Editors: At the end of the release, there's information on how to access high-resolution photos.
SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — February is a time of renewal in Sonoma County, when the rolling hills turn green and yellow mustard blossoms carpet the vineyards — and nowhere is that renewal more evident than in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Hood Mountain Regional Park, and other areas that have bounced back from last October's wildfires.
This February, Sonoma County also highlights its independent wine producers at an inaugural event, a coastal visitor center offers information and answers at its new (and larger) location, and a variety of businesses offer new services to visitors.
Here's a quick roundup of all that's new and different in Sonoma County for February 2018.
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 or 800-576-6662. For a complete calendar of upcoming events, visit www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events.
FEATURED
Sugarloaf Ridge Reopening
On the road to recovery after last October's wildfires, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park in eastern Sonoma County reopens to the public in February. Volunteers have repaired wooden bridges, walkways, retaining walls, and other damaged infrastructure. Although a few scars may linger, green grass and tender shoots are already covering the park. In fact, the park's spring wildflowers are expected to be amazing this year.
Starting Feb. 1, visitors will be able to once again picnic, hike, and explore Sugarloaf, although some trails will still be closed for repairs. Beginning Feb. 15, campers will be able to stay in half of the campground sites; the remaining half will open April 15. The Robert Ferguson Observatory is located inside Sugarloaf; the observatory was spared by the flames and will host its second star party of 2018 on Feb. 10.
About $40,000 worth of park repairs are still needed; donations can be made online at sugarloafpark.org.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
2605 Adobe Canyon Road
Kenwood, CA 95452
707-833-5712
www.sugarloafpark.org
Media Contact
John Roney, Park Manager
707-833-5712
john@sonomaecologycenter.org
Portion of Hood Mountain Regional Park reopened
Hood Mountain Regional Park's Los Alamos Road entrance reopened Saturday, Jan. 20. October's wildfires mostly spared the north end of the 1,750-acre park, so access has been restored to beautiful settings like Santa Rosa Creek, Homestead Meadow, Hood Mountain Trail, and the McCormick addition in adjacent Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.
It'll be some time before Hood's Pythian Road entrance reopens, due to damage on the southern section of the mountain.
Hood Mountain Regional Park
1450 Pythian Road
Santa Rosa, CA 95409
707-539-8092
parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/Visit/Hood-Mountain-Regional-Park-and-Preserve
Media Contact
Meda Freeman
Communications Manager
707-591-6925
meda.freeman@sonoma-county.org
Sonoma Underground showcases independents
Taste fantastic unknown wines from Sonoma County's small, independent producers at the inaugural Sonoma Underground event on Saturday, Feb. 24, in the cellar at Longboard Vineyards in Healdsburg.
The innovative evening will feature 10 to 15 family wineries that produce less than 10,000 cases per year. Some are veterans, some newcomers, but each comes with a unique story. And each has a respect for the land, their community, and their wine. A list of participating wineries is online at undergroundwineevents.com.
Sonoma Underground is the creation of Elizabeth Schneider, host of the award-winning podcast Wine for Normal People and author of an upcoming book of the same name, and Laura Perret Fontana, a digital marketing professional who has worked for large and small wineries all over California. Tickets are $49 in advance or $59 at the door.
Sonoma Underground
Longboard Vineyards
5 Fitch St.
Healdsburg, CA 95448
undergroundwineevents.com
Media Contact
Sonoma Underground
info@undergroundwineevents.com
Sonoma Coast Visitor Center gets larger digs
Drop by and check out the new location of the Sonoma Coast Visitor Center at 913 Highway 1, in Bodega Bay.
Now managed by the Bodega Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, the center has moved to larger quarters. Decorated in a contemporary beach theme to reflect the local scenery, the new location also features works by local artists.
The Sonoma Coast Visitor Center provides friendly, quick answers to questions about the more than 50 miles of beautiful Sonoma County coastline. Get details about where to eat, places to stay, beaches to visit, and even maps for tour locations where Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller “The Birds” was filmed.
