Sonoma County has most recently become a tourist’s favorite place to go wine tasting. It could be because Sonoma County has the history of good hospitality and our culture is awfully laid back. Sonoma County is located east of Napa County and boarders San Pablo Bay and Marin County to the south Lake and Mendocino counties to the north all of which are wine producing regions on their own. Sonoma County has over 60,000 acres of grapes, more then 40 percent more than Napa County. The 60,000 acres has doubled since the 1980’s and now boasts food employment rates in the management and services sectors. Sonoma County’s tourists come here to learn about the history of the region as well as be introduced to stories relating to the wine they taste.
The first vineyard planted in Sonoma County was in the 1820s. Sonoma County’s hot days, cool nights and fertile soils made a natural climate in which grape, apples, vegetables and prunes thrived each playing a vital role in the economy of Sonoma County. In recent years most of the agriculture in Sonoma County has been replaced with grapes because of the ever-expanding interest in wine production.
The history of the Sonoma County wine industry was reborn in the 1960’s and 1970’s for it was during this time that many small wineries were founded. Top wineries such as Hanzell Vineyards, located in Sonoma, were the first to use new-age technology by using stainless steel vats and French oak barrels to enhance their wine production.
The feature that distinguishes Sonoma County from other regions in California, is its the climate. Because Sonoma County is close to the Pacific Ocean, the winters are warmer, while the summers are cooler, which allows a number of grape growing regions to thrive. The combination of the warm and cool air gives Sonoma County a perfect microclimate for growing whole variety of grapes. The inland vineyards where the weather is warm, give rise to varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon. In...