SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — Exploring the back roads of Sonoma County, California, may bring you nose to snout with one of its newest residents: a 12-ton mechanical boar named Lord Snort, guarding the entrance to Soda Rock Winery.

Or you may become so enchanted with a garden of rare botanicals that turns 30 this year that you extend your day trip into an overnight getaway, courtesy of amazing lodging deals offered this winter. Plan a little ahead and book your stay in March for the region's tastiest time of the year — Sonoma County Restaurant Week.

These, plus a lot of new brews, wineries, restaurants, deals, attractions, and more are being served up in Sonoma County this season.

FEATURED

Sneak away to Sonoma County for great deals
Plan the perfect Wine Country winter getaway with Sonoma Sneakaway, which offers seasonal deals on lodging, wine tasting, dining, tours, and other Sonoma County attractions.

Located just a short drive north of San Francisco, Sonoma County offers more than 400 wineries, over 600 wine country restaurants, 100-plus organic farms, redwood forests, and more than 50 miles of stunning Pacific Ocean coastline.

These special offers will be available at www.sonomasneakaway.com through mid-April.

Restaurant Week returns March 6-12, 2017
The eighth annual Sonoma County Restaurant Week will continue the tradition of celebrating the finest Sonoma County food. From March 6-12, 2017, participating restaurants will present fantastic food at fantastic prices.

There are no tickets or passes required. Food lovers can simply dine out at as many participating restaurants as they would like. During Sonoma County Restaurant Week, find time to explore new dining options or enjoy old favorites.

Media contact: Maile Hartsook
Sonoma County Restaurant Week
707-565-6411
restaurantweek@sonoma-county.org

Visit 'Lord Snort' at Soda Rock
A 12-ton metal sculpture of a galloping mechanical boar makes a striking addition to the two-lane winding roadway known as Highway 128 in northern Sonoma County. Displayed prominently in front of Soda Rock Winery north of Healdsburg, the massive artwork (20 feet high and 30 feet long) was dubbed “Lord Snort” by its creator, acclaimed Sonoma County sculptor Bryan Tedrick.

Commissioned by Ken Wilson of Wilson Artisan Wineries, Lord Snort was crafted with both new and reclaimed steel, and took more than 1,000 hours to create. It was first showcased at the annual Burning Man festival in Nevada in late August 2016.

In November Lord Snort was trucked to Soda Rock Winery in four pieces on a flatbed trailer, and lifted into place with a crane. Lord Snort can spin around 360 degrees on his pedestal, and his head also nods up and down.

Wilson Artisan Wineries owns nine boutique Northern California wineries, including Soda Rock Winery. Photo by Sarah Davis.

Soda Rock Winery
8015 Highway 128
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-433-3303
sodarockwinery.com/

Media Contact:
Sarah Davis, Wilson Artisan Wines
707-433-3303 ext. 102
sdavis@wilsonartisanwines.com

Quarryhill Botanical Garden celebrates 30 years
The internationally acclaimed Quarryhill Botanical Garden highlights its 30th anniversary in 2017 with a May celebration and a summer lecture series in its stunningly beautiful wild gardens in Glen Ellen, in Sonoma County.

Cradled in the foothills of the Mayacamas mountains, Quarryhill's winding gravel paths pass among flowering shrubs and exotic shade trees; by tranquil ponds and seasonal waterfalls; and over gently rolling hills planted with rare and endangered species.

Founded in 1987, Quarryhill (open daily, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.) is dedicated to advancing the conservation, study, and cultivation of the flora of Asia. This 25-acre botanical garden includes more than 20,000 plants grown from seeds that were wild-collected in East Asia. Many of the plant species featured face extinction as a result of habitat loss in their native regions.

Events for 2017 include Quarryhill's 30th Anniversary Wild Collections, Expeditions for Education Fundraiser in May, and the 30th Anniversary Summer Lecture Series starting July 8 with Jared Diamond, author of National Geographic: Guns, Germs and Steel.

Quarryhill Botanical Garden
12841 Sonoma Highway
Glen Ellen, CA 95442
707-996-3166
info@quarryhillbg.org
www.quarryhillbg.org/home.html

Media Contact:
Crystal Helmer, Marketing Director
707-996-3166
chelmer@quarryhillbg.org

WINERIES

Guerrero Fernandez Winery adds Windsor tasting room
A family dream becomes reality in the new Guerrero Fernandez Winery tasting room in Windsor, in Sonoma County.

