Summer in Sonoma County is filled with vibrant and immersive experiences as grape clusters gradually hang heavier on the vines. Celebrate the hot days and cool nights as gardens cover the area with fragrant blooms, restaurant menus burst with freshly harvested fruits and veggies, and resort spas reopen to pamper and rejuvenate guests.

Sonoma County has announced a brand new Weddings E-guide and an updated weddings page, inviting guests to celebrate missed moments of yesteryear with inspired new soirees, intimate gatherings, and elegant ceremonies.

In partnership with Leave No Trace and Sonoma County Regional Parks, a set of Sonoma County Leave No Trace Seven Principles are introduced with other new programming for sustainable travel in development.

Events are making a big comeback to Sonoma County, including Lazy Bear Weekin Guerneville, NHRA Sonoma Nationals at the Sonoma Raceway, and Cloverdale Friday Night Live at the Plaza’s free summer concert series. Be sure to explore our calendar of events for the latest happenings for food, wine, arts, culture, and the great outdoors. New wineries, restaurants, arts, and entertainment are announced below.

Note: Sonoma County is open to welcome visitors and most restrictions have been lifted by the State of California.  See current updates on travel to Sonoma County for more information.

WINERIES

Gather at Bacchus Landing for tastings, lawn games, food, and music

Offering wines from Montagne Russe Wines, 13th & Third Wines, Alden Alli and Dot Wine, and other wineries that will join the collaborative space, Bacchus Landing is a place where visitors can taste through some of the most exclusive small production wines all in one place.

From the Lopez family, who are behind Aldina Vineyards, Bacchus Landing has provided a unique opportunity for small wine producers in beautiful tasting rooms surrounding an open-air central piazza where guests can relax as they sip and savor. With a family-friendly vibe, the location’s Market offers wine friendly bites and gourmet food alongside live music. A large area called Frank’s Place is devoted to bocce courts, picnic tables, lawn games, music, herb gardens and fruit trees. Bacchus Landing is slated to open mid-July.

Bacchus Landing
14210 Bacchus Landing Way
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-779-1821
https://www.bacchuslanding.com

Media Contact
[email protected]

Orsi Family Vineyards opens with unusual Italian varietals

Sip on Italian varietals like Schioppettino, Fiano, Barbera, Montepulciano and Sangiovese while surrounded by 70 acres of vineyard views just outside of downtown Healdsburg. Enjoy a welcoming splash of bubbles to begin a tasting experience accompanied by a cheese and charcuterie plate of local provisions. 

Orsi Family Vineyards has taken over the former Geyser Peak Winery space with relaxing views of a grove of 150-year-old olive trees. Winery and vineyard proprietor Bernie Orsi, known by some as the “Father of Pabst Blue Ribbon,” has roots that trace to Italy’s Lucca region. He’s been growing grapes in Healdsburg since 1990. Experience Orsi Family Vineyards Thursdays through Mondays from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Orsi Family Vineyards
2306 Magnolia Drive
Healdsburg, CA
707-732-4660
https://www.orsifamilyvineyards.com

Celebrate wine and food with Taste of Sonoma County at Home

Explore the world-class wines and winemakers from the 18 unique growing areas of Sonoma County with this year’s Taste of Sonoma at Home. Sip through wines cultivated by the coast, rivers and valleys through a series of virtual events this July. Enjoy events like Taste of Sonoma’s Chardonnay Any Way, a Garden Tour + Culinary Class with Kendall-Jackson, Spirit of Sonoma, Taste of Sonoma’s Red Wine Rotation, and more. 

Discover the countless opportunities to experience Sonoma County in person as you peruse through the virtual experience, which includes downloadable culinary recipes to pair with at home tastings, sip from home special offers, and exclusive Visa Signature Benefits.

Taste of Sonoma At Home
Presented by Sonoma County Vintners
855-939-7666
https://tasteofsonoma.com 

Media Contact
Barbara Cox
[email protected]

New Public Art Installments arrive at Paradise Ridge Winery

Marvel at the newest large-scale outdoor art sculpture installations in Sonoma County, overlooking the vineyards of Paradise Ridge Winery. Perched on a 155-acre estate, spectacular Burning Man sculptures of yesteryear find a home in the Russian River Valley after their appearances at world-renowned festivals. These sculptures are now joined by the new RESILIENCE exhibit, featuring the powerful work of Riis Burwell, Briona Hendren, Sean Paul Lorentz, Nick Taylor and Doug Unkrey. This immersion of art and culture is open to the public and encourages us to accept the past, dream about the future, and enjoy the beauty around us.

