The Ghost Wineries of Sonoma and Napa Wine Country

By Shana Bull

The term “ghost wineries” may conjure images of restless spirits wandering winery corridors, but it doesn’t refer to haunted vineyard estates. Rather, it describes the handful of California wineries founded in the 19th century that were laid to rest in the wake of a series of challenges in the early 20th century until, years later, they were resurrected by new winemakers.

These historic winery estates offer locals and visitors alike an opportunity to go in search of lost time, while sipping some fine wine, of course. But before we explore the ghost wineries of Sonoma and Napa counties, let’s begin with some history.

At the end of the 19th century, California’s budding wine industry was rapidly expanding. The Gold Rush had drawn an influx of people to Northern California in search of the good life, among them pioneering winemakers from Europe, who imported cuttings from Old World vineyards.

But the early 20th century delivered twin blows to the region’s wineries. First came the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906, which destroyed warehouses full of inventory, and then World War I and its economic challenges.

The passing of the Volstead Act in 1919, banning all manufacturing, sales and consumption of alcoholic beverages, devastated California wineries. Before Prohibition, there were 700 wineries in the state. By the time it was rescinded in 1933, only 40 remained.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, abandoned winery estates fell into disrepair. Some were revived by new owners during later, more favorable times. The resilient few still thrive today.

These long-lived estates, having stood the test of time, are the ghost wineries of California. They’re reminders of the trials faced and the successes achieved by local winemakers and the European immigrants who set the stage for the Wine Country known around the world today. Here are a few to visit.

Buena Vista Winery

Founded in 1857 by Hungarian immigrant Agoston Haraszthy, Buena Vista is the second-oldest winery in California and is often referred to as the oldest premium winery in the state. (The oldest winery in California is D’Agostini Winery, founded in 1856.)

Haraszthy immigrated from Europe in 1840. Following in the footsteps of the forty-niners, he found the perfect terroir for “purple gold” and, as the self-proclaimed Count of Buena Vista, he established a reputation as an experimental vintner, a shrewd businessman and a flamboyant evangelist. He died as he had lived — dramatically — in an alligator-infested river in the jungles of Nicaragua in 1869.

During the Long Depression of 1873-77, the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society, now operating the winery, was forced to liquidate its assets and file for bankruptcy. Phylloxera, an insect pest of grapevines, destroyed the vineyards just before World War I.
Then came Prohibition. In 1941, United Press news executive Frank Bartholomew bought 435 acres of Buena Vista land, replanted some of the original vineyards and restored Haraszthy’s historic winery.

The legend of Haraszthy and his winery is now recreated by Buena Vista owner Jean-Charles Boisset, a modern-day version of the eccentric count. The best way to get a taste of the winery’s history (and some wine) is to reserve the Barrel Tasting & Winery Tour ($50), which takes visitors on a stroll through the winery grounds and into the Champagne Cellar for a taste of current-release wines. The tour continues into the wine caves where guests can sample wine from the barrel.

Be warned, this ghost winery is among those said to be haunted, so don’t be surprised if you see the old count sipping some wine.

18000 Old Winery Road, Sonoma, buenavistawinery.com

Actor George Webber as the Count of Buena Vista. (Buena Vista Winery)
Actor George Webber as the Count of Buena Vista. (Buena Vista Winery)

Gundlach Bundschu Winery

The Bundschu family has farmed their Sonoma Valley vineyard estate for 165 years, making Gundlach Bundschu the oldest “continuously family-owned winery” in California.

The winery was founded by Bavarian-born Jacob Gundlach, who bought 400 acres of land in Sonoma in 1858, named the property Rhinefarm and planted 60,000 vines. Ten years later, Charles Bundschu, from Mannheim, Germany, joined the company and, in 1875, became part of the family when he married Gundlach’s daughter Francisca.

When Jacob Gundlach died in 1894, Bundschu took over the reins of the family business. The winery held its first vintage festival two years later, celebrating harvest with “song, poems and prose.” (The tradition continues to this day with the annual Huichica festival, featuring live music performances, food and wine.)

