Alexander Valley AVA

Alexander Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) within an approximately 20-mile-long (32 km), 38 sq mi (24,000-acre) valley formed by the Russian River located in northeastern Sonoma County, California just north of Healdsburg.^[7] The wine appellation was established on October 24, 1984, as the nation's 70th, the state's 43rd and the county's eighth AVA^[11] by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by the Appellation Committee, composed of eighteen vintners, vineyard owners, winery operators, (Group "A"), and another fifteen members, (Group "B"), of the local grape/wine industry representing Alexander Valley Vineyards, Robert Young Vineyards, Redwood Ranch and Vineyards, Murphy-Goode Vineyards, Jordon Winery and Vineyards, Garden Creek Ranch, Chateau St. Jean, Simi Winery, Cuneo and Saini Farm, Franeiscan Winery, River Oaks Winery, Hoot Owl Creek Ranch and Vineyard, proposing a viticultural area in Sonoma County, known as "Alexander Valley."^[9]

Alexander Valley

Wine region
Type	American Viticultural Area
Year established	1984[1] 1986 Amend[2] 1988 Amend[3] 1990 Amend[4] 2001 Amend[5] 2008 Amend[6]
Years of wine industry	182[1]
Country	United States
Part of	California, North Coast AVA, Sonoma County, Northern Sonoma AVA
Other regions in California, North Coast AVA, Sonoma County, Northern Sonoma AVA	Chalk Hill AVA, Dry Creek Valley AVA, Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA, Knights Valley AVA, Rockpile AVA, Russian River Valley AVA, Sonoma Coast AVA
Growing season	240–270 days[7]
Climate region	Region II-III[7][8]
Heat units	2,796-3,259 GDD units[9]
Precipitation (annual average)	25–50 inches (640–1,270 mm)[1]
Soil conditions	Sandy to silt loam, clay and quartzite high in volcanic ash[1]
Total area	66,000 acres (103 sq mi)[1] 2008: 67,710 acres (106 sq mi)[6]
Size of planted vineyards	12,700 acres (5,100 ha)[1]
No. of vineyards	100+[7]
Grapes produced	Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Muscat Canelli, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Syrah, Tempranillo, Viognier, Zinfandel[10]

The boundaries of the proposed appellation extend from the banks of the Russian River eastward to the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains. It is resident to over one hundred wineries and vineyards, as well as the city of Cloverdale. It is the largest and most fully cultivated wine region in Sonoma County.^[12] Highway 101 passes through the valley and the Russian River flows through flanked on both sides by vineyards. The view from the valley's higher elevated rim extends far south to Taylor and Sonoma Mountains. The region was named after Cyrus Alexander, owner of two leagues of the Rancho Sotoyome Mexican land grant in 1847.^[13][14]

In 1986, the boundaries were expanded to include overlapping regions of the Russian River Valley AVA. Further acreage was realigned in 1988 from Chalk Hill AVA to accommodate existing vineyards that long labeled their wines as Alexander Valley but existed across the southeastern boundary. A third amendment occurred in 1990 to include vineyards owned by Sir Peter Michael and Ellis Alden in the foothills east of Geyserville. In 2001, the Gill Creek watershed was realigned from the Dry Creek AVA reclassifying the Alexander Valley boundary.^[15] In 2008, the appellation was expanded 1,300 acres (2.0 sq mi) to include three existing vineyards along Hiatt Road and Icaria Creek, a drainage basin to the Russian River. The latest expansion increased Alexander Valley's total area to 67,710 acres (106 sq mi).^[6]

History

The valley was first settled by the Wappo and Pomo tribes. The valley was named in Wappo as Unutsawaholmanoma meaning "Toyon Bush Berry Place."^[16] Since its early history, the territory referred to as the "Alexander Valley" denoted the benchlands east of the Russian River leading up to the Mayacamas Mountains.^[17] The area west of the Russian River was known as "the plaines" or "the ranchos". Viticulture in Alexander Valley dates back to 1843, when Cyrus Alexander used vine cuttings collected from Fort Ross on the Pacific coast, to establish vineyards. For most of its history the region was predominately associated with mass-produced bulk and jug wines made from indiscriminately planted field blends of red grape varieties. A modern era of quality wine production began in the late 1960s when a new owner of Simi Winery sought to revive the area's long winemaking history. In the 1970s, a new wave of producers, such as Chateau Souverain and Jordan Vineyard & Winery, descended upon the area and started making wines that received critical and consumer acclaim. Wine pioneer, Rodney Strong, whose namesake winery is located in Russian River Valley, was also among the first to recognize Alexander Valley's potential, producing and releasing Sonoma County's first single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from the 1974 vintage. The vineyard designated was Strong's Alexander's Crown vineyard located near Jimtown. In 1988, E & J Gallo Winery purchased substantial tracts of land in the Alexander Valley to establish the fine wine brand of the company.^[12]