High school sweethearts Martin Guerrero and Olga Fernandez married in 1985 and came to Sonoma County as newlyweds. Over the years, Guerrero worked in the wine industry and developed a deep passion for winemaking while dreaming of having his own family label.

In 2004 Guerrero and Fernandez founded their own label, Guerrero Fernandez Winery, which specializes in handcrafted, small lots of red wines from single vineyards using traditional winemaking techniques. The winery's Windsor tasting room officially opened in December 2016, and is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday through Sunday; appointments available.

Guerrero Fernandez Winery
7724 Bell Road
Windsor, CA 95492
707-953-7956
gfwines.com

Media Contact:
Martin Guerrero
707-953-7956
gfwines@gmail.com

 

BREWERIES

Grav South Brew Co. pouring in Cotati
Taste distinctive beers and delicious snacks in a friendly, casual setting in the new Grav South Brew Co. in Cotati, in Sonoma County.

Grav South Brew Co. is a labor of love by award-winning home brewer Greg Rasmussen and business partner Corinne Barclay. In the past 10 years, Barclay has won more than 150 medals in home brewing competitions.

Now he and Barclay have made the leap to opening their own brewery, with the brewing equipment on prominent display.

Both Rasmussen and Barclay's grandfathers were Gravenstein apple farmers and the brewery is located on the southern part of the Gravenstein Highway, hence the Grav South name.

With 16 taps, Grav South Brew Co. pours eight of its own brews, plus eight guest beers from local Sonoma County craft beer start-ups; the beer lineup will change seasonally. The food menu features a variety of brewpub nibbles, ranging from soft pretzels, chile con carne, and nachos to brie apple quesadillas, apple pecan salad, and a selection of sandwiches (on bread delivered daily from Full Circle Bakery in Penngrove). On Thursdays, the weekly special will be house-made pozole, alternating between a red and green style weekly.

Grav South Brew Co.
7950 Redwood Drive, Suite 15
Cotati, CA 94931
707-753-4198
www.gravsouthbrewco.com

Media Contact:
Corrine Barclay
707-753-4198
707brewco@gmail.com

Sonoma Springs Brewing releases 22-ounce retail bottles
Two award-winning brews from Sonoma Springs Brewing Company are now available for retail sales in 22-ounce bombers.

Consumers can now take bottles or cases home from the Sonoma Springs taproom, or find them in Sonoma County bottle shops and large specialty Bay Area retailers. Sonoma Springs intends to expand to the Los Angeles and San Diego markets in the near future.

The initial beers offered in 22-ounce bottles include Sonoma Springs Kolsch, a light and dry brew that is the brewery's most popular beer, and the Subliminal Gold IPA, the brewery's flagship (and best-selling) West Coast-style IPA.

Plans call to expand the limited-release bottle offerings in the future to include the brewery's Lil Chief Strong Pale Ale, NomaWeiss Hefeweizen, and Women are Smarter Wildflower Saison.

Founded in 2008, Sonoma Springs Brewing Company specializes in California- and German-style beers, and small-batch wine and whiskey barrel-aged offerings. Its taproom is in the town of Sonoma and offers 20 beers on tap, tours, beer flights, pints, growlers, and more.

Sonoma Springs Brewing Co.
19499 Riverside Drive, Suite 101
Sonoma, CA 95476
707-938-7422
www.sonomaspringsbrewing.com

Media Contact
David Wells
443-2999-9894
davidbryantwells@gmail.com

Barrel Brothers Brewing Company open in Windsor
Family connections are at the heart of the new Barrel Brothers Brewing Company, founded by brothers-in-law Wesley Deal and Daniel Weber with their father-in-law, Tom Sather, in Windsor, in Sonoma County.

Deal and Weber began by brewing beer in five-gallon batches at home, after Sather talked them into attending a brewing seminar at a local beverage supply shop. Now the three are operating their own production brewing company. A few of their current beers include Dark Sarcasm Porter, Naughty Hops IPA, and Blonde Voyage, a Belgian cream ale.

The brewery uses sustainable practices, including donating its spent grain to local farmers to feed their cows and pigs, and trapping all wastewater and trucking it to local farms to fertilize their mulch piles.

