Due to a happy set of circumstances, duplicated in only a few places on this earth, Sonoma Valley is blessed with exactly the right combination of soil, sun, seasonal moisture, and geography for growing wine grapes of exceptional quality.
As a result, this small valley today ranks as one of the finest wine producing regions in the world designated by the federal government as the Sonoma Valley Appellation. This means at least 85 percent of the wine in any vintner's bottle with the "Sonoma Valley" name on its label must come from grapes grown within the Sonoma Valley viticultural region. That's the law.
The boundaries of this very special place are contained within a much larger Sonoma County. The valley begins in the north at the edge of Santa Rosa. It extends 17 miles south to the Carneros area, which is cooled by the drifting fogs of San Pablo Bay. Only seven miles wide on the valley floor, it's bordered by two mountain ranges: the rugged Mayacamas to the east and the Sonoma Mountains to the west. As you explore this beautiful valley, you'll see white, oval signs in many of the vineyards. These Sonoma Valley Appellation signs not only identify the name of the winery or grower, they prominently feature the name of the grape varietal that is growing in each vineyard. In the cooler Carneros area, you'll see early-ripening varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and some Johannisberg Riesling and Gewurztraminer. In the warmer areas, along the hillsides and the valley floor around Glen Ellen, you'll see Zinfandel and the valley's famed Cabernet Sauvignon.
Often called the birthplace of the California wine industry, Sonoma Valley is home to some of the earliest vineyards and wineries in the state. The Franciscan missionaries led the way as early as 1825, when they brought north with them cuttings of the highly productive Mission grape, in order to make wines for the mass.
However, the art of viticulture as we know it in California today started when the colorful Hungarian nobleman Agoston Haraszthy returned from Europe in 1857 with cuttings of noble, old-world varieties. These he planted in his burgeoning Sonoma Valley vineyards.
In the Sonoma Valley, good food and good wine go together. And when you visit any of the excellent restaurants, you will encounter another unique tribute to the proud Sonoma Valley Appellation.
Local restaurants have adopted the pleasurable custom of serving Sonoma Valley wines only in distinctive blue-stemmed wine glasses. These blue-stemmed glasses have become a distinguishing symbol for the appellation and for the world-class quality of its wines.
As a visitor to the valley, you can buy these blue-stemmed glasses at the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau on the Plaza.
You'll also see them used in the winery tasting rooms and at year-round special events, where gracious and generous hospitality is a Sonoma Valley way of life.