In 1963, one of Alexander Valley's most prestigious vineyard, the Robert Young Vineyards, was planted. There were few wineries in the area at the time so the vineyard sourced most of it fruit to wineries outside the valley. One of these wineries, Chateau St. Jean, was so impressed with the quality of fruit that with the 1975 vintage of their Chardonnay they put the name of the vineyard on the wine label.^[17] This "vineyard designated wine" would be one of the first premium wines in California wine history to have the name of the vineyard appear on the label.^[18]

Terroir

Geography

Alexander Valley vineyard

The Alexander Valley covers a broad expanse of land east of the Russian River consisting of the watershed that runs southeast from the Mendocino County line down to the boundaries of the Chalk Hill AVA.^[17] The area is sheltered from the influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean by the low-lying hills northeast of Healdsburg.^[19]

The general geomorphology of the area corresponds to distinguishable geologic features which define a valley, i.e. a topographic depression or basin. The boundaries of the valley arm are delineated by contact between the geologically younger alluvial material of the valley arm floor with older indurated rock of the surrounding uplands. Except for a gap in the surrounding uplands in the vicinity of the town of Lytton and a bedrock canyon at the northern end of the valley arm where the Russian River enters, the geologic boundaries of the valley arm are generally continuous. Group "A" has proposed a northern boundary for their viticultural area near the point where the valley arm narrows. This is the point that some authorities, on the basis of geologic and hydrologic considerations, have used to divide the valley arm into separate valleys known as "Cloverdale Valley" (northern portion) and "Alexander Valley" (southern portion). These authorities state the point where the valley arm narrows is actually a bedrock gorge which divides the valley arm into two separate valleys and that the alluvial material in the area consists of stream channel deposits of the Russian River. Notwithstanding there is some subsurface hydrologic connection through the stream channel deposits in the gorge between the two valleys, these authorities also claim each valley is served by a distinct ground water basin. Group "B" contends the separation of the valley arm into two valleys is artificial. They presented evidence consisting of more recent studies conducted by other researchers which state there is a continuous deposit of alluvial material throughout the valley arm, and that, in fact, no bedrock gorge exists. These researchers claim the alluvial material in the narrow portion of the valley arm is part of this deposit and not stream channel deposits, since it has basically the same characteristics as alluvial material found elsewhere in the valley arm. These researchers conclude the continuous presence of uniform alluvial material throughout the valley arm indicates a single valley. In addition, these researchers claim there is one groundwater basin for the valley arm. However, they do recognize two sub-basins, the "Alexander Area" and the "Cloverdale Area", which underlie, respectively, the southern and northern portions of the valley arm.

The valley arm watershed is part of the Russian River drainage basin. Specific portions of the valley arm are served by smaller drainage basins which drain those particular areas. Adjacent valleys are served by drainage basins which do not serve the valley arm, although they do eventually empty into the Russian River drainage basin. Group "A" contends the smaller drainage basins serving the valley arm should be viewed as forming several watersheds. Therefore, the boundaries of these watersheds are useful in distinguishing the delineating specific portions of the valley arm, such as their proposed viticultural area, from the surrounding area. Group "B" contends the smaller drainage basins serving the valley arm should be viewed as forming one watershed encompassing the entire valley arm. Therefore, the boundaries of these smaller drainage basins should not be used to distinguish or delineate one portion of the valley arm from another. However, the petitioner contends that this large watershed may be used to distinguish the valley arm from the surrounding area.^[1]

Climate

During the day, the Alexander Valley is one of the warmest areas in Northern California but at night experiences a wide diurnal temperature variation that offers cool climate conditions. The region's proximity to the Russian River serves a source for early morning fog that covers the lower vineyard areas until it is burned off by the morning sun.^[20]