The microbrewery taproom is open 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, and 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Barrel Brothers beers can be found on tap and in bottles throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

Barrel Brothers Brewing Company
399 Business Park Court, Suite 506
Windsor, CA 95492
707-696-9487
barrelbrothersbrewing.com/

Media Contact:
Barrel Brothers Brewing Company
707-696-9487
info@barrelbrothersbrewing.com

Brewsters Beer Garden offers warm welcome in Petaluma
With 32 beers on tap, a full bar, and a 350-seat full-service, open-aired canopy restaurant and patio garden, the new Brewsters Beer Garden warmly welcomes guests in Petaluma, in Sonoma County.

The facility includes an enormous custom iron piece by prominent Bay Area sculptor Bryan Tedrick and a lush rooftop garden that creates a rustic communal space. Other amenities include a bocce ball court, a dedicated children's play area, and a live music stage, all centered around a massive central fire pit.

The menu by executive chef Chris Beerman mixes traditional Southern Carolina barbeque cuisine with a fresh Northern California flare. Daily, an industrial grill fires up full-sized hogs and slabs of ribs on the patio, while a stock of rotisserie chickens cook in the kitchen. All ingredients are locally sourced.

For the 32 rotating beers on tap, Brewsters partners with local craft brewers, including Petaluma Hills Brewing Company for the Brewsters' House IPA and Napa-Smith Brewery for a special House Lager. The full bar features a range of spirits as well as Napa and Sonoma County wines, and the cocktail menu offers seasonal concoctions.

Brewsters Beer Garden
229 Water St.
Petaluma, CA 94952
707-981-8330
brewstersbeergarden.com

Media Contact:
Hunter Marshall
hlmarshall.mail@gmail.com
510-693-2792

Moonlight Brewing adds Santa Rosa taproom
Taste Death & Taxes and other distinctive brews in the recently opened taproom at Moonlight Brewing Co. in Santa Rosa, in Sonoma County.

Founded in 1992, Moonlight Brewing uses traditional processes to brew six standard styles plus two or three special releases. In addition to Death & Taxes, the brewery's flagship black lager, Moonlight's standard styles include Reality Czeck-Style Pilsner, Misspent Youth Pale Ale, Bombay by Boat IPA, Twist of Fate Bitter Ale, and Lunatic Lager.

Moonlight's beers are brewed using a single-step infusion mash and boiled in a direct fire copper kettle. Not available in bottles or cans, Moonlight's beers can be found on tap in the San Francisco North Bay Area, a few more distant places, and in the company's recently opened taproom in its brewing facility in an industrial park in Santa Rosa.

Moon Brewing Co.
3350 Coffey Lane
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-528-2537
moonlightbrewing.com

Media Contact
Brian Hunt
707-528-2537
brian@moonlightbrewing.com

 

DISTILLERIES

Young & Yonder Spirits distills innovative vodka, gin
Acting on the belief that the finest spirits are made with some of the most unusual botanical infusions, Young & Yonder Spirits is now handcrafting vodka and gin in Cloverdale, in Sonoma County.

The name Young & Yonder refers to co-founders Josh Opatz and Sarah Fiske, who are young, full of ambition, and willing to look yonder, beyond their former corporate careers.

After a decade in banking and finance, Opatz turned to his current role as master distiller, to focus on something more tangible. With an MFA in graphic design and professional experience in public relations, advertising, and design, Fiske is now Young & Yonder's graphic designer and lead of marketing.

The distillery's smooth, clean, and crisp Armont vodka is the result of a slow and refined distillation process; it's distilled six times, then purified using multiple filtration techniques. And its H.O.B.S. (Harbor Of Broken Souls) gin takes a classic gin taste and builds upon it with an enticing mix of flavors and botanicals.

Tours and tastings are offered Thursday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can view the process of making distilled spirits — the still, the filtration equipment, packaging, and all the parts and pieces that go into making these products.

Young & Yonder Spirits
70 Commerce Lane, Unit L2
Cloverdale, CA 95425
303-514-4852
www.youngandyonder.com

Media Contact:
Sarah Fiske
303-514-4852
sarah@youngandyonders.com

Griffo Distillery welcomes guests to tasting bar
Savor handcrafted specialty cocktails, experience a guided spirit tasting, and tour the grain-to-glass production facility in the new tasting room at the award-winning, small-batch Griffo Distillery in Petaluma, in beautiful Sonoma County.

