Sonoma Mountain AVA
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1985 |
| Years of wine industry | 164 |
| 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, Moon Mountain District Sonoma County AVA |
| Growing season | 249 days |
| Climate region | Region I-II |
| Heat units | 1,500–2,564 GDD |
| Precipitation (annual average) | 40 to 50 in (1,000–1,300 mm) |
| Soil conditions | Spreckles-Felta red loam and light red gravelly mountain soil |
| Total area | 5,000 acres (8 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 800 acres (320 ha) |
| No. of vineyards | 23 |
| Grapes produced | Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot Gris/Grigio, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Syrah/Shiraz, Zinfandel |
| No. of wineries | 5 |
Sonoma Mountain is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in southern Sonoma County, California centered on the 2,463-foot (751 m) Sonoma Mountain landform within the Sonoma Mountains. The wine appellation was established on January 23, 1985 as the nation's 75th, the state's 45th and the county's ninth AVA by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Mr. David Steiner, a local grape grower, on behalf of himself and area viticulturists, proposing a new viticultural area in Sonoma County named "'Sonoma Mountain."
The appellation includes the town of Glen Ellen, California and sits on the western edge of the "Valley of the Moon" defining the unique hillside terroir characteristic features of the Sonoma Mountain wine region. At the outset, the 5,000-acre (8 sq mi) Sonoma Mountain cultivated approximately 571 acres (231 ha) on 23 elevated vineyards ranginq in size from 3 to 115 acres (1.2 to 46.5 ha) with more in the planning stages. The area also had three bonded wineries and two more were being contemplated. The mountain area is known for its diverse micro-climates that occurs within the crevices and folds of the terrain on exposed hillsides and shaded drainages favoring production of a wide range of varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Zinfandel. The plant hardiness zone ranges from 9b to 10a.