Editors: At the end of the release, there's information on how to access high-resolution photos.

SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — Food, drinks, music, sunsets, and more are refreshed, relaunched, and re-visioned in Sonoma County, California — where Life Opens Up.

The travel season is ramping up, with visitors from near and far eager to experience all that summertime Sonoma County has to offer.

From camping to golf, fishing, hiking, zip-lining, hot air ballooning, art fairs, music festivals, and much, much more, Sonoma County is a happening place in the summer, with so much to see and do.

Here's a quick overview of what's new in Sonoma County in June 2019.

FEATURED

Paradise Ridge relaunching 'Wines & Sunsets'
This summer, Wednesday nights once again mean Wines & Sunsets at Paradise Ridge Winery's Russian River Valley Estate Amphitheater in Santa Rosa, June 19 to Sept. 18.

The Wines & Sunsets series was voted “Best Winery Event in Sonoma County” in 2017, just prior to the fires that ravaged the winery and many of the buildings on the property. This year's Wines & Sunsets series will be held in the hillside amphitheater just below the tasting room and events center, which is being rebuilt and is set to reopen in November.

The amphitheater offers expansive views of vineyards and the Russian River Valley. Wines & Sunsets features festive live music, wines by the glass or bottle, and goodies from gourmet food trucks. Two of this year's evenings are themed: Red, White & Bubbles on July 3 and Hot Havana Nights on Aug. 21.

Seating is family style, with everyone sharing tables. Advance tickets (shop.prwinery.com/Wine-Shop/Event-Tickets) are $10 general or $5 for wine clubs members, and may sell out; if tickets are available at the door, it's $15 general or $10 for club members.

Wines & Sunsets
Paradise Ridge Winery Estate
4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-528-9463
prwinery.com/

Media Contact
Stacey Davidson
707-528-9463
Stacey@prwinery.com

Willi's Wine Bar reborn in new location
Named a San Francisco Chronicle Bay Area Top 100 Restaurant for four years, Willi's Wine Bar recently reopened in an extensively renovated 3,000-square-foot space in the Town and Country shopping center in Santa Rosa, less than four miles from its old location.

The Willis's menu once again features international small plates, some wildly inventive and others comfortingly familiar. A Sonoma County icon, the original Willi's site was lost in the October 2017 wildfires.

In the new location, owners Mark and Terri Stark have recreated the atmosphere that captures the casual, laid-back nature of Sonoma County Wine Country with an open floor plan, soaring ceilings, brass lighting, a 13-seat bar, and a newly built kitchen. The Starks live within walking distance of the new restaurant site.

Opened in 2002, Willi's Wine Bar launched the Starks' restaurant empire, which now includes six Sonoma County restaurants. In addition to Willi's Wine Bar, Stark Reality Restaurants owns Bird & The Bottle, Bravas, Stark's Steak & Seafood, Willi's Seafood & Raw Bar, and Monti's.

Willi's Wine Bar
1415 Town and Country Drive
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
707-526-3096
starkrestaurants.com/stark-restaurant/willis-wine-bar/

Media Contact
Willi's Wine Bar
707-526-3096
info@williswinebar.net

 

EVENTS

Community Ciderfest debuts in August
Sample Sonoma County ciders and enjoy delicious local food while listening to live music at the new Community Ciderfest, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, at The Barlow in Sebastopol.

This new event will be the culmination of the second annual Sonoma County Cider Week, set for Aug. 17 to 25 and held primarily in the Sebastopol area in western Sonoma County. It features 13 Sonoma County cidermakers, who will all come together for the fun, relaxed, and family-friendly Community Ciderfest at the Community Market in The Barlow.

Sonoma County Cider Week begins with an artisan tasting lounge and craft cider tent at the iconic Gravenstein Apple Fair. Events throughout the week will include cidermaker dinners, orchard tours, tap takeovers, and joint retail displays.

Sonoma County Cider Week
500 Ragle Road
Sebastopol, CA 95472
www.sonomacountyciderweek.com/

Media Contact
Ellen Cavalli
707-483-5485
ellen@tiltedshed.com

Ranch at Lake Sonoma hosts free summer music series
Listen to live music and watch the sun setting over the water at the new Sunset Music Series concerts at The Ranch at Lake Sonoma, in northern Sonoma County.

Enjoy local food, beer, and wine, and savor the view from the scenic Redwood Barn, perched high above Lake Sonoma, Sonoma County's largest and most picturesque park. Held from 4 p.m. until sunset on the second and fourth Sundays from June 9 to Sept. 8, the free concerts will benefit local nonprofit groups.

