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Conquering the Alexander Valley

“The brightest and best spot in the world,” according to Cyrus Alexander. Who’s to argue?

By CHRISTIAN KALLEN
If any appellation in the Napa-Sonoma-Mendocino region deserves official designation, it’s Alexander Valley. It’s got history, soil, climate, and best of all, wineries—some 40 at last count, from the oldest to the latest.

The valley is named after Cyrus Alexander, who was asked to survey and settle Rancho Sotoyome by a San Diego-based speculator named Capt. Henry Delano Fitch, who never lived in the area (and apparently never even visited). Alexander trekked his way north from San Francisco through Napa Valley and in 1840 found what he called "the brightest and best spot in the world," the valley that now bears his name. He sent Capt. Fitch his report, sweetening it by naming a nearby mountain after his sponsor, and settled in the valley.

At 22 miles long and varying in width from two to seven miles, Alexander Valley warrants its status as one of Sonoma’s leading regions. First designated as an American Viticultural Area in 1984—the AVA system was implemented only 4 years earlier—the valley was initially recognized for its red wine grapes. The first wave of settlers included several Italian families who planted at the Italian Swiss Colony in Asti near Cloverdale. For much of the 20th century, this was one of American’s leading wine brands; their popular radio and television ads for “That little old winemaker, me!” became a cultural cliché.

Cabernet, merlot and the Italian varietals from Alexander Valley initially gained wide renown, but chardonnay and sauvignon blanc soon earned their own place. Chardonnay grapes from the Robert Young estate on Red Winery Road, planted in 1963, became among the region’s most sought-after – officially Clone 17, but usually known simply as the Robert Young clone. Sauvignon blanc too became a prime varietal in Alexander Valley soil, especially in the level floodplain of the valley floor.

Touring the valley

All this trivia aside, how do you tour the Alexander Valley appellation? Well, starting from Healdsburg’s town plaza, just head north on Healdsburg Avenue and before you’re out of town you’ll reach Simi Winery, technically just outside the appellation but a good introduction nonetheless.

Simi was founded by some of those old Italians we talked about, and they even initially named their winery “Montepulciano,” which gives you an idea of their Old World roots. Their stone cellar from 1890 still stands. Simi is one of the few area wineries to have production tours on site, too, so from that perspective alone it’s worth a visit (tours at 11 am and 2 pm daily).

Continuing up Healdsburg Avenue, parallel to 101, take a right at Alexander Valley Road and you’re on your way. (Don’t bother detouring to the county landfill as you make the turn around the corner.) The rural road opens up as you cross the Russian River, where canoeists start their 11-mile run down river in summer, and row upon row of vineyards fills the landscape. Highway 128 comes in from the right at the Alexander Valley Store & Bar—grab a brew and a quick game of 8-ball if you're in the mood—then either head up 128 toward Geyserville or continue straight half a mile to the 90-degree right, where 128 begins its run toward Calistoga.

Along the first two miles of this straightaway are at least half-a-dozen of Alexander Valley’s most enjoyable tasting rooms, from the old vine zinfandels at Sausal (and we do mean old, up to 145 years if you believe the owner, and why shouldn’t you?) to the full menu of reds at Alexander Valley Vineyards (where Cyrus Alexander’s adobe house can be found), to the sophisticated vibe at the japo-tuscan Hanna Winery, to the funkier vibe at the semi-subterranean Field Stone. Whether you stop at any of these wineries or not, it’s a nice bucolic drive, especially in summer and fall when the vines are bursting with vegetation, fruit and color.

Save the drive south to Calistoga through the Knights Valley appellation for another day, turn around and head back to Jimtown for lunch, stopping at the little store by the 1955 red Chevy truck. Little more than a cross-roads, the Jimtown Store has popped into media favor—Martha Stewart did an Emmy-winning show here, for instance—with its homemade tapenades, fresh sandwiches, salads and soups, and souvenir shelves lined with everything from the kitschy to the essential.

Owner Carrie Brown is usually around to warm your heart with her radiant smile and satisfy your palate with her delightful fare. Take a load off, get a handmade sandwich and a spiced hibiscus tea, and strike up a conversation with the bicycle tourists doing the same.

Cycling and car touring

This is all prime bicycle touring country, by the way, but the roads are narrow and many of the automobiles on tour may have neglected the designated driver rule, so wear a helmet and be careful. If you are on a bike and feeling pumped, head east from Jimtown to Red Winery Road and continue up Geysers Road, all the way to the geothermal plant at the top of the hill. This is the very definition of a long and winding road, climbing 4600 feet and totaling 40-65 miles depending on your return route. Check in with Wine Country Bikes in Healdsburg for maps, bike rentals and more.

