Discover Something New in Sonoma's Wine Country
SONOMA COUNTY, CA, March 13, 2009 - Visit Sonoma's wine country today and you may just find a new favorite winery, eatery or activity.
Sonoma County, located 30 miles from San Francisco, is America's premier wine, spa and coastal destination, featuring more than 250 wineries and 50-plus miles of stunning Pacific coast. For a free visitors guide or information on accommodations, wineries, events, spas, attractions, and dining in Sonoma County, visit www.SonomaCounty.com or call (800) 576-6662.
Events and Activities
Bruce Willis to be Honored at Sonoma International Film Festival
April 1-5
Various venues in Sonoma
(707) 933-2600
sonomafilmfest.org
Sonoma International Film Festival, an annual celebration of film, food, wine and music, celebrates Bruce Willis and his rich body of work with a lifetime achievement award on Saturday, April 4, as part of the festivities. This 12th anniversary event will feature more than 75 independent movies from around the globe, including Spain, Japan, Mexico, Sweden, and France, as well as many films from local Bay Area artists.
Tickets: http://travel.sonomacounty.com/1390_attraction-info_a750.html?ticketID=2861 or (800) 914-7511.
Tour de Force -- A Discovery of Chalk Hill Road
April 4
The Chalk Hill Road Collective
(707) 657-4835
chalkhill.com/NewsEvents/Calendar
Four Chalk Hill Road wineries -- Chateau Felice, Verite, Chalk Hill, and Lancaster Estate -- come together to present a day of fine wines, delectable foods, and a discovery of winemaking philosophies, and vineyard practices. Take advantage of this opportunity to enhance your personal collection with wines from the Chalk Hill Road wineries.
Timber Crest Farms Neighborhood Celebration
May 31
(707) 433-0422
www.timbercrest.com
More than 10 different and amazing small family producers, all in one beautiful location! This neighborhood is home to four wineries, one collaborative tasting room of six individual wineries, an olive oil producer and more. Wineries include: Amphora, Kokomo, Papapietro Perry, Peterson Wineries. The Family Wineries Tasting Room consists of: Collier Falls, Dashe Cellars, Forth, Lago di Merlo, Mietz Cellars and Philip Staley Vineyards. The Dry Creek Olive Company offers tastes of olive oils and crushes olives during the fall season. Grey Creek Viticultural Services is the area's own root stock company. Taste wines, sample gourmet foods, take in the beauty that is the Dry Creek Valley.
http://travel.sonomacounty.com/2138_ticket-list_m1368_r564402.html
Live Entertainment; Winemaker Dinners; Sunday Brunches by the Sea
March 19, April 24, May 15, June 18, July 17, Aug. 21
Timber Cove Inn
21780 North Coast Hwy 1
Timber Cove, CA 95450
(707) 847-3231
(800) 987-8319
www.timbercoveinn.com
Timber Cove Inn pairs its prime coastal location with a new series of monthly winemaker dinners in Alexander's, Timber Cove's new restaurant, which will pair local wines with a six-course tasting menu and, of course, stunning ocean views. Upcoming dates are March 19, Scharffenberger Cellars; April 24, Paradise Ridge Winery; May 15, Patz & Hall; June 18, Peterson Winery; July 17, Henriot Champagne Cellars; and Aug. 21, Cline Cellars. Beginning April 5, Alexander's will add Sunday brunch service every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Brunch includes a delightful spread of fresh seafood, salads, egg dishes and more.
Making Life Easier for Travelers
Travel Information in Your Language
Sonoma County Tourism Bureau
420 Aviation Blvd., Suite 106
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(800) 576-6662
(707) 522-5800
www.sonomacounty.com
The weak dollar created an opportunity to lure international visitors here, and Sonoma County Tourism Bureau was ahead of the curve, working to build consumer sites in several languages. The first international site to launch is German, http://de.sonomacounty.com. According to research, German visitors to the San Francisco Bay Area, the main feeder market for Sonoma County, will increase by about 30 percent. With this site, Sonoma County is positioned to be California's wine country of choice among German visitors.