The schedule includes: June 9, electric blues by Johnny Sansone & The Remedies; June 23, Two Lions Band singer-songwriters; July 14, indie rock by Justin Schaefers & The Blind Barbers; July 28, funk and soul by Trace Repeat; Aug. 11, brass and soul by Spike's Awesome Hotcakes; Aug. 25, The Thugz jam band; and Sept. 8, country music by The Easy Leaves.

The Ranch at Lake Sonoma offers scenic horseback tours for all levels of experience, as well as providing a stunningly scenic rustic venue for weddings, corporate events, dinners, parties, and other gatherings.

Sunset Music Series
The Ranch at Lake Sonoma
100 Marina Road, Lot A
Geyserville, CA 95441
707-494-4449
www.theranchatlakesonoma.com

Media Contact
The Ranch at Lake Sonoma
707-494-4449
theranchatlakesonoma@outlook.com

 

WINERIES

Roald Wine Company debuts Healdsburg tasting lounge
Sip wines of character and generosity in the new Roald Wine Company tasting lounge in Healdsburg, in northern Sonoma County.

Founded earlier this year, the winery is named for winemaker Greg Nelson's father, Roald, a former automotive industry expert who has been a positive role model for his son, manifesting many exemplary qualities.

At Roald Wine Company, Greg Nelson blends his passion for wine with his background in biology. He gained experience in the cellar and the lab at multiple wineries, including Ramey and Martinelli, and assisted with founding Conarium Wines before starting Roald Wine Company.

Roald Wine Company
118 North St.
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-756-1375
www.roaldwine.com

Media Contact
Greg Nelson
707-756-1375
info@roaldwine.com

Bartholomew Estate Winery offers tasting, art, picnicking, hiking
Go wine tasting on an oak knoll, enjoy a picnic, tour an art exhibit, explore a lush garden, and hike newly reopened scenic trails, all at the new Bartholomew Estate Winery in the Sonoma Valley, in eastern Sonoma County.

The Frank H. Bartholomew Foundation, which operates the private Bartholomew Park property, partnered with noted winemaker Kevin Holt to establish the new winery, which offers Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé of Zinfandel, and Zinfandel wines.

Tasting experiences include sampling a flight of three wines in the main tasting room or on the outdoor patio, or taking a 30-minute walk in the vineyard guided by a knowledgeable host and then enjoying a tasting on the oak knoll. You can also buy wines by the glass or bottle to enjoy on the patio or oak knoll.

Stroll through the art gallery next to the tasting room and you'll find an exhibit of stunning oils, pastels, and watercolors by Sonoma plein air artists (“plein air” means painting outdoors). The property also includes a three-mile trail (moderate to difficult in places) that heads past a duck pond and windmill, weaving through trees and vineyards, and following wildflowers up log steps to a crest with a view of the San Francisco Bay.

The Frank H. Bartholomew Foundation was founded to preserve and protect this historic property, and to educate the public on the history of the site, California viticulture, and winemaking practices. For more details about the foundation, visit bartholomewpark.org.

Bartholomew Estate Winery
1000 Vineyard Lane
Sonoma, CA 95476
707-509-0540
bartholomewestate.com/

Media Contact
Anna Pope
707-509-0540 x301
anna@bartestate.com

La Follette Wines opens Healdsburg tasting room
Sample distinctive site-driven Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs at the new La Follette Wines tasting room in Healdsburg, in northern Sonoma County.

La Follette partners with family-owned and -farmed vineyards that are committed to maximizing the potential of their unique sites. Working with these sites, vintage after vintage, the wines become more reflective of that place, at that time.

The winery embraces the old-world concept of terroir: that each individual vineyard site has a unique expression, that can be expressed through the wines made from grapes grown in that place.

La Follette Wines
409A Healdsburg Ave.
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-473-8244
lafollettewines.com/

Media Contact
La Follette Wines
707-395-3902
customer-relations@lafollettewines.com

 

TOURS & EXPERIENCES

La Belle Vie offers vegan wine tour
You don't have to be vegan to enjoy vegan-friendly wines on the new tour offered by La Belle Vie Tours in the Sonoma Valley, in eastern Sonoma County.

Wines may be made using animal-derived substances during the filtering process. After La Belle Vie owner Michelle Rulmont became vegan in January 2018, she did research to learn which local wineries are vegan. The resulting tour is designed for animal-lovers and vegans, but it isn't a requirement to be either to enjoy this adventure.

