Wine Country

This article is about California's Wine Country region. For other uses, see Wine Country (disambiguation).
Wine Country
Wine region
Top to bottom to right: Domaine Carneros in Los Carneros AVA; Castello di Amorosa in Napa Valley AVA; the historic Walters Ranch Hop Kiln; V. Sattui Winery; Chateau Montelena in Calistoga AVA; Inglenook in Rutherford AVA; Napa Valley in autumn
Year established1812
Years of wine industry1812–present
CountryUnited States
Part ofCalifornia wine
Sub-regionsWine Country AVAs
Climate regionMediterranean

Wine Country is a region of California, in the northern San Francisco Bay Area, known worldwide as a premier wine-growing region.[1] The region is famed for its wineries, its cuisine,[2] Michelin star restaurants, boutique hotels, luxury resorts, historic architecture,[3] and culture.[4] Viticulture and wine-making have been practiced in the region since the Spanish missionaries from Mission San Francisco Solano established the first vineyards in 1812.

There are over 1,700 wineries in the North Bay (according to Alcoholic Beverage Control of California), mostly located in the area's valleys, including Napa Valley in Napa County, and the Sonoma Valley, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Bennett Valley, and Russian River Valley in Sonoma County. Wine grapes are also grown at higher elevations, such as Atlas Peak and Mount Veeder AVAs.[5] Cities and towns associated with the Wine Country include Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Sonoma, Kenwood, Petaluma, Sebastopol, Guerneville, Windsor, Geyserville, and Cloverdale in Sonoma County; Napa, Yountville, Rutherford, St. Helena and Calistoga in Napa County; and Hopland and Ukiah in Mendocino County. Wine is also an important part of the economy in nearby Lake, Solano, and Yolo counties.[6]

  1. ^ Elkjer, Thom (2002). Fodor's Escape to the Wine Country: California's Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino. Fodor's. ISBN 978-0-679-00918-4.
  2. ^ Michael Chiarello, Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking: Wine Country Recipes for Family and Friends, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California.
  3. ^ Whitesides, Mary (2004). Wine Country: Architecture and Interiors. Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith.
  4. ^ Molly Chappellet, Gardens of the Wine Country, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California.
  5. ^ Appelation America.com
  6. ^ "Yolo County". Vinorandum. Retrieved 2024-07-12.