đ In Sonoma County, autumn is so much more than pumpkin spice lattes…
For those of us who have the great pleasure of residing in the wine country throughout the seasons, we are undoubtedly spoiled. With unparalleled views of rolling hills, amber skies at sunset, and the smell of crisp, fresh air during fall â the wine country experience falls nothing short of stunning. Now that autumn is in full swing, we get to indulge not only in a beautiful display of colors, but we also reap the seasonâs newest crops. Here, autumn is so much more than pumpkin spice lattes. With most of Sonoma Countyâs restaurants committed to the farm-to-fork philosophy, we can be sure dishes will be made with this seasonâs freshest harvest: apples, dates, figs, pears, squash, and eggplant, to name a few. And with a vast choice of wines to top it all off⊠Really, what more can we ask for? A Guide to Sonoma County's Pumpkin Patches: For those seeking that true fall experience, our family farms feature a variety of gourds for your autumnal mood and Halloween creations. Check out this list of local pumpkin patches where you can find entertainment for the little ones, do a little wine tasting, and pick the perfect pumpkins. The Matheson and Roof 106 Open in Downtown Healdsburg: Recently, Healdsburg native chef Dustin Valette opened his much-anticipated new restaurant, the Matheson. The tri-level experience includes the upscale restaurant, a sushi counter, two bars, and a rooftop lounge. Oh, and did we mention 88 wines by the glass? Meet EarthSEED, Sonomaâs First Afro-Indigenous Farm: Located in Sebastopol, EarthSEED honors traditional agriculture, where founder Pandora Thomas practices and teaches African agricultural skills that have endured and evolved despite centuries of slavery and diaspora. The farm boasts fresh fruit, flowers, herbs and yes, even popsicles. ...
Sonoma Wine Month đ
Happy Wine Month! As vineyards bud and come to life, April is the perfect time to showcase the worldâs most sustainable and diverse wine region. All month long, wineries will be offering special in-person and virtual experiences as well as shipping promotions. Learn more here. Making headlines, Sonoma was recently named among the top 10 towns in the Golden State by Travel + Leisure magazine, adding to its recognition as a world-class destination. And on a lighter note, now that Sonoma County has moved into the less restrictive Orange Tier, we are seeing more local businesses open their doors and expand their offerings for the spring/summer season. Below we've shared a list of local happenings and things to do to celebrate the season. Given the beautiful, expansive, and outdoor setting, wine tasting has become arguably a more popular and important pastime than ever during the pandemic. The SF Chronicleâs top wine critic just dropped this timely and useful list of the best 25 local wineries to visit. With many wineries releasing new vintages in spring, it's a great time to visit one of these local spots. Click here to visit: The Bay's Top Vino-Sipping Destinations Sunny weather and ample outdoor space make Sonoma County an ideal destination for those seeking to ditch the fog (and their light sweaters) for wine, snacks, and vineyard views. Here are some of the most interesting restaurant openings in Napa and Sonoma over the last six months, as well as a few to watch out for in the coming year. Click here to visit: Notable Newcomers - The Wine Country's Food Scene...
Harvest Crush: a big Rush after a Long Wait
Wine country crush is underway, after a slow start and a strangely extreme summer season....
Don't Miss Sebastopol's Gravenstein Apple Fair this Weekend!
This year marks the 100th! Anniversary of Sebastopol's first ever Gravenstein Apple Fair in 1910. Billed as "The Sweetest Little Fair" in Sonoma County, it is a celebration of Sonoma County's long tradition of agricultural delights. Now many of the apple orchards have given way to vineyards, and Sonoma County apples have long been less competitive on the world markets than those from Washington State and China, but the early ripening Gravenstein apple is still a hallmark of the best in local farming and fruit! Thanks to Sonoma County Farm Trails for keeping this tradition alive! If you can't make it to Sebastopol this weekend, Sonoma County Farm Trails offers a great on-line and printed guide to year round food tasting activities and events at Sonoma County's many small farms and markets. ...
If You Lived Here You'd Be Home by Now–Scenes from Barrel Tasting Weekend
Today's rain should clear up and bring sunny skies and warmer temperatures for the second weekend of this year's Barrel Tasting Event sponsored by WineRoad, a group of northern Sonoma County wineries from the Russian River, Dry Creek and Alexander Valley appellations. If you are like me, perhaps your first exposure to the Sonoma wine country and our gorgeous back roads came from visiting friends during tasting events such as this. After many repeat visits, you begin to think, after a long weekend of wine tasting, gee, if I lived here, I'd be home by now....
Want to Get to Know Sonoma County? There's an app for that!
The new iPhone app from the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau is a handy tool for getting to know Sonoma County's wine, food, events and more....
Last Minute Christmas Shopping at Nightingale Bakery
Downtown Forestville in Sonoma County is hopping as last minute shoppers crowd tiny Nightingale Bakery, one of many artisan purveyors of local foods. In addition to wonderful baguette, foccaccia and sourdough, you can find local goat cheeses, butter and locally produced salumi. I have never seen this new litlle shop so busy! Happy Holidays! # end Sent from my iPhone Posted via email from pambuda's posterous ...
If you love good food and wine, why Sonoma county is the place for you
I was on the hunt for something else when I stumbled across this local video of some of my friends and neighbors talking about why they love Sonoma County, and it's not just all about the wine! I thought you might enjoy! Bon appetit! ...
Want to know where the best restaurants are in Sonoma County?
[caption id="attachment_644" align="alignleft" width="450" caption="The latest Bite Club post by Heather Irwin"][/caption] Then you should check out Heather Irwin's BiteClub which is a great source of the latest foodie restaurant news in Sonoma County. You will find the latest restaurant gossip, new openings, and guides to the best places to get a bowl of soup or a chile relleno. She is in the midst of running the second annual best cookie recipe contest. A community of commenters and Twitterers offers their own takes and tips. "Find it Fast" helps you quickly search by cuisine and location. I also use Yelp quite a bit, especially on my iPhone where I can find nearby restaurants based on my location. Posts are filed by nearby Yelpers in the community. Very handy. And then there is Open Table. I used to use this just to make reservations on my laptop, but it is far more powerful on the iPhone, since it takes advantage of the GPS to find me something near by that is open, and then automatically sends an email from the iPhone to confirm my reservation. It is a completely simple and fast. I use Open Table way more often now since I downloaded the iPhone app. There are only 98 "wine country" restaurants on Open Table, so it is a limited list of the better restaurants rather than the more comprehensive listing on Heather's site or on Yelp....