The valley arm has an annual rainfall of 25–50 inches (640–1,270 mm), temperature of 58–60 °F (14–16 °C), and a frostfree season of 240–270 days. The areas surrounding the valley arm, i.e. the main Russian River Valley to the south and the surrounding uplands, respectively, have an annual rainfall of 25–45 inches (640–1,140 mm), temperature of 54–60 °F (12–16 °C), a frostfree season of 240–260 days; and an annual rainfall of 30–70 inches (760–1,780 mm), temperature of 54–58 °F (12–14 °C), a frostfree season of 230–270 days. Temperature comparison data, prepared by the Cooperative Extension, University of California, Sonoma County, indicates the valley arm is warmer than the area to the south and cooler than the area to the north. In addition, under the climatic region concept developed by Amerine and Winkler, the valley arm is classified as Region 3 and the area to the south is classified as Region 2. Furthermore, temperatures in the southern portion of the valley arm are generally cooler than temperatures in the northern portion of the valley arm as a result of the effect of fog. Fog flows into the southern portion of the valley arm from the Santa Rosa plain at a point near the town of Lytton through a gap in the low range of hills separating the valley arm from the main Russian River Valley. The fog gradually dissipates in intensity as one goes up the valley arm toward the town of Cloverdale. In addition to the general climatic conditions discussed above which characterize the valley arm and distinguish it from the surrounding area, Group "A" contends their proposed viticultural area possesses a unique set of growing conditions which distinguish it from the upper portion of the valley arm. Group "A" claims the lower temperatures and fog associated with their proposed viticultural area have a marked influence on the amount and distribution of heat and moisture received which, in turn, directly affects the development and balance of sugar, acid, and other constituents of grapes grown in their proposed viticultural area.^[1]

Soils

The soils found in the valley arm are distinct from the soils found on the surrounding uplands. This is due to the different parent material, i.e. alluvial on the valley arm floor and indurated rock on the uplands, from which the soils were formed. The contrast in parent materials allows an easy distinction between the valley arm floor area and the upland area based on soils. The soils in the valley arm floor area are primarily of the Yolo-Cortina-Pleasanton association. This soil association is found throughout the valley arm. The soils on the upland areas are primarily of the Spreckels-Felta association southwest of the valley arm, Los Gatos-Henneke-Maymen association northwest of the valley arm, and Goulding-Toomes-Guenoc association east of the valley arm. Group "B", representing the southern area, contends the uniformity and continuity of soils throughout the valley arm precludes the use of soil as a basis for division of the valley arm into separate areas. In addition, Group "B" contends the presence of the Yolo-Cortina-Pleasanton type of soil association, which typically forms on flat, alluvial basins, in the narrow portion of the valley arm near the town of Asti indicates a single valley and not two separate valleys divided by a bedrock gorge, since, in order for this to have occurred, the same type of alluvial parent material must have been uniformly distributed throughout the valley arm and deposited in a geological basin.^[7] The plant hardiness zone ranges from 9a to 10a.^[21]

Wines

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

A characteristic associated with Alexander Valley wines is a rich, fleshy mouthfeel and a degree of voluptuousness due to the area's generally warm climate and ability to sufficiently ripen the grapes. While the wines exhibit a degree of drinkability and accessibility in their youth, they may not have the same aging potential as wines from Napa Valley or even other areas of Sonoma County.^[12] The Alexander Valley is capable of growing a wide range of grape varieties but in recent years, the area has been noted for the quality of its Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The alluvial soils of the region tend to impart a rich, chocolate note to the Cabernet.^[19] Other Alexander Valley varietals that have been gaining recognition include Chardonnay, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese.^[15] The Chardonnay from this region is characterized by its rich, tropical fruits.^[22] Some experts, such as Jancis Robinson, have speculated that Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc may eventually prove themselves to be best suited to the climate and soils of the Alexander Valley.^[12]

River Rock Casino controversy

In the early 21st century, there was controversy when the Alexander Valley Association of farmers, wineries and property owners objected to a proposal for a tribal casino on land owned by the Pomo people. In 1998, the association had been able to block a large winery expansion proposed by Kendall-Jackson, but in the dispute with the Pomo casino, federal and state laws granted the tribe the right to develop the land in any way they wished. The casino was built and named River Rock Casino. Resulting traffic problems along Highway 128 after the casino's opening in 2002 led to public safety concerns during harvest season because of the agricultural traffic on the roads.^[23] These concerns intensified after River Rock received a liquor license in 2008.^[24]