The 1906 earthquake and fire destroyed the winery’s production facilities, 1 million gallons of wine and three family homes. Charles Bundschu, never fully recovering from the shock of the disaster, died four years later, at 68, from an illness contracted during the fire. His sons, Carl and Walter, assumed control of the family business.

After a brief period of renewed success — including 19 awards in the international wine competition at the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exhibition in San Francisco — Gundlach Bundschu Winery faced another challenge. Prohibition forced the family to close the winery and liquidate the company, with just the family Rhinefarm property remaining.

The family pivoted by selling grapes, including to local winemakers following the end of Prohibition. They didn’t resume wine production until the 1970s, under the leadership of Walter’s grandson, Jim. Jim’s son, Jeff Bundschu, was appointed president of Gundlach Bundschu in 2001. Katie Bundschu, Jim’s daughter, joined the family business on a full-time basis in 2012 and now serves as vice president for marketing and sales.

Visitors to Gundlach Bundschu, or Gun Bun for short, can choose from a variety of experiences, such as a vineyard and cave tour ($75), which includes “legendary stories” about the Bundschu family and their historic winery, or a tour of the property aboard a Swiss army transport vehicle, or Pinzgauer ($105), with stops and tastings along the route.

2000 Denmark St., Sonoma, gunbun.com

View from the Gundlach Bundschu Rhinefarm in Sonoma Valley. (Gundlach Bundschu)

Inglenook

Finnish sea captain Gustave Niebaum arrived in San Francisco in 1868 with a cargo of fur hides and seal skins worth $600,000, collected on an Alaskan journey. He established the Alaska Commercial Co. and grew his fortune.

In 1879, he bought the Inglenook property in Rutherford with dreams of establishing a winery “to rival the very best European chateaus.” His winery chateau was completed eight years later and, in 1889, Inglenook received the Silver Medal for Purity and Excellence at the Paris Exposition Universelle.

The 1906 earthquake and the death of Niebaum in 1908 delivered considerable blows to the winery, which eventually shut down during Prohibition. Niebaum’s widow, Suzanne, then reopened the winery following the repeal of Prohibition, and Niebaum’s grandnephew, John Daniel Jr., continued his granduncle’s legacy from 1939 to 1964.

In 1975, Eleanor and Francis Ford Coppola purchased part of the Inglenook property and produced their first vintage of Rubicon, a red Bordeaux-style blend. Eventually, they bought the historic chateau, which they restored in the late 1990s.

Today, visitors can explore the chateau during a Private Library Tour and Tasting ($125) and sip wine paired with food at the winery’s European-style bistro.

1991 St Helena Highway, Rutherford, inglenook.com

Chateau Montelena

Chateau Montelena, located at the foot of Mount Saint Helena, was founded in 1882 by Alfred Tubbs, an entrepreneur from New Hampshire who came to San Francisco in early 1850.

Tubbs had made a fortune from the rope business during the Gold Rush and, together with his brother Hiram, had established a successful chandlery business and cordage factory in San Francisco. In 1882, he purchased 254 acres of land just north of Calistoga and built a large home and winery, which he named Hillcrest Estate. The original winery burned down and was replaced by two stone buildings, later named Chateau Montelena.

Winemaking at Chateau Montelena ceased with the onset of Prohibition, and Tubbs pivoted to selling grapes. In 1958, the Tubbs family sold the winery to Yort Wing Frank, who, together with his wife, Jeanie, created a Chinese garden and Jade Lake on the property.

Ten years later, the winery sold to Lee and Helen Paschich, who brought in Jim Barrett, a lawyer, as partner. Barrett replanted the vineyard and, in 1976, with Mike Grgić as winemaker, the Chateau Montelena 1973 chardonnay won first place in the white wine section of the historic Judgment of Paris wine competition.

Jim Barrett’s son, Bo Barrett, is now the winemaker at Chateau Montelena. Visitors can taste wines and tour the property by reservation ($55-$120, depending on experience). Limited walk-ins also are available 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.

