A VITICULTURAL AREA just north of San Francisco in northern Sonoma County. It borders the Russian River from just south of Healdsburg, north to the Sonoma-Mendocino County line. Alexander Valley temperatures are somewhat on the warm side because fog is not as prevalent as in other growing areas. It generally falls into the Region III category (see CLIMATE REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA). The region, however, is versatile enough to do well with a wide variety of grapes including CABERNET SAUVIGNON, CHARDONNAY, GEWÜRZTRAMINER, MERLOT, RIESLING, SAUVIGNON BLANC, and ZINFANDEL. Approved in 1988, the Alexander Valley AVA comprises 76,000 acres, of which approximately 15,000 acres are planted with vines at this writing. Producers such as Silver Oak Cellars (based in the Napa Valley, with a winemaking facility in the Alexander Valley) make Cabernet Sauvignon with an “Alexander Valley” designation, indicating that the grapes came from this growing region.