Charles M. Schulz -Sonoma County Airport now offers free Wi-Fi
2290 Airport Boulevard
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Sonoma County Airport: http://www.sonomacountyairport.org/
Sonic.net: http://sonic.net
Horizon Air: http://www.alaskaair.com
Free access to wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) is now offered at Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport (STS), courtesy of Sonic.net. Travelers and visitors to the Airport can use their laptops and smart phones to conduct business, send e-mail, play games, or cruise the Internet while waiting for their flight to depart. The new hot spot includes the terminal lobby, passenger hold building, Sky Lounge Restaurant and their patio, the breezeway, and limited areas in front of the terminal. Horizon Air offers nonstop service to and from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle from the Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport.
'Green' Activities
EcoRing: 'Green' Activities, Adventures a Click Away
Guerneville, CA 95446
(707) 869-3263
www.EcoRing.org
EcoRing's website is full of resources that expand the adventure offerings in Sonoma County. If you're interested in "green" vacations, visit http://ecoring.org/event_categories and discover a new way to explore. You can search by category, city or view the entire list. Each listing has its own contact information.
Golf
The Links at Bodega Harbour: $1.2 Million Golf Course Renovation
21301 Heron Dr.
Bodega Bay, CA 94923
(866) 90-LINKS
(707) 875-3538
www.bodegaharbourgolf.com
The Links at Bodega Harbour underwent a $1,200,000 golf course renovation including widening the fairways, converting the greens from poa annua to bent grass, repositioning bunkers and drainage improvements. Golf course architect Robert Trent Jones, Jr. returned to The Links at Bodega Harbour to make the design enhancements to the course such as regrading all 18 greens and reshaping 94 bunkers. The greens conversion to bent grass allows the ball to roll truer, widening the fairways makes the course more playable, eliminating the penal bunkers shortens the playing time and the drainage improvements provides excellent playing conditions all year round.
Foxtail Golf Club: Stay on Course with GPS Carts
100 Golf Course Drive
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
(707) 584-7766
www.playfoxtail.com
Foxtail has GPS! Foxtail is the only course in Sonoma County with carts equipped with GPS. This provides accurate yardage readings to the holes, check for hazards, and it keeps score. The North Course has been reopened after an extensive reconstruction effort that created an entirely new course. The new design for the North Course promotes golfer-friendliness, but can offer the most skilled golfer multiple challenges if he or she chooses to take the necessary risks. And with 36 holes, Foxtail can host tournaments while, at the same time, have 18 holes open to the public. Other improvements have occurred at Foxtail, in addition to those on the North and South courses. Golfers can now look forward to a quality experience whose amenities include a new sports bar and remodeled banquet facilities, positioned on opposite sides of the clubhouse area.
Tours
Saddle Up for Vineyard Rides through Roche Carneros Estate Winery
Through April 1
28700 Arnold Drive
Sonoma, CA 95476
JasonKlein
(707) 935-7115
www.rochewinery.com
Roche Winery and Horse N' Around Trail Rides are offering guided trail rides twice a day (weather permitting) through April 1. Tour the Roche family's historic ranch and vineyards on horseback followed by a tasting of handcrafted wines for a once-in-a-lifetime experience! This 90-minute guided horseback tour takes you through 100 acres of chardonnay, syrah and pinot noir vineyards and an operating cattle ranch in southern Sonoma Valley. The horseback tour ends in the Roche Winery Tasting Room with a complimentary tasting of award-winning wines and free barrel tastings. Advanced reservations are required.
Take a Sonoma Walking Tour with General Vallejo
19295 Gehricke Road
Sonoma, CA 95476
George Webber
(707) 694-5097
The Sonoma Walking tour has been recast as a "premium" historic experience featuring tour creator George Webber as its sole guide. Historian and actor George Webber leads the tour while performing as General Vallejo in what is far more than a regular walking tour. Specifically designed for the "intellectually adventurous," the new tour is like going back to college for two hours. Tour fee includes Sonoma Historic State Park admission and a complimentary beverage at tour end at Murphy's Irish Pub.
