Moon Mountain District Sonoma County
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 2013 |
| Years of wine industry | 146 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California, North Coast AVA, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley AVA |
| Other regions in California, North Coast AVA, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley AVA | Bennett Valley AVA, Los Carneros AVA, Sonoma Mountain AVA |
| Climate region | Region II-III |
| Heat units | 2908–3326 GDD |
| Soil conditions | Rocky, iron-rich volcanic |
| Total area | 17,633 acres (28 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 1,500 acres (607 ha) |
| No. of vineyards | 40 |
| Varietals produced | Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel |
| No. of wineries | 11 |
Moon Mountain District Sonoma County is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) within Sonoma Valley and North Coast viticultural areas, just north of the city of Sonoma. This mountainous region on the very eastern edge of Sonoma County has a historic reputation for producing rich, intensely-flavored wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah varietals since the 1880s. The District was established as the nation's 211th, the state's 118th and the county's seventeenth appellation on October 2, 2013 by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Patrick L. Shabram on behalf of Christian Borcher, a representative of the vintners and grape growers, proposing the viticultural area named "Moon Mountain District Sonoma County." Its designation encompasses 17,663 acres (28 sq mi) stretching north–south along the western slopes of the Mayacamas mountains between Sugarloaf Ridge State Park and Los Carneros viticultural area with the Napa Valley's Mount Veeder viticultural area outlining the eastern slopes. Its name is derived from Moon Mountain Road, which traverses through the area and itself a reference to Sonoma, which means 'valley of the moon' in the local Native American dialect. A clear view to San Francisco 50 miles (80 km) south is not uncommon from Moon Mountain District vineyards. The viticultural area contains 11 wineries and 40 commercially-producing vineyards that cultivate approximately 1,500 acres (610 ha) throughout the mountainous area around the hills and ridges. The plant hardiness zone ranges from 9a to 10a.