Russian River Valley Wines

The Russian River Valley, which is described as one of the regions within California that is very distinguished for its wine production is located in Sonoma County. If you love wine, there are about 150 wineries from which you can choose. Russian River Valley wines are considered among the best in the market. One unique thing about the wineries is the fact that they are small and are mainly run by families. On a visit to the wineries, visitors get the chance to sample the wines and purchase those that they love.
Other than wine production the Russian River Valley produces cheese as well as food stuff. Accordingly, if you love good wine and food, the Russian River Valley is the place to visit. The valley is said to have received its name from Russian settlers in the 1800s. The main preoccupation of the Russians was hunting fur. However, they later turned to winegrowing with the very first plantation being started in 1836. Common Russian River Valley wines include the pinot noir, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, viognier and merlot.
For the people who know their way around wines, choosing the type the like best is not a problem. However, to first timers selecting a bottle of wine can be daunting task, what with light and full bodied wines or high and low tannin wines. It does not have to be. When choosing from the numerous Russian River Valley wines, the first step is deciding which type you want such red varieties as merlot, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon or white wine varieties as chardonnay and viognier.
The wineries at the Russian River Valley are spectacular with breathtaking views of the countryside and the vineyards in the area. The wineries are so beautiful that individuals have taken to holding weddings and other events there. There guides to take you round the vineyards. For those looking to stay overnight, there are well furnished guest houses to make you feel right at home.
In order to select the best Russian River Valley wines, you need to first taste them. This will be easy because most if not all the 150 wineries in the Russian River Valley give the visitors the chance to taste and sample the wines. When tasting the wines you need to consider three things. These are the color, aroma and definitely the taste. When it comes to color, for red wines you need to consider whether it is maroon, brownish, ruby or cherry. On the other hand, for white wine you need to consider whether it is golden, light green, amber, pale yellow or buttercup. The best way to tell what color the wine is, is to put it in a glass and tilt it against a white surface. In most instances, color is a good indication of the age of the wine. On thing you ought to understand is that red wine loses color as it ages while white one gains color.
Other things you need to consider when tasting Russian River Valley wines is the aroma and the taste. Among the smells you need to look for are fruity, floral, herbal earthy, spicy or nutty. To get the aroma of the Russian River Valley wines you need to first swirl your glass of wine so as aerate it, take the first sniff, pause for a moment and then take the second sniff. To taste the wine, all you need to do is take a sip and allow it to flow on your tongue. This will give you an indication of whether the wine is tannic, sweet or acidic. On your next vacation take time and visit the Russian River Valley. Do not forget to sample the wine, food and cheese. It will be an experience you will never forget!