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Sonoma County AVAs: Overview and 10 wines to try

There are 19 appellations, or AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), in Sonoma County, Napa’s adjacent, larger neighbour. From the valley floor to upper elevations above the fog line, the variety found in these AVAs will surprise many who tend to think of just the Russian River.

The first established AVAs were named in the 1980s, with new designations coming as recently as 2022. 1983 was a particularly important year, as the majority of Sonoma’s appellations were founded during that time, however even today there remain a few proposed AVAs for Sonoma County currently awaiting approval.

Diversity is key in Sonoma County. Amongst 24,000ha of vines, over 60 grape varieties grow and thrive. Sonoma is most known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay however, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot grow alongside Gruner Veltliner and many more.


Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 10 Sonoma County wines



Sonoma County: 10 wines to seek out


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