Region · California, USA
Sonoma
suh-NO-muh
A county, not a style
What should I drink from here?
West of Napa, larger, cooler at the coast, and more various: Pinot and Chardonnay in the west, Zinfandel and Cabernet inland.
- cherry
- apple
- bramble
- fog
- spice
Russian River, Sonoma Coast, and Anderson Valley (just north, in Mendocino) are Pinot and Chardonnay country, fog-cooled. Dry Creek is Zinfandel. Alexander Valley is Cabernet with a slightly gentler register than Napa.
Sonoma is where California often tastes of place rather than of a recipe. That is a generalization, and a useful one.
Roast chicken, salmon, and mushroom for the coast; barbecue for Dry Creek.
At the table
Service
Pinot 54–57 °F (12–14 °C); Zin 59–61 °F (15–16 °C); Cabernet 61–64 °F (16–18 °C).
Places
Go see Sonoma.
A county, not a postcard. Valley floor, Russian River, and Carneros bubbles. Book the good rooms. Don't drive the tasting.
Tasting rooms and itinerary