It begins in the historic town of Sonoma, when you board a Mercedes Sprinter Van for a visit to a local farm animal sanctuary. On the one-hour guided tour you'll meet rescued goats, cows, horses, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and pigs. After getting to know the animals, it's time to go wine tasting at two local vegan wineries, complete with a gourmet vegan lunch and wine tasting in a garden. Along the way, learn about other vegan options available in the area.

La Belle Vie Tours
Various locations
Sonoma Valley
707-338-5606
www.labellevietours.com/

Media Contact
Michelle Rulmont
707-338-5606
labellevietours@gmail.com

Ace It! adds Bodega biking, hiking tour
Enjoy beautiful views from every angle on Ace It! Bike Tours' new Bodega Bike & Hike tour along the spectacular Sonoma County coast.

The tour takes about four to five hours, and starts with cycling along the famous Bodega Harbor to the rocky headland known as Bodega Head, a popular spot for observing migrating whales, seals sunning on offshore rocks, and crashing waves. From there, hike on mostly easy, flat trails along one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. Then bike back to the harbor, stopping at the Spud Point Crab Company, renowned as one of Sonoma County's best clam chowder houses (and the delicious chowder is included in the tour).

The experience includes biking 3.5 miles each way, with a quarter mile of incline to Bodega Head (if needed, you can park the bike at the bottom or walk it up the incline). Hiking is about one to two miles round trip. The guided tour includes a high quality (and comfy) hybrid bike, a handlebar bag, bottled water, and a rear gear rack with bike carrier.

Ace it! Bike Tours also offers rentals of both hybrid and road bikes, as well as several guided Sonoma County bike tour options that let you explore the breweries and wineries of this world-famous wine region — including a Sonoma Wine Country Bike Tour through the Russian River Valley, the Santa Rosa Bike 'n Brew Tour, the Healdsburg Cycling Wine Tour, and the Windsor Bike 'n Brew Tour.

Ace It! Bike Tours
367 Windsor River Road
Windsor, CA 95492
707-687-5152
aceitbiketours.com/bike-tours/bodega-bay-bike-tour/

Media Contact
Frieda Lewis
707-688-4063
frieda@aceitbiketours.com

 

RESTAURANTS & EATERIES

Picazo Kitchen & Bar debuts in Sonoma Valley
Creative menus for dinner and cocktails are the focus at the new Picazo Kitchen & Bar in the Maxwell Village shopping center in Sonoma, in eastern Sonoma County.

A variety of burgers are available with grass-fed beef, fried chicken, salmon and dill, or portabella mushroom, all served with thin crispy fries. Dinner specialties include mole, chilaquiles, ramen soup, steak and frites, and the Kaboom Bowl, with roasted beets, goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, red pickled onion, and a choice of chicken, portabella, beef patty, salmon, or a superbowl with chicken, steak, and shrimp. There's also spicy cauliflower crispy tacos and other veggie options, and a kids' menu.

Cocktail options include the Pisco Punch with pisco, pineapple-infused vermouth, pineapple gum syrup, lemon, and byrrh; the Sherry Cobbler, with a sherry blend, fresh fruit, and strawberry oleo saccharum; and the Watermelon Smash, with habanero-infused vodka, aperol, watermelon, and lime.

Plans are to gradually add breakfast and lunch service. Owners Kina and Salvador Picazo Chavez also own the nearby Picazo Café, a popular local spot for breakfast, brunch, and lunch.

Picazo Kitchen & Bar
19101 Sonoma Highway
Sonoma, CA 95476
707-935-3287
www.picazokitchen.com

Media Contact
Kina Chavez
707-935-3287
kinapicazocafe@gmail.com

Acme Burger serves 'good food fast'
The focus is on community togetherness and simple, local, and exceptionally good food and drink at an affordable price at the new Acme Burger in Cotati, in central Sonoma County.

Classically trained chef Todd Kniess ran upscale cafés in Berkeley for nearly two decades. Two years ago he moved to Sebastopol in Sonoma County, and now he has traded his high-end kitchen tools for a griddle, fryer, and spatula at his new fast causal eatery, under the motto “good food fast.”

The menu includes Sonoma Mountain Beef burgers (locally raised, hormone- and antibiotic-free, grass fed, and grain finished); a Willie Bird turkey burger; the Impossible Burger (plant-based protein); Bodega Bay rock cod; and a comprehensive menu of freshly prepared salads and sides. The eatery also features beer and wine from local breweries and wineries, like Cooperage, Old Caz, Bear Republic, Rodney Strong, Toad Hollow, and Benziger.