Wineries
Thomas George Estates Winery Now Open
Thomas George Estates
8075 Westside Road
Healdsburg, CA 95448
(707) 431-8031
thomasgeorgeestates.com
Media Contact: Michele Barnell
(707) 431-8031, [email protected]
Thomas George Estates, owned and operated by the Baker family, is a Russian River Valley winery dedicated to the production of handmade, small-lot wines that express the unique characteristics of each varietal and vineyard. The team farms and produces Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from three distinct vineyards -- Baker Ridge, Starr Ridge and Cresta Ridge -- all located in different parts of the Russian River Valley. Share the dream, passion and commitment. The tasting room is open to the public.
Adler Fels Opens New Tasting Room
Adler Fels Winery Tasting Room
9575 Sonoma Highway
Kenwood, CA 95452
(707) 833-6131
www.adlerfels.com
Media Contact: Dana Fehler
(707) 569-1493, [email protected]
Adler Fels Winery has opened a new tasting room in the heart of the beautiful Sonoma Valley. The tasting room gives wine lovers a place to sample and purchase Adler Fels, Big Ass, Coyote Creek, and Leaping Lizard brands. The tasting room sells gift items including posters, apparel, gourmet food, and other local artisan products. Lovely picnic grounds are available for visitors to use.
Moshin Vineyards Goes 'Off the Grid'
10295 Westside Road
Healdsburg, CA 95448
Media and Public Contact: Amber Moshin
Moshin Vineyards
(707)433-5499
www.moshinvineyards.com
Moshin Vineyards uses solar power to generate its own electricity at the winery in Healdsburg. The system generates 48 kilowatts of electricity that allows the winery to be "off the grid" with the exception of a few peak production months. Energy efficiency has always been a high priority at Moshin Vineyards. The winery uses a four-tier gravity flow system for moving wine without the use of a pump, ultimately reducing the winery�s demand for energy. Also, the winery has in-house nitrogen production, which allows for fewer deliveries of heavy nitrogen tanks and outputs oxygen (the by-product of nitrogen production). Tours of the gravity-flow winery are available by appointment.
Boutique Wineries Find New Outlet in Cellars of Sonoma
133 Fourth Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
(707) 578-1826
Scott Jordan, Cellars of Sonoma
(707) 578-1826
www.cellarsofsonoma.com
Boutique vintners have a new place to showcase their small-lot wines in Santa Rosa's downtown Railroad Square. Cellars of Sonoma's tasting room will feature Ty Caton, Gann Family Cellars, T.R. Elliott and DuNah Vineyard & Winery and more. The tasting room is in a turn-of-the-century building once home to the old Silver Dollar, JM Rosens and Mix restaurant.
Superior Pinot Produced by Lutea
446 Orchard Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
(707) 592-0568 p.
Winemaker and Owner Suzanne Hagins
www.luteapinotnoir.com
Open by appointment only, Lutea produces small lots of pinot noir from vineyards within California's cool North Coast region, including the Carneros, Russian River Valley and Anderson Valley appellations. Winemaker Suzanne Hagins works exclusively with growers who are committed to superior quality by using organic and biodynamic techniques. These sustainable practices allow the team to craft wines with greater complexity and sense of place, while caring for worker health and the environment.
Littorai Builds 'Green' Winery
Sebastopol, CA 95472
(707) 823-9586
littorai.com
Littorai Wines Estate Winery has completed construction and is now open by appointment only. Situated between Sebastopol and Freestone, the facility is located on 30 acres of rolling hills on a ridge top in the Sonoma Coast American Viticultural Area. The facility is an innovative, environmentally sensitive building, constructed of straw bale and incorporates gravity flow. All of the process waste from winemaking is recycled through a constructed wetlands system and re-used for vineyard and property irrigation. The winery presents a unique opportunity to tour a biodynamic farm and learn about this exceptional agricultural method, which offers long-term solutions to the future of farming.
Restaurants
The Blue Heron Restaurant Reopens!
