GoldenHaven.com : Sonoma County : Wineries: Sebastopol

Sonoma County Wineries: Sebastopol Wineries and Wine Tasting

The adventurous spirit discovers the secrets of Green Valley, an often overlooked triangle of the Russian River valley between Sebastopol, Occidental and Guerneville. Misted by the nearby Pacific Ocean, gloomy redwood groves live in rocky canyons and creekbeds and march across wild, windy, hilltop ridges. Ocean fogs drift in through the “Petaluma Gap,” remaining longer here than in the rest of the river valley, causing long hang times and later harvests than in most California grape-growing regions....A narrow, oak-lined byway, Ross Station Road crosses a bridge and coils up a hill to a spectacular view of the Green Valley, the Sonoma and Mayacamas ranges and Mount Saint Helena. On the grounds of Iron Horse Ranch and Vineyards, palm and olive trees and stepped gardens surround the restored 1876 Carpenter Gothic family home of the winery owners, the Sterlings. Iron Horse sparkling wines have been served at state dinners in the Reagan, Clinton and both Bush White Houses. To learn more about this wine growing area, click here.

The article on this page is adapted from the book, Backroads of the California Wine Country by Karen Misuraca (www.karenmisuraca.com), published by Voyageur Press.