California's Coolest Wines - West Sonoma Coast (The newest AVA)

We are thrilled to announce a really wonderful evening tasting of Sonoma County's newest wine growing region, the West Sonoma Coast AVA. Wine school founder Jimmy Smith and chief wine buyer Matt Wicksteed will host winemakers Andy Peay of Peay Vineyards and Carrol Kemp of Alma Fria, showcasing their own fantastic wines amongst a few other top drops from across the region. The quality of this wine region will knock your socks off, with the cool Pacific Ocean shaping delicate, precise, elegant and complex Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Syrahs. The wines on show are hand-selected by Jimmy, Matt, Andy and Carrol to represent this exciting new appellation and are outstanding in quality with premium price-points. If you are studying (or planning to study) Capstone California at West London Wine School then this is the perfect extra-curricular 'detention' that you need!

The West Sonoma Coast AVA

The West Sonoma Coast AVA is located within the westernmost portion of Sonoma County, holding approximately 50 vineyards planted with varieties ranging from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Syrah. The approval of the AVA recognizes the region’s unique maritime growing conditions that are clearly expressed in the wines and give proper distinction to the growers who farm this cold, marginal viticultural region. The landscape is steep, rugged mountainous terrain along the Pacific Ocean coastline holding three sub regions from north to south: Annapolis, the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA and Freestone-Occidental. 

Elevation of the West Sonoma Coast AVA ranges from 400 to 1,800 feet with vineyards planted on steep ridge tops along the San Andreas fault line up against the consistently cold Pacific Ocean, both above and below the fog line. As a result, temperatures are at least 10 or more degrees cooler than the rest of the Sonoma Coast AVA. Due to the immediate proximity of the Pacific Ocean, cold marine air and heavy fog create challenging conditions for grape growers, while offering distinct advantages for wine grapes. The maritime conditions moderate the temperature in the vineyards – daytime highs are cooler, while nighttime lows are warmer than just a few miles inland. This modest diurnal temperature swing allows the fruit to ripen slowly throughout the day and the night, a phenomenon experienced only in a truly cold-climate, maritime environment. This slow, steady ripening promotes the development of fruit that reaches true physiological maturity at lower sugar levels with pronounced acidity.

Wines on tasting:

Alma Fria Holtermann Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022

Alma Fria Plural Pinot Noir 2022

Peay Bruma Syrah 2018

CEP Hopkins Ranch Rose 2020 (Apero)

Peay Scallop Shelf Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2019

RAEN Lady Marjorie Chardonnay, Fort-Ross Seaview 2022

RAEN Seafield Vineyard Pinot Noir, Fort-Ross Seaview 2022

Hirsch Bohan Dillon Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast (mostly Fort-Ross Seaview) 2022

Hirsch San Andreas Fault Pinot Noir, Fort-Ross Seaview 2021