What's New & Notable in Sonoma County

WHAT'S NEW & NOTABLE IN SONOMA COUNTY Summer in Sonoma County has a nice ring to it; green vineyards carpet the rolling hills, shirtsleeves, and sundresses at a myriad of events, longer, warmer days to enjoy a glass of rose, and sunsets over the Pacific.

New on the Wellbeing Scene: Vintners Resort Garden Tours, Santa Rosa Situated on 92 acres of vineyards, Vintners Resort is an intimate, 78-room luxury, California-certified green hotel, located in the heart of Sonoma County wine country.

Explore the property's gardens and vineyards with one of Sonoma County's most knowledgeable gardening experts, Garden Manager, Chris Connell. Bring your gardening questions and dilemmas; Chris is happy to share his expertise.

The experience begins with a glass of sparkling wine and a fresh Amuse Bouche from the garden. The tour concludes with a picnic lunch in the Vintners Resort vineyard.

For Garden Tour reservations, email info@vintnersresort.com, or call 707-575NOMADIC | 24 7350.

Settle Down at Sundown, Sonoma Regional Parks Every other Monday through August enjoy a unique park experience that will leave you feeling grounded and rejuvenated. A new summer series, “Settle Down at Sundown,” focuses on outdoor wellness and relaxation exercises like mindfulness walks, journaling, stretching, and deep breathing at twilight. Various parks throughout Sonoma County include the Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail, Ragle Ranch Regional Park, Tolay Lake Regional Park, Doran Beach Regional Park, Pinnacle Gulch Coastal Access, and Helen Putnam Regional Park. Program registration is required.

New on the Stewardship Scene: A Cleaner Coast Sonoma and neighboring counties - Marin and Mendocino - have launched a coordinated campaign to provide visitor education and outreach to reduce the amount of litter and waste in coastal regions and watersheds through a threeCounty memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the non-profit organization Leave No Trace.

The ongoing partnership includes coordination with federal and state agencies, federally recognized tribes, nonfederally recognized tribes, local jurisdictions, land managers, Sonoma County Tourism, and other communitybased groups across all three counties.

Through its Seven Principles, Leave No Trace provides a framework of minimum impact practices for anyone visiting the outdoors.

Sonoma County Regional Parks River Shuttle Sonoma County residents and visitors looking to swim, float or play at two of Sonoma County's most popular Russian River beaches can avoid the likelihood of full parking lots by taking the Sonoma County Regional Parks River Shuttle this summer. The shuttle service is part of a larger effort to lessen summer traffic impacts at Steelhead and Sunset beaches, where lots often fill by mid-morning.

Shuttle tickets are available at russianrivershuttle.mytrakk.com.

New in Lodging: Dawn Ranch, Guerneville Situated on the banks of the Russian River in Guerneville, the historic Dawn Ranch has played host to vacationers from San Francisco and around the globe since opening in 1905. Known as a wedding venue until 2019, the property has reopened as a full-service luxury resort for the first time in 3 years.

The 15-acre riverfront resort also features cabins, bungalows, and the restaurant Agriculture Public House. Dawn Ranch's on-site kitchen garden provides fresh herbs and vegetables to the restaurant, which is open to guests and locals alike.

The bar offers an extensive wine list with products from local vineyards, besides local craft beers and specialty cocktails.

Live music can be enjoyed on the resort's mai lawn as well as a range of activities including yoga and meditation, sunset wine tastings, creative workshops, and bird watching. Complimentary bicycles, kayaks, and paddle boards are also available.

Refreshed and Reopened: The Sea Ranch Lodge, Sea Ranch The iconic 53-acre property designed by a small group of Bay Area architects and designers in the early 1960s, the Sea Ranch Lodge, has opened the doors to its culinary and artisanal offerings after a multi-million-dollar renovation. The property serves as a beacon of Modernism on the Northern California coast stretching along 10 miles of the Pacific Coastline, It is still operated in the vision of its founders as a progressive, inclusive community, guided by the idealistic principles of good design, the economy of space, and harmony with the natural environment.

The Dining Room delivers a rugged refined dining experience complemented by stunning panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and a menu celebrating fresh local harvests. The Bar + Lounge offers a cozy social environment with fireside cocktails and small bites.

The Café serves health-conscious breakfast and lunch, and at The General Store, there are treasures crafted by local makers and a selection of literature highlighting the history and culture of The Sea Ranch.