The clean, contemporary cocktail bar is located within the 6000-square-foot distillery. Patrons can enjoy seasonal cocktails highlighting Griffo's Scott Street Gin — a fresh, light London-style gin that just won a 2016 Gold Medal at the SF International Spirits Competition — as well as tasting flights of pre-release whiskeys.

Owners Michael and Jenny Griffo take a fresh approach to the age-old art of distilling. With a physics doctorate at their back, the husband-and-wife team are dedicated to uniting craft and science to create precise, complex, and delicious spirits that represent the beauty and bounty of Sonoma County.

Griffo Distillery Tasting Bar
1320 Scott St., Suite A
Petaluma, CA 94954
707-879-8755
www.griffodistiller.com/tastingbar

Media Contact:
Seair Lorentz
415-300-7358
seair@griffodistillery.com

Prohibition Spirits adds Cornerstone Sonoma tasting room
Quench your thirst and educate your palate at Prohibition Spirits Distillery's hip, cool, urban craft distillery tasting room in Cornerstone Sonoma, a Wine Country marketplace at the southern end of the Sonoma Valley, in eastern Sonoma County.

Prohibition Spirits, a family-run micro-distillery, produces more than two dozen high-quality spirits in small batches, including whisky, rum, gin, vodka, brandy, bourbon, and Limoncello. In addition to the new tasting room, the distillery (on Eighth Street East in Sonoma) is open on select dates for a behind-the-scenes look at distilling and an intimate tasting of select handcrafted spirits.

Cornerstone Sonoma features boutique shops, tasting rooms, innovative gardens, and Sunset magazine's Outdoor Kitchen and Test Gardens.

Prohibition Spirits Distillery Tasting Experience
23570 Arnold Drive
Sonoma, CA 95476
707-721-6390
www.prohibition-spirits.com

Media Contact:
Prohibition Spirits
707-721-6390
info@hellosonoma.com

 

RESTAURANTS & EATERIES

Single Thread crafts multicourse artistic meals
Food as delicious art and the Japanese concept of omotenashi (thoughtfulness and selfless hospitality) come together in the bespoke dining experience at the new SingleThread Farm – Restaurant – Inn in Healdsburg, in Sonoma County.

Nearly four years in the making, the recently opened 55-seat fine-dining restaurant offers an 11-course tasting menu customized to guests' dietary preferences and restrictions. The concept is kaiseki — elaborate multicourse meals crafted as art — and donabe — rustic clay pot cooking. Menus change daily.

Owners Kyle and Katina Connaughton planted their five-acre Single Thread Farms property and also created a 3,000-square-foot rooftop garden above the restaurant. Both sites grow boutique ingredients for the restaurants' food and cocktail menus. This includes delicacies like several types of negi (onions), root vegetables like kintoki carrots and kabu turnips, greens like chingensai and komatsuna, Japanese pumpkins, kamo nasu (eggplant), and yurine (lily bulbs).

Restaurant tables can be requested up to three months in advance and are released on the first of each month. Reservations are made by buying tickets through Tock.com. Meals cost $294 per person, and drinks vary from $72 to $385 per person. The restaurant is open for dinner Tuesday to Sunday.

Single Thread Farm – Restaurant - Inn
131 North St.
Healdsburg, CA 95448
www.singlethreadfarms.com

Media Contact:
Kristine Arambulo Keefer
707-246-6998
kristine@kristinekeeferpr.com

Taste luscious chocolate or dine at CocoaPlanet
Taste chocolate and enjoy chocolate-inspired cuisine at the new CocoaPlanet Factory and Tasting Room, located just a few blocks from the historic Sonoma Plaza in the town of Sonoma.

This modern French café features plates and desserts that highlight or complement CocoaPlanet chocolates, served in a sophisticated but relaxed environment. The entire menu is gluten-free and peanut free, with a variety of vegan and allergy-friendly items, including lactose-free milk and almond milk for hot beverages. Dine in the tasting room or the garden dining area.

Founded on the idea that chocolate should have more taste and less sugar, and that flavors should be interesting but not overwhelming, CocoaPlanet chocolates feature “Pearls of Flavor.”

