Climates and Topography
You hear it often, "Wine is made in the vineyard." The character in the glass originates with the right vine in the right place, tended to properly. The Russian River Valley has assets that make it unique, both above the ground and below.
In our part of the world, the Pacific Ocean is the most dominant climatic partner of a winemaker. To determine the impact of weather on the wine, there are three questions you need to answer:
- How close are you to the ocean?
- How cold is the water?
- What's between the vineyard and the water?
The Pacific Ocean off the Sonoma Coast is very cold. Swimmers and surfers wear wetsuits year round to avoid hypothermia. The very cold water and cool air masses collide with warm land and make the famous chilling fogs off the California north coast. The Russian River Valley begins about 10 miles from the Pacific and extends east and northward another 10-15 miles. Between the Valley and the ocean lies the coastal mountains, rising up to 1400 feet.
The coastal range protects the valley from the chilling fog - most of the time. The course of the Russian River cuts through the mountains, affording the coastal air a door to come in and chill the valley.
In the mornings, the valley is often under a layer of fog and very cool. As the day progresses, the valley absorbs the sun's warmth and burns off the fog. The expanding air pushes the ocean air back, allowing crops to ripen. Come evening, the process reverses, and the cold air creeps back in, dropping temperatures rapidly.
This daily dance of air, alternating between land and sea air masses, creates a flavor balance in grapes rarely found elsewhere. The daily warmth promotes good sugars, while the evening chill keeps the acids high enough to create the opportunity for balanced and complex wines.
The visual illustration of this effect is illustrated with this Flash animation.
History
Vineyards
New
Vineyards
Freestone
Hill
Morelli
Lane
Cherry
Ridge
Maurice
Galante
Green
Valley
Climates
& Topography
