Sonoma’s Sensational 2015s

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | MARCH 9, 2017

Challenging spring conditions, warm weather and a very early harvest produced rich, sumptuous Pinot Noirs, Zinfandels and Syrahs that offer a compelling interplay of dense fruit and vibrant, pulsating acidity. The best 2015s are exotic, viscerally thrilling wines endowed with phenomenal purity, depth and intensity. This article covers new releases from Sonoma and a number of neighboring appellations, including Anderson Valley and Mendocino.

Fredericks Vineyard, Moon Mountain 

Sonoma is Not Napa Valley & Napa Valley is Not Sonoma

Napa Valley’s grip on the collective consciousness is so strong that all too often assessments on the overall quality and style of vintages in Napa Valley are taken as a proxy for other regions, or, in some cases, all of Northern California. Let me be clear: Weather and conditions in Napa Valley - and their impact on wine quality - are not all relevant to Sonoma. For starters, Sonoma County is approximately three times larger than Napa Valley and is home to a dizzying array of microclimates, ranging from appellations such as Moon Mountain and Knights Valley that border Napa Valley, to the Russian River, Dry Creek and the true Sonoma Coast, among others. Weather is also generally milder than in Napa Valley. Sonoma excels with a wide range of grape varieties, both red and white, while Napa Valley is of course mostly planted to Bordeaux varieties.

The late season heat spikes that were such an issue in Napa Valley were far less problematic in Sonoma. In Napa Valley weather stations reported 20 or so days of temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. By comparison, in Sonoma some regions saw no heat spikes to speak of, where others had 5 or 6 days in which temperatures reached 100 degrees. Whereas temperatures in Napa Valley can easily reach 100 degrees and stay there for hours, in Sonoma the period of time temperatures remain elevated is usually much, much shorter. In the end, though, little of that matters because much of the fruit in Sonoma was off the vine entirely before temperatures soared. In those cases, heat spikes were, of course, a total non-factor.

Tasting the 2015s at Dehlinger