Lesser Known Sonoma County AVAs

 If you pay much attention to Sonoma County wine you might know about the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Valley, Alexander Valley, Sonoma Coast, and possibly one or two other growing areas (appellations or AVAs). There are some lesser known ones that might deserve your attention. The issue with smaller growing areas is these wines are not as likely to show up on your local wine shelves.

Fog rolling in over a vineyard, Bennett Valley

Bennett Valley

A valley that sits higher than the surrounding land as it's surrounded by mountains, the remains of an ancient volcano. The soils are volcanic, as you might imagine, the climate is somewhat cool. You'll find mostly merlot and syrah.

Chalk Hill

Sitting between the warm Alexander Valley and cooler Russian River Valley, it has volcanic ash soils on hilly terrain. It is mostly known for sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. 

Green Valley

A very cool subregion of the Russian River Valley with sandy soil and lots of evening and morning foggy, chilly weather. An ideal area for chardonnay and pinot noir.

Knight's Valley

A warm area nestled between mountains, served by a single road, Highway 128 that runs from Calistoga in Napa Valley to Alexander Valley on the other end. Volcanic soil. Few wineries are here, but a great place to grow cabernet sauvignon. 

Monte Rosso Vyd, Moon Mountain, first planted in the 1880s
image from sonomacounty.com

Moon Mountain

Sitting above the town of Sonoma, with Napa's Mount Veeder area to the east and Sonoma Valley below to the west. Mountain climate with constant breezes and rocky, iron rich soil gives structured, ageable reds, mostly cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel. 

Petaluma Gap

A newer AVA, well-known to pinot lovers. The cool Pacific funnels a heavy marine layer and chilly winds through a gap in the coastal hills, where there's only a brief sunny, warm period in the afternoons most summer days. Great weather if you're a sheep, cow, or a pinot noir grape. 

Rockpile  

A warm, rugged, mountainous, remote area of northern Sonoma County where electricity doesn't reach some vineyards. Rocky soil, lots of sun, and steady breezes give growing conditions where cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel are the stars.

Vineyards overlooking the Pacific

West Sonoma Coast and Ft. Ross-Seaview

I put these two areas together as they define the actual Sonoma Coast growing regions whereas the older, better known and much larger Sonoma Coast AVA reaches 15 miles or more inland, so it's not really the coast. Both of these coast-hugging areas have steep terrain and unique cool climates, giving pinot noir and chardonnay with great acidity.

Other lesser known northern California AVAs

The Sierra Foothills, where Amador and El Dorado Counties grow the bulk of the grapes, are known for zinfandel, barbera, and some of the Rhone varietals such as syrah.

Anderson Valley in Mendocino County, north of Sonoma, is a cool, remote area that's long been known for riesling and more recently for pinot noir. If you see an Anderson Valley pinot on the shelf, buy it!