Acme Burger
550 E. Cotati Ave.
Cotati, CA 94931
707-665-5620
acmeburgerco.com/

Media Contact
Todd Kniess
707-665-5620
info@acmeburgerco.com

Cornerstone Sonoma marketplace welcomes Public Kitchen
Enjoy local foods prepared to surprise and delight at the new Public Kitchen restaurant in the Cornerstone Sonoma marketplace in eastern Sonoma County.
Located on Highway 121 in the Carneros Wine Region at the southern end of the Sonoma Valley, Public Kitchen makes a perfect Wine Country stop for a delicious meal or snack.

Share an antipasti plate or platters of local salumi or cheese. Choose from a variety of salads and sandwiches, or dine a faro and vegetable bowl (faro is an ancient grain from Italy), seasonal raviolis, or house-made empanadas —Chilean style savory turnovers with a flaky, delicate crust. A kids' menu is available on request. Beverages include beer, cider, wine, coffee drinks, housemade tea, guayaki yerba mate, kombucha, and more.

Public Kitchen
Cornerstone Sonoma
23584 Arnold Drive
Sonoma CA 95476
707-938-8579
www.sonomacounty.com/restaurants/public-kitchen

Media Contact
Greg and Julie Jones
707-938-8579
info@public-kitchen.org

West – Handmade Burgers offers burgers, meat
Local grass-fed beef is on the menu both as burgers and packaged as prime cuts of meat at the new West – Handmade Burgers in Sonoma, in eastern Sonoma County.

That's because each week the upscale burger joint buys a grass-fed animal from Stemple Creek Ranch and uses everything, to see how one cow per week can impact a small community. A limited selection of fresh, high-end cuts of beef are available Thursday evenings.

The rest is served up in a variety of delicious burgers, like the Truffle Burger with sautéed mushrooms, truffle casiago cheese, grilled onions, and butter lettuce, or the West Burger with smoked cheddar, bacon, crispy onion strings, spicy chipotle aioli, tomatoes, and butter lettuce. A vegan patty is available, as well as a kids' cheeseburger or grilled cheese, and fries or truffle parm fries. Shakes include vanilla, chocolate, and salted caramel.

West – Handmade Burgers
18375 Sonoma Highway
Sonoma, CA 95476
707-343-1479
www.facebook.com/WestHandmadeBurgers/

Media Contact
West – Handmade Burgers
707-343-1479
chef@westhandmadeburgers.com

Khum Koon Thai Café debuts in Windsor
Savor Thai cuisine for lunch or dinner at the new Khum Koon Thai Café in Windsor, in central Sonoma County.

Owner Sunee Sopant, who has owned successful Thai restaurants over the last 24 years, presents a varied menu that includes Thai appetizers, soups, salads, entrées, curries, noodles, and rice plates. Choose from a wide variety of entrees, including spicy lemongrass prawns, spicy catfish or salmon, and marinated bone-in chicken served with a special barbecue sauce.

Khum Koon Thai Café
186 Windsor River Road
Windsor, CA 95492
707-892-2997
www.khumkoonthaicafe.com

Media Contact
Sunee Sopant
707-892-2997
snvom.bkk9@gmail.com

 

SHOPPING

Market 377 makes gift giving easy
Discover the curated selection of home décor and gifts designed to feed the creative soul at the new Market 377 boutique in Healdsburg, in northern Sonoma County.

This shop is the perfect place to find handmade, homemade, and artsy gifts for family or friends, or awesome items for you. The eclectic merchandise includes clothing, jewelry, candles, skin care products, household goods, and inspired handcrafted home décor.

Market 377
377 Healdsburg Ave.
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-756-3110
www.market377.com

Media Contact
Michelle
707-756-3110
shop@market377.com

# # #

Experience Sonoma County, where Life Opens Up. Just as wine “opens up” when it's allowed to breathe, Sonoma County inspires visitors to open up to new experiences. Just 30 miles north of San Francisco, Sonoma County is one of California's top food and wine destinations, home to more than 425 wineries ranging from rustic to regal. Hike among towering redwoods, cruise along rugged Pacific coastline, and get to know inviting small towns. Or, just sit back and take it all in. Because here, you're free to go your own way.

For a free visitors guide or information on hotels, wineries, events, spas, attractions, and dining in Sonoma County, visit www.sonomacounty.com or call 707-522-5800.

Birgitt Vaughan
Director of Global Media Relations
Sonoma County Tourism
400 Aviation Blvd., Suite 500
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-522-5826
bvaughan@sonomacounty.com 

Editors: High-resolution photos can be found at
sonomacounty.smugmug.com/PhotoLibrary/Whats-New
Password: SonomaPassion