FORT ROSS-SEAVIEW AVA
The Fort Ross-Seaview AVA sits on the wild coastal ridges of westernmost Sonoma County, between the village of Jenner and the Sea Ranch community to the north. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved it on December 13, 2011, after a long campaign led by Linda Schwartz of Fort Ross Vineyard, David Hirsch of Hirsch Vineyards, and consultant Patrick Shabram. The appellation's name combines two historic markers: Fort Ross, the 1812 Russian-American Company outpost where the first wine grapes in coastal Northern California were planted in 1817, and Seaview, the small ridge-top community within the AVA boundaries.
What distinguishes Fort Ross-Seaview from the surrounding Sonoma Coast is elevation. The AVA covers about 27,500 acres, but only land above the 920-foot contour line qualifies for the appellation, which means just 500 or so acres are actually plantable to grapes. Vineyards perch on a series of three coastal ridges between roughly 920 and 1,800 feet, often within a mile or two of the Pacific Ocean yet typically above the fog layer that blankets the valleys below. Soils are thin, rocky, and free-draining, dominated by sandstone-derived material with Yorkville, Boomer, Sobrante, and Laughlin series the most common. The San Andreas Fault runs through the area, contributing to the broken, ridge-and-canyon topography.
The climate is paradoxical and unforgettable. Vineyards above the fog enjoy bright sunshine and warmer afternoon temperatures than the cold, gray vineyards immediately below, yet the proximity to the cold California Current keeps overall heat accumulation modest and provides a constant marine influence. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay dominate the plantings, with the resulting wines showing a hallmark combination of ripe fruit at modest alcohol, vibrant acidity, and an unusual mineral and saline lift. Pinotage, the South African red variety, is a signature curiosity at Fort Ross Vineyard, whose founders Lester and Linda Schwartz emigrated from South Africa. Small plantings of Syrah, Riesling, and Chenin Blanc round out the appellation.
Notable producers include David Hirsch's Hirsch Vineyards, whose 1980 plantings effectively launched the modern era of extreme coastal Sonoma viticulture and supply fruit to Littorai, Williams Selyem, and others. Flowers Vineyards & Winery, founded in 1989 by Walt and Joan Flowers, operates one of the AVA's most acclaimed estates. Fort Ross Vineyard, Winery & Tasting Room in Jenner is one of the few estates open to the public. Other names sourcing or producing in the AVA include Marcassin, Failla, Peay, Williams Selyem, Wild Hog, Wayfarer, and Martinelli.
For buyers, Fort Ross-Seaview offers some of the most dramatic land in California wine country: forested ridges, ocean views, and a sense of true remoteness within a long drive of Healdsburg.
