If $75-up tastings, $100-up wines, and crowds aren't for you, there are options. You can seek out the dwindling number of Napa producers that charge less or you can visit other wine regions in California. There are plenty of choices!
This is Part 1 of 2, covering options in the Greater Bay Area. Part 2 will look at the rest of the state.
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| An inexpensive, uncrowded, relaxed tasting in Anderson Valley image from makerwine.com |
Wine regions in the Greater SF Bay Area can be large, like Sonoma County, or small, like Suisun Valley. Let's take a look at the options in the Bay Area, besides Napa.
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| Bay Area counties; click on map to enlarge |
Sonoma County
Sonoma's number and quality of wineries equals Napa; each county has over 400! The number of quality restaurants is also similar. What's different are the lower prices for wine tastings, wines, food, and lodging.
The diversity of Sonoma County wines is amazing as there's an estimated 60 different grape varieties planted in the county, though seven of them make up 90% of the vineyard land. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc are the most-planted grapes. Syrah, Petite Sirah and Sangiovese also help define Sonoma County wine.
Sonoma County's largest grape growing areas are Carneros, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, and Sonoma Valley. Each has it's own distinct personality.
Being right next door to Napa you can bop over the hill one day to Napa Valley to see if I'm lying about those prices.
Mendocino County's Anderson Valley
A longer drive to north of Sonoma County, Mendocino isn't really considered part of the Bay Area, but it's just over the "border." Anderson Valley is a cool climate area near the Pacific that does a wonderful job with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, sparkling wine, Gewurztraminer, and Riesling. The Pinot, Gewurz, and Riesling are the standouts for me. There are about 35 wineries here, most with reasonable prices. There are over 100 vineyards as many wineries from other parts of the state seek out fruit from this region.
If you're going to Anderson Valley stay on the coast and take the short drive to the wineries through a grove of Redwoods. There are some, but not a lot of services in Anderson Valley.
The inland part of the county is much warmer and home to Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cabernet, Merlot, and you'll even find Carignane and Charbono.
Lake County
Lake is the county north of Napa, so bit of a long drive. The grapes sit at higher elevation in volcanic soil with hot summer temperatures. Half of the plantings are Cabernet, with Sauvignon Blanc as the other star of Lake County. A number of Napa wineries buy fruit from this much less expensive growing area. There are about 25 wineries. The largest town is Clearlake, pop. 16,000. The entire county has a population of 67,000.
Solano County's Suisun Valley
The wine region sits in a small valley with about ten wineries. The signature wine grapes are Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. It's near the town of Fairfield along I-80, a bedroom community and home to an Air Force base.
Alameda County's Livermore Valley
Known for the pioneering Wente family with roots back to the mid-1800s. The family is also famous for the Wente clone Chardonnay grown in many California vineyards. There are 50 wineries with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Sirah the signature grapes. It was a Livermore Petite Sirah that got me started on California wines. Boy, that turned into an expensive hobby. :)
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| Wente Brother's Winery historical marker click on image to enlarge |
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