This patented innovation suspends drops of filling (“pearls”) within a chocolate disc, creating a balance of flavors with more chocolate, less sugar, for a better chocolate experience.  All ingredients are 100 percent natural, GMO-free, and gluten-free tested, and the cocoa is Fair Trade Certified by Fair Trade USA.

CocoaPlanet Factory and Tasting Room
921 Broadway
Sonoma, CA 95476
707-343-7453
www.cocoaplanet.com

Media Contact:
Anne McKibben, founder and CEO
707-343-7453
anne@cocoaplanet.com

Coppola's Werowocomoco Café celebrates Native American cuisine
Native ingredients with a zestful accent highlight the menu at the Werowocomoco Café, the latest Sonoma County venture by movie director Francis Ford Coppola.

Building on the success of the winery bearing his name, last year Coppola opened the Virginia Dare Winery, named for the first white child born in the Virginia colonies. Dare and the rest of the colonists mysteriously disappeared, and legend says they assimilated into nearby native tribes, possibly at Werowocomoco, and Algonquian settlement.

Now the Virginia Dare facility in Geyserville also includes the Werowocomoco Café. Inspired by native chef Loretta Oden, Coppola consulted with Virginia tries on using the Werowocomoco name and created a council of advisors that mainly includes Native Americans.

The café's signature fry-bread tacos are made with acorn flour, with a choice of toppings that includes bison, chicken, beef, and seasonal vegetables. Other menu items include bison burgers or ribs, cedar-plank salmon, venison chili, and cactus salad. The restaurant sources ingredients from Native peoples whenever possible, and offers preferential hiring to local tribe members.

Werowocomoco Café at Virginia Dare Winery
22281 Chianti Road
Geyserville, CA 95441
707-735-3575
www.virginiadarewinery.com/en/visit-us/restaurant

Media Contact:
Werowocomoco
707-735-3575
wero@virginiadarewinery.com

Best of Burma features authentic cuisine
Savor authentic Burmese cuisine for both lunch and dinner at the new Best of Burma cuisine in Santa Rosa, in Sonoma County.

The diversity of its population and its central location means that the cuisine of Burma (now called Myanmar) fuses Chinese, Indian, and Thai influences. Best of Burma's menu features delicious dishes prepared fresh with quality ingredients to ensure that every dish is the best it can be and true to its Burmese roots. Popular menu items include Tea Leaf Salad, Coconut Curry Soup, and Lamb Kebat.

The Santa Rosa site is the second location for Best of Burma; the original restaurant is in San Rafael, in Marin County.

Best of Burma
528 Seventh St.
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
707-623-9280
www.bestofburmacuisine.com

Media Contact:
Best of Burma
707-623-9280
bestofburma2@gmail.com

Enjoy cronuts and more at Bright Bear Bakery
Enjoy fresh baked goods for breakfast, brunch, or lunch at the new Bright Bear Bakery in Petaluma, in Sonoma County. It's a great place to indulge in a cream-filled cronut — a delicious (and decadent) cross between a croissant and donut. 

Other delights include chocolate croissants, luxe cream-cheese Danish, and cranberry scones. Enjoy a vegan breakfast wrap or a focaccia with ham, egg, and cheese. Or simply relax with a coffee and morning muffin.

Bright Bear Bakery
2620 Lakeville Highway, Suite 350
Petaluma, CA 94954
707-787-7411
www.facebook.com/brightbearbakery

Media Contact:
Bright Bear Bakery
707-787-7411

Starting From Scratch in a new café
Longtime Sonoma County caterers Greg and Tammy Long are now serving breakfast and lunch on weekdays at their new Starting From Scratch Café in Santa Rosa, in Sonoma County.

Located inside a business complex, this tiny eatery offers omelets, biscuits and gravy, breakfast sandwiches, salads, soup of the day, burgers, lunch sandwiches, and wraps.

Starting From Scratch Café
400 Aviation Blvd., Suite 300
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-843-3829
www.startingfromscratch.biz

Media Contact:
Greg Long
707-888-8900
greg@startingfromscratch.biz

Enjoy The Whole Pie in Santa Rosa
Get a delicious lunch or dinner inside a crust at The Whole Pie in Santa Rosa, in Sonoma County.

Under the motto “Sharing Optional,” The Whole Pie offers both savory and sweet pies — whole, by the slice, or as a hand pie. The crusts are made with real butter, organic flour, cane sugar, and a pinch of salt. Fillings are crafted with fresh ingredients that, whenever possible, are locally grown. 