1429 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga, montelena.com

Chateau Montelena is one of the best Napa wineries for first-time visitors.
The Chinese gardens at Chateau Montelena in Calistoga. (Chateau Montelena)

Hall Wines

In 1873, New England sea captain William Peterson bought 49 acres of land in northern Napa Valley, planted grape vines and set about becoming a winemaker. By 1885, he had completed the construction of a 5,000-square-foot winery, built from solid stone and wood.

Shortly thereafter, phylloxera destroyed Peterson’s vineyards, and the old sea captain decided it was time to return to the East Coast. He sold his vineyard property to San Francisco building contractor Robert Bergfeld, a German immigrant, who chiseled away Peterson’s name above the winery entrance and replaced it with his own.

Bergfeld restored the vineyards and then produced wine for 12 years at his namesake winery before it sold again and then closed during Prohibition. It reopened as the Napa Valley Winery Cooperative after Prohibition was repealed, allowing grape growers who bought into the co-op to ferment, produce and sell their wines at the winery.

In 2003, Kathryn and Craig Hall purchased the Bergfeld Winery. Three years later, they started a seven-year process to restore the historic stone and wood winery building, which had fallen into disrepair.

Today, it serves as a tasting room and visitors center and Hall Wines encompasses nine vineyards, including the historic Bergfeld vineyard, which captain Peterson planted in the late 1800s. Visitors can explore the historic winery and grounds in St. Helena during the Hallmark tour ($75), which also introduces them to the artwork displayed around the property.

401 St. Helena Highway S., St. Helena, hallwines.com

La Jota Vineyard Co. in Angwin. (La Jota Vineyard Co.)

La Jota Vineyard Co.

Founded in 1898 by Frederick Hess, a Swiss immigrant, La Jota earned international recognition when it won a bronze medal for its Blanco wine at the 1900 Paris Exposition and then gold at the St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904.

Despite its early success, the winery didn’t survive Prohibition and remained abandoned for more than 50 years until it was purchased by former oilman Bill Smith in 1974 and reopened in 1982.

In 2005, California wine pioneer Jess Jackson (founder of Kendall-Jackson) and his wife, Barbara Banke, purchased La Jota Vineyard Co. Today, winemaker Chris Carpenter and his team produce small lots of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and chardonnay from the winery’s Howell Mountain vineyards.

This year marks the 125th anniversary of La Jota Vineyard Co. To celebrate, the winery will re-release one of its “most notable and memorable vintages” each month. Visitors can get a taste of history in the original winery building, which Hess built from volcanic ash rock quarried on the property.

1102 Las Posadas Road, Angwin, lajotavineyardco.com

‘Dude, I’m In’: Healdsburg Running Co. Doubles as Social Hub for Runners

By Lonnie Hayes
Rachel Seitz, left, and Emi Gutierrez, both of Santa Rosa, finish their night run during Healdsburg Running Co’s run and a meal afterward at Lepe’s Taqueria in Santa Rosa, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat) 2023

Healdsburg Running Co. calls itself “America’s Wineiest Running Store.”

Through group runs and events, the shop for running shoes and all sorts of striding gear has become, for veteran and newbie runners alike, a social hub where a community built around health and fitness comes together, often over adventure, wine, beer and food.

Store founder Skip Brand, a self-proclaimed “computer nerd” and “running nerd” opened the store in 2015.

The move came after years of working and living in Silicon Valley, including stints at Yahoo and as CEO of Martini Media, a San Francisco digital marketing company. His doctoral degree from Arizona State University is in technology policy.

But after a couple decades in the field he’d decided it was time for a change. He’d bought an 800-square-foot home in Healdsburg in 2005. His store on Center Street came 10 years later.

“What happens, at least in my family, is when you turn roughly 50, you take your day job and stop. And you do your passion,” said Brand, 57.

Running has always been an outlet for him. But he’s never been much of a “solitary runner,” he said. Instead, he enjoys running with others, chatting along the way.

“The great thing about running with someone is that they’ll tell you a lot,” Brand said. “Or, if you’re running, you’ll listen a lot, even if you’re not a great listener.”

The store allowed him to mesh that approach to people with a new business, and with his digital marketing experience, seek to forge a community in Healdsburg centered around running.

