Alexander Valley, Sonoma County
alexandervalley.org
www.sonomawine.com
List of Wineries
FB
Alexander Valley Winegrowers
P.O Box 248, Healdsburg, CA 95448
Toll Free 1-888-AVWINES (289-4637)
info@alexandervalley.org
alexandervalley.org
www.sonomawine.com
List of Wineries
FB
Alexander Valley Winegrowers
P.O Box 248, Healdsburg, CA 95448
Toll Free 1-888-AVWINES (289-4637)
info@alexandervalley.org
My trip to Alexander Valley was a continuation of my trip from Dry creek, so unfortunately I didn't get to taste at many wineries due to not having much time left before the tasting rooms closed for the day. I was lucky enough to taste at the two wineries I had my heart set on seeing, and they are also the inspiration for my touring tips for this post. As I make my way back to California for this year's harvest, tasting in Alexander Valley will be a must.
What was once a valley known for its prunes and prune blossom tours, is now blanketed with vines and the hypnotic aroma of wine grapes. During the 1960s and 1970s Alexander Valley got its claim to fame for being a place to find top-notch, yet affordable Cabernet Sauvignon.
Elegant, fruit-driven Cabernet Sauvignon still reigns king of Alexander Valley; the Cabernet here gives off less of an earthy feel compared to their Napa Valley counterparts. One will also find expressionistic Bordeaux varietals grown on in mountain sites above the valley; Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc does well here; and one will also find some of the finest old vine Zinfandel vines still in production.
Valley Facts: "The importance of cooling, moderating influences in the Alexander Valley is hard to overstate. Although only 25 miles (40km) from the coast, it is separated from the cool waters of the Pacific by coastal mountain ranges which rise to almost 2700ft (820m). The fog which drifts up the Napa and Sonoma valleys from San Francisco Bay rarely reaches this far north in any quantity, depriving the area of the cool, moist afternoon air enjoyed by the likes of Carneros and the Stags Leap District. Alexander Valley's vines depend on other climatic and topographical features (cool nights, altitude, winds, increased diurnal temperature variation) to cool them down and help them retain acidity in their grapes.
Most of the soils in the valley are rich and fertile, a natural consequence of being located in a river valley. Alluvial and colluvial soils are found here: the former around ancient and current riverbeds, the latter on the valley's lower slopes. With warm temperatures and fertile soils, Alexander Valley wineries striving for high-quality fruit invest a great deal of time and effort in reducing their yields." ~Wine-Searcher
Popular Grape Varieties:
Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, (Bordeaux Varieties) Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot
Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc
What was once a valley known for its prunes and prune blossom tours, is now blanketed with vines and the hypnotic aroma of wine grapes. During the 1960s and 1970s Alexander Valley got its claim to fame for being a place to find top-notch, yet affordable Cabernet Sauvignon.
Elegant, fruit-driven Cabernet Sauvignon still reigns king of Alexander Valley; the Cabernet here gives off less of an earthy feel compared to their Napa Valley counterparts. One will also find expressionistic Bordeaux varietals grown on in mountain sites above the valley; Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc does well here; and one will also find some of the finest old vine Zinfandel vines still in production.
Valley Facts: "The importance of cooling, moderating influences in the Alexander Valley is hard to overstate. Although only 25 miles (40km) from the coast, it is separated from the cool waters of the Pacific by coastal mountain ranges which rise to almost 2700ft (820m). The fog which drifts up the Napa and Sonoma valleys from San Francisco Bay rarely reaches this far north in any quantity, depriving the area of the cool, moist afternoon air enjoyed by the likes of Carneros and the Stags Leap District. Alexander Valley's vines depend on other climatic and topographical features (cool nights, altitude, winds, increased diurnal temperature variation) to cool them down and help them retain acidity in their grapes.