Moscow Road at Highway 116
Duncans Mills, CA 95430
(707) 865-2261
The Blue Heron Restaurant is now open! Tom O'Bryan with his brother Jamie O'Bryan are the new owners. Check out this classic pub and restaurant, the perfect stop on the way back from the coast. The new owners revive some of the favorites -- blue burgers, fish and chips, and vegetarian pasta -- and start some new classics. Eight beers on tap at the tavern. Music also returns. In the summer, enjoy dining on the patio.
Uncork Your Appetite at Corks at Russian River Vineyards
5700 Gravenstein Hwy North
Forestville, CA 95436
(707) 887-3344
www.russianrivervineyards.com
Corks at Russian River Vineyards is the only winery-based restaurant in the Russian River Valley, offering an unparalleled wine country dining experience in an historic 1890s farmhouse. Savor the creative cuisine of Chef Gregory Hallihan, whose eclectic style draws upon flavors from the Pacific Rim, California, New Mexico and Thailand. A four-course, prix fixe menu is offered Thursday through Sunday, from 5-9 p.m. for $29.95 per person. The menu changes weekly to capture the very best seasonal produce from local purveyors. In addition to soup, salad and dessert, you can choose from three entrees, one of which is always vegetarian. Wednesday nights is Pasta King Night, featuring the fine fare of Sonoma County's ever-popular Art Ibleto, best known as "The Pasta King."
American Classics with a Whiskey Back at Jack and Tony's Restaurant
115 4th Street, Santa Rosa
(707) 526-4347
www.jackandtonys.com
Jack and Tony's is open for business in Santa Rosa's Railroad Square. The restaurant focuses on American comfort classics and an extensive whiskey-tasting menu. It's the second restaurant for Chef Jack Mitchell, of Sassafras. The restaurant will be open for lunch Monday through Friday and dinner Monday through Saturday. Sunday brunch will also be featured.
Your Earth Friendly Dining Choice at GG's Earth and Surf
630 3rd Street
Santa Rosa, CA
(707) 528-1445
www.ggsearthandsurf.com
GG's Earth and Surf embraces simple and sophisticated dining with its earth friendly approach to the food. The menu is infused with regional sensibility using the best local and artisanal ingredients. Offering the freshest sustainable seafood, organic and local produce within a 150-mile radius, this naturally makes the food delicious.
Graziano's Vodika Lounge: A 'Cool' Way to Discover Petaluma
170 Petaluma Blvd. North
Petaluma, California 94952
(707) 762-5997
www.grazianosristorante.com
Petaluma's restaurant row has a new kid on the block -- a striking, state-of- the-art glass ice box called The Vodika Lounge. Here, trend-setting tasters don faux fur coats and hats and experience exotic vodkas from around the world. Vodka bars are far more likely to be big-city glam, yet it is here, some 40 miles north of the sophisticated bars and restaurants of San Francisco, that Northern California's first entirely custom-built, 28-degree temperature controlled Vodika Lounge has launched to considerable acclaim from locals and regional vodka aficionados alike.
Community Night at the Roadhouse Restaurant at Dawn Ranch Lodge
16467 Hwy 116 / River Rd.
Guerneville, CA 95446
(707) 869-0656
www.dawnranch.com
Discover this western Sonoma County treasure with the community night three-course dinner for only $20 a person. Offered on Monday nights beginning at 6:30, this is a great way to discover something new on the menu at this historic lodge.
Cafe Azul: No Limits on Taste
521 Fourth St.
Santa Rosa, CA 95401 Map
(707) 636-0180
The menu is currently limited to coffee, espresso drinks and pastries, and they hope to expand to more food service in the coming months.
