek Valley NAMES TO KNOW: Amphora Wines, Dry Creek retains a rustic, laid-back feel and a legacy of Vineyards, Lambert Bridge, Nalle, Ridge old vines and multi-generational winemaking Lytton Springs, Talty, Unti families. You still feel the influence of early pioneers, many of them Italian, who arrived Ridge Vineyards, Lytton Springs, after the 1849 Gold Rush. Many who planted Dry Creek Valley 2016 94 grapes over 100 years ago, such as Mauritson, £40.50-£52 Berry Bros & Rudd, JN , are still making wines from them, which adds House of Townend, Jeroboams, Lea & to the region’s strong sense of identity. Sandeman, Millésima, The Good Wine Shop, That rich heritage and one of the world’s The Vinorium, WoodWinters, Wright Wine Co Failla Winery’s estate vineyard densest concentrations of old-vine Zinfandel This Zinfandel blend (with 23% Petite set it apart even in 1983, when it became an Sirah and 6% ) has an intense official AVA. Now it boasts 150 growers and 60 purple juiciness, plenty of tannins from 14 West Sonoma Coast cold maritime climate with more wineries. It’s a great place to tour as most months in oak, plus a slightly burly, rustic Although not yet an official AVA, abundant rainfall than inland. wineries are still open without appointment. character. Drink 2020-2030 Alc 14.5% the narrow slice of breathtaking Day and night temperatures are The conditions – a valley floor, benchland and coastline referred to as the West cool and also more uniform. hillside vineyards, long, warm days yet Jolie-Laide, Provisor Vineyard Sonoma Coast gained preliminary That’s why is several evenings can be cool – are ideal not just for , Dry Creek Valley 2016 92 approval in July 2018 and final weeks later than in the Russian Zinfandel, but also fine , as £45 Roberson approval is expected soon. It’s the River Valley, yields are lower and championed by modern pioneer David Stare, This bright, strawberry-scented wine place for Sonoma’s most exciting the wines more expensive. who founded Dry Creek Vineyards in 1972. is made from 100% Grenache. With its Pinots, Chardonnays and Wines from all varieties tend Much excitement here now is in leaner, soft texture, it’s an example of the made by small family wineries, towards lower alcohol and higher claret-style and experiments with exciting direction being taken by young many of whom farm organically. acidity, with layers of savoury Italian and Rhône varieties. Unti Vineyards, winemakers. The grapes were crushed This is where complexity and pure, restrained for example, has , Mourvedre, Fiano, by foot and fermented with whole hippies settled when they went fruit flavours – very much in tune Cinsault, , Grenache and more. clusters, with 10 months of ageing in back to the land in the 1960s. with the wine zeitgeist. Another Dry Creek Valley region Another development is a hidden gem that oak. Drink 2019-2025 Alc 14% You could say the pending AVA contributing factor to their style is push back against the vast (and higher prices) is the terrain 195,000ha Sonoma Coast AVA, on which vines are planted: steep created in 1987, whose name on a ridges at high elevations where Sonoma Valley insight into Sonoma’s long wine Though the most planted grape is, label is meaningless as a guide to clashing tectonic plates formed An AVA since 1981, this sprawling history, which is now being surprisingly, Chardonnay, what’s most the character of the wine inside the San Andreas Fault and created region in the southeastern corner of rediscovered by a younger generation exciting are the young winemakers the bottle. Much of its land is far a jumble of complex soils. the county was known historically as looking for authenticity. producing field blends and Zinfandel from the coast, with zero Still, nothing is simple. The The Valley of the Moon. This was the With dramatic contrasts from old 19th- and early 20th-century influence from the Pacific Ocean. central part of the West Sonoma birthplace of California’s commercial between the valley floor and vineyards. One of them is Morgan So wineries and vineyards Coast, with the