VARIETALS AND WINERIES IN SONOMA
SONOMA
For years Sonoma could not help nursing a grudge about the publicity attracted by Napa Valley, its neighbour just over the Mayacamas mountains to the east, but the stunning quality of so many of its wines, exhibiting the sort of district/varietal patterns that comfort wine classicists, has given Sonoma new pride and status. The easiest generalisation was that Napa made the Cabernet and Sonoma the Chardonnay but there is much more to the varied wine districts of Sonoma than this. Alexander Valley around Geyserville in the north seems to be able to produce a well-balanced example of virtually every varietal. Chalk Hill to the immediate south makes fine Chardonnay while Dry Creek Valley to the west enjoys a well-deserved reputation for Zinfandel from ancient vines planted by Italian immigrants a century ago and aromatic Sauvignon Blanc. Dry Creek Vineyards is the Sauvignon Blanc specialist while Lytton Springs, Nalle, Ravenswood and several Ridge bottlings have established Dry Creek's reputation for Zinfandel
