What's New in California's Sonoma Wine Country

. October 14, 2008

SONOMA COUNTY, CA, April 17, 2008. Sunny days and cool nights in "Sonoma Country" are the perfect setting for award-winning grapes, as well as unforgettable vacations.

The menu of options for visitors continues to expand with new lodging, restaurants, winery tasting rooms, and specialty tours. Many visitors plan their trips around a new event, an annual favorite, or they host their own special event in a memorable setting.

There's always something new to discover in Sonoma Country. Here's a look at what's new and hot for spring and summer 2008:

TRENDS

Travelers clamor for the off-the-beaten-path experience, and Sonoma Country is responding in spades. You can meet wine makers, experience the harvest, learn about Sonoma's "second" export - artisan cheeses - attend grape camp, mix your own wines, or and have a luxurious inn awaiting you at the end of each day.

Spa goers are seeking more. Holistic spa experiences - now a hot commodity throughout the travel industry - has been a staple in Sonoma's spas for many years. Saturate your senses with a selection of Sonoma wine country-inspired treatments.

Though other luxury spas offer some sort of wine treatments, there's nothing like a grapeseed rub at a spa located in the middle of a vineyard. Skin, your body's largest organ, will absorb about 60 percent of anything you put on it.

Sonoma Country spas feed your skin with the finest ingredients. The phytochemicals in grapes are excellent for exfoliation and detoxify the body at the same time. Contact your favorite spa for information on their vinotherapy offerings.

AIRLINES

Horizon Air Adding Las Vegas Flight, Second Santa Rosa-Seattle Flight

Starting April 24, Horizon will be offering flights to Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (STS-Santa Rosa) from Las Vegas. This will open up Sonoma County to Midwest and East Coast travelers.

The new Las Vegas flight will take two hours and five minutes each way and will depart daily from Las Vegas at 10:15 p.m. The flight from Santa Rosa to Las Vegas will depart at 7:35 pm.

Also, Horizon Air will add a second flight between Santa Rosa and Seattle from April 6 through Oct. 26. The flight is being added to better accommodate the need for air travel to and from Sonoma County when demand is traditionally the highest.

The new seasonal flight will depart from Santa Rosa at 8:35 p.m. and from Seattle at 5:55 p.m. It will be in addition to year-round service to Seattle that is currently offered from Santa Rosa at 10:30 a.m. and from Seattle at 12:45 p.m. The flights take two hours and 10 minutes.

In addition to Seattle flights, Horizon also serves Sonoma County with daily nonstop flights from Los Angeles and Portland, Ore. As an added bonus, Horizon Air allows a case of wine to be checked free in addition to the standard two pieces of luggage on flights from Sonoma County Airport.

Tickets for the additional Santa Rosa-Seattle flight are available for sale now through www.sonomacounty.com.

WINERIES

New Co-op Tasting Room Opens

Family Wineries Tasting rooms have expanded and have opened their second cooperative multi-winery tasting room in Sonoma County. Both tasting rooms can arrange private VIP tastings for groups.

The new Family Wineries tasting room is located at 9380 Sonoma Highway (Highway 12), Kenwood, in Sonoma Valley and features wines from Tandem, David Noyes, Spann, SL Cellars, Macrae Family and Collier Falls.

The original Family Wineries location is at 4791 Dry Creek Road in Healdsburg and features wines from Collier Falls, Lago di Merlo, Dashe, Meitz Cellars, Philip Staley and Forth.

Both tasting rooms have picnic grounds and picnic supplies including gourmet meats and cheeses.

Family Wineries

1-888-433-6555

www.familywines.com

ACTIVITIES

As the weather warms up, so does the recreational opportunities in Sonoma Country. Book your tickets for the following activities at www.sonomacounty.com. Select "activities" on the booking engine in the middle of the page; then select "find activities."

Flying Horse Wine Tours

From May 1 to Dec. 1, Flying Horse Wine Tours offers a romantic and relaxing wine tasting tour in Sonoma County's splendid Alexander Valley, just minutes from the historic town of Healdsburg and the beautiful Russian River.

