Bennett Mountain, Mountain summit in Sonoma County, US
Bennett Mountain, also called Bennett Peak, is a 1,909-foot summit on the west edge of Annadel State Park in the Sonoma Mountains. It separates Bennett Valley, in the Russian River drainage, from Sonoma Valley, in the Sonoma Creek drainage.
Bennett Valley takes its name from James N. Bennett, an Illinois emigrant who settled the area in the 19th century. In 1862 Isaac DeTurk planted 30 acres (12 ha) of grapes at the base of the mountain's western slope, and by 1878 his winery on Grange and Bennett Valley roads produced 100,000 US gallons (380,000 L) of wine. The mountain burned in the October 2017 Northern California wildfires.
Isaac DeTurk planted 30 acres of grapes at the western base of Bennett Mountain in 1862. By 1878 his winery on Grange and Bennett Valley roads produced 100,000 US gallons of wine from his own and purchased grapes. Since 2003 the summit has marked the eastern edge of the Bennett Valley AVA.
Bennett Mountain lies on the western edge of Annadel State Park, about 8 km east of Santa Rosa. The summit reaches 582 m, roughly 393 m above the surrounding terrain, and the mountain separates the Bennett Valley and Sonoma Creek drainages. The climate is Mediterranean, with dry summers and most rain falling between November and April.
The peak serves as the eastern boundary of the Bennett Valley AVA, a designated wine region established in 2003. Few visitors realize how this mountain helped define the limits of one of California's wine areas.
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