Most of the soils in the valley are rich and fertile, a natural consequence of being located in a river valley. Alluvial and colluvial soils are found here: the former around ancient and current riverbeds, the latter on the valley's lower slopes. With warm temperatures and fertile soils, Alexander Valley wineries striving for high-quality fruit invest a great deal of time and effort in reducing their yields." ~Wine-Searcher
Popular Grape Varieties:
Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, (Bordeaux Varieties) Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot
Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc
Tips For Wine Touring:
Start A Tradition: When I turned 21, I received a bottle of wine that my great grandparents had kept for me for 21 years. All the grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren... in my family have received or will receive at the age of 21, a bottle of wine bought at the year of their birth. Unfortunately the wine had already turned, but it made for a lasting experience and a wonderful story to tell.
Last year when I was back in California during wine harvest, I decided to sort through my old things, and came upon the pictures that were taken during my 21st birthday! Luckily I could make out the label, which happened to be Alexander Valley Vineyards; this later became my motivation for visiting the area.
Word Of Mouth: If someone says they had a wonderful time at a winery, listen up! It could be your next motivation on where to go wine tasting.
While back in California last harvest to take the WSET level 3 award in wines and spirits, a classmate of mine couldn't stop talking about a blind tasting (literally blindfolded) she had done at Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Before hearing of this the only thing I knew about Francis and Sofia Coppola was that they had written and produced some of my favorite films! I had to go check out the winery, and was definitely not disappointed!
Francis Ford Coppola Winery
www.francisfordcoppolawinery.com
FB
300 Via Archimedes Geyserville, CA 95441
Phone: (707) 857-1400
Hours:
Monday-Sunday 11AM-6PM
Driving through the entrance of the Coppola winery reminded me of the first (drive through the gate) scene from Jurassic Park. Giddy, the Jurassic Park theme song playing in my head, and of course overwhelmed with wonder, I got that same feeling I would get as a child when walking through the gates of an amusement park...you don't know what to expect, but you know it's going to be good.
This place is the Disneyland of wineries! The various floors are decorated with wine, souvenirs, and movie memorabilia. Besides tastings they have (Wine Experiences) Vineyard Adventure walks, Sonoma region specific tastings, tastings to train your senses, blindfolded tastings, and bottling/vineyard tours. The winery features a full restaurant called the RUSTIC that boasts family style Italian dishes where dishes are made from,"fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from the property’s organic herb and produce garden." ~RUSTIC
Tuesdays Italian Family Style Dining 'a tavola'
Did I forget to mention this place has a massive swimming pool!
Atmosphere: Beautiful winery grounds, the property features a swimming pool, and the inside has 2 floors that give different tastings. The inside is pretty much a walk through movie museum; I ended up wandering around this place for hours.
Service: Servers were knowledgeable of both the movies and the wine! I was not rushed, and had a wonderful conversation with my server, it was hard not to leave this place.
Tasting Tools: Great glasses. Spit buckets handy. Water nearby. No crackers. Good lighting upstairs, great natural light downstairs.
Wine Availability: Sold at the tasting room, their website, supermarkets, and many wine shops across America. Reserve wines are only available at the winery.
Cost: Sonoma Inclusive Tasting $18 per flight.
Limited production & Reserve tasting $25 per tasting (these wines are only sold at the winery)
Picnic Prospects: Outside pool area, pavilion, or enjoy food and wine on their outdoor terrace that overlooks Alexander Valley.
Last year when I was back in California during wine harvest, I decided to sort through my old things, and came upon the pictures that were taken during my 21st birthday! Luckily I could make out the label, which happened to be Alexander Valley Vineyards; this later became my motivation for visiting the area.
Word Of Mouth: If someone says they had a wonderful time at a winery, listen up! It could be your next motivation on where to go wine tasting.
While back in California last harvest to take the WSET level 3 award in wines and spirits, a classmate of mine couldn't stop talking about a blind tasting (literally blindfolded) she had done at Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Before hearing of this the only thing I knew about Francis and Sofia Coppola was that they had written and produced some of my favorite films! I had to go check out the winery, and was definitely not disappointed!
