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Appellation · United States

Alexander Valley

Sonoma’s warmest major AVA, on the upper Russian River, and its best source of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Alexander Valley AVAmediterraneanwarm
What to expect in the glass

Cabernet Sauvignon with ripe blackcurrant, chocolate and soft tannin — plusher and rounder than Napa, and usually cheaper.

About Alexander Valley

Alexander Valley runs north-east from Healdsburg along the upper Russian River, far enough inland to escape most of the coastal fog.

It is Sonoma’s warmest significant AVA and its principal source of Cabernet Sauvignon, generally softer and more approachable than Napa equivalents.

Old-vine Zinfandel on the valley’s benchland is a secondary strength.

What the name means

Legal name
Alexander Valley AVA
Type
American Viticultural Area (AVA)
Set by
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
Recognised
1984
Regulates
Origin only. It sets no rules about varieties, yields, ageing or winemaking.

Only where the grapes were grown, plus the percentage that must come from the named area. An AVA sets no varietal, yield, ageing or winemaking rules whatsoever — the single most commonly misunderstood fact about US wine labels.

Grapes

Wines from here

red

Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet from Sonoma’s warmer inland valleys — a little softer and more red-fruited than Napa.

What to eat, and how to serve it

Derived from this region’s signature styles. Each is listed separately, because a region does not have one serving temperature.

Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon

Serve at 16–18°C (cool room temperature).

Try with roast chicken, fillet steak or grilled chicken.

Where to go next

Places worth trying if you like this one — neighbours, rivals, and the obvious step across.

  • Dry Creek Valley — A narrow valley north-west of Healdsburg, and California’s most celebrated home for old-vine Zinfandel.
  • Russian River Valley — A fog-cooled Sonoma AVA producing some of California’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
  • Sonoma County — A large, climatically varied county west of Napa, covering everything from cool Pinot Noir sites to warm Zinfandel country.

Sources

Sources consulted