“I just set a really simple goal in saying, ‘I want Healdsburg to be ‘Healthsburg,’’” Brand said.

‘The four Cs’

Healdsburg Running Co. is organized around four verticals, or what Brand calls “four Cs”: community, charity, camps and commerce.

The first is about bringing more people into the sport, which can be intimidating for non-runners and first-timers.

Healdsburg Running Co. seeks to ease any anxiety through a diverse, inclusive sense of community. Its runs are described as “beginner-friendly.” Most are based out of single point, be it a tasting room or trailhead. Everyone ends up at the same place, which alleviates the stress of the meetup, Brand said.

Another way to motivate people to run, Brand explained, is with a good cause.

“The store and our runs started with kind of creating a community somewhere that everyone was welcome,” said Brand. “And then when we would do runs, or do a race, it was all based on raising money for a charity,” he said.

The majority of the store’s races partner with the nonprofit foundation Live Like Drew, which helps support the children of vineyard workers who are in need of college scholarships.

Much of the fun at HRC, though, stems from its camplike-approach to runs, treating them as adventure-filled outings.

That can mean pairing up a miles-long workout with a post-run gathering at a local brewery or a meal at a restaurant. The Tuesday ladies-only runs are a hit, often featuring a wine or beer tasting and gear demo. A spinoff Facebook group with more than 470 members includes women lighting out for running events around the world.

Runs for kids and trail-based weekend runs fill out a busy weekly schedule for Healdsburg Running Co.

Brand said a recent run drew about 60 people, who piled into Sprinter vans on their way to Crooked Goat Brewery in Petaluma for a post-run celebration. Petaluma’s Acme Burger was the base for another run, because who doesn’t love a juicy burger and some tater-tots — carb loading — after a workout with friends?

As for commerce, Brand, a former marketing executive, has harnessed social media and enlisted an enthusiastic group of store ambassadors to promote the club and business through its runs, races and product demos.

“The last thing you want to do in retail in today’s world is try to sell something, if that makes sense,” he said. “Especially for (younger people), (they’re) like ‘I don’t want to be sold something — I’ll demo something and see if I like it, or educate me.’ Everything is indirect.”

Case in point: Professional runner David Laney joined a recent Saturday run. He brought along Swedish running shoes by Craft Sportswear for runners to test.

The range and repetition of run options also is part of the magic. They are promoted across the store’s site and social media. If you can’t make one, try for the next. Most runs happen rain or shine.

The youthful energy of Brand’s 15-member staff — large for an independent running store — and their social media fluency keeps it all running smoothly, he said.

Be social, get dirty

Two trends have fueled Healdsburg Running Co.’s success.

One is the appeal of group runs, a major shift in a sport where the solo outing has long held sway in marketing if not personal preference. That’s no longer so, Brand said.

“The running community said, ‘Hey, I’d rather run with somebody if it’s going to be raining out for the month, I can go to the Ladies’ Night when it’s raining because I could suffer with a bunch of other ladies,’” he said. “And they’ll laugh about it, it’s kind of fun.”

The isolation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic is a contributing factor. People spent much of their days alone, so leisure time is more about connecting with others when possible.

The second factor? Nature, specifically running on trails — which Sonoma County has aplenty — has appealed to a wider cross-section of runners.

“Even if you do half your runs on the road, but you do a Saturday Trail Run, you call yourself a trail runner,” Brand said.

It comes back to the pressure of time and pace, he said.

“The reason trail running is growing literally 35% year after year, is mostly because nobody has to tell what their 5K time or their marathon time is,” Brand said. “They only ask when you trail run, ‘Did you finish?’”

HRC hosts trail runs every Saturday. These outings, which tend to be longer — sometimes over 20 miles — explore trails across the North Bay, from Mount Tamalpais to Lake Sonoma.

“That’s why they’re willing to travel a little bit further because it’s like, ‘Hey, even if I walk 10 miles, I’m still in the beautiful sun at Stinson Beach,” he said.

The community

Women make up a growing share of runners in the U.S., so Healdsburg Running Co.’s Ladies Night runs serve a dominant demographic.