Francis Ford Coppola Winery
www.francisfordcoppolawinery.com
FB
300 Via Archimedes Geyserville, CA 95441
Phone: (707) 857-1400
Hours:
Monday-Sunday 11AM-6PM
Driving through the entrance of the Coppola winery reminded me of the first (drive through the gate) scene from Jurassic Park. Giddy, the Jurassic Park theme song playing in my head, and of course overwhelmed with wonder, I got that same feeling I would get as a child when walking through the gates of an amusement park...you don't know what to expect, but you know it's going to be good.
This place is the Disneyland of wineries! The various floors are decorated with wine, souvenirs, and movie memorabilia. Besides tastings they have (Wine Experiences) Vineyard Adventure walks, Sonoma region specific tastings, tastings to train your senses, blindfolded tastings, and bottling/vineyard tours. The winery features a full restaurant called the RUSTIC that boasts family style Italian dishes where dishes are made from,"fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from the property’s organic herb and produce garden." ~RUSTIC
Tuesdays Italian Family Style Dining 'a tavola'
Did I forget to mention this place has a massive swimming pool!
Atmosphere: Beautiful winery grounds, the property features a swimming pool, and the inside has 2 floors that give different tastings. The inside is pretty much a walk through movie museum; I ended up wandering around this place for hours.
Service: Servers were knowledgeable of both the movies and the wine! I was not rushed, and had a wonderful conversation with my server, it was hard not to leave this place.
Tasting Tools: Great glasses. Spit buckets handy. Water nearby. No crackers. Good lighting upstairs, great natural light downstairs.
Wine Availability: Sold at the tasting room, their website, supermarkets, and many wine shops across America. Reserve wines are only available at the winery.
Cost: Sonoma Inclusive Tasting $18 per flight.
Limited production & Reserve tasting $25 per tasting (these wines are only sold at the winery)
Picnic Prospects: Outside pool area, pavilion, or enjoy food and wine on their outdoor terrace that overlooks Alexander Valley.
Alexander Valley Vineyards
www.avvwine.com
FB
8644 Highway 128 Healdsburg, CA 95448
Phone: 1-800-888-7209
(707) 433-7209
Hours:
Tasting Room: Monday-Sunday 10AM-5PM
Cave Tours: Monday-Sunday 11AM-2PM
www.avvwine.com
FB
8644 Highway 128 Healdsburg, CA 95448
Phone: 1-800-888-7209
(707) 433-7209
Hours:
Tasting Room: Monday-Sunday 10AM-5PM
Cave Tours: Monday-Sunday 11AM-2PM
A winery and winemaker both sharing the focus of preserving the flavor of the varietal and the terroir is my cup of tea...or glass of wine to be more realistic. My family's tradition led me here and I'm glad it did! 9 years later and I knew I had to give their Cabernet Sauvignon another try.
What makes Alexander Valley Vineyards special?
"Each grape variety is matched to a specific soil type and exposure. Vineyard Manager Mark Houser and Winemaker Kevin Hall work as a team to maximize fruit flavor in the vineyard and to create balanced wines that capture the grapes’ varietal characteristics." ~AVV Wine
A Look At The Wine Underground
"If you walk outside the tasting room, you’ll see a set of huge double doors. They lead into the cave, the 25,000-square-foot cavern where we age and ferment our wine. Completed in 2008, it stretches deep into the hillside to hold 10,000 barrels.
The moister air inside the cave means that less wine escapes from the barrels as evaporation. And ambient temperature varies only 5°F (from 63° to 58°) between summer and winter, which protects the wine against the temperature swings that happen in an artificially cooled building. The cool, constant temperature and high humidity under the hill save the winery money, but, more importantly, the cave allows us to produce the best wines possible."
