The Wild Fighter Chardonnay Mendocino

Alexander Valley is one of the key winegrowing areas in California's Sonoma County. It is one of the warmer parts of Sonoma, with vineyards stretching from the edges of the Russian river up into the foothills of the Mayacamas mountains that separate Sonoma from Napa. Alexander Valley's key grape variety is Cabernet Sauvignon, making vibrant, fruit driven wines that are less earthy than their Napa counterparts. The AVA covers the land along a 20-mile (33-km) stretch of the Russian river between the Mendocino County border and the city of Healdsburg. The majority of Alexander Valley's vineyards are on the benchlands on the eastern side of the river, where the southwesterly aspect and alluvial gravel soils provide an excellent terroir for Cabernet Sauvignon. The valley is warmer than other parts of Sonoma due to its inland location, although cool winds and fog still make their way up the Russian river from the Pacific ocean via the Petaluma Gap.