The Tuesday runs are guided by Dominique Chevalier, the store’s co-manager, who ran track in high school and college.

“A group of ladies who are now still in the company and still work with us had said, ‘Hey, on Tuesdays we want to do runs, Ladies’ Night — and we don’t want any men. we don’t want any kids. we just want to do our own thing. Can you support us?’” Brand said. “And we were like, ‘Of course.’”

The regulars now form a foundation of the community that’s arisen around the business, Brand said.

Another demographic that’s specifically given a space to run is children, especially after clocks spring forward next month and Day Light Saving Time kicks in.

Kids can participate in Friday runs that are a bit shorter, about a mile or more, while parents hang around the store, which is set up to allow for some lounging.

Until those longer days kick in, though, many of HRC’s group runners are people with day jobs looking for some company as they squeeze in their workouts in the dark.

“It’s a lot about camaraderie at the end,” Brand said.

The crew

HRC wouldn’t be able to host the events and runs it does if it weren’t for the crew behind the store.

Chevalier, the co-manager, began working for the company five years ago, at first part time and hosting the Ladies’ Night runs. Today, she puts in up to 35 hours a week, and participates in all of the weekly runs.

Chevalier, 37, a mother of two young children, says she still runs plenty outside of the store events, too. In November, she ran the Rio Del Lago 100-mile race, an ultramarathon on trails in the Sierra Nevada foothills that took her over 29 hours to complete.

It took far more training time to prepare, she said.

Chevalier said the main difference between trail running and road-running is the concept of time.

“It doesn’t matter if you have a 7-minute mile, or an 18-minute mile, because it depends on what your terrain is, you know?” Chevalier said. “You’re just out there enjoying the camaraderie of everyone else that’s out there.”

One of Chevalier’s favorite memories with the HRC took place in 2022 and involved the annual Lake Sonoma 50, Sonoma County’s premier off-road ultramarathon.

“It kept getting pushed off and pushed off during COVID, and we finally had it in September which was ridiculous and not smart, which we would find out later,” Chevalier said. “It ended up being 98 degrees, and you know, it was tough out there.”

Though the heat and lack of shade created a challenge, Chevalier said, the packs of hearty runners and race volunteers persevered.

“All of our community was out there at each aid station, and it was so cool to see that like, they were hot, too, right? But they were just volunteering their time and supporting all of us, even though it wasn’t comfortable for them, and that’s pretty cool,” Chevalier said.

The long Saturday trail runs she and others use to train for such races are her favorite part of the Healdsburg Running Co.’s community, she said.

“It’s just this beautiful morning of just pure joy because it’s like, we’re out there in this gorgeous nature on a gorgeous trail, exercising and endorphins are up,” Chevalier said. “I smile to myself sometimes when I’m on the trail because I’m like, ‘I love this community and life and being out here every Saturday.”

Her advice to anyone interested in running or joining with HRC runs, which are free: Just come try it. You won’t be left behind.

“Passion is priceless,” Brand said. “So as long as our runners and our staff and people who show up are just as passionate about having fun and running and enjoying good food and good company, then even someone who’s not as passionate is like, ‘Dude, I’m in.’”

You can reach intern Lonnie Hayes at lonnie.hayes@pressdemocrat.com.

Shake Shack Is Coming to Sonoma County. What We Know So Far

By Heather Irwin
(SHAKE SHACK/ FACEBOOK)

Yes, the rumors are true: The topnotch burgers, cheesy crinkle-cut fries and custard milkshakes that have made New York City-based Shake Shack an international fast food darling are coming to Sonoma County.

Montgomery Village General Manager Brittany Mundarain confirmed the forthcoming opening in a news release Monday. “We are thrilled Montgomery Village will be the location of Santa Rosa’s new neighborhood Shack,” Mundarain said in the statement.

The Bay Area has 11 Shake Shacks, including one in Larkspur and three in San Francisco, along with locations in Oakland and the South Bay. There are currently no locations in Wine Country. An official opening date for the Montgomery Village Shake Shack is yet to be announced, but Mundarain said it could open by next winter.

