THE SECRET LIFE OF MOON MOUNTAIN

Stand at the top of Montecillo or Monte Rosso Vineyard as the wind whips, with the Pacific Ocean to the west and the distant skyscrapers of San Francisco to the south, and there’s no mistaking that you’re far, far above the valley floor.

That’s why it was imperative the region that houses these vineyards have an identity of its own. In 2013, Moon Mountain District became an American Viticultural Area (AVA) distinct from the Sonoma Valley. Several marquee vineyards, and the people who farm and work with them, have just begun to make its impact clear.

Between the town of Kenwood and city of Sonoma, Moon Mountain starts around 400 feet above sea level and rises as high as 2,200 feet. It’s 17,663 acres, with just 1,500 of those planted to wine grapes. Above the fog, those vines benefit from coastal winds with long, warm days and cool, dry nights