From artists Sean Orlando and Tania Seabock, a colorful Welcome Tower joins the Paradise Ridge collection of showstopping sculptures. Designed as a re-imagined San Francisco Coit Tower, the 30-foot sculpture features a gold leaf crown and uses reclaimed solid wood front doors from architecturally diverse North Bay Area neighborhoods to celebrate the evolving identity of the region.

Paradise Ridge Winery
4545 Thomas Lake Harris Dr.
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-528-9463
https://prwinery.com/art/

Media Contact
[email protected]

Mengler Family Wines opens tasting lounge

Introduce your taste buds to the unique varietals at Mengler Family Wines, including an Italian Dolcetto from the Russian River Valley and a signature 18 varietal red field blend cellared for 18 months in 30% new American Oak. Winemaker Chris Mengler is celebrating seven years of winemaking as they open the doors to their new tasting lounge, located in this wine tasting destination on Windsor’s Town Green. Visitors can pop in o three other tasting rooms while in the area, as well as dine at restaurants and eateries or enjoy shopping at charming retail stores.

As a small producer in Sonoma County, Mengler Family Wines focuses on vineyard designated and interesting varietals that are only from Sonoma County. The tasting lounge is family-friendly and dog-friendly, and is open Thursdays and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Mengler Family Wines
834 McClelland Drive
Windsor, CA 95492
https://www.menglerwine.com

Media Contact
Chris Mengler
[email protected]

RESTAURANTS & EATERIES

Warike Restobar by Ayawaska serves up Peruvian cuisine

Savor the vibrant flavors of a Latin American kitchen as it celebrates the abundance of fresh ingredients from Sonoma County’s famed local agriculture and Californian waters at the new Warike Restobar. Share the experience of classic Peruvian origins with friends and dig into the Trío de Ceviches plate, sink your teeth into a crispy pastry filled with beef tenderloin, or treat your palate with the grilled octopus glazed with anticuchera sauce. Main courses like the slowly cooked pork Adobo De Cerdo, the Peruvian style paella with seafood and veggies, or the Lomo Saltado are or can be made gluten free. There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian dishes to enjoy, including a traditional Peruvian style lentils stew with flambé mushrooms. Pair it all with a lengthy list of signature cocktails, wine, beer and Inca cola. 

With more than 10 years of Latin American restaurant experience, the owners of the popular Ayawaska Restobar in Petaluma bring their fiery modern cuisine to the heart of Sonoma County in Santa Rosa’s historic Railroad Square. As a place to experience the pleasure of food, the word “Warique” originates from two quecha words: “wa” meaning ‘secret’ and “rique” meaning ‘stew’.

Warike Restobar
527 4th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
415-798-0589
https://warikesf.com

Sushi Rosa opens with robot server

Experience a unique sushi dining experience as guests are greeted with a friendly, roving robot host in Santa Rosa’s bustling downtown at Sushi Rosa. Sushi enthusiasts will find premium nigiri selections like Amaebi (sweet shrimp) with fried head, Uni (sea urchin), Toro (bluefin tuna belly), and even Mirugai (giant clam). The Lobster Special offers lobster tail sashimi, a lobster roll, and lobster sushi, while the Whole Aji Special offers mackerel sashimi and sushi with a crunchy fried bone. Vegetarian dining is welcome here, where guests can enjoy colorful pickled veggies with the Tsukemono and a wide selection of unique special rolls using fried shitake, avocado, asparagus, sweet potato, carrots, mango, wakame and more.

Located in the former location of Guy Fieri’s Tex Wasabi space, Sushi Rosa is open Tuesdays through Sundays for lunch and dinner.

Sushi Rosa
515 4th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
707-843-5135
https://www.sushirosa.com

Crumbl’s gourmet cookies and ice cream comes to Santa Rosa

Treat your sweet tooth to saucer-sized, beautifully decorated gourmet cookies that are freshly baked and just out of the oven at Crumbl’s first Sonoma County location. Cookie lovers are welcomed with weekly rotating flavors like the marshmallow Oreo sandwich cookie, the Birthday Cake, or the Hazelnut Mudslide, as well as signature flavors like their famous milk chocolate chip and chilled sugar cookies. Served in an adorable pink box, these cookies can be paired with cold milk or a half-pint of the Crumbl Cream ice cream, which comes in hot chocolate, peanut butter chocolate, sea salt toffee and vanilla flavors, and rotates quarterly.

