Sonoma Coast AVA
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1987 |
| Years of wine industry | 208 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California, North Coast AVA, Sonoma County |
| Sub-regions | Chalk Hill AVA, Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA, Los Carneros AVA, Northern Sonoma AVA, Petaluma Gap AVA, Russian River Valley AVA, Sonoma Valley AVA, West Sonoma Coast AVA |
| Total area | 480,000 acres (750 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 11,452 acres (4,634 ha) |
| Grapes produced | Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Marsanne, Merlot, Pinot gris, Pinot Meunier, Pinot noir, Pinotage, Roussanne, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Viognier, Zinfandel |
| No. of wineries | 269 |
Sonoma Coast is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Sonoma County, California encompassing approximately 480,000 acres (750 sq mi), mostly along the coastline of the Pacific Ocean, but also includes inland areas extending from San Pablo Bay to the Mendocino County border. It was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury on June 10, 1987 after reviewing the petition submitted by Ms. Sara Schorske, a wine industry consultant residing in Santa Rosa, California, for a viticultural area in Sonoma County, to be known as "Sonoma Coast."
The appellation is known for its cool climate and high rainfall relative to other parts of Sonoma County. The area has such a broad range of microclimates that petitions were submitted to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury to establish the unique coastal viticultural areas of Fort Ross-Seaview , recognized in December 2011, and the West Sonoma Coast, more recently established in 2023.