Sonoma is one of the most important and well-recognised wine regions located on the Californian coast of the United States. It is as well one of the oldest regions in the country with vines first planted in the 1850s, and since then the viticulture there is blossoming. Sonoma County's climate is strongly influenced by its proximity to nearly 80 km of the Pacific Coast shoreline, and its cool nights and temperate days create the perfect conditions to bring in layers of oceanic fog to chill Sonoma’s sunny vineyards. Sonoma is divided into three different sections - Sonoma Valley, Northern Sonoma and Sonoma Coast. Each one of them has its own American Viticultural Area AVA title and encompasses several sub-AVAs within its boundaries. The total AVAs are 18 with the most significant including Alexander Valley, Bennett Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, Knights Valley, Los Carneros, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast and Sonoma Valley.