Wine in Sonoma Valley
Grapes were planted in Sonoma County at Fort Ross as early as 1812. Padre Jose Altimira planted several thousand grape vines at Mission San Francisco Solano in what is now the city of Sonoma, in southern Sonoma County. Cuttings from the Sonoma mission vineyards were carried throughout the northern California area to start new vineyards. By the time of the Bear Flag Revolt in Sonoma and the subsequent annexation of California by the United States in 1854, wine grapes were an established part of agriculture in the region. The vineyards of General Mariano Vallejo, military Governor of Mexican California and based in Sonoma, were producing an annual income of $20,000 at that time.[4] The grape varietals planted would not be considered premium varietals today.
In 1855, a Hungarian named Agoston Haraszthy arrived and purchased the Salvador Vallejo vineyard in Sonoma Valley, renaming it Buena Vista. Commissioned in 1861 by the California legislature to study viticulture in Europe, he returned with more than 100,000 cuttings of premium grape varietals. Many of the immigrants to the area were Northern Italian or from other wine-growing regions of Europe. After the Civil War and before Prohibition, wineries such as Bundschu, Foppiano, Korbel, Simi, Gundlach, Quitzow and Sebastiani were established that still exist.
In the 1920s there were 256 wineries in Sonoma County, with more than 22,000 acres (89 km2) in production. During the Prohibition period, however, commercial winemaking declined. At the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, fewer than 50 wineries in Sonoma County survived. Even as late as the 1960s, only 12,000 acres (49 km2) were vineyards. But wine consumption in American began to grow, and by 1999 Sonoma County had over 49,000 acres (198 km2) of vineyards owned by more than 750 growers and 180 bonded wineries.[5] Of the 250 wineries existing in 2007, over half are less than 20 years old.
The following are appellations are from Sonoma County:
Alexander Valley
Bennett Valley
Chalk Hill
Dry Creek Valley
Fort Ross - Seaview
Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Knights Valley
Los Carneros
Northern Sonoma
Pine Mountain - Cloverdale Peak
Rockpile
Russian River Valley
Sonoma Coast
Sonoma Valley
Sonoma Mountain
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Buena Vista Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
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Enticing aromas of black cherry and warm blueberry pie are accented with rich caramel notes that linger on the nose.
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Hess Collection Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
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Deep ruby. Aromas of ripe black currant, dark cherry, and lilac interlace with black pepper...
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Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2012
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This 2009 displays black tea and black cherry aromas complemented with coconut and mocha from the oak.
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Peay Vineyards Sonoma Coast La Bruma Syrah 2005
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The 2011 Geyserville impresses for its silkiness and texture. Sweet dark berries, flowers and mint are some of the flavors.
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