New winegrowing area proposed in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley
A new winegrowing region has been proposed for the eastern slopes of Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley.
The Pocket Peak American Viticultural Area would cover 30,755 acres east of Cloverdale, Asti and Geyserville and include 2,915 acres of planted vines, according to an announcement Wednesday by backers of the appellation. A petition was filed with the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in February and deemed “perfected” — meeting application requirements — on May 19.
Sonoma County currently has 19 approved appellations, the most recent one being West Sonoma Coast.
The proposed AVA is named after the 2,256-foot Pocket Peak in the Mayacamas range separating Sonoma and Napa counties, and the area also includes Geyser Peak and Black Mountain.
“The range of soils, coastal influence, elevation, and the natural beauty of the mountains make it one of the most remarkable places for grape growing,” said Christopher Jackson of Jackson Family Wines in the news release. He’s part of the second generation of ownership for Jackson Family Wines, whose Stonestreet Estate Vineyards winery is located in Pocket Peak. “Similar to the AVAs found in Napa Valley or Santa Barbara, we believe the distinct features of Alexander Valley deserve to be explored and celebrated for their individuality.”
Another vintner with vines in Pocket Peak is Foley Family Wines.
“Fruit grown in the mountains is notably different from fruit grown in the valley – this extends not only to how the wines taste, but also the farming practices needed to successfully showcase these higher elevation sites,” said Courtney Foley, second-generation owner and executive vice president.
The subappellation would stretch along the mountainous eastern boundary of the Alexander Valley AVA, starting at the valley floor and running from Big Sulphur Creek on the north and the boundary of the Knights Valley AVA on the south.
Based on a March 2019 report by consulting geographer Patrick Shabram, the Pocket Peak area has distinct soils, slopes and climate from the valley and highland locations to the south and west. Shabram also did reports for the petitions for North Coast subappellations such as West Sonoma Coast, Petaluma Gap, Moon Mountain District and Fort Ross-Seaview.
Jeff Quackenbush covers wine, construction and real estate. Before coming to the Business Journal in 1999, he wrote for Bay City News Service in San Francisco. Reach him at jquackenbush@busjrnl.com or 707-521-4256.
