Taste of Sonoma at Home Lineup Revealed

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (August 25, 2020) – Today Sonoma County Vintners announces the talent and schedule for Taste of Sonoma at Home. Guests can register for innovative online webinars that include incredible, talented winemakers and culinary experts of Sonoma County throughout the month of September. These exceptional programs encourage consumers to take a virtual journey to Sonoma County to explore new varietals, food and wine pairings and discover new wineries as well as restaurants from the comfort of their home.

“We are thrilled to curate these exclusive programs to continue to show the world how our wine community and our essential culinary partners are unique. They truly make Sonoma County a special place,” says Sonoma County Vintners Executive Director Michael Haney. “Whether you are a sparkling wine lover, interested in learning more about wine production styles, or ready to try a new recipe for pairing wine at home, there is really something for everyone with this lineup!”

The 2020 Taste of Sonoma at Home Free Programming Lineup Includes:

Farm-to-Table Wine + Cooking Class with Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens
Sep 2, 2020 at 4 p.m.
Join Kendall-Jackson Winery for an interactive Farm-to-Table Wine & Cooking Class hosted by Winemaker Randy Ullom, and Executive Chef Justin Wangler. Randy will walk through Sonoma County fan favorites such as Kendall-Jackson’s Fulton Ranch Chardonnay and Petaluma Gap Pinot Noir, while Justin demonstrates a few recipes from their Season cookbook. Vegetables and herbs will be harvested from the Kendall-Jackson gardens with a special appearance by Tucker Taylor, Master Gardener. This program serves as a virtual teaser for when Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens hosts next year’s Taste of Sonoma on September 4, 2021. 

Sparkling Sonoma
September 4, 2020 at 4 p.m.
Guests can explore the methods and techniques for making sparkling wine and discover several varieties made in Sonoma County.

• Featuring Jen Walsh of La Crema, Chris Christensen of Bodkin Wines, Kathleen Inman of Inman Family Wines, Nicole Hitchcock of J Vineyards & Winery and moderated by Maria Hunt of TheBubblyGirl.com.

All-Star Sonoma Chef Collaboration
Hosted by Francis Ford Coppola
September 9, 2020 at 4 p.m.
Francis Ford Coppola Winery will host a virtual restaurant dining collaboration, featuring all-star Sonoma County Chefs: Tim Bodell from RUSTIC, Dustin Valette from Valette Healdsburg, and Mark Stark from Bravas Bar de Tapas! Each chef will demonstrate one course for a progressive dinner with one common summer ingredient carried throughout each dish. Winemaker, Natalie Dale, will taste and pair each dish from Francis Ford Coppola’s Reserve limited production wines that showcase distinctive vineyards from Sonoma’s renowned appellations. Webinar guests will experience an unforgettable Sonoma County dinner feast for inspiration.

New Gen, Old Wine
September 11, 2020 at 4 p.m.
One of the aspects that makes Sonoma County unique are the amazing families that are an integral part of the wine community. Many of the founding families in wine are still producing great wines today with several generations participating in the business. During this webinar, guests can get to know these experts and their fresh takes on classic techniques. They will hear about their golden memories in the process and hear about an old wine from their family’s cellar.

• Panelists include Alan Ramey of Ramey Cellars, Nicole Bacigalupi of Bacigalupi Vineyards, Cecilia Enriquez of Enriquez Estate, Alexia Pellegrini of Pellegrini-Olivet Lane and moderated by Lise Asimont, consulting Viticulturalist, Adjunct Faculty at Santa Rosa Junior College Farm Manager at Prudential, and Viticulturalist at Dot Wines.

Quarantine Kitchen with Bricoleur Vineyards
September 16, 2020 5:30 p.m.
Bricoleur Vineyards will stream a live interactive cooking class with Executive Chef Shane McAnelly for guests to sip and eat from the comfort of their own home. Chef Shane will be cooking favorite summer hors d’oeuvres recipes: Peach and cucumber soup paired with 2018 Kick Ranch Sauvignon Blanc, eggplant caponata crostini paired with 2018 Estate Chardonnay, zucchini pickles paired with 2019 Kick Ranch Rosé of Grenache. 

It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhoods
Presented by The Press Democrat
September 18, 2020 4 p.m.
Guests can take a virtual tour through Russian River Valley neighborhoods and learn the key variations for each location and the role it plays in fine Pinot Noir. The audience can pull up a virtual chair to soak up the mouth-watering facts from esteemed winemakers on this virtual journey within Sonoma County.

• Speakers are Jeff Stewart of Hartford Family Winery, Natalie Dale of Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Akiko Freeman of Freeman Vineyard and Winery and will be moderated by Mike Sullivan of Benovia Winery.

Harvest Beyond the Grape
September 25, 2020 at 4 p.m.
Many Sonoma County wineries have more than vineyard crops they tend to throughout the year. During this webinar, guests will hear from winery representatives about the importance of biodiversity to them and how they honor nature’s rhythms. In addition, they will share what seasonal produce they are pairing with their wines now.

• A representative from Medlock Ames will join the panel as well as Megan Cline of Cline Family Cellars, Evan LaNouette of DaVero Farms & Winery, and Lisa Amaroli of Benziger Family Winery.

To learn more and sign up for the email distribution list, visit TasteofSonoma.com.

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About Taste of Sonoma at Home
Taste of Sonoma at Home, showcases Sonoma County’s renowned wineries and chefs and offers wine and culinary enthusiasts access to taste and experience Sonoma County from home. The more than month-long immersive lineup will include themed wine pairings, chef demonstrations, guided wine seminars and more.

About Sonoma County Vintners
Sonoma County Vintners is the leading voice of Sonoma County wine, dedicated to raising awareness of Sonoma County as one of the world’s premier wine regions which was named Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast in 2019. Sonoma County Vintners represents over 260 wineries throughout the county. The organization actively promotes Sonoma County through educational programming; advocates for its members at local, state and federal levels; and contributes to the local communities through our Sonoma County Vintners Foundation. Sonoma County Wine Auction, its annual fundraiser, has raised over $36 million benefitting non-profit organizations throughout the region. To learn more about Sonoma County Vintners, visit sonomawine.com.

About Kendall-Jackson
Kendall-Jackson is one of America’s most beloved family-owned and operated wineries. The winery’s flagship wine, the Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, has been America’s favorite Chardonnay for over 27 years. Founded by entrepreneur and visionary Jess Jackson in 1982, and now led by his wife Barbara Banke and the Jackson family, Kendall-Jackson is based in Sonoma County and offers a range of acclaimed wines grown on the family’s estate vineyards along the coastal ridges of California. Kendall-Jackson is the benchmark for sustainable wine endeavors, setting the precedent for advancement in solar, water, and vineyard practices. Wine Enthusiast Magazine recently named Kendall-Jackson the 2017 American Winery of the Year, one of the wine industry’s most distinguished accolades. Recognized as a leader in the industry for more than three decades, Kendall-Jackson has built a reputation centered around consistent, high-quality wines that are available nationwide in national grocery stores, boutique wine retailers, and restaurants throughout globally. Learn more online at www.kj.com, and follow Kendall-Jackson on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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