Shake Shack will open at Santa Rosa's Montgomery Village in late 2023. Courtesy photo.
Shake Shack will open at Santa Rosa’s Montgomery Village in late 2023. (Shake Shack)

An East Coast rival to California’s In-N-Out (both have their rabid fans), Shake Shack will no doubt make locals weigh in on the merits of the upstart. Founded by NYC restaurateur Danny Meyer (who opened three-Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park), the restaurant is best known for its elevated but simple take on fast food. The fresh Angus beef is never frozen or pumped with hormones, the potato buns are delightfully smushy, and fancy shakes (tiramisu, Dreamisicle) are a thing.

Debuting in 2001 as a tiny hot dog stand in Madison Square Park, Shake Shack became an instant hit, expanding its offerings to include fancy cheeseburgers, a vegetarian fried mushroom burger, a fried chicken sandwich and gourmet shakes. The recent addition of a white truffle burger has upped its cachet even further.

There is, of course, also a secret Shake Shack menu, though topping a burger with peanut butter doesn’t exactly ring my bell. (I mean, maaaaybe.)

The restaurant chain, which has nearly 400 locations worldwide, also focuses on animal welfare and is well-known for its supportive work environment and for programs that further its mission to “Stand for Something Good.”

“Whether partnering with local artists and ingredient purveyors, or fundraising with Santa Rosa non-profits and schools, we can’t wait for Shake Shack to become a part of our community,” said Mundarain in the news release from Montgomery Village.

2 New Happy Hours to Check Out in Sonoma County

By Heather Irwin
Street tacos at Bird and the Bottle in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

Happy hours are here again

Altamont General Store (3703 Main St., Occidental) offers happy hour deals from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday with small plates, $6 pints and $10 wines by the glass. Look for tasty morsels like Bodega Bay crab fried rice, honey walnut prawns and Hurricane fries (dishes change up weekly). 707-874-6053, altamontgeneralstore.com.

Bird and the Bottle (1055 Fourth St., Santa Rosa) is bringing back their happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday with $6 classic martinis, $3 beers and supersized margaritas for the table for $30. Tasty $6 bites include pastrami tacos, smoked chicken wings, everything-spiced fries and chicken skin cracklings. 707-568-4000, birdandthebottle.com.

Related: The Best Happy Hours in Sonoma County

Princess and frog dinner 

Hell’s Kitchen chef-testant and purple-haired badass Mary Lou Davis is joining local tastemakers Bayou on the Bay for a four-course Cajun meal in Sebastopol April 1. The dinner is loosely based on Disney’s animated movie about a young woman who dreams of owning a restaurant but instead ends up a frog (at least for a while). If you’ve seen Chef Mary Lou’s penchant for cosplay on her Geeks and Grubs YouTube channel (youtube.com/@GeeksGrubs), there’s good reason to hope for some costuming as well. The event will be held at Fork Roadhouse (9890 Bodega Highway), which closed in November but has since become a popular pop-up spot. Tickets are $125 per person, details online at Instagram.com/bayou.onthebay.

Warm Up with These Soups from Sonoma Restaurants

By Heather Irwin
Tomato soup and a grilled kimchi and cheese sandwich from Lunch Box restaurant in Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

Cold weather cues cravings for comforting soups. Plain and simple and always better the next day, soup isn’t about the ingredients so much as it is about the way a steaming bowl of comfort makes you feel. It’s time to warm up with some of our favorite local soups. Click through the above gallery for details.

Popular Bodega Dinners Coming to Petaluma

By Heather Irwin
Executive chef Mark Malicki at Casino Bar & Grill in Bodega, Calif. Dec. 2, 2022. (Erik Castro/for Sonoma Magazine)

Chef Mark Malicki’s longtime underground-ish dinners at the Casino Bar & Grill (17000 Bodega Highway, Bodega) are expanding to Petaluma.

The longtime chef will host Tuesday night pop-ups at The Tea Room (316 Western Ave., Petaluma) beginning Feb. 28. Malicki’s inaugural dinner will feature an a la carte menu of crab soup with aioli and croutons, broiled scallops with leeks, cauliflower with stinging nettles and egg, rabbit sausage and Belgian endive salad, Little Gem salad with shaved celery and Boursin cheese, duck with duck fat fried potatoes, oxtail stew with bread butter and radishes, and for dessert a strawberry rhubarb pie with cream.

