What's New March 2020
SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — Plan a Sonoma County getaway this March as tiny buds swell and burst in the vineyards, kicking off spring and a new growing season. Wildflowers stretch across green meadows, whales migrate off the rugged coastline, and springtime beer, wine, and cheese festivals let you sample Sonoma County’s bounty. Here’s a quick overview of Sonoma County’s newest attractions and activities.
WINERIES
Bellacana Vineyards opens Windsor tasting lounge
Taste wines cultivated and nurtured by the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indian people in the new Bellacana Tasting Lounge just off the Windsor Town Green, in northern Sonoma County.
For thousands of years the ancestors of the Dry Creek Rancheria Band hunted, gathered, harvested, and danced beside the river where they fished in the Dry Creek and Alexander valleys. Today, using the same insightful experimentation and meticulousness that enabled their ancestors to turn roots and branches into baskets of breathtaking quality, they cultivate and nurture grapevines on some of the 310 acres of property next to their River Rock Casino.
Bellacana Vineyards provides top quality grapes for some of the finest wines in Sonoma County and surrounding counties. In 2012 they introduced the Bellacana wine label, which produces carefully crafted Sauvignon Blanc and Hillside Cabernet.
Bellacana Vineyards Tasting Lounge
9071 Windsor Road
Windsor, CA 95492
707-687-0956
https://bellacanavineyard.com/
Media Contact
Bellacana Vineyards
707-687-0956
[email protected]
Larson Family Winery adds monthly crafting workshops
Blend creativity and wine at Sonoma’s Larson Family Winery, which will be staying open after hours to host its new hands-on craft workshops on one Wednesday every month over the coming months.
Channel your inner Rembrandt (or Picasso, or Pollock) at a fun and fabulous Paint Night from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11. This guided session will help you create your own work of art to take home.
On Wednesday, April 8, learn the basics of chalkboard lettering from 5-7 p.m. This is a great skill for event décor, menus, or fun signs around your home.
All craft workshops are held in the winery’s barn, and include supplies and a glass of Larson wine. Specializing in award-winning, small lot estate wines, this family-friendly and dog-friendly winery is the place to bring everyone to for a picnic, bocce, and visiting with their Labradors and farm critters.
Larson Family Winery
23355 Millerick Road
Sonoma, California 95476
707-938-3031
http://www.larsonfamilywinery.com/
Media Contact
Johanna Holm
707-938-3031 x10
[email protected]
NIGHTLIFE
Jasper’s neighborhood bar opens under new management
Elegant and hip, with a little bit of a speakeasy vibe, the new Jasper’s continues the long tradition of a neighborhood bar in the Jasper O’Farrell building in downtown Sebastopol, in western Sonoma County.
The new bar name honors the building’s rich history as a local watering hole since the original Jasper O’Farrell’s opened its doors there in 1982. Now an upscale dive bar, Jasper’s features a new interior, big screen TVs with a premium sports package, a classic full bar, a comfortable lounge setting, darts and other entertainment, and happy hour specials.
The new Jasper’s logo pays homage to the San Patricios, a group of Irish soldiers who fought with the Mexican army in the Mexican American war. Along with a great selection of Irish whiskey, expect a top notch mezcal selection and an inspired cocktail menu.
Plans call for the bar’s schedule to include live music, weekend Karaoke, darts, trivia nights, bar games, and special events. On busy weekends, food service from Jam’s Joy Bungalow food truck will be available right outside Jasper’s doors.
Jasper’s
6957 Sebastopol Ave.
Sebastopol, California 95472
707-329-6024
https://www.jasperspub.com/
Media Contact
Damian Clopton Gray
707-695-5633
[email protected]
RESTAURANTS & EATERIES
Criminal Baking opens Sebastopol ‘hideout’
The creative artisan desserts and pastries crafted by Criminal Baking Co. & Noshery are now available in two locations (also known as their “hideouts”) — the site on Donahue Street in Santa Rosa that they moved to in January 2019, and their new store in Sebastopol, in western Sonoma County.
Both Sonoma County bakery locations offer unique creations, with the company stating that “fresh ingredients meet in a dark room to conspire in the ultimate taste bud heist, forcing often-neglected flavors to participate.” Criminal Baking Company makes cakes, cupcakes, and pies in small batches, all from scratch. Most flavors are available as gluten-free or vegan options, and some can be both gluten-free and vegan.
The Santa Rosa bakery offers a casual café menu for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, while the Sebastopol location offers a more simple menu with a selection of house-made pastries and desserts that changes daily. Quiche, frittata, and oatmeal are among the staples, while beverages include locally roasted coffee from Black Oak Roasters and a selection of black, green, and herbal teas.