Let’s assume, long shot here, you’re in a car. From Jimtown, head up 128 to Stryker Sonoma, a relatively new winery that has earned a big reputation for its full-bodied cabs and juicy zins. A short detour to Red Winery Road takes you to the historic Robert Young Estate Vineyards, whose small tasting room offers a short menu of high-value wines. Murphy-Goode Estate, located back on Highway 128 just a bit to the north, earns high marks for its fumé blanc and chardonnay, but their clarets and occasional petit verdot bottlings are juicy surprises.

If you’re looking for something different, take the turn that sneaks up on the right to the Dry Creek Rancheria and the River Rock Casino. Their slogan is the catchy “Where Mother Nature meets Lady Luck”; there’s no winetasting here, or any alcohol for sale whatsoever, but you probably have other interests in mind. If nothing else head up here for the view, which encompasses the entire Alexander Valley.

The highway eventually takes you north to Geyserville, a small Sonoma County town that can only get bigger. If you want a cup of espresso or a smoothie to renew your energy, pop into the colorful Penny Laine’s (21065 Geyserville Ave.). For a more substantial meal, Santi’s Restaurant offers real Italian cooking in a rustic yet sophisticated setting, complete with long bar. Their Local’s Night menu on Wednesdays is a favorite, and they make their own salumi (cured meats), soon to be sold over-the-counter at nearby Diavola Pizzeria, in the former Smokehouse Bar & Grill.

But we’re here for wine tasting, right? The place to go in Geyserville is Locals, right in the center of town – a tasting room and wine store for a handful of artisan wineries, most of them too small to have their own visitor’s center. The staff here can fill you in on local gossip as well as the subtleties of the wines they pour. Just a swagger away on the Old West-style main street, Meeker Vineyard has a tasting room in a turn-of-the century bank, where the vault makes an appropriate cellar.

Back to the highway

Both north and south of Geyserville the wineries are all along Highway 101, for the most part, and the landscape is a rolling scroll of vineyards. Take the Canyon Road exit to the left and at the corner of Chianti Road you’ll find Geyser Peak Winery, a reliable producer of local and California Coast wines at an affordable price-point. Farther up Chianti the price point increases when you reach Silver Oak Cellars, one of California’s premier cab producers, whose Alexander Valley tasting room also provides samples from their Napa vineyards.

Tucked in the woods on the south side of Geyserville is the Isis Oasis. If it’s a Sunday afternoon between 2 and 5, and your spontaneous curiosity about the Temple of Isis, ancient Egypt, reincarnation and whatnot gets the better of you, drop by. Lady Loreon will be glad to introduce you to her white peacocks and exotic cats (ocelots, servals, bobcats), and maybe share some arcane knowledge about ancient Egypt as well.

Headed back toward Healdsburg on the frontage road parallel to Hwy. 101, a couple other wineries might pique your palate. The first is Clos du Bois, one of the area’s most successful wineries (formerly a boutique, then a flagship, now part of the recent Constellation buyout of Beam Associates). Finally there’s Trentadue, in the midst of a floodplain of well-tended vineyards (and with a problematical view of the casino on the hill). Their port-and-chocolate tasting can cap your tour of wine country indulgence.

Or maybe the right way to end the day is back in Healdsburg at Cyrus, the highly regarded restaurant named for Cyrus Alexander himself (and not the king of ancient Persia). The food is delicious and expensive, as you might expect from a two-star Michelen-rated restaurant. But the equivalent of a cheap date here is to sit at the bar and watch Scott Beattie concoct a potion with fresh local ingredients that will stun you. It might be the best and the brightest cocktail you ever had.

ABOUT THE APPELLATION

Official Name: Alexander Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA)

Established: 1984

Total area: 32,536 acres

Planted vineyards: 15,000 acres

Location: Northern Sonoma County, generally east of Highway 101 between Healdsburg and Cloverdale.

The 22-mile-long Alexander Valley is bisected by the Russian River on its southward course from the Mendocino county line through a gravelly floodplain, gradually widening as it encompasses Healdsburg’s Fitch Mountain.

Lining the valley on the east are gently sloping foothills of the Mayacamas range; the west-facing terraced vineyards on these slopes are ideal for sun-drenched red wine grapes.

Some 15,000 acres of prime vineyard are spread through the valley, suitable to a range of varietals. Although cabernet sauvignon and other Bordeaux grapes dominate on the valley floor, zinfandel has long been cultivated with great success. Chardonnay and sauvignon blanc are widely grown, and even gewürztraminer and riesling are successful in some cooler-climate microclimates. Many other varietals are also found in successful small lots, including viognier, petite sirah, barbera, sangiovese and tempranillo

For further information, contact Alexander Valley Winegrowers, www.alexandervalley.org, 1-888-289-4637.

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