Russian River Valley; Russian River Valley AVA

The Russian River basin starts in mendocino county runs south into sonoma county and then west as the river turns toward the Pacific Ocean just north of Forestville, California. Along the way it encompasses the Ukiah and Alexander Valleys. The area comprising the Russian River AVA starts around Healdsburg (in Sonoma County) and goes in a southerly direction toward Sebastopol. The eastern section includes the chalk hill ava which is located just east of the town of Windsor; the western section extends to the coastal hills and includes the green valley-sonoma ava. The climate is quite cool, mostly Region I (see climate regions of california), and does well with chardonnay gewürztraminer pinot noir and sauvignon blanc grapes. Occasionally, good zinfandel grapes are produced as well. Cabernet Sauvignon doesn't usually peform too well here, although in the warmer growing areas it can produce good wines. The Russian River AVA has more than fifty wineries.