Sonoma Coast Visitor Center
913 Highway 1
Bodega Bay, CA 94923
707-377-4459
www.visitbodegabayca.com
Media Contact
Sonoma Coast Visitor Center
707-377-4459
visitorcenter@visitBBCA.com

WINERIES
HANNA Winery hosts Second Saturday benefits
As part of a new monthly benefit series, 30 percent of all profits at Sonoma County's HANNA Winery on the second Saturday of each month will be donated to nonprofit groups, with different organizations featured and supported each month.
The 30 percent donations will be based on all tasting fees and sales at both HANNA Winery tasting rooms — in the Russian River Valley at 5353 Occidental Road, between Sebastopol and Santa Rosa, and in the Alexander Valley at 9280 Highway 128 near Healdsburg — as well as any online and phone sales during the 24-hour period. The Alexander Valley location will also offer live acoustic music as part of the Second Saturday events.
Dr. Elias Hanna, a world famous cardiac surgeon who wanted to continue the farming heritage of his upbringing, founded HANNA Winery in 1985. His daughter Christine Hanna took over the management of the winery in 1991, guiding its expansion into an iconic producer of Sauvignon Blanc, as well as handcrafted estate-grown Burgundy and Bordeaux varieties.
HANNA Winery
9280 Highway 128
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-431-4310
www.hannawinery.com
Media Contact
HANNA Winery
707-575-3371
wine@hannawinery.com
Larson Family Winery offers winter tasting options
Choose from three new winter wine tasting experiences at Larson Family Winery in the Sonoma Valley, in eastern Sonoma County.
Taste outdoors in any weather with the “Warmth, Wine and Weather!” intimate wine tasting experience. Relax and taste wines in an enclosed structure, with heaters, blankets, comfortable patio furniture, and picnic tables. Limited space. (Guests $15, wine club members complimentary)
Indoors, enjoy the warmth of a fire with the “Fireside Room” tasting. It's a perfect experience for wine aficionados, providing a more in-depth, educational tasting of Larson's best wines, including a never-been-done-before Chardonnay side-by-side that includes the not yet released gold medal winning 2015 Larson Chardonnay. (Guests $25, members $15)
Or, saddle up to the indoor bar with the Current Release ($15) or Reserve Tasting ($20) options (tasting fee waived with wine purchases). Larson's small lot, estate wines are sold exclusively through the tasting room and wine clubs. The winery property has been in the family since 1899; five generations have worked with land with dairy cattle, polo ponies, rodeo stock, and, since 1977, vineyards and wine. Open daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Larson Family Winery
23355 Millerick Road
Sonoma, CA 95476
707-938-3031
www.larsonfamilywinery.com
Media Contact
Melissa Ivan
707-938-3031 x18
melissa@larsonfamilywinery.com

RESTAURANTS & EATERIES
Get waited on by a winemaker at Campo Fina
Campo Fina restaurant in Healdsburg, in northern Sonoma County, offers something new on Wednesdays throughout the winter months — a local winemaker working as a server for the evening.
Winemaker Waiter Wednesdays connect the dots between producer and connoisseur, letting diners appreciate Sonoma County's amazing wine artistry. The featured winery selects some of its favorite wines to offer for sale by the glass, half bottle, or full bottle.
Campo Fina offers wood-fired pizzas, al fresco dining, brick columns, and an outdoor bocce court. The original 100-year-old brick walls and red leather banquets create an intimate feeling of community dining. The menu features dishes made with local and sustainably sourced ingredients, paired with outstanding cocktails by Erika Fey, formerly of Cyrus. The wine list includes both local and Italian wines, and local brews are available.
Campo Fina
330 Healdsburg Ave.
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-395-4640
campofina.com
Media Contact
Campo Fina
707-395-4640
eat@campofina.com
Canneti hosts movies with dinner
The third Thursday of the month, Canneti Roadhouse Italiana shows old cult movies (featuring Italian and American actors like Gina Lollobrigida or Sofia Loren) on its heated patio, in Forestville, in Sonoma County's Russian River Valley.