In a carriage drawn by elegant horses, travel leisurely along a scenic route through the vineyards that produce the award-winning wines you will be tasting.

The tour includes wine tasting at Alexander Valley's finest wineries as well as a complimentary gourmet picnic. Each of the wineries has a distinct style, signature varietals and gracious staff. It's more than a tour, it's a unique wine tasting adventure.

Getaway Adventures

Travel the back roads and visit small, family-run wineries of Sonoma County. Really "Getaway" from it all on a one- or multi-day tours. Some of the tours include Healdsburg Sip N Cycle, Pedal & Paddle Tour, Healdsburg Kayak, and Jenner Kayak.

Going on one of these tours is quite an experience. Local tour guides are knowledgeable on the history and landscape of the area and love to share. Personalized routes, wine country gourmet lunches and favorite places are treats awaiting you.

Windsor Golf Club

Schedule a round of golf at the Windsor Golf Club. Join the thousands of golfers who regard this dynamic course as a must-play. As the host of many PGA Nike Tour events, the challenging layout offers a multitude of visual pleasures that include the club's signature Silos, a well-placed selection of lakes and a year-round creek. The Windsor Golf Club is a perfect setting for your favorite foursome or yearly tournament.

Rooster Run Golf Club

Step back in time when golf courses were carefully sculpted into the natural landscape; when all you saw were lush fairways, manicured greens and a backdrop of rolling hills. Rooster Run Golf Club, Petaluma, offers a true golfing experience. More than 7,000 yards from the back tees, the par-72 championship layout features four lakes, meandering creeks, and the area's only island green.

PACKAGES

Sonoma Jazz Festival Experience (May 22-25, 2008)

Celebrate world-class music, food and wine steeped in the relaxing ambiance of California wine country. Set against the backdrop and charm of historic Sonoma's central plaza, this year's musical offerings include Kool and the Gang, Herbie Hancock, Diana Krall and Bonnie Raitt.

Enjoy accommodations at the fun and unique Flamingo Resort Hotel & Spa, nestled in the heart of the beautiful Sonoma Wine Country.

Book your tickets and hotel at www.sonomacounty.com. Select "packages" on the booking engine in the middle of the page; then select "find package."

Infineon Raceway Experience (May 16 - August 24, 2008)

Celebrate 40 years of racing during the 2008 Big O Tires Racing Season, as the Infineon Raceway once again hosts the most diverse racing schedule in the country.

Located just 30 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the 1,600-acre facility serves as the action-packed gateway to beautiful Sonoma Wine Country.

Highlighted by the 20th consecutive visit by the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the raceway will boast seven major events in 2008, including the AMA Superbike Series, the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series and the IndyCar Series.

Book your tickets and hotel at www.sonomacounty.com. Select "packages" on the booking engine in the middle of the page; then select "find package."

Sonoma Wildlife Extravaganza at Safari West

Get ready for a wild ride. Trekking in an authentic safari vehicle, visitors are surrounded by giraffe, gazelle, scimitar-horned oryx, ostrich and other species of African antelope -all sharing the beauty and diversity of the savannah environment.

The Safari West wildlife park is designed to give the animals the ability to interact and roam about freely, as well as engage our guests in a once in a lifetime experience - an authentic luxury safari in wine country.

This experience is made even more memorable by spending the night in one of the Safari West luxury tents that are imported from Africa. Built on high wooden platforms with spacious decks, guests can take in the view of grazing giraffes or enjoy the serenity of the private lake.

Safari West requires that tour reservations be made at least two weeks in advance. Packages will show no availability if search dates are less than two weeks out.

Book your tickets and hotel at www.sonomacounty.com. Select "packages" on the booking engine in the middle of the page; then select "find package."

TOUR COMPANIES

Motorcycle Tours Offered

From June 7 through Oct. 11, Vineyard Riders will offer Sonoma County and Northern California full-service motorcycle tours. Four-, five-, and seven-day tours include motorcycle rentals, hotels, most meals, wine-tasting tours.

Some tours include Safari West tours and offer optional excursions like hot air balloon rides, Bodega Bay, day spa trips, shopping, and much more. This also features Railroad Square hotels and Santa Rosa night life.