Prices range from $10 to $25 per dish, each made with hyperlocal ingredients and a healthy dollop of Malicki’s singular culinary proclivity. Details at Instagram.com/malle.mal.

This Hotel Is Out to Prove That a Wine Country Vacation Doesn’t Have to Cost a Fortune

By Dana Rebmann
Friends gather for a birthday dinner at the Spinster Sisters in the South A district of Santa Rosa. (Photo by John Burgess)

It’s no secret that a vacation in Sonoma Wine Country can be expensive. But does it have to be?

Eric Anderson, co-owner of The Astro motel in Santa Rosa, says no and he’s out to prove it with the launch of Astro Adventures.

“People should be able to come to Sonoma County and have a real adventure and not be millionaires,” said Anderson.

Set to launch in March, Astro Adventures are week-long tours of Sonoma County led by local “experts in wine, beer, spirits and food.” The $1599 per person tour charge (taxes included) covers five night’s lodging at the renovated midcentury motor lodge in downtown Santa Rosa, several meals at The Astro’s sister restaurant, The Spinster Sisters, tasting fees at wineries, breweries or distilleries, transportation and some goodies to bring home. Couples or friends traveling together can save an additional 10 percent if they share a room.

The inaugural adventures will include two beer tours in March and April (just in time for Russian River Brewing’s coveted Pliny the Younger release), followed by a spirits tour in late April and a wine tour scheduled for mid-June.

Itineraries are designed to introduce tour participants to the best Sonoma County has to offer with scheduled excursions and insider tips from local guides, but will also include some time for visitors to explore the area on their own.

Matt Levy, a self-taught mixologist and owner of the Covert Cocktail Club. (Covert Cocktail Club)

Matt Levy, a self-taught mixologist and owner of the Covert Cocktail Club, is leading the Astro Adventure spirits tour scheduled for the end of April.

Levy will be teaching participants how to make better cocktails at home. Along with visits to Sonoma Brothers Distilling in Windsor and Elk Fence Distillery in Santa Rosa, he’s planning a trip to the farmers market — to introduce visitors to local flavors — and a whirlwind tour of local thrift shops for those in search of vintage bar tools and glassware.

The wine tour, set to take place the week of June 12, will be led by wife-and-husband duo Jane Lopes and Jonathan Ross, who are Master Sommeliers and authors.

“Though still cheaper than Napa, it is becoming increasingly hard to visit Sonoma without spending a fortune” said Lopes. “We love that The Astro is trying to make this tour as accessible as possible.”

Lopes and Ross, the founders and owners of Legend Australian Wine Imports, have close to 40 years of experience in the wine industry between them and have worked at some of the top restaurants in the world, including Eleven Madison Park in New York. They will be sharing their knowledge and insight into the wine world and introduce tour participants to classic Sonoma County grape varietals, like pinot noir, chardonnay and syrah. But more unusual grapes, like trousseau gris and gamay, will also make an appearance.

Astro Adventures will only include 10 to 20 participants and all activities will be scheduled on weekdays to ensure smaller crowds at breweries, wineries and distilleries.

“We want this to be a conversation. We want people to talk to each other. We want there to be education, and we want people to learn in a happy convivial space that is a vacation,” said Anderson.

The Astro, 323 Santa Rosa Ave., 707-200-4655, theastro.com/astro-adventures

Exciting New Hotel Offerings in Sonoma County

By Dana Rebmann
The pool area at Harmon Guest House in Healdsburg. (Harmon Guest House)

Sonoma County hotels are on a roll. Dozens of local properties were recently named among the best by two high-profile travel publications. If you still need more convincing to get a stay on the books, a number of hotels are also offering deals that are hard to pass up.

Here’s what you need to know about the Sonoma County hotel scene right now. Click through the above gallery for a peek at the properties.

New hotel honors

Forbes Travel Guide – an independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants and spas – announced its highly-anticipated 2023 Star Awards earlier this month. Three rating designations were awarded to hospitality businesses around the world: Five-Star, Four-Star and Recommended.