Each third Thursday, that night's film plays at 4:45 and 6:30 p.m. The movies are selected to celebrate the Italian culture of the 1940s and 1950s.
Originally from the Tuscan coastal town of Massa, chef-owner Francesco Torre uses the freshest local ingredients available to create a unique blend of Tuscan and Californian cuisine. Every Thursday night, along with the regular menu, the restaurant offers a prix fixe three-course meal.
Canneti Roadhouse Italiana
6675 Front St.
Forestville, CA 95436
707-887-2232
cannetirestaurant.com
Media Contact
Francesco Torre
707-887-2232
Francesco.canneti@gmail.com
BurtoNZ Bakery adds Geyserville Coffee Company
If you hanker for a good cup of coffee and delicious baked goods while visiting the tiny town of Geyserville in northern Sonoma County, drop into the new Geyserville Coffee Company.
After five years of providing delicious sweets and savories at their BurtoNZ bakery (located a bit to the south in the town of Windsor), owners Bobbi and Warren Burton have expanded their operations to include the small coffee shop in the heart of Wine Country.
Business partner and lifelong Geyserville resident Kim Petersen runs the new shop, which features BurtoNZ baked goods, as well as sandwiches, soup, and a selection of beer and wine. Founded in 2013, BurtoNZ Bakery is well known for its delectable breads, savory New Zealand-style pies and rolls, and cream puffs and other sweet delights.
Located in the beautiful Alexander Valley, Geyserville owes its name and beginnings to the discovery of geothermal springs just east of town. Today, its short “downtown” area offers Wild West storefronts, wooden boardwalks, world-renowned Sonoma County wines, and delicious food.
Geyserville Coffee Company
21001 Geyserville Ave., Suite 102
Geyserville, CA 95441
707-814-0021
www.facebook.com/GeyservilleCoffeeCompany
Media Contact
Kim Petersen
707-814-0021
info@burtonzbakery.com
Taste Sonoma County at LaLa's Jam Bar & Urban Farmstand
Small batch jams, marmalades, and fruit butters are the stars at the new LaLa's Jam Bar & Urban Farmstand in Petaluma, but you'll also find honey, salumi, chocolates, barbecue sauces, olive oils, vinegars, herb salts, and other made-in-Sonoma County food products.
After four years of crafting her own line of unique jams, owner Leslie Goodrich has opened a retail store. She features both her own products and those made by other local producers. She also offers hands-on workshop on topics like making heart-shaped wreaths or chocolate truffles
The new store comes complete with a retail kitchen where Goodrich creates her unique flavors like Petaluma Fog Jam (figs, orange juice, ginger), Sriracha Pear Jam, and Lemon Ginger Marmalade. Goodrich creates new flavors almost every week, and all products are made in season, with no artificial pectin and low sugar content; some are sweetened with honey and others are made without added sugar.
LaLa's Jam Bar & Urban Farmstand
720 E. Washington St.
Petaluma, CA 94952
707-773-1083
lalasjams.com
Media Contact
Leslie Goodrich
707-773-1083
lalasurbanfarmstand@gmail.com

OTHER
The Ranch at Lake Sonoma adds event barn, bar
The new Redwood Event Barn & Bar at The Ranch at Lake Sonoma offers stunning views of the lake, providing an incredible backdrop for gatherings of all types.
Located within a 17,000-acre park and wilderness area (just 20 minutes north of Healdsburg), The Ranch at Lake Sonoma offers a variety of scenic guided horseback tours for riders of all skill levels.
Its spacious new event barn includes a fully operational wine and beer bar, and is available for donkey parties for kids, weddings, corporate events and meetings, family reunions, dinners, and other gatherings. Horseback tours and camping are available, and there's parking for 150 or more cars, including easy bus or limo access.