Vineyard Riders

304 Moonlight Circle

Cloverdale, CA 95425

(707) 483-7363

www.vineyardriders.com

Contact: Jerry Camotta

[email protected]

New Guided Wine Tour Company Opens

Terrific Tours offers fun and educational wine tours throughout Sonoma Wine Country. The "anti-limousine company," this unique approach provides a wine expert to accompany guests into five wineries and provides vineyard picnic lunch. Public and mixed group and private tours are available.

Terrific Tours

40 Fourth St.

Petaluma, CA 94952

(707) 658-2748

www.TerrificTours.com

Public Relations Contact: Trevor Zebulon

E-mail: [email protected]

Wine and Water: Tour West Sonoma County Wineries; Russian River; Pacific Coast

Discover hidden treasures of west Sonoma County with a guided tour. California Rivers Tours specialize in winery tours of the Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and Alexander Valley - the home of more than 100 wineries, 10,000 acres of grapes, and some of the most beautiful scenery in the United States.

Flexible and custom tours are the benchmark for this company. Choose to visit your favorite wineries, or let the knowledgeable guides pick for you. Get off the beaten path as you discover interesting and little known spots along the Russian River.

Tours - in a comfortable 14-passenger van, with big windows for plenty of visibility - include a picnic lunch of foods locally grown in the Russian River Valley.

One of the most budget-friendly options, tours are $50 an hour for up to seven guests; eight to 12 guests ride for $75 an hour. Your experienced and friendly local guide will start and end the tour at place of lodging.

Media Contact: John Condon

California Rivers Wine Tours

(707) 579 - 2209

[email protected]

www.calrivers.com

Sonoma Vineyard Walks

Sonoma Vineyard Walks are five-day vacations designed to get you into the vineyards of beautiful Sonoma County.

Traditional wine vacations have two drawbacks: they are sedentary, consisting of driving from winery to winery to restaurant to hotel; and traditional wine vacations are mostly limited to the front of a winery tasting bar.

Vineyard Walks combine exercise with wine tasting, delicious food, and comfortable accommodations. These tours get you past the bar and into the vineyards. Once there, participants learn about the grape growing process and have intimate discussions with local winemakers and grape growers.

Two walks are being planned this year: Aug. 24-28; and Oct. 26-30.

Media Contact: Zephyr Adventures

PO Box 16, Red Lodge, MT 59068

(406) 445-0802 or toll-free (888) 758-8687

e-mail: [email protected]

RESTAURANTS

Sante at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa Captures Four Diamonds

Sante at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa has been awarded the prestigious AAA Four Diamond rating for the year 2008 - the first year the resort's signature restaurant captures the prestigious award.

AAA Four Diamond Award winners know the language of quality as they consistently deliver premier experiences, complete with superior personal service, first-class amenities, and impressive surroundings. Sante joins a select group of AAA Four Diamond winners. Only 3.25 percent of the estimated 32,000 AAA Rated lodgings and 3.21 percent of the estimated 28,000 restaurants are awarded the prestigious AAA Four Diamond designation each year.

Literally meaning "To your health," the restaurant is a celebration of innovative California cuisine and good taste. Guests enjoy a seasonal menu, in a warm and casual yet stylish setting. Designed to exude the California wine country experience, Chef Andrew Cain showcases the region's abundant local products and world-famous wines.

Inspired menus change seasonally utilizing the Valley's famed local produce to create pleasingly simple and flavorful dishes.

Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa

100 Boyes Boulevard

Sonoma, CA 95476

(707) 938-9000

Public Relations Contact: Michelle Heston, Regional Director of Public Relations

[email protected]

(707) 939-2477

Another First for the Farmhouse Inn - Geoff Kruth Named Master Sommelier - First Sonoma County Resident to Pass

First it was Zagat's highest rating for a restaurant in Sonoma County - second only to Napa's French Laundry, then Michelin Guide's one star and now, the Farmhouse Inn's Geoff Kruth has been awarded the title master sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers after passing an extensive and rigorous exam.

He is the first Sonoma County resident to ever pass the exam and is now the only Master Sommelier to be living and working in Sonoma County. There are 167 people who have earned the title master sommeliers worldwide.