oldest vineyards, wine industry in the 19th century, mountain slopes, Sonoma Valley Twain-Peterson MW, whose Bedrock (there are now 47) within a few won its own AVA status as Fort thanks to a legendary self-proclaimed grows a wide range of grapes and Vineyard in the heart of Sonoma kilometres of the coast pushed for Ross-Seaview in 2012 (see p30). ‘Count’, Agoston Haraszthy, who boasts 15 different soil series. The Valley boasts 120-year-old vines. a new AVA to highlight how very NAMES TO KNOW: Failla, Flowers, founded the first winery, Buena Vista, most fascinating sub-zone now is the NAMES TO KNOW: Bedrock, Bucklin, different their wines are because Hirsch, Littorai, Martinelli, Peay, in 1857. Today, it has 114 wineries, Moon Mountain District (see p27). Donum Estate (Carneros), Scribe of the direct Pacific influence and Red Car 5,260ha of vineyards, and some of Morgan Twain-Peterson MW Sonoma’s hippest tasting rooms. The Bedrock Wine Co, Gallica, Rossi Ranch Littorai, BA Thieriot Peay, Pinot Noir, West Sonoma new Abbot’s Passage winery, for The Bedrock Heritage, Grenache, Sonoma Valley Chardonnay, West Coast 2016 92 example, offers not just a collection of Sonoma Valley 2016 93 2017 92 Sonoma Coast 2016 93 £23.75 (ib)-£36.75 Christopher Keiller, small-lot field blends but also £43.99-£47.99 AG Wines, £66.33 Blanco & Gomez £74.99-£87.10 AG Wines, Crump Richmond Shaw, Justerini & Brooks, adventure gear and apparel. Noel Young Gallica is based in Napa, but Hedonism, Liberty Wines Wine Direct Bordered by two mountain ranges, Sourced from estate vineyard Rosemary Cakebread loves From the Freestone/ In the northernmost part of the West it encompasses the charming town of and others in Sonoma Valley, Grenache, and sources it from Occidental area, often my Sonoma Coast, only about 6km from Sonoma as well as several smaller this delicious traditional red this historic vineyard farmed by favourite of Ted Lemon’s the Pacific Ocean. This blend from more cohesive AVAs: Bennett Valley, with deep, dark berry fruit will organic viticulturist Phil Coturri. Chardonnays. It’s all about blocks in the estate vineyard is always Los Carneros, and change your mind about what Wild strawberry aromas and bright citrus, fresh herbs, a bargain. Bright, fresh, more savoury Moon Mountain. But understanding Zinfandel (with 12% other red lush, soft red fruit that belies with minerals and crushed than fruity, with a gentle 10 months’ Scribe Winery Photographs: Charlie Gesell/Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley; Bedrockthe Wine Co; Leo Patrone bigger AVA is a way to gain deeper grapes) can be. Drink 2019-2030 Alc 14.5% its structure. Drink 2019-2023 Alc 14% rocks. Drink 2019-2026 Alc 13% oaking. Drink 2019-2025 Alc 13% ➢

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Fort Ross-Seaview ‘It’s not easy But being South Africans, they planted Fort Ross-Seaview is a small AVA with 225ha of anyway. vineyards in the centre of the pending West to make wine The common stylistic thread linking the Sonoma Coast appellation (see p29), though AVA’s Pinots is savoury, wild red fruit, a some vintners thought it was too soon to on these high mineral-and-earth character, serious tannic subdivide the area into top spots. But trying to structure and striking vibrancy. gain AVA status for the three distinct sub- ridges where Initially few vintners put Fort Ross-Seaview zones in the coastline area before trying to get on the label, but now it’s a badge of honour. one for the overall West Sonoma Coast was an wild boar NAMES TO KNOW: Failla, Hirsch, Martinelli, earlier strategy. Infighting over the Fort Raen, Red Car, Wayfarer Ross-Seaview name and boundaries ate up gobble the years before it was finally approved in 2012. Wayfarer, Wayfarer Vineyard What makes the area unique is that grapes’ Chardonnay, Fort Ross-Seaview 2015 vineyards must be higher than 300m 91 elevation – above the fog line – where intense £74.99 Hedonism, Simply Wines Direct, sunlight plus cool coastal air allow flavours to The Wine Treasury develop more fully. The first