Tuesday, October 2. We departed the Ponderosa campground around
10AM, picking up Hiway 50 west towards Sacramento, where we picked up I-80
West, turning off on Hiway 37 toward Novato, just before getting to the San
Francisco Bay area. We stayed on 37 till
we got to CA 101, turning north toward Santa Rosa. We stayed on 101 for the better part of an
hour, passing through some great CA wine-producing areas around Guerneville,
Healdsburg, Geysersvile, and finally Cloverdale, our destination area for the
day.
The TT Russian River campground sits on the Russian River about five miles north of Cloverdale. In addition to the more well-known Russian River wineries, this region of Northern Sonoma County (http://www.wineroad.com/) is also home to several other distinct wine-producing areas, including: Alexander Valley centered on Healdsburg (famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon and rich, flavorful Chardonnays); Dry Creek Valley, west of Healdsburg area (known for its Sauvignon Blancs and bold Zinfandels); and the Russian River Valley, which because it is so expansive, actually has two smaller appellations, Green Valley (the smallest appellation in Sonoma County) and Chalk Hill ((known for its Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon).
Our campsite at the TT-NACO West Russian River Campground
The TT Russian River campground sits on the Russian River about five miles north of Cloverdale. In addition to the more well-known Russian River wineries, this region of Northern Sonoma County (http://www.wineroad.com/) is also home to several other distinct wine-producing areas, including: Alexander Valley centered on Healdsburg (famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon and rich, flavorful Chardonnays); Dry Creek Valley, west of Healdsburg area (known for its Sauvignon Blancs and bold Zinfandels); and the Russian River Valley, which because it is so expansive, actually has two smaller appellations, Green Valley (the smallest appellation in Sonoma County) and Chalk Hill ((known for its Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon).
We’re looking forward to sampling some of these wines and
also those over in Mendocino County along CA’s coast. The Mendocino AVA is known for the
cultivation of Mediterranean climate grapes including Carignan, Charbono,
Grenache, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Zinfandel. The cooler climate in the Anderson
Valley, for example, is known for its Pinot Noir and sparkling wine production.
Many wineries in the nearby Sonoma and Napa counties purchase Mendocino grapes
to blend into wines labeled with other appellations.
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