Exploring the World of Sonoma County White Wines: From Chardonnay to Sauvignon Blanc
Sonoma County is a big place. Its 60,000 vineyard acres — about 6% of its land area — sprawl across 19 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs).
Each AVA has its own unique microclimate, soil type, evaporation rate, and other elements of terroir. It’s only a few miles by air from the cool, misty Sonoma Coast AVA and the warm, sunny Alexander Valley AVA, but they’re worlds apart in terroir terms.
In spite of all this geographical and climatological variety, outsiders’ perceptions of Sonoma’s wine industry tend to lack nuance. They envision endless hillsides of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with tasting menus to match.
While it’s true that Chardonnay and Pinot are our number one and number two grapes, respectively, there’s a whole lot more to Sonoma’s wines. Particularly Sonoma’s white wines. If you’re planning a wine-tasting trip up our way, we’ve put together this list to help you get your bearings (and make sure you don’t miss any lesser-known whites along the way).
Sonoma County White Wines: Top Varietals
The breadth of Sonoma’s white wine scene surprises many casual enthusiasts who know our region for Chardonnay and not much more. Yes, Chardonnay is the biggest game in town, but several white varietals take well to Sonoma — or one or another of its microclimates, at least.
Hey, we have 19 AVAs. There’s plenty of room.
Let’s take a spin through six popular Sonoma white wines, starting (of course) with Chardonnay and finishing up with Muscat.
Chardonnay
We can’t talk about Sonoma Chardonnay without talking about the famous (infamous?) “Judgment of Paris,” a 1976 blind tasting that saw a Sonoma-grown Chardonnay beat out a bunch of top-shelf French Chardonnays.
We can only imagine how mortified the French judging panel was to learn what they’d done.
Half a century on, Sonoma wineries continue to crank out otherworldly Chardonnays. The Roche Winery team is honored to have produced more than a dozen award-winning Chardonnays in the past 10 years alone.
And we’re not alone. More Sonoma wineries than we can count have amazing Chardonnay programs. If you’d like to try non-Roche Chardonnays while you’re up here, may we recommend:
Sangiacomo Family Wines, one of the pioneer grape growing families in the Sonoma Valley, their knowledge of cool climate Carneros Chardonnay knows no bounds.
Kunde Family Winery, a north valley family who have always produced consistently great Chardonnays.
Three Fat Guys Wines, local Sonoma Valley football hero turned winemaker makes his hometown happy again with his Chardonnay offering.
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is the second most popular white grape in Sonoma, albeit a distant second (less than a fifth of Chardonnay’s production).
Though most acreage is up in warm, sunny AVAs like Alexander Valley and Dry Creek Valley, our Sonoma Valley backyard has some choice Sauv Blanc vineyards.
Sonoma’s Sauvignon Blancs echo the minerality of their French forebears without going all-in on it. What really distinguishes them are the nitrogenous pyrazine compounds that impart a peppery, almost vegetal aroma that cuts through — and deepens — the varietal’s signature crispness. Playful afternoon sipper, meet heft.
Riesling
While Chardonnay and Sauv Blanc have seen their fortunes rise in Sonoma since the mid-20th century, Riesling has been on the decline.
It’s not the grape’s fault, nor the wines themselves. While not quite as cold or wet as its ancestral German and Alsatian homelands, Sonoma’s cooler, moister microclimates are right in Riesling’s comfort zone. That’s one reason why some of the region’s first winemakers, who also happened to hail from northern Europe, planted acres upon acres of the stuff.
Changing tastes are the real culprit. The market wants more Sonoma Chardonnay and less Sonoma Riesling these days. But you can still find this varietal if you know where to look, and we’d recommend seeking it out if you’re up to the challenge.
Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris is another not-very-common white varietal that’s worth seeking out in Sonoma. The best examples are still affordable (like, $10 to $15 a bottle retail) and almost exclusively come from the foggier parts of the Sonoma Coast AVA.
Viognier
Sonoma Viognier is an absolute treat. It tends to be fruity and full-bodied but not overpowering — great with peppered salads and spicy seafood dishes. (Thai, anyone?)
Muscat
“Dessert wine” is not a dirty word. “Dessert wine” is not a dirty word. “Dessert wine” is not a…
Yes, Muscat is on the sweeter side. Yes, it’s an ideal aperitif, if not quite as strong as port or sherry. Yes, it pairs well with…dessert.
But a well-crafted Muscat is every bit as interesting as a well-crafted Viognier or, daresay, a well-crafted Sonoma Sauv Blanc. Need convincing? We’ll put our Muscat Canelli, with its tempting pineapple nose and delicate honeysuckle finish, against the field.