vineyard in this Jayson Pahlmeyer planted 12ha, mostly isolated spot was planted in 1972, and a Pinot Noir, high above the Pacific here, handful of pioneers such as David Hirsch but this rich, textured and powerful arrived during the next decade. Despite the white, with aromas of white flowers, fact that it’s not easy to make wine on these shows how brilliantly Chardonnay does high ridges where wild boar gobble the grapes, there. Drink 2019-2028 Alc 14.4% the region’s potential for Pinot Noir drew winemakers such as Napa’s Jayson Pahlmeyer, Raen Winery, Home Field Vineyard who planted 12ha in 2002. One very recent Pinot Noir, Fort Ross-Seaview 2015 93 addition to the mix is Raen, a partnership of £99.95 The Vinorium Carlo and Dante Mondavi, sons of Tim Tim Mondavi’s sons Carlo and Dante Mondavi, owner of Napa Cabernet powerhouse founded this winery in 2013, with the Continuum. Most winemakers also craft aim of making several bright, cool- elegant, creamy-textured Chardonnays. climate Pinot Noirs with energy and Knights Valley along with Bordeaux red varieties. But the Above: Les Pavots In fact, Lester and Linda Schwartz, who Below: hilltop vines tension. This one, which spends 10 Even though this is one of Sonoma’s original sleepy area has recently attracted new names, vineyard owned by own Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery, tested 16 of Hirsch Vineyards, months in oak, has a palate filled with five AVAS, established in 1983, it still feels such as Knights Bridge, and Donelan is busy Peter Michael Winery grape varieties, but say they found only the within the high Fort alluring red cherry and pomegranate very remote, mysterious, off the beaten path. replanting its great Syrah vineyard, which was Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were any good. Ross-Seaview AVA fruit. Drink 2019-2025 Alc 12.5% Maybe that’s because it’s the easternmost destroyed by wildfires. region in the county, and it’s often mistakenly NAMES TO KNOW: Anakota, Beringer, thought to be in Napa Valley. While the area Donelan, Knights Bridge, Peter Michael has some 40 growers, there are few wineries, no tasting rooms, just a single twisty road for Peter Michael, Les Pavots, Knights access and no restaurants or hotels. It’s one of Valley 2013 93 the most pristine wine regions in California. £150 (ib)-£205 Butlers , It’s also the warmest AVA in Sonoma, with Grand Vin, Noel Young high levels of sunshine that are ideal for A great vintage for this estate’s grand, superb Cabernet Sauvignon and other full-bodied flagship red (69% Cabernet Bordeaux varieties, which are the main claim Sauvignon, 21% , 10% to fame. The style marries Napa Valley’s ). Powerful, opulent and complex, full-bodied structure and ripe chocolatey it’s deep and fruity, with smoky, tobacco flavours with Sonoma County’s elegant acidity undertones from its 18 months in oak. and signature cocoa-powder finish. Drink 2022-2040 Alc 14.8% The mountain landscape is dominated by defunct volcano Mt St Helena and the volcanic Knights Bridge, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, soils are mineral-rich. There are about Knights Valley 2015 92 1,000ha planted, many owned by Jackson £115 The Vineyard Cellars Family Wines for its single-vineyard Anakota This flagship 100% Cabernet Sauvignon red is the label and Beringer for its Knights Valley first vintage from the winery’s replanted estate Cabernet. The top name is Peter Michael vineyard. It’s a rich and savoury wine, showing Elin McCoy is an Winery, founded in the 1980s by a wine-loving chocolatey overtones and plenty of spice and earth award-winning Englishman of the same name who’d been flavours, as well as the structure and concentration journalist and author inspired by the 1976 Paris Tasting. He also from 20 months in oak. A wine that will repay who writes for

Photograph: Donna Reid, ADIYL Photography ADIYL Reid, Donna Photograph: planted Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc ageing. Drink 2020-2027 Alc 14.8% D Bloomberg News

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