Criminal Baking Co. & Noshery
992 Gravenstein Highway S.
Sebastopol CA, 95472
707-228-2718
https://www.criminalbaking.com/
Media Contact
Criminal Baking Co. & Noshery, Santa Rosa
707-888-3546
[email protected]
Acre Coffee adds Acre Pizza in The Barlow
In addition to their six successful coffeehouses serving high-quality coffee, teas, all-day breakfasts, and gourmet sandwiches throughout Sonoma County, Acre Coffee owners Steve Decosse and Sharon Fitzgerald recently opened Acre Pizza in The Barlow, a 12.5-acre culinary and artisan industrial park in Sebastopol, in western Sonoma County.
Acre Pizza serves classic and Detroit-style pizza crafted with a Northern California mindset, available by the slice or in 16-inch rounds. The dough features organic California wheat that is fermented for two days to create a light and crispy crust, making it is easier to digest. Ingredients include California tomatoes, local Buffalo Mozzarella, local pastured meats, and local produce for the toppings, salads, and side dishes.
A variety of pizzas are available, from classics like cheese, sausage, or pepperoni, to a white pizza with potatoes and rosemary, and a farmer’s pizza crafted with ingredients that are in season. Both buffalo milk and vegan soft serve ice cream are available, sourced from local artisans. Acre Pizza is open daily, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. from Sunday-Thursday, and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Acre Pizza
6760 McKinley St., #150
Sebastopol, California 95472
707-827-3455
https://www.acrepizza.com/
Media Contact
Acre Pizza
707-827-3455
[email protected]
Portico brings ‘Italian social food’ to Sebastopol
Inspired by Italy’s aperitivo hour, when public squares and streets are filled with lively conversation, Portico serves handmade and authentic Italian fare in Sebastopol in western Sonoma County.
A portico is a colonnade or covered walkway in classical architecture. Since the middle ages the elegant porticos of Bologna, Italy have been a meeting place for the public as well as a place for business. Paolo Pedrinazzi (who is from Bologna) and Kat Escamilla, owners of the new Portico café, hope to bring this experience to Sebastopol. The menu features handmade pastas, polenta, and risottos, as well as salads, veggies, sweet and savory baked goods, tiramisu, and gelato.
Portico
110 N. Main St.
Sebastopol, California 95472
https://www.porticosocialfood.com/
Media Contact
Portico
[email protected]
Big Bottom Market now delivers lunch
The Guerneville deli and market that’s home to one of Oprah’s favorite things recently partnered with local wineries, hotels, and adventure companies to launch Wine Country Lunch delivery, providing great, freshly-prepared foods to people touring Sonoma County’s beautiful Russian River Valley. In 2016, the Big Bottom Market biscuit mix and honey was chosen as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things.
Orders are placed online at winecountrylunch.com for bag lunches that include a sandwich, salad, or the Market Mezze platter, plus one house-made cookie, a bag of potato chips, and a bottle of water. Order are accepted up to 24 hours in advance, and delivered by 11 a.m. on the selected day. The cost of $23 per person plus tax includes delivery.
Current partners (and delivery locations) include AutoCamp Russian River, Bowman Cellars, Equality Vines, Furthermore Winery, Inizi Wines, Iron Horse Vineyards, Paul Mathew Vineyards, Taft Street Winery, and Wine Guerilla. The Big Bottom Market team is actively recruiting other partners to participate in the program.
Located in the Russian River town of Guerneville, Big Bottom Market offers a tasty selection of biscuits, sandwiches, and salads, as well as a rotating selection of local wines. They additionally showcase an ever changing and cleverly edited mix of retail merchandise, with a focus on local, organic, and sustainable products.
Wine Country Lunch
Big Bottom Market
16228 Main St.
Guerneville, California 95446
707-604-7295
https://www.bigbottommarket.com/wine-country-lunch-order-form/
Media Contact
Big Bottom Market
707-604-7295
[email protected]
WELLNESS
Yoga with Kellian offers private group classes at your desired location
Whether it’s a Sonoma County weekend getaway, a corporate retreat, a bachelor/bachelorette weekend, or any other group gathering or event, yoga teacher Kelliann Reginato will bring yoga classes suitable for all levels to your Sonoma County location.
Experience yoga poolside, on the beach, in a forest, in a vineyard, or in the comfort of your vacation rental. Yoga with Kelliann provides mats, blocks, and music (if desired). During the summer months, Kelliann also offers yoga classes at the Horse & Plow and Harvest Moon wine tasting rooms.
With close to 12 years of experience and training, and multiple certifications, Kelliann teaches in a variety of styles, including Forrest Vinyasa, power, gentle, restorative, Hatha/Bikram, and children’s yoga.
Yoga with Kelliann
Various Locations
Sonoma County, California
510-734-8620
https://www.yogawithkelliann.com/
Media Contact
Kelliann Reginato
510-734-8620
[email protected]
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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.
Sonoma County was named Wine Enthusiast magazine’s Wine Region of the Year. Discover why by visiting it yourself. Start planning today at 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