Montage Healdsburg earned the coveted Five-Star Hotel award. The luxury resort is set on more than 250 acres of oak woodland and vineyards in the hills north of Healdsburg’s Parkland Farms neighborhood.

Sonoma’s MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa earned a Four-Star Hotel award. Forestville’s Farmhouse Inn, along with Healdsburg’s Hotel Les Mars and the inn by SingleThread Farms, earned Recommended designations. The list of all of the Sonoma County winners, including restaurants and spas, can be found here.

U.S. News & World Report also announced its 2023 list of “Best Hotels in the USA” this month. More than 20 Sonoma County hotels made the cut.

The entrance to MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa in Sonoma. (Courtesy of MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa)
The entrance to MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa in Sonoma. (Courtesy of MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa)

Special deals

In honor of the Forbes Travel Guide recognition, MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa is offering a Celebration of Excellence package that includes a $100 complimentary nightly resort credit with a two-night minimum stay. The credit can be used at its Layla restaurant, which received a 2023 Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Restaurant rating, The Spa at MacArthur, The Bar at MacArthur or The Porch coffee bar and marketplace.

29 E. MacArthur St., Sonoma, 707-938-2929, macarthurplace.com

The Stavrand Russian River Valley in Guerneville offers an incentive to stay a little longer: When booking a stay, type in the code MULTI to receive a third night free (offer valid through March). The third night that is free is counted consecutively (it’s not necessarily the cheapest or priciest night that will be complimentary. Guests can also call the hotel to book their stay and take advantage of this offer.

13555 Highway 116, Guerneville, 707-869-9093, thestavrand.com 

The peaches at Dry Creek Peach & Produce begin to ripen in late May. (Christopher Chung)
The peaches at Dry Creek Peach & Produce begin to ripen in late May, but guests of Harmon Guest House can visit farm now, and wander the soon-to-bloom orchards. (Christopher Chung)

New hotel experiences

Spring is in the air and Healdsburg’s Harmon Guest House is teaming up with Dry Creek Peach to celebrate.

Guests can add a visit to the much-loved organic farm to any hotel stay until mid-March. The experience includes a tour led by Dry Creek Peach owners Brian and Gayle Sullivan, a tasting of fresh peach Bellinis, and a jar of Dry Creek Peach Jam to take home. The private offering costs $200 for two to four guests.

227 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-431-8220, harmonguesthouse.com

Mardi Gras Meals, Treats and Celebrations in Sonoma County

By Heather Irwin
Clockwise from top left, Cajun Spiced Catch of the Day, Shrimp and Grits, Bacon + Cheddar Hushpuppies, Collards + Mac and Cheese, Southern Fried Chicken Dinner, Smoked Trout + Baby Lettuces from Easy Rider in Petaluma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

We may not live in the Big Easy, but even so, we can enjoy a bit of the colorful celebration of Mardi Gras with Southern-inspired dishes throughout Sonoma County. Click through the above gallery for some local spots to laissez les bons temps rouler!

Maci Martell contributed to this article. 

Guerneville Cottage Offers Inspiration for Small Space Living

By Karen Kizer

A charming, humbly-sized cottage graced the Guerneville real estate market for a short time before it sold for $610,000. It may not be your next home, but the one-bedroom, one-bathroom dwelling can still offer plenty of small space living inspiration. 

High ceilings, a great room and all-white walls make the 867-square-foot home look more spacious. But natural wood ceilings, doors and trims warm things up — breaking up the all-white design scheme is a popular trend right now. Kitchen cabinets were also left in their original stained-wood state — sometimes, leaving a few details untouched while renovating a home might add to its appeal. 

A great room offers a conversation area, reading nook and dining area. Bold designs in black and white fabric offer instant and effortless style. A painted brick fireplace punctuates the look. But it’s the many windows that allow the show-stopping natural setting to work its design magic. Click through the above gallery for a peek inside the home. 

This home was listed with Noel Flores of Continuum Real Estate, 415-730-0554, continuumrealestate.com, noelflores.com