New in the Dining Scene: The Madrona Restaurant, Healdsburg The new owners of The Madrona have reimagined the charming Victorian home and divided it into intimate salons, parlors, lounges, a bar, and a spectacular terrace.

Each space has its own vibrant personality rich in antiques, busy wallpaper, eclectic art, and dramatic chandeliers. Framed with lemon-yellow walls and capped with rectangle frames inlaid with a black and white print, the main dining room feels like you're sitting in an elegant candy box.

Guests can wander the pristine property, sipping wine or cocktails as they go. The gorgeous gardens (updated now to great splendor and culinary plantings) are visitor-friendly, including little seating nooks here and there, plus pop-up mobile bars for more drinks and snacks.

The new Madrona ownership asked longtime Executive Chef Jesse Mallgren to stay on board, recognizing that he is the talent who earned the restaurant a coveted Michelin star for 13 years. Chef Mallgren simplified the menu, even though he's now pampered by an expansive new kitchen outfitted with all the bells and whistles.

Unlike the prix-fixe menu of the past, the new Madrona restaurant features seasonal produce in shareable plates inspired by the chef's global travels. Instead of fancy dinner menus gussied up with entertainment like a sundae prepared tableside with liquid nitrogen-churned ice cream, guests are offered a collection of 11 starters/shareable plates and five entrees.

New in the Dining Scene: Little Saint, Healdsburg Little Saint is an entirely plant-based restaurant headed up by the SingleThread power couple, Kyle and Katina Connaughton — and now the cavernous former SHED space houses a coffee bar, cafe, wine shop, and market has been dubbed Little Saint Provisions.

Little Saint's 100 percent plant-based menu is built around produce grown at both Little Saint and SingleThread farms, showcased in dishes like potato and green garlic soup with lovage and caraway oil. Shareable plates from chef de cuisine Bryan Oliver include mokum carrots and shaved red cabbage with crunchy rice and sunflower sprouts or cauliflower biryani for two made with golden raisins, fried onions, and dried rose petals. On a drink menu from Matthew Seigel guests will find both spirit-based and non-alcoholic options. With sustainability in mind, the bar offers “closed loop cocktails,” and drinks created to minimize waste used across the restaurant and bar. Beyond the food and drink offerings, Little Saint is also positioned to become a community arts destination hosting weekly live music, book signings, film screenings, and more.

New in the Dining Scene: Kivelstadt Cellars and Winegarten, Sonoma

New in the Dining Scene: Kancha, Santa Rosa

After a lengthy renovation, Sonoma's Kivelstadt Cellars has reopened with Chef Jennifer McMurry (formerly of Dillon Beach Coastal Kitchen and Viola Restaurant) at the helm. Located at the intersection of Highway 12 and Broadway in Schellville, just south of the town of Sonoma, the space has been transformed into a sprawling wine garden, restaurant, and showcase for its namesake winery.

“Hidden gem” is apropos for this secret Sonoma County experience where kids can roam, dogs have their own menu and there's a tasting lounge for summertime sippers like KC Labs Gravignon Blanc, made with sauvignon blanc and Gravenstein apples; Sparkling Chenin Blanc (light and bubbly); and Twice Removed Rosé.

Restaurant veteran and owner Angel Cayllahua (Roka Akor, La Mar SF) has opened Kancha Champagne Bar & Tapas on 4th Street in Downtown Santa Rosa.

Cayllahua has created a wine list with an extensive selection of Champagne and other bubbly drinks from around the world, along with wine and beer to pair with Peruvian and Japanese small bites meant for sharing. Fresh oysters, seared scallops with passion fruit leche de tigre, crab cakes, ceviches, lomo saltado empanadas, octopus causa, charcuterie platters and a “very adult mac and cheese” with huancaina (a mild yellow chile and cheese sauce) are featured on the menu.

McMurry's airy, seasonal menu includes burrata and sugar snap peas; peach and corn salsa that was a standout at Dillon Beach; peach and mozzarella sandwich with bacon; or the weekend brunch board with avocado, egg salad, hummus, and grilled toast from Santa Rosa's Goguette bakery. Vegan sweet potato tacos dorado and a mushroom Cubano sandwich will satisfy meatless diners.

Coming Soon: Goldfinch, Sebastopol Goldfinch will be headed by Nick Izzarelli, formerly with Stark Reality Restaurants and currently the food and beverage director at The Livery on Main Street. Wood-fired, locally sourced, and sustainable fare will be the focus at Goldfinch, which will also offer creative plant-based dishes with seafood and meats as sides, as well as an excellent selection of both new and old-world wines.

