Russian River Valley Wine

The Russian River Valley is the most southerly AVA within Northern Sonoma. It is named for the influx of Russian immigrants who, between 1812 and 1841, settled along the Sonoma coast, establishing agricultural businesses including the planting of wine grapes. Beginning at Fort Ross they moved up to Sebastopol, Graton and Freestone, eventually settling in what would become Russian River Valley.

Most of the Russian settlers abandoned the area by 1841, but other settlers had already migrated there and continued to support viticultural plantings. By the 1870s, the wine industry began to take hold and companies such as the Santa Rosa Wine Company, Martini and Prati, Korbel Cellars and Foppiano established longstanding wineries. 
 
The Prohibition was a devastating blow to the region, but there were some survival techniques employed by certain wineries to get around the problem. The Alicante-Bouchet grape from Europe, know for its unique teinturier (naturally dark, heavily pigmented juice without Read more »

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Popular wines made in Russian River Valley under $20

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Varietals Produced in Russian River Valley View all

  • Sauvignon Blanc

    Sauvignon Blanc is widely grown in California -- at over 15,000 acres, it’s now the third most planted variety -- and...

  • Cabernet Sauvignon

    “King of the Red Wine Grapes.” The colonizer of the vineyards, pushing native wine grapes into its shadows. The Caber...

  • Pinot Noir

    “With so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, they make the blood run hot,” Joel Fleischman, wine columnist at Van...

  • Syrah

    The irony here is that Syrah’s origins could give Carmen Sandiego a run for her international wallet. Syrah’s deepest...

  • Chardonnay

    British wine writer and critic, Jancis Robinson, once noted that throughout the 80’s and 90’s in the United States, C...

  • Zinfandel

    Parentage of the grape: Crljenak to Austria to America. In the 1970s, claims surfaced that the Italian Primitivo is l...

Subregions of Russian River Valley

  • Green Valley

      The Green Valley AVA is in the west corner of the Russian River Valley in Sonoma, in Calif...

Popular Wineries in Russian River Valley View all

  • Adler Fels Winery

    Adler Fels Winery was founded in Sonoma Valley in 1979 by David and Ayn Coleman. The winery soon ...

  • Davis Family Vineyards

    Davis Family Vineyards is located on a ridge top in the center of California’s renowned Russian R...

  • Athair Wines

    In keeping with our Irish heritage and strong family traditions, we chose the name ATHAIR, the Ga...

  • Walter Hansel Winery

    Walter Hansel Winery is located in Sonoma County at the southern tip of the Russian River Valley ...

  • Frei Brothers Reserve

    Frei Brothers Reserve was established in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley by Swiss immigrant Andr...

  • Armida Winery

    Hello folks! We purchased controlling interest in Armida Winery from Robert Frugoli in 1994. Wo...

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Russian River Valley on Snooth

  • Ottimino Russian River Valley Primitivo Ottimino Vineyard 2007

    Snoothrank:

    Nose of red and purple plum with berry fruit. Nice grilled herb notes on the palate with light pepper. Very nice spice profile over red and blueberry fruit, plum. Good!90 pts.5/10/13 at NWC room Read More

    Wine review by VegasOenophile


  • Ottimino Zinfandel Von Weidlich Vineyard 2008

    Snoothrank:

    Calm nose. Fresh red berry and light herb and white pepper. Nice. 87 pts.5/10/13 at NWC room Read More

    Wine review by VegasOenophile


  • Ottimino Zinfandel Ottimino Vineyard 2009

    Snoothrank:

    Nice and smooth. Zesty, but well balanced. Red and black raspberry flavors. Wild bramble berry and pepper. Nice. 88 pts. 5/10/13 at NWC room Read More

    Wine review by VegasOenophile


  • Ottimino Zinfandel Russian River Valley Rancho Bello 2008

    Snoothrank:

    Zesty, peppery red berry nose. On the palate, it's zesty and herbal with red berry flavors accented by pepper. Good balance and juicy acid with a nice sage edge to it. 87 pts.5/10/13 at NWC room Read More

    Wine review by VegasOenophile


  • Hanna Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley 2012

    Snoothrank:

    Crisp, clean, cool, light fruit. The perfect summer wine. Read More

    Wine review by billgardiner


  • Marimar Estate Pinot Noir la Masia 2009

    Snoothrank:

    Nice Pinot, food balance, surprising. Read More

    Wine review by tboydsto


  • Migration Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2010

    Snoothrank:

    Pineapple, lime and apple come together on the nose along with a rather gentle touch of oak that contributes some almond, vanilla, and earth tones as opposed to overt spiciness. Medium full and bright in the mouth, this delivers lots of classic creamy pineapple flavors framed by modest but obvious oak spice. It's a bit riper on the palate than t... Read More

    Wine review by Gregory Dal Piaz


  • Gallo Signature Series Chardonnay 2010

    Snoothrank:

    Complex aromas of sandy soil, sweet, toasty oak and flowers add complexity to the core of baked apple and lime fruit. Supple and rather opulent in the mouth, this combines power and a creamy texture with rather fresh green apple and citrus flavors all supported by toasty oak spice and a nice mineral base. There's a lot going on here and while t... Read More

    Wine review by Gregory Dal Piaz


  • Russian River Pliny the Elder Russian River Brewing Company

    Snoothrank:

    Whole Foods Read More

    Wine review by smuratore


  • Barefoot Cellars Chardonnay California 2010

    Snoothrank:

    No written review

    Wine review by poconopixie


  • Don't miss the Trousseau Gris from Fanucchi Vineyards!

    Comment by 1165994Thomas C 1165994 Thomas C


  • My favorite Vineyard in Russian River in The Fanucchi Wood Road Vineyard.

    Comment by 806255Luciano L 806255 Luciano L


  • Our favorite discovery is Fanucchi Vineyards!

    Comment by 565487Jo Kelly 565487 Jo Kelly


  • Love the place. Thanks everyone.

    Comment by 518791RaguilarCAT 518791 RaguilarCAT


  • This Saturday June 5th 2010 is Single Night in the Russian River Valley at C Donatello Winery. 6:30 - 10:00pm Single Vineyard tastings from the following wineries: Acorn Winery Ancient Oak Cellars Balletto Vineyards Benovia Winery D&L Carinalli Dutton-Goldfield Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery Foppiano Vineyards Foppoli Wines Graton R...

    Comment by 324443outthere 324443 outthere


  • Just had a 2008 Saralee's Vineyard Joseph Swan Chardonnay..not my style usually...barrel fermented, 100% Malo, but it was so well put together. Really delicious.

    Comment by 363563Pinotmoi 363563 Pinotmoi


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    Page modification by 320303westsidelodge 320303 westsidelodge


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