The Ranch at Lake Sonoma
100 Marina Road, Lot A
Geyserville, CA 95441
707-494-4449
www.theranchatlakesonoma.com
Media Contact
Nikki Baxes
707-494-4449
theranchatlakesonoma@outlook.com
Hopscotch Gifts & Gallery now in Healdsburg
After two years offering a delightful mix of bold colors, a humorous outlook, and luscious textures under the tagline “Where Dr. Seuss Shops with Alice in Wonderland” in the Sonoma Valley, Hopscotch Gifts & Gallery has moved its self-proclaimed “gift giving on steroids!” to the historic Healdsburg town square, in northern Sonoma County.
The official grand opening is set for April, but the doors are already open at Hopscotch's new Healdsburg location. Co-owners Jordan Celso and Kay Young invite folks to come to their store for “a cup of joy.” They offer everything from fine art to bars of soap; 100 percent of the inventory is American made, with about 30 percent from Sonoma County.
Hopscotch Gifts & Gallery
126 Matheson St.
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-431-8861
www.hopscotchgiftsandgallery.com
Media Contact
Jordan Celso and Kay Young
707-431-8861
hopscotchgiftsandgallery@gmail.com
Sonoma Love Box packs Wine Country into gifts
Treat yourself and your loved ones to carefully curated gift boxes of specialty goods from Sonoma County Wine Country, through the new Sonoma Love Box company.
Founder Pam Bell has turned her joy at assembling a box of favorite treats or products for the people she loves into a way of sharing the bounty of Sonoma County with others.
Each gift box is packed with products made by Sonoma County's food-crafters, makers, farmers, artists, and artisans. The boxes are designed to provide a sense of place unique to Sonoma County, known worldwide for its fine wine but also cherished by locals for its culinary specialties and unique farm-made products.
Sonoma Love Box currently offers both its classic box ($49.95), which launched in November 2017, and a special limited edition Valentine's Love Box ($89.50). For every box sold, $5 is donated to a Sonoma County nonprofit. The classic box supports the Sonoma County Resilience Fund, to help victims of the October 2017 wildfires get back on their feet, and the Valentine's box aids the Sonoma Humane Society. Future boxes will help other Sonoma County groups.
Sonoma Love Box
141 Champlain Ave.
Cloverdale, CA 95425
415-637-5497
sonomalovebox.com
Media Contact
Pam Bell
415-637-5497
pam@sonomalovebox.com
Sonoma County Regional Parks website gets mobile update
Viewing the Parks' website on your phone is a lot easier now, thanks to a redesign of SonomaCountyParks.org. The site update automatically resizes content for small screens, making it much easier to navigate menus, find upcoming events, and see our latest announcements. No more pinching and zooming required.
Media Contact
Meda Freeman
Communications Manager
707-591-6925
meda.freeman@sonoma-county.org
Reboot your life at Iaso Wellness Center
Develop a more positive approach to health, wealth, and relationships through integrated healing therapies at Iaso Wellness Center in Santa Rosa, in central Sonoma County.
At Iaso, energy practitioners work together with aromatherapists, flower essence practitioners, and nutritionists to offer a range of holistic wellness treatments, including Esogetic Color Puncture, Atlantean methods, and Reiki. Home to the only Forsyth Crystal Light Table in California, the center is named for Iaso, the Greek goddess of cures, remedies, and modes of healing.
Iaso Wellness Center
801 7th St.
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
707-843-3811
iasowellnesscenter.com
Media Contact
Simon Emsley
707-843-3811
info@iasowellnesscenter.com
# # #
Find your passion in Sonoma County, located only 30 miles north of San Francisco and featuring more than 425 wineries, 100-plus organic farms, and 50 miles of stunning Pacific Ocean coastline.
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
Public Relations Manager
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
Find high-resolution photos of Sonoma County that have been taken since Oct. 10, 2017, and show Sonoma County is largely undamaged by the recent wildfires, visit
sonomacounty.smugmug.com/Current
[No password needed]

EDITORS: To request high-resolution photos to go with your Sonoma County article, please fill out the request form, www.sonomacounty.com/media/media-photo-request.