Sonoma Mountain towers over the Sonoma Valley west of Glen Ellen providing the vineyards with fog-free eastern exposure. Vineyards are planted on steep-slope terraces as high as 1700 feet. Although there are only a handful of wineries in the AVA, they and other non-resident wineries, are using Sonoma Mountain grapes to produce some of the country’s best wines. Benziger Family Winery, a leader in organic and biodynamic farming, is the only winery in the AVA that has regular hours for tours and tasting. Sonoma Mountain’s star is Chardonnay with Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir playing a strong supporting role. Non-resident wineries producing exceptional wines from Sonoma Mountain fruit include Kistler (Chardonnay from McCrea Vineyard), Paul Hobbs (Chardonnay from Richard Dinner Vineyard), Siduri (Pinot Noir from Van der Kamp Vineyard), and Tandem (Pinot Noir from Van der Kamp and Silver Pines Vineyard).