Craving something sweet? The Sweet Tooth hand pie is filled with butterscotch pudding with a dash of curry; the Work Horse offers rich dark chocolate pudding with a sweet glaze; and the Chatter Box features jammy berry filling in a peanut butter crust.

Savory pies include Bull Headed (braised beef and roasted veggies in a red wine gravy); Lone Wolf (beer braised short ribs and onions with a mashed potato top); and Farm Girl (portobello mushrooms, pine nuts, and spinach in a rich earthy sauce). Pie flavors change seasonally, randomly, and sometimes upon request.

The Whole Pie
2792 Fourth St.
Santa Rosa, CA 95405
707-843-4365
www.thewholepieshop.com/visit

Media Contact:
Trishia Davis
707-843-4365

Trading Post Bakery adds The Post dining room
Fresh pasta, burgers, and crispy duck confit are all on the menu in The Post, the new main dining room at Trading Post Market & Bakery in Cloverdale, in Sonoma County.

For more than a year the Trading Post has produced classic artisan breads using traditional recipes and a stone-hearth oven. It also sells fresh, local produce and eggs, and other market items. Most recently, it opened its main dining room as The Post, offering dinner Wednesday through Sunday.

The menu features locally sourced produce, meats, and fish on a menu designed by executive chef Erick Johnson. Start with deviled eggs, or Cremini mushrooms stuffed with house-made sausage. Then decide whether to dine on a grilled pork chop, poached salmon, cowboy cut rib eye steak, or a burger made with house-ground local beef and served on house-made brioche.

Trading Post Market & Bakery
102 S. Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425
707-894-6483
www.thepostcloverdale.com

Media Contact:
Trading Post Market & Bakery
707-894-6483
matt@aq-sf.com

Get pizza with organic pizzazz at Hippizzazz
Fresh organic ingredients and innovative recipes come together in traditional and deep-dish pizzas and other menu items at the new Hippizzazz pizzeria in Sebastopol, in Sonoma County.

Deep dish, gluten-free, hand-tossed, and thin crust are all options at this family-owned organic restaurant, and the pizza crusts are made daily using organic flour. The menu also includes salads, fresh breads, appetizers, and desserts, and everything is gourmet and made in-house.

Pizza choices vary from traditional favorites like pepperoni or sausage, to innovative delights like roasted potato, Thai chicken pizza (peanut sauce, chicken, basil, carrots, cilantro), or Carnitos de Jalisco (slow roasted pork, pico, queso fresca). Popular appetizers include curried chicken lettuce wraps, nachos, and pesto bread sticks.

For those who want a late-night bite to eat, Hippizzazz opens at 11 a.m. and closes at midnight on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and at 2 a.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; closed Tuesdays.

Hippizzazz
280 S. Main St.
Sebastopol, CA 95472
707-634-6530
www.facebook.com/hippizzazz/?hc_location=ufi

Media Contact:
Hippizzazz
707-634-6530

Savor sustainable burgers, sandwiches at Slamburger
Locally sourced beef, lamb, bison, and vegetarian patties are just a few of the choices for organic burgers and sandwiches at the new Slamburger in Petaluma, in Sonoma County.

This family-focused, fast-casual restaurant offers organic, non-GMO ground beef and beef hot dogs, as well as grass-fed lamb, non-GMO and free-range grass-fed chicken and turkey, and wild Ahi tuna. Ingredients are locally sourced, natural, and organic, with no hormones or antibiotics, and all burgers can be served as a lettuce wrap or on a gluten-free bun.

The hot dog options include bacon wrapped, a corn dog, a falafel dog, and a fajita dog. The menu also includes house-made vegetarian patties, salads, a variety of fries, onion rings, Cajun Brussel sprouts, beer-battered asparagus, milkshakes, beer, and wine.

Slamburger
5 Petaluma Blvd. S.
Petaluma, CA 94952
707-658-1845
theslamburger.com

Media Contact:
Slamburger
707-658-1845
info@theslamburger.com

Zosia Café & Kitchen offers Polish comfort food
Eastern European flavors add spice to the breakfast and lunch offerings at the new Zosia Café & Kitchen in the small town of Graton, in western Sonoma County.

