b'ABUNDANCE INALEXANDER VALLEY Thisvalleyisnamedfor19th-CenturypioneerproduceChardonnaysthatachievearichand CyrusAlexander,explorerofNorthernSonomaflavorfulripeness.Thewarmernorthernendof Countyandresidentofthearea.FlankingthethevalleyfavorsCabernetSauvignon,Zinfandel, RussianRiverfromCloverdaletoHealdsburgMerlot and newcomers such as French Syrah and alongheavilygraveledbenchlandsareworld-Italian Sangiovese. Vineyards that scale the hillsides classCabernetSauvignongrapes.Consideredsurrounding the valley floor provide fruit with deep oneofthemostdiversegrape-growingregionsand complex flavors. Hunt around and you can also inCalifornia,varietiesincludingChardonnay,still find some of the most succulent prunes youve Zinfandel,Merlot,andSauvignonBlancalsoever tasted.prosperonthelong,undulatingvalleyfloor and hillsides. Fortyyearsago,prunesandwalnutsreigned supreme in the Alexander Valley, and the flatlands were dotted with bovine herds. Today, the lowlands ALEXANDERVALLEYTOTAL ACRES: 76,900VINEYARD ACRES: 15,000 NUMBER OF WINERIES: 49 GROWING 23 DIFFERENT GRAPE VARIETALS6 CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE 7'