Sonoma County is comprised of a diverse range of topography. It includes numerous small valleys with distinct microclimates, the Russian River and the Pacific Ocean. A moderate climate with a cooling maritime influence, Sonoma County embodies ideal and diverse grape growing weather: from valley to hillside, moist ocean coast to dry inland, and cool southern regions that complement the warmer, more northern areas.

History
Grapes and wine have been integral to Sonoma’s history. As early as 1812, Russian colonists

Clay Mauritson checks out his Rockpile Zinfandel. His family has been growing grapes in the area since 1884.

planted and cultivated grapes at Ft. Ross on the coast, but it was the Spanish Franciscan monks who laid the foundation in 1823 when Padre Jose Altimera planted several thousand grape vines. Cuttings from those vineyards were carried throughout northern California in the following decade, starting a plethora of new vineyards. When the missions were abandoned upon order of the Mexican government, General Mariano Vallejo took over the vineyards and planted more vines on his lands. Sonoma County continued to expand its vineyard land with the arrival of Count Agoston Haraszthy, who is credited with bringing to Sonoma 100,000 vines of some 300 varieties. Sonoma was home to 256 wineries pre-Prohibition, only 50 of which survived by the time Prohibition was repealed. Today, Sonoma is again home to about 300 wineries.

Acreage and Production
Sonoma County totals more than one million acres of land of which 60,000 acres are planted to winegrapes. Stretching from the rugged Pacific Coast to the Mayacamas Mountains, Sonoma County offers a rich and varied landscape. In 2006, the county's wineries crushed nearly six percent of the state's total crush or about 216,000 tons of winegrapes, representing a farmgate value of $430 million, according to the California Dept. of Food and Agriculture 2006 Grape Acreage Report.

Winegrowing Areas and Varieties
Sonoma's vineyard acres are planted among the county's 13 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). These AVAs are defined grapegrowing areas distinguishable by geographic, climatic and historic features whose boundaries have been delineated in a petition filed and accepted by the federal government.

Sonoma County AVAs include: Alexander Valley, Bennett Valley, Carneros, Chalk Hill, Dry Creek Valley, Knights Valley, Northern Sonoma, Rockpile, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Valley Green Valley, Sonoma Mountain and Sonoma Valley. The county is also part of the larger North Coast AVA. The principal varieties grown in the county include: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc.

Climate
Sonoma's climate is tempered by cool maritime breezes a coastal fog that creeps northward into the valleys from the San Francisco Bay. Summer daytime averages are 71F. Starry summer nights average 40F. Though winter sees moderate rains, hail and snow are rare.

At the J tasting room visitors taste Pinot Noir with snacks prepared to show off the wine to maximum effect.

Tasting Rooms and Wineries
Today there are some 300 wineries, half of which are less than 20 years old. Small, family-owned wineries exist comfortably alongside larger entities, each producing premium wine in its own unique style.

Top Attractions
The towns of Sonoma, Healdsburg and Santa Rosa offer boutique shopping, art galleries, nationally-reviewed restaurants, tasting rooms, spas and hotels around their picturesque town squares.

Experiencing the countryside can include a hot air balloon ride in the morning, followed by a afternoon walk on the beach in Bodega Bay, or golf at one of more than 20 golf courses in the county.

The bounty of Sonoma County provides 18 various farmers markets throughout the week. Visitors can enjoy a picnic at one of the 45 winery picnic grounds or tour one of several wine caves. Three tour companies even provide “sip and cycle excursions.”

Ecotourism shows many faces here, but the history of the land may be best expressed at the Armstrong Redwoods State Preserve where one can gaze at a 1400-year-old tree, the oldest known redwood in Sonoma County.