The annual Wind to Wine Festival returns to the historic hay barn at Gambonini Family Ranch on Aug. 10 for an afternoon of sipping, sampling and discoveries.
Hosted by the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance, Wind to Wine celebrates wines from the windswept Petaluma Gap appellation. The event’s grand tasting includes selections from over 25 local producers, along with wine-friendly bites from the girl & the fig and artisan cheeses from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company.
Named for a gap in the coastal mountain range that funnels cool wind and fog east from the Pacific Ocean through the city of Petaluma and south to San Pablo Bay, the Petaluma Gap achieved American Viticultural Area (AVA) status in 2017. The AVA is known as a top producer of Sonoma County Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah wines.
“The fog and wind from the Pacific Ocean play a crucial role in shaping the wines from grapes grown in the Petaluma Gap, giving them a distinctive blend of generous acidity and rich textures that linger on the palate,” says participating vintner Tony Lombardi, founder of Lombardi Wines in Petaluma. “The Wind to Wine Festival is a unique tasting because we’re a band of small family wine businesses, eager to connect with people by sharing our stories and wines.”
New at the festival this year is a trio of seated seminars for VIP ticket holders, hosted by local winemakers and vintners such as Garry Brooks of Brooks Note Winery in Petaluma and Randy Bennett of Sojourn Cellars in Sonoma. The immersive workshops include an exploration of the region’s cool-climate white wines, a comparison with the wines of Burgundy, and a deep dive into wines from the celebrated Gap’s Crown and Sangiacomo’s Roberts Road vineyards.
Festival tickets range from $90 for general admission to $145 for VIP tickets, which include early entry and access to one seminar.
Wind to Wine Festival, Gambonini Ranch, 7325 Old Lakeville Road No. 3, Petaluma, petalumagap.com