Wine | Alexander Valley

Alexander Valley is one of California’s great red-wine addresses — a warm, sun-soaked stretch of northern Sonoma County along the Russian River, famous above all for supple, generous Cabernet Sauvignon. The valley floor ripens fruit fully, giving wines with plush black-fruit richness and softer tannins than neighboring Napa, while the benchlands and hillsides add structure and old-vine Zinfandel of real character. It is a region that makes serious wine you can actually open young. Our Alexander Valley collection gathers the icons and the everyday favorites side by side.

The Cabernet benchmarks

Cabernet is the valley’s calling card. Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon ($79.99) is the cult classic — American-oak-aged, polished and built to age, the bottle that put the appellation on the map. Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon ($26.09) is a superb everyday introduction to the region’s plush style, and Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet ($26.09) comes from one of the valley’s founding estates. For where these fit among California’s best, see our best red wines to buy in 2026.

Old-vine Zinfandel and beyond

The valley’s hillsides grow some of Sonoma’s most characterful Zinfandel. Ridge Geyserville ($56.09) is a legendary old-vine field blend — spicy, structured and age-worthy, one of California’s truly iconic wines. For a more playful take, Alexander Valley Vineyards Sin Zin ($19.09) is juicy, brambly and made for a summer cookout. And the region does whites too: Matanzas Creek Chardonnay ($28.09) brings Sonoma polish and balance for the table.

Where to go next

Alexander Valley is a gateway to the wider world of California red — explore the full red wine collection or the broader wine collection for whites, rosé and sparkling. A great Cabernet is also a natural on a cheese board; our wine and cheese pairing guide shows how to match them. See what is most popular right now in best sellers.