The world of wine can be rather daunting, with so many different countries, regions and sub-regions, each with their favored grape varieties.
In time we will make the correlation between Old World wines and their New World counterparts. We previously have discussed the home of both pinot noir and chardonnay, Burgundy, France. These two grape varieties grow all over the world, but perhaps the best examples outside Burgundy can be found in Sonoma County, California.
Sonoma is to California as Burgundy is to France. Located just north of San Francisco and west of Napa Valley, Sonoma’s cooler climate and coastal influence make its pinot noir and chardonnay some of the best in California. In fact, most aficionados are more familiar with the wines of Sonoma than those of Burgundy – and understandably so. Wine labels from the New World are considerably easier to decipher. No guesswork is needed because the grape variety is on the label. The French label their wines with the names of the villages from which they come, and the French classification system can be difficult to comprehend.
Sonoma’s best wines made from these two grape varieties typically come from the county’s sub-AVAs, or American Viticultural Areas, the most renown of which is the Russian River Valley.
Relatively cool by California viticultural standards, the Russian River Valley is where it all began for me, and pinot noir was king. Unfortunately, it was an expensive love affair that was quickly tempered by my financial reality at the time.
The cooler sub-AVAs of Sonoma County include Sonoma Coast, Russian River and Carneros. These three unique districts produce outstanding wines, partly a result of fog coming off San Pablo Bay and the Sonoma Coast. The fog keeps the grapes cool and helps to maintain higher levels of acidity. Once the fog burns off, the warm California sun quickly warms the region and the grapes. The results are wines that retain a fresh acidity, along with a beautiful bouquet and rich, silky texture.
Chardonnays from these regions offer notes of green apples, pineapple, kiwi, vanilla, coconut and butterscotch. The pinots typically display notes of black cherries, vanilla, clove and cinnamon. Both varieties vary in body and richness depending on the AVA from which they come. Typically, the wines of Carneros are the lightest, freshest and most vibrant, with greater aging ability. The wines from the Sonoma Coast and Russian River are significantly richer and fuller and drink best when young.
The wines of Sonoma are radically different than those of Burgundy. They are always softer, richer, fuller and drink wonderfully without food and are typically more approachable when young.
Conversely, the wines of Burgundy are lighter, more acidic, more austere and require several years to mature and always drink better with food. The wines of Sonoma are considerably better values when compared to their Burgundian counterparts and with quicker gratification, too.
Alan Cuenca is an accredited oenophile and owner of Put a Cork in It, a Durango wine store. Reach him at info@putacorkinit.org.