Kruth has headed the Farmhouse Inn's wine program for the past three years, complementing and enhancing Chef Steve Litke's acclaimed cuisine, while introducing guests to unique and often overlooked wines from around the world.

Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant

Thursday through Monday, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

7871 River Road

Forestville, CA

(707) 887-3300

www.farmhouseinn.com

Public Relations Contact: Catherine Bartolomei, [email protected],

(707) 887-3300

Santi in Geyserville Offers Traditional Style Dinners

Few restaurants offer traditional family-style dinners in a beautiful, fine dining setting. At Taverna Santi in Geyserville, Chef Dino Bugica brings timeless honest Italian cuisine to Sonoma wine country.

Their newest tradition, the "Sunday Supper Club," joins locals and visitors together to experience an Italian family-style dinner the last Sunday of each month. Each dinner is centered on a different region of Italy to showcase the best of each style of cuisine and the talents of Chef Bugica.

The four-course supper is complimented by Santi's wine list, which includes more than 20 wines by the glass and 85 wines by the bottle of Sonoma county grown Italian varietals and wines from boutique Italian wineries. Specific wines from the highlighted region will be suggested with each course.

The cost is $45 per person plus tax, gratuity and beverage. Seatings are available from 5 - 9 p.m. Santi will be only open for the Supper Club this evening. Reservations required.

Upcoming dates and featured regions:

April 27, 2008: Abruzzo region featuring whole, slow roasted goat with onion and sage

May 25, 2008: Rome featuring a spring lamb menu

New Geyserville Restaurant, Diavola, Continues Success of Santi

Slated to open in May 2008, Chef Dino Bugica will move two doors down to be the head chef at Santi's new sister restaurant, Diavola. Featuring wood-oven baked artisanal and seasonal Italian pizzas, Diavola will be a more casual dining outpost and will also offer many of the house-made products for retail sale, including house-cured meats and salumi, cheeses, salads and soups.

Diavola will retain the original structural integrity of the building it will inhabit and exude an Italian rustic feel, highlighted by the original brick walls and wooden floors.

Taverna Santi

21047 Geyserville Avenue

Geyserville, CA 95441

(707) 857-1790

www.tavernasanti.com

HOTELS AND INNS

Wine Country Inn Savor Special

Savor Sonoma wine country in the peaceful winter and early spring, and awaken your taste buds with these value-filled packages offered by Wine Country Inns of Sonoma County members.

Sonoma Taster:

This package is FREE to our guests and includes:

Wine Country Inns welcome

Wine Country Inns cookbook - retail value $25

Complimentary reserve tasting for two at your innkeeper's favorite

winery - retail value $40 per couple

$100 voucher for dinner at your innkeeper's favorite restaurant

Sonoma Vintage:

Includes the Sonoma Taster package, plus a voucher for two 1-1/2 hour massages by your innkeeper's favorite massage therapist - $250

Sonoma Connoisseur:

Includes the Sonoma Taster and Vintage packages, plus a three hour custom wine tour for two with your innkeeper's favorite touring company - $500

Packages are available with a consecutive three-plus night stay at any one of the Wine Country Inns member inns, subject to availability. Valid through April 30, 2008.

Holiday and event weekends are excluded. Call our members directly, or book your package at 1-800-946-3268.

www.winecountryinns.com

Luxury Vacation Condos in Historic Glen Ellen

Six luxurious units in Glen Ellen's historic Chauvet are available for vacation rental. There are two units per floor, each with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The arrangement at the Chauvet allows for maximum flexibility for groups or families of almost any size as the units may be rented individually, or by the whole floor or building.

Hotel Chauvet was originally built in 1906 and celebrated its centennial with a spectacular restoration and renovation, painstakingly accomplished over two years. The Chauvet has just received a prestigious award from the Sonoma Valley League for Historic Preservation.

The result is an historic landmark building with six luxurious condominiums, rejuvenated with locally made brick and reappointed by craftsmen, while upscale interior and state-of-the art amenities have been added.

