SONOMA MOUNTAIN AVA
Sonoma Mountain rises along the western edge of Sonoma Valley, just above the town of Glen Ellen and the literary territory that Jack London memorialized as the Valley of the Moon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms approved the AVA on February 22, 1985, after a petition by local grape grower David Steiner on behalf of area viticulturists. The appellation covers roughly 5,000 acres and was one of the earliest in California to be defined primarily by elevation and the thermal-belt phenomenon rather than by valley boundaries.
The geography is small but distinctive. Vineyards occupy isolated patches on the north and east slopes of Sonoma Mountain, generally between 400 and roughly 1,700 feet of elevation, with the mountain's peak reaching 2,463 feet. Soils vary across the slopes but lean toward Goulding clay loam derived from the area's volcanic and uplifted-seabed history; thinner, rockier soils dominate at higher elevations, while richer loams appear on the lower benches. The mountain's bulk shields east-facing vineyards from the cool winds and fog that pour through the Petaluma Gap and over Sonoma Mountain's western shoulder, creating a sheltered, sun-drenched eastern exposure.
That eastern aspect, combined with the thermal-belt effect of cold air draining downhill at night to lower elevations, gives Sonoma Mountain a remarkably even growing climate. Daytime highs are lower than the valley floor below, nighttime lows are higher, and the resulting moderate diurnal swing favors slow ripening and aromatic precision. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety, producing wines of more finesse and acidity than warmer mountain sites typically allow. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and small amounts of Grenache and Grüner Veltliner also find homes here, depending on exposure and elevation.
Laurel Glen Vineyard, planted in the 1880s and redeveloped from 1968 onward by Cabernet pioneer Patrick Campbell, is the appellation's defining estate. Campbell developed a distinctive proprietary Laurel Glen clone of Cabernet Sauvignon certified by UC Davis, and the property is now owned by Bettina Sichel with vineyards farmed organically under Phil Coturri. Kenwood Vineyards has a long relationship with the Jack London Vineyard on London's original Beauty Ranch, where some of the wine is sourced for the Jack London Vineyard-designate bottlings. B. Wise Vineyards, Ledson Winery, Benziger Family Winery (the historic Glen Ellen estate that helped pioneer biodynamics in California), and Coturri Winery anchor a small but distinguished roster.
For buyers, Sonoma Mountain offers some of Sonoma County's most beautiful estate land within ten minutes of Glen Ellen and twenty minutes of the Sonoma Plaza. The combination of forested terrain, working vineyards, and direct access to Jack London State Historic Park gives the appellation a distinctly literary, low-key feel that long-time Sonoma residents prize.
