South Russian River Valley covers the cooler, foggier half of the appellation — centered on Sebastopol and extending from Forestville in the north to the Sebastopol Hills in the south, with the Santa Rosa Plain forming its eastern edge. Within its boundary sits Green Valley of Russian River Valley, a nested sub-AVA established the same day as RRV itself and widely considered the coolest and foggiest neighborhood in the appellation. Laguna Ridge is the smallest of the recognized sub-neighborhoods, and the Sebastopol Hills petitioned for their own AVA status in 2024.
Goldridge sandy loam dominates the western hills — the same well-drained, fine-textured soil that defines Russian River Valley at its most elegant. Alluvial soils along the Santa Rosa Plain carry a different character, supporting a broader range of styles. Iron Horse Vineyards and Joseph Swan were among the pioneers who put this part of the valley on the map in the 1970s and '80s; today the neighborhood is home to Merry Edwards, Dehlinger, Kosta Browne, Littorai, Dutton-Goldfield, and Lynmar — producers who have made South RRV one of the most closely followed addresses in American Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
The Balletto family has been farming the Sebastopol Hills since 1977, growing vegetables before transitioning to wine grapes in the 1990s. Today the estate farms 650 acres of certified sustainable vineyards in Russian River Valley and West Sonoma Coast, supplying fruit to top producers while producing their own acclaimed lineup. The winery is known for exceptional value across a broad range of varietals — Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Grigio all over-deliver for the price. One of Sonoma's most family-driven estates.
