Our Vineyards
Sonoma County
Sonoma County is one of the most diverse wine growing regions in the world. As with most of California, our climate is influenced by the distance and exposure to the cold Pacific Ocean — areas near the water are cool, areas inland are warm. Sonoma also boasts incredibly complex soils ranging from volcanic along the Mayacamas Mountains to marine-based in all of the coastal locales.
The patchwork of Sonoma’s climate, soils and topography influence where and how its vines are planted. When developing vineyards or sourcing fruit, we make sure the variety is perfectly matched to its region. While every individual site has its own distinct terroir, there are some overarching attributes we associate with each of Sonoma’s AVAs.
Cool, maritime-influenced AVAs, such as Russian River Valley, the Sonoma Coast and Carneros, are superior locations for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Cusp regions like Dry Creek and Chalk Hill are great for Chardonnay, Zinfandel (mainly Dry Creek), Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot. Warmer regions along the Mayacamas Mountains, including Alexander Valley, Knight’s Valley and parts of Chalk Hill and Sonoma Valley, are ideal for Bordeaux varieties.