Our Barrels
"At Alexander Valley Vineyards, we ferment and age our wine in French, Hungarian and American oak barrels. We buy our barrels from more than a dozen different cooperages, and we replace about a quarter of them every year. (The old ones go to home winemakers or get reincarnated as planters.) The staves are harvested from French or American oak forests and left to cure for two years before being toasted to varying degrees. AVV winemaker Kevin Hall then mentally matches particular barrels to individual wines. “The different toasts will affect the smoky or caramel flavors imparted to the wines,” he says. The actual forest the tree is grown in will affect whether the wine acquires spicy notes. “For Syrah I like to choose barrels that have a caramel-type toast to them. For Zinfandel, I look to a wood source that has a lot of spice.” ~AVV Wine
Atmosphere: Stunning grounds, barrels and winemaking facility is visible. Spacious tasting room with lots of souvenirs and memorabilia on display. There are wine grapes you can try in the tasting room, and wine label stickers given free of charge.
Service: Servers were knowledgeable, friendly, and welcoming. I told them about how my family's tradition brought me to their winery, and was then given a free wine opener!
Tasting Tools: Good glasses. Spit buckets handy. Water nearby. Crackers. Great lighting.
Wine Availability: Sold at the tasting room, their website, supermarkets, and many wine shops across America.
Cost: Complimentary tasting of 5 wines. Reserve Tasting Coupon,
Complimentary Cave Tours 11-2PM,
Vineyard Hike daily 10:30AM, $50 per person boxed picnic lunch included (Reservation Required)
Picnic Prospects: Seated cheese & wine pairing on their deck $25 per person, reservation required, AVV also offers a picnic lunch if you join their vineyard hike.
"Each grape variety is matched to a specific soil type and exposure. Vineyard Manager Mark Houser and Winemaker Kevin Hall work as a team to maximize fruit flavor in the vineyard and to create balanced wines that capture the grapes’ varietal characteristics." ~AVV Wine
A Look At The Wine Underground
"If you walk outside the tasting room, you’ll see a set of huge double doors. They lead into the cave, the 25,000-square-foot cavern where we age and ferment our wine. Completed in 2008, it stretches deep into the hillside to hold 10,000 barrels.
The moister air inside the cave means that less wine escapes from the barrels as evaporation. And ambient temperature varies only 5°F (from 63° to 58°) between summer and winter, which protects the wine against the temperature swings that happen in an artificially cooled building. The cool, constant temperature and high humidity under the hill save the winery money, but, more importantly, the cave allows us to produce the best wines possible."
Our Barrels
"At Alexander Valley Vineyards, we ferment and age our wine in French, Hungarian and American oak barrels. We buy our barrels from more than a dozen different cooperages, and we replace about a quarter of them every year. (The old ones go to home winemakers or get reincarnated as planters.) The staves are harvested from French or American oak forests and left to cure for two years before being toasted to varying degrees. AVV winemaker Kevin Hall then mentally matches particular barrels to individual wines. “The different toasts will affect the smoky or caramel flavors imparted to the wines,” he says. The actual forest the tree is grown in will affect whether the wine acquires spicy notes. “For Syrah I like to choose barrels that have a caramel-type toast to them. For Zinfandel, I look to a wood source that has a lot of spice.” ~AVV Wine
Atmosphere: Stunning grounds, barrels and winemaking facility is visible. Spacious tasting room with lots of souvenirs and memorabilia on display. There are wine grapes you can try in the tasting room, and wine label stickers given free of charge.
Service: Servers were knowledgeable, friendly, and welcoming. I told them about how my family's tradition brought me to their winery, and was then given a free wine opener!
Tasting Tools: Good glasses. Spit buckets handy. Water nearby. Crackers. Great lighting.
Wine Availability: Sold at the tasting room, their website, supermarkets, and many wine shops across America.
Cost: Complimentary tasting of 5 wines. Reserve Tasting Coupon,
Complimentary Cave Tours 11-2PM,
Vineyard Hike daily 10:30AM, $50 per person boxed picnic lunch included (Reservation Required)
Picnic Prospects: Seated cheese & wine pairing on their deck $25 per person, reservation required, AVV also offers a picnic lunch if you join their vineyard hike.
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