In addition to eggs and bacon, omelets, salads, sandwiches (available gluten-free), and pasta, Zosia offers house-made traditional Polish crepes, Ukrainian borscht soup, Polish pierogi (traditional dumplings with savory filling), cabbage rolls, and Siberian pelmeni (pork and beef dumplings).

A recent daily special included traditional Polish sauerkraut stew cooked with a selection of meats and spices. The morning “hangover” special features white rice topped with a hamburger patty, fried egg, and gravy. And the menu also includes American standards like a grilled cheese, grilled chicken, or pulled pork sandwich.

Zosia Café and Kitchen
9010 Graton Road
Graton, CA 95444
707-861-9241
zosiacafe.wordpress.com

Media Contact:
David Jaworski
707-862-9241
info@zosiacafe.com

Ginochio's Kitchen features time-tested family recipes
Discover one family's love for delicious and amazing food at the new Ginochios' Kitchen in Bodega Bay, in Sonoma County.

Owners Patty, Paul, and Alicia Ginochio have been catering to Sonoma County for five years, offering homemade Italian food and on-site barbecue catering in custom-built trailered smokers.

Now, their café serves breakfast and lunch daily in a casual and comfortable setting, filled with the aromas of fresh-baked pastries and bread, meat smoking in the indoor smoker, and pasta sauces simmering. Both indoor and outdoor seating areas offer stunning views of Bodega Bay, and the café offers cooking classes and private chef dinners.

For breakfast, the brand-new dual baker's ovens produce delicious and aromatic cinnamon rolls and caramel bacon monkey bread, and steak or bacon breakfast burritos are made to order. For lunch, enjoy homemade raviolis cooked to order, or a slice of Grandma's traditional lasagna with béchamel sauce (vegetarian option available). Other options include hamburgers crafted with all natural, grass-fed beef from local pastures, clam and scallops chowder, and grilled fish tacos with mango salsa.

Ginochio's Kitchen
1410 Bay Flat Road
Bodega Bay, CA 94923
707-377-4359
ginochioskitchen.com

Media Contact:
Patty, Paul and Alicia Ginochio
707-377-4359
ginochioskitchen@gmail.com

 

LODGING

Stay in Wine Country style with The HB Experience
Enjoy the good life in Sonoma County in a vacation rental from The HB Experience, with homes fully equipped for real living and amenities that pamper the guest in and around the Wine Country town of Healdsburg.

The HB Experience team offers more than 40 years of experience and knowledge about this unique area. Owner Mike Little founded his company to meet a need for top-quality vacation rentals that offer a first-rate experience across the board, with meticulous attention to every detail.

The HB Experience
424 Piper St.
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-890-0852
www.healdsburgexperience.com

Media Contact:
Mike Little
707-890-0852
mike@healdsburgexperience.com

Ace It Bike Tours offers rental home
Stay in a charming 1950s cottage within walking distance of beautiful parks, famous restaurants, quaint shops, and live entertainment, now available as a vacation rental through Ace It Bike Tours in Santa Rosa, in beautiful Sonoma County.

Located in the quaint and friendly Montgomery Village neighborhood of Santa Rosa, this clean and cozy cottage includes a full kitchen, two bedrooms with queen beds, a full bathroom, and a living room with a sofa sleeper. The garden includes a large deck with a barbeque, a gazebo, a water fountain, and a detached studio offering extra space and privacy.

Guests renting the Ace It Cottage get a discount code for the company's bicycle tours. Ace It Bike Tours offers guided bicycle treks for all levels of riders on easy riding, relatively flat bike trails and quiet country roads with exceptional views. For those who want to travel on their own, Ace It rents out high quality hybrid bikes, with free delivery in Santa Rosa.

Ace It! Cottage Vacation Rental
Sonoma Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
707-688-4063
aceitbiketours.com

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

Russian River Vacation Homes adds luxury estate rental
Experience Sonoma County's finest on the 10-acre Vineyard Oaks Estate, the latest listing at Russian River Vacation Homes in Guerneville, in the Russian River Valley.

This luxury estate nestles next to multiple vineyards and within walking distance of Miramar Estate Vineyards and Winery. Relax and rejuvenate just a few miles from amazing restaurants in Guerneville, Graton, and Occidental.