Hotels and Lodging
Fairfield Inn & Suites Santa Rosa: New Name, Same Great Service
1101 Gravenstein Highway South
Sebastopol, CA 95472 USA
(707) 829-6677
Sales: (707) 829-6677 ext. 184
Hotelier Kirk Lok, the Lok Group, announced that his property, formerly Holiday Inn Express in Sebastopol, is now Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites Santa Rosa. This nonsmoking hotel offers 82 spacious rooms with a warm contemporary design that features 32-inch LG flat screen HD/TV, and suite rooms with separate cozy living area. The lobby's stone fireplace entices you to sit and relax for a while after a day of exploring. Guestrooms offer cozy plush bedding to snuggle into at night. And the signature breakfast offers a hot entree as you get ready to meet the day.
Gaige House Joins Joie de Vivre Family
13540 Arnold Drive
Glen Ellen, CA 95442
(800) 935-0237
www.jdvhotels.com
Gaige House in Glen Ellen has joined California's largest boutique hotel collection. Joie de Vivre assumed management of the luxurious 23-room wine country hotel as part of its ongoing California expansion program. The upscale wine country hotel is located near wineries, quaint boutiques and art galleries, offering guests an authentic California travel experience. To mark joining Joie de Vivre Hotels, the Gaige House is offering a Zen Suites package priced from $275 per night. Guests can enjoy a savings of $50 off the best available rate Sunday through Thursday through June 30. The package includes one-night in a 715-square-foot Zen Suite, a bottle of Hanzell Chardonnay and a private tour for two of Hanzell Vineyards. The Gaige House Zen Suites package can only be booked online at http://www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/gaigehouse using the promo code "zengaige."
Renovated Inn Opens
Timber Cove Inn
Jenner, CA 95450
(707) 847-3231
www.timbercoveinn.com
The historic Timber Cove Inn on the ruggedly beautiful Sonoma County coast has just completed a renovation and hired a new executive chef. The 50-room hotel features stunning views, a massive stone fireplace/bar, fine dining and hot tubs or fireplaces in most rooms. The refurbishing included new carpet, drapes, bedding, soft goods, bar and kitchen equipment, and renovation of the lobby, bar and restaurant. The Inn's menu has a new focus on local ingredients that include organic fruits and vegetables, Sonoma cheeses, organic farm-raised chicken, lamb, and local seafood including oysters from Tomales Bay, salmon and Dungeness crab. The wine list will focus primarily on acclaimed Sonoma wines from the Sonoma Coastal appellation but also wines throughout the region. The Inn will host special events featuring local musicians, wine tastings, stargazing and other treats specific to the beautiful Sonoma Coast.
Wine Cellar Week Package Available at BeautifulPlaces
800-495-9961
(707) 996-0266
www.beautifulplaces.com
Many wine enthusiasts (novices or seasoned collectors) come to Sonoma County with one thought - adding to their wine cellar. There are so many wineries, so many options, so many choices. BeautifulPlaces now offers a "Wine Cellar Week," which includes a pre-arrival questionnaire and private consultation with a wine collecting expert who will map out a week of vineyard visits personalized to the guests wine cellar specifications. BP will also arrange special reserve tastings and other VIP activities at the wineries and in the guests' villa. Villas can accommodate from six to 12 guests. Added incentive before the summer rush - at selected villas up to May 31, BP will include the sixth night free.
From Farm to Table with Chef Sarah Scott Now at Beautiful-Places
800-495-9961
(707) 996-0266
www.beautifulplaces.com
Wine country chef Sarah Scott will plan a gourmet dinner with BP guests and then escort them to local farms and epicurean outlets where they'll take their shopping list. Then it's off to a local winery where they'll learn how to find the right wines to pair with their dinner. Finally back to their villa's gourmet kitchen where they will cook with Sarah and sit down to a once-in-a-lifetime feast.
Romantic, Natural Wedding Venue at Dawn Ranch Lodge & Roadhouse Restaurant
16467 Hwy 116 / River Rd.
Guerneville, CA 95446
(707) 869-0656
www.dawnranch.com
With 15-acres of redwoods and gardens along the Russian River, 53 historic cabins, Roadhouse Restaurant and full bar, Dawn Ranch Lodge has found it's niche as a wedding destination for couples nationwide. The Knot Magazine calls Dawn Ranch Lodge in the Russian River Valley "Nature's Finest."
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
