The
Bennett Valley AVA is an
American Viticultural Area located in
Sonoma County,
California. The boundaries of this
appellation lie completely within the
North Coast AVA, almost completely within the
Sonoma Valley AVA and overlaps into some areas of the
Sonoma Coast AVA and
Sonoma Mountain AVA. The region was granted AVA status on December 23, 2003 following the petition of Matanzas Creek Winery. The AVA is surrounded to the south, east and west by the
Sonoma Mountains and to the north by the city of
Santa Rosa, California. The region receives a moderating effect on its
climate from
Pacific Ocean through the cool coastal fogs and breeze that creep into the area from the southwest through Crane Canyon between
Sonoma Mountain and
Taylor Mountain.
Barbera,
Cabernet Sauvignon,
Cabernet Franc,
Chardonnay,
Grenache,
Merlot,
Pinot noir,
Sauvignon blanc and
Syrah are the leading grape varieties planted.