Local spas like Osmosis are just a short drive away, or bring the spa to you. The estate's traditional Japanese bath and teahouse next to the pond is built entirely of Alaskan cedar, making the perfect location for a private massage. There's also a gourmet kitchen perfect for small cooking classes, and acres of outdoor space for meditation or small yoga retreats.

Vineyard Oaks Estate
Russian River Vacation Homes
14080 Mill St.
Guerneville, CA 95446
707-869-9030
www.riverhomes.com/vacation-rentals/vineyard-oaks-estate

Media Contact:
Kate Williams
707-869-9030
kate@riverhomes.com

 

TOURS

Take a Tastemaker Tour of Healdsburg
Meet the Tastemakers of Healdsburg in specially designed tours from two of Healdsburg's premiere tour companies. Available in half-day, full-day, and multi-day packages, each one is thoughtfully put together with hands-on, educational, and unique experiences.

Enjoy a stroll through farms and vineyards and learn about the variety of crops and growing practices, while tasting the fruits of their bounty with a private wine tasting. Discover a chef's own private garden and select fresh produce and herbs for a meal.

Channel your inner designer with a floral class. Don an apron and experience a top-notch culinary class. Learn the history of Healdsburg as you make your way around its charming plaza, with a couple delicious stops at in-town bakeries and eateries. A delicious way to spend the day.

Best of all, meet the winemakers, chefs, artisans, and craftspeople who make up the character of Healdsburg. This first-time-offered, up-close and personal experience has limited tour sizes, so check out the variety of Tastemaker Tours now available.

Many of Healdsburg's hotels are offering credits toward the purchase of a tour when room nights are booked. Check out healdsburg.com/lodging for details on participating hotels.

Healdsburg Tastemakers Tours
Savor Healdsburg:  savorhealdsburgfoodtours.com/sonoma-farm-food-wine-tour.com
Wine Country Walking Tours: winecountrywalkingtours.com

Media Contact:
Alison Stout
415-307-1682
alison@aspireprco.com

Pure Luxury Transportation adds Lincoln Continentals
Committed to meeting transportation needs throughout Sonoma County and the greater San Francisco Bay Area, Pure Luxury Transportation recently received six stylish and sophisticated Lincoln Continentals, with plans to expand its fleet with a total of 15 of these luxury vehicles.

Clients will be able to relax into the leather seats while a professional Pure Luxury chauffeur takes them to their destinations in comfort and safety. Pure Luxury has been providing Wine Country transportation for 25 years, and offers one of the largest chauffeured fleets in California.

Pure Luxury Transportation
4246 Petaluma Blvd. N.
Petaluma, CA 94952
800-626-5466
www.pureluxury.com

Media Contact:
Gina Rodriguez-Gross
707-775-2920
gina@pureluxury.com

 

EVENTS

IPA 10K & Beer Invitational racing into Sebastopol in April 2017
The inaugural IPA 10K & Beer Mile Invitational debuts Saturday, April 15, 2017, at The Barlow in Sebastopol in Sonoma County, in the heart of the North Bay Area's craft brew scene.

The fun kicks off at 7:55 a.m. with a “runner's toast” beer shot, sponsored by Crooked Goat Brewing, and continues with a beer and music festival along McKinley Street in downtown Sebastopol.

The 10K race (6.2 miles out and back) starts at 8 a.m. Runners start and finish at The Barlow, a 220,000-square-foot culinary, arts, and shopping center. The beer and music festival will be open to runners and their guests from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and to the public from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

From noon to 1 p.m., competitors in the Beer Mile Invitational will try to outrun and outdrink each other. Each athlete chugs a beer, present the empty can upside down over his or her head, and sprints off on a quarter-mile lap around The Barlow; each athlete repeats this four times. The current Beer Mile world record stands at 4 minutes, 34.35 seconds, held by Corey Bellemore of Canada.

IPA 10K & Beer Invitational
Destination Races
1224 Sperring Road
Sonoma, CA 95476
707-933-1769
ipa10k.com/

Media Contact:
Matt Dockstader
707-933-1769
matt@destinationraces.com

 

# # #

Find your passion in Sonoma County, located only 30 miles north of San Francisco and featuring more than 400 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.

Media Contact:
Birgitt Vaughan
707-522-5826
bvaughan@sonomacounty.com

Editors: Find high-resolution photos at:
sonomacounty.smugmug.com/PhotoLibrary/Whats-New-Winter-2017
Password: SonomaPassion