Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Lesser-known western Sonoma County was formerly famous for its apple farms and vaca-
tion cottages. Lately vineyards are replacing orchards, and the Russian River has taken its
place among California's important wine appellations, especially for Pinot Noir.
'The River,' as locals call it, has long been a summertime-weekend destination for
Northern Californians, who come to canoe, wander country lanes, taste wine, hike red-
wood forests and live at a lazy pace. In winter the river floods, and nobody's here.
The Russian River begins in the mountains north of Ukiah, in Mendocino County, but
the most known sections lie southwest of Healdsburg, where the river cuts a serpentine
course toward the sea. Just north of Santa Rosa, River Rd, the lower valley's main artery,
connects Hwy 101 with coastal Hwy 1 at Jenner. Hwy 116 heads northwest from Cotati
through Sebastopol, then at Guerneville joins River Rd and cuts west to the sea. Westside
Rd connects Guerneville and Healdsburg. West County's winding roads get confusing and
there's limited cell service; carry a proper map.
Russian River Area Wineries
Sonoma County's wine-growing regions encompass several diverse areas, each famous for
different reasons (
Click here
). Pick up the free, useful
Russian River Wine Road
map
(
www.wineroad.com
)
in tourist-brochure racks.
Russian River Valley
Nighttime coastal fog drifts up the Russian River Valley, then usually clears by midday.
Pinot Noir does beautifully, as does Chardonnay, which also grows in hotter regions, but
prefers the longer 'hang time' of cooler climes. The highest concentration of wineries is
along Westside Rd, between Guerneville and Healdsburg.
Hartford Family Winery
WINERY
tasting $15; 10am-4:30pm)
Surprisingly upscale for West County, Hartford sits in a pastoral valley surrounded by
redwood-forested hills, on one of the area's prettiest back roads. It specializes in fine
single-vineyard Pinot (12 kinds), Chardonnay and Zinfandel from old-vine fruit.
