Chardonnay Is at Home in Sonoma County

Let’s pretend that you’ve just won the lottery and you can move anywhere you want. You have an abundance of resources. You’re adaptable and adventurous. You consider the charming villages of France, the awe-inspiring mountains of Argentina, the warmth of South Africa... You can move anywhere. Where do you go?

Me? I’d buy a home in Sonoma County, California. (And Paris and London, too.) To the west of Sonoma County, the brisk Pacific Ocean smacks the rocky coastline. To the east, the Mayacamas Mountain Range forms the dividing line with neighboring Napa County. Between the sea and mountains there are beautiful landscapes covered in vineyards and dotted with world-class wineries. Who could resist that life? Not me, and not Chardonnay.

Chardonnay grapes. Photo credit: Dutcher Crossing Winery.

Sights set on Sonoma

Map credit: Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance

Chardonnay is like the lottery winner of the wine grape world—practically anything is possible for this adaptable grape. It can grow almost anywhere grapes are cultivated, which has helped it spread around the world. From chilly Chablis to sunny South Australia, Chardonnay is at home in wide range of climates and soils.

Like many flush with possibility, Chardonnay went west to California. First, to Livermore Valley and Santa Cruz Mountains. Then, to Sonoma County. For a wine grape, Sonoma County is a buffet of elevations, aspects, and soils across 18 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). Of course amenable Chardonnay found a home here!

Sonoma County’s distinctive growing conditions enable an array of styles of Chardonnay. Whether you like crisp and mineral or buttery and toasty, there’s a version for you. Personally I prefer something in-between. My perfect glass of Sonoma County Chardonnay is elegant, textural, and inviting. When I take a sip, I want to feel soft, warm sunshine tempered by cooling ocean breezes. Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley AVA and Russian River Valley AVA both produce Chardonnay wines that express this contrast. These neighboring AVAs are comparable in size (Alexander Valley has 14,449 vineyard acres; Russian River Valley 13,896 acres), but they each have unique characteristics as well.

Alexander Valley

Located in the northeastern corner of the county, Alexander Valley is best known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. It is one of the warmer parts of the region with an average growing season temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t expect Chablis-style wine here! Rather, Alexander Valley’s Chardonnay is bold and tropical. To balance those rich flavors, Chardonnay is strategically planted in vineyards that contribute minerality through the soil. The Stuhlmiller Vineyard in the southern part of the appellation is one such spot. Atop a gravel bed, this vineyard produces Chardonnay with notes of pineapple, Asian pear, and crushed stone. If you’d like to try a wine from here, check out Dutcher Crossing’s 2017 Stuhlmuller Vineyard Chardonnay. It’s bold, mouthwatering, and craveable. Perfect for a summer afternoon spent dreaming about California.

Russian River Valley

Compared to Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley is temperate, even cool at times. The defining feature here is marine fog—and the growers are very proud of it! It slinks up through the Petaluma Wind Gap from the Pacific Ocean. Thanks to this friendly fog, Russian River Valley is home to both adaptable grapes like Chardonnay and more fickle ones like Pinot Noir. If a region is agreeable with Pinot Noir, typically Chardonnay is not far behind. To fully appreciate Chardonnay from Russian River Valley, reach for vineyard-specific bottlings from different parts of the appellation. Dutcher Crossing’s 2017 Chenoweth Vineyard Chardonnay is from the Green Valley neighborhood and their 2018 Bacigalupi Vineyard Chardonnay is from the Middle Reach section. (For a bit of California wine history, read about the role of Bacigalupi Vineyard at the Judgement of Paris.)

The 2017 Chenoweth is creamy with notes of croissant, red pear, and yellow apple. 2017 was hot and devastating for Sonoma County as they battled deadly wildfires. I visited the region a year later in the fall of 2018 and the scars of 2017 were obvious. Despite and in spite of the fires, many were still able to make delicious wines like this Chardonnay.

Thankfully 2018 was a much more pleasant year. You can almost feel a relaxed sigh of relief from the bottle of 2018 Bacigalupi. It’s a fun wine with notes of mango, peach, and lemon curd. The 14.7% alcohol is substantial for a white wine but it’s balanced by vibrant fruit flavors. I think this would be delicious alongside a black bean burger topped with grilled pineapple and BBQ sauce. Smoky-sweet flavors would make this sing!

These Dutcher Crossing wines are perfect to celebrate Chardonnay Day on May 27, and there are plenty of other good examples from Sonoma County, too. I love Porter Creek and Chalk Hill in particular. Will you be toasting to Chardonnay this week?