Goldfinch ownership boasts a combined industry experience of over 100 years and plans to charm their guests in a beautiful setting and nourish their souls with rustic healthy and exciting food.

Coming Soon: Kapi Bar, Petaluma

New Sonoma County AVA

Kapu Bar, a restaurant full of islandthemed embellishments, is set to open in fall 2022. Kapu, a Hawaiian word meaning “forbidden,” is part of the adventurous vibe of the bar, with an entrance that looks like a cave of cooled lava, hand-carved wooden totems on every surface and a million other details in the interior. The build-out of the restaurant will include a private Captain's Room full of south seas charm, the larger Silk Room with a 20-foot dancing dragon and antique pachinko games, and the main tiki-hut bar, semienclosed dining huts and an outdoor patio.

Kapu will include a full menu, most likely a modern fusion of flavors from the Pacific Rim, though the menu is still in development.

Wineries located in the cool coastal reaches of Sonoma County now can feature “West Sonoma Coast” on their labels, with the addition of a new American Viticultural Area (AVA) to the wine industry landscape. West Sonoma Coast is the 19th AVA in Sonoma County.

With grapes first planted in West Sonoma Coast in 1817, wine growers contended that their region is unique because of the fog that rolls in from the nearby Pacific Ocean. The result, they said, are wines that deliver elegance equivalent to their Burgundian counterparts in Europe, wines that are both lower in alcohol and higher in

Coming Soon:Oyster, Sebstopol Oyster is founded on two main principles: “the (delicious) culinary pairing of oysters and champagne, and a commitment to the profound environmental benefits of sustainable aquaculture,” The concept is being presented by the team behind nearby Sushi Kosho. Oyster will feature a raw bar and a menu of other shellfishinspired items. They will also have a bubble-forward beverage list showcasing champagnes and sparkling wines from Sonoma County.

acidity. The West Sonoma Coast AVA is a subset of the already-existing Sonoma Coast AVA and covers 141,800 acres, including 1,000 planted grapevines. It encompasses land east of the Pacific Ocean, south of the Mendocino County border, north of the Petaluma Gap AVA, and west of the Russian River AVA.

New is Spirits: Elk Fence Distillery, Santa Rosa After years of patience and determination, Santa Rosa's first craft distillery, Elk Fence Distillery, and its tasting room are now open.

Elk Fence produces three core spirits, including whiskey, gin, and vodka. Briny Deep, an American single malt whiskey, is made with local barley sourced from Admiral Malts in Alameda and Grizzly Malts in Rohnert Park. Aged for two years in new American white oak from Minnesota, it's delightfully drinkable for such a young expression. White Elk is a barley-based vodka that could stand on its own with just ice and a twist of lemon.

Distilled only twice, the spirit retains a subtle sweetness with a hint of malt. Fir Top is a botanical gin made of juniper, coriander, tangerine, and grapefruit from San Francisco Herb Co. It's fresh, citrusy, and destined for a gin and tonic with Fever-Tree tonic.

It took 3 years for owners Scott Woodson and Gail Coppinger to build the distillery, forging ahead with determination throughout the process. Now, after years of delay, the Elk Fence tasting room is open for tastings, tours, and select artisan cocktails.

Events and Festivals Epicurean-focused events like the Bodega Bay Seafood, Art and Wine Festival (Aug. 27-28), and the Sonoma County Wine Auction (Sept. 15-16) highlight the rich and diverse bounty of Sonoma County.

Sonoma County welcomes back live music after a 2-year hiatus, featuring the Rodney Strong Summer Concert Series (July through September), the Petaluma Music Festival(August 6), Summer Nights on the Green in Windsor (June through September), and the Summer on the Square music series (June through August) in Downtown Santa Rosa.

Those looking for a more avant-garde experience can check out the Cotati Accordion Festival, a multi-generational accordion extravaganza (August 20-21), or Rivertown Revival, a music and arts festival on the banks of the Petaluma River (July 23-24).

Also making a return this summer is Gay Wine Weekend, presented by Out in the Vineyard. The three-day weekend (July 1517) is full of LGBTQ events celebrating world-class wine, culinary offerings, music, dancing, and more in Sonoma County.

Another annual LGBTQ favorite – Lazy Bear Week – takes place in Guerneville August 1-8. Activities include pools, hikes, barbecues, wine tours, shows, dances, feasts, and bonfires.

Great cultural events also include the Gravenstein Apple Fair (August 13-14), and Art in the Redwoods Festival (August 18-21).