Crumbl Cookies
2154 Santa Rosa Ave.,
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
707-324-1781
https://crumblcookies.com/santarosa

River’s End reopens oceanside restaurant with new renovations

Savor the seasonal seafood-focused menu at River’s End, while enjoying immaculate views in its dining room that features large, picturesque windows that frame the magnificent views of Goat Rock Beach and the Russian River entering the Pacific Ocean. The heavenly oysters pair perfectly with celebratory sparkling wine as the sun sets over the dramatic Sonoma Coast. Serving freshly harvested seafood plucked from the ocean, the kitchen currently highlights a lightly grilled Southwest King Salmon served with forbidden black rice, fire roasted corn and a watermelon salad.

The new renovations at River’s End Restaurant feature a gorgeous new glass-enclosed wine cellar next to a redesigned bar that serves over 125 local wines, beers, and artfully crafted cocktails. Enjoy the sensational views of Jenner over a romantic gourmet meal Fridays through Tuesdays from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

River’s End Restaurant & Inn
11048 CA-1
Jenner, CA 95450
707-865-2484
https://ilovesunsets.com/jenner-ca-restaurant

Blue Ridge Kitchen takes over The Barlow event space

Celebrate memorable occasions with Blue Ridge Kitchen at The Barlow’s private indoor and outdoor event venue, located at its 12-acre open-air marketplace. The urban industrial architecture, paired with a stunning outdoor landscape and gardens, pays homage to Sebastopol’s deep agricultural roots, making for a unique backdrop for the return of gatherings. A fully renovated warehouse in the heart of a historic apple cannery offers a fun twist on tradition, while the outdoor space welcomes ceremonies beneath the 100-year oak tree for events like intimate twilight receptions, or unique rehearsal dinners paired with a variety of seasonal chef-inspired menus and a wide-selection of wine and beer that comes from makers right in The Barlow.

Blue Ridge Kitchen’s chef Matt D’Ambrosi serves up an assortment of fresh local seafood, steak, and some southern favorites for relaxed, upscale dining experiences. 

BRK Event Venue at The Barlow
6770 McKinley St. #150
Sebastopol, CA 95472
707-222-5040
https://brkitchen.com/private-events

Media Contact
[email protected]

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Adults By Schulz Exhibition at the Charles M. Schulz Museum

Explore an unpublished comic strip from Charles M. Schulz, featuring his process and experimentation in portraying teen and adult characters, unveiled at Santa Rosa’s Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center. Adults by Schulz is an exhibit that showcases seven never-before-seen workplace humor strips developed in the mid-1950s on blank Peanuts frame templates.

“Schulz started out drawing adults but ultimately found success drawing children, though we can’t help but daydream ‘what if’,” said curator Benjamin L. Clark. “It’s just extraordinary to unveil four sets of different adult artwork and consider the possibility that one of them could have ended up being the worldwide comic phenomenon.”

The exhibition will also feature artwork by Schulz from the Saturday Evening Post, along with Young Pillars, a single panel comic whose characters resemble Peanuts characters as teenagers, and It’s Only a Game, one of Schulz’s only collaborations with another artist.

Charles M. Schulz Museum & Research Center
2301 Hardies Lane
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-579-4452
https://schulzmuseum.org

Media Contact
Lisa Alexander
[email protected]

Sonoma Raceway announces Turn of 11 Club Hospitality expansion

A new upgraded hospitality facility overlooking the hairpin Turn 11 on the iconic Sonoma Raceway has broken ground and will offer a premium, luxury hospitality and viewing experience for major event race weekends and year-round racing events. A formal unveiling of the hospitality area will take place prior to the 2022 Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Cup Series weekend.

“Our goal is to create a welcoming and high-end focal point for our facility that represents Sonoma Valley well,” said Sonoma Raceway executive vice president and general manager Jill Gregory. “We look forward to entertaining our guests in this new space beginning next summer.”

Sonoma Raceway
29355 Arnold Drive
Sonoma, CA 95476
800-870-7223
https://www.sonomaraceway.com

Media Contact
Jen Imbimbo
[email protected]

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Sonoma County Tourism is the region’s official Destination Stewardship Organization. Through a multi-channel sales and marketing program, the organization promotes Sonoma County as a global visitor and meetings destination, where diversity thrives, and everyone is welcome. Leveraging the region’s unmatched assets, wine, culinary, wellness and sustainability continue to define its character. Pre-pandemic, tourism generated $2.3 Billion in visitor spending, $194 Million in tax revenue and employed more than 23,000 Sonoma Countians. Post-pandemic, SCT will work with partner businesses to rebuild the tourism economy, regain critical revenue and reestablish a vibrant workforce. For more information, visit www.sonomacounty.com

Media contact:
Anna Yan
Public Relations Manager
Sonoma County Tourism
707-919-5893
[email protected] 

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