Each unit is generously sized at almost 2,000 square feet. The large master bedrooms include a huge walk-in closet. The other two bedrooms in each unit are spacious as well. Bathrooms boast designer fixtures, whirlpool tubs and separate, glass enclosed showers, with some handicapped accessible features in the downstairs units.

Glenelly Properties

5131 Warm Springs Road

Glen Ellen, CA 95442

(707) 996-6720

[email protected]

Creekside Inn & Resort Opens Nature's Cottages

The Creekside Inn and Resort in Guerneville, known as a family-friendly nature venue in the Russian River resort area of Sonoma County, has opened 12 new eco-friendly Nature's Cottages.

The cottages are located high in the redwood trees with views of the creek or pool yard. Double-panel, Low E brand windows and solar energy are just some of the eco-friendly details. Furnished to fit with the environment with generously sized cedar log furniture, the cottages are light and airy with private decks and full kitchens. The new Nature's Cottages add 12 rooms to the existing six inn rooms and 10 cottages.

The beauty of the area and the importance of sustaining it for future generations were the inspiration for the ecologically sustainable green practices considered throughout construction. Throughout the resort, only nontoxic cleaning and gardening products, renewable energy, and reusable and recyclable guest amenities are used. The resort also practices water conservation.

Media contact: Nina Laramore

Laramore Communications

(707) 546-7525, [email protected]

www.laramorecommunications.com.

Public contact:

The Creekside Innand Resort

(707) 869-3623, 1-800-776-6586

www.creeksideinn.com.

SPAS

Cleanse and Renew ... Naturally at Osmosis

Deeper health, vitality, and balance are within reach. The secret is respect for the rhythms of Mother Nature.

The new three-week Osmosis Jump Start Cleanse offers guests a deeply transformative approach to guide them on their journey to wellness. When followed, the program can naturally reduce fatigue, ease anxiety, boost circulation, enhance skin tone, and restore a sense of inner tranquility.

The uniquely powerful combination of complementary treatments are designed to heal both inside and out, helping the body eliminate lymphatic waste, while enhancing digestion, nutrient acquisition, and immunity.

Guests will enjoy a series of warming cedar enzyme bath treatments, designed to bring inner peace, optimize health, and restore radiant skin. Previously available only in Japan, the unique baths are a mixture of light, fragrant cedar fibers, rice bran, and more than 600 active enzymes that ferment and heat naturally.

Finally, soothing lymphatic massages remove toxins from tissues, increase immunity, and boost energy, encouraging the body's natural return to balance.

Osmosis

209 Bohemian Hwy

Freestone, CA 95472

(707)823-8231

www.osmosis.com

ART SHOWS

California-Style Watercolors

Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery, Bodega Bay's newest fine art gallery, grouped with Local Color Gallery and the Ren Brown Collection, offers its historic and educational exhibition of fine original watercolors from the "Regionalist" or "WPA" movement.

The exhibit, which runs through April 27, includes important artists such as Milford Zornes, who is considered the last of the California-style watercolorists and just celebrated his 100th birthday with a demonstration at the Pasadena Museum of California Art and various museum exhibitions and a new book.

Also, works from Phil Dike, Maurice Logan, Thelma Speed Houston, Jake Lee, Jade Fon and Ralph Baker are featured. Out-of-print books and memorabilia will also be featured in a comfortable environment.

Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery

1580 Eastshore Road

Bodega Bay, CA 94923

(707) 875-2911

www.bodegabayheritagegallery.com

The di Rosa Preserve: Art & Nature Announces Two Spring Exhibitions

Spring exhibits in the Gatehouse Gallery at the di Rosa Preserve will feature "Bay Area Ceramic Sculpture: Collection in Context" on display through May 17. Many of the artists featured have been at the forefront of testing the limits of the ceramic medium in every way, from scale to imagery. The di Rosa collection features exemplary works by such Bay Area luminaries as Robert Arneson, Stephen De Staebler, Viola Frey, Jim Melchert and Richard Shaw.

"Lewis deSoto: Tales of Power" is running May 31 through July 19. Lewis deSoto is known for working in a wide range of media, from intimate to large-scale public art commissions, exploring an equally wide range of themes and subjects.

Business Contact: