"sonoma county" news and stories

The Sonoma Coast of California is a lovely place to visit. Cool, salty breezes come from the Pacific Ocean just a few miles away, and every restaurant has locally sourced food on its menu, from Dungeness crabs (currently in season) to Cowgirl Creamery cheeses.

The wines coming out of this cool-climate growing region -- which boasts a long, stable growing season -- are just as memorable. Those cool, coastal fogs introduce an earthy element to all of the region's wines, especially Pinot Noir.

After the jump, our four favorite Sonoma Coast Pinot Noirs from a recent tasting.

While some producers might balk at this legislative change, it is one that will add a little more clarity to the California wine industry. Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill last weekend that prohibits wineries from using "Sonoma" as part of their name unless at least 75% of the grapes used to produce it were grown in Sonoma County. "Sonoma transcends a county name and has become nearly a brand name synonymous with quality wine produced by some of the greatest vintners in the world," Schwarzenegger said. A similar decision was reached last year regarding Napa wines and regulations may eventually be put in place to regulate other wine-growing areas, such as Mendocino County, and restrict the use of those names.

Not too many wines should be affected by the change, but any brands that are out of compliance will have until December 31st, 2008 to change their labels to reflect a non-Sonoma origin. A California appellation will probably be used in place of county references for these wines.

Source

If this isn't an American dream story, I don't know what is. Ulises Valdez left the tiny village of Los Cuachalalates, Mexico, for Mexico City at the age of 10 to work for his uncle. After moving around from place to place, he eventually crossed the California border and made his way to Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley. There, he worked the fields, eventually gained citizenship, struck up a partnership, bought out his partner, and in July of this year, Valdez Family Wines launched.

The Chronicle's Wine Selection of the Week is Napa Valley Syrah. Of the 21 wines they tasted, three received three out of four stars (***): 2004 HdV Carneros Syrah, 2004 Sand T Cellars Brookside Vineyard Napa Valley Syrah, and 2004 Novy Page-Nord Vineyard Napa Valley Syrah.

To go with that Syrah, there is a recipe for Sausage and Lamb Bolognese. The Cheese Course is Comte,a A cow's milk cheese from the Jura mountains of eastern France, near the Swiss border, which a former Bay Area chef hand picks from the aging caves in France.

Wines aren't the only things that have "terroir" - the term used to describe the environmental factors like soil and sun that give a wine its particular flavors. Sake, the Japanese alcohol distilled from rice, has terroir, too.

The Wine Selection of the Week is Syrah from Sonoma County. About half are from the Dry Creek Valley and the other half from the Russian River Valley. Just about all of their picks rated two stars (**). The Bargain Wine Selection is from the southern hemisphere, where the grape harvesta have long been over in Argentina, Australia, and Chile.

Just in time for Labor Day festivities, Pulled Pork Sandwiches that go great with the Syrah selection, and Clisson, a French goat's milk cheese that's been rinsed in Sauternes.

To change up a margarita, try Greek ouzo instead of tequila.