“I was born on a green couch on Carriger Road between
the vineyards and the horse pasture.

I don’t remember what I first saw, the brick of light
That unhinged me from the beginning. I don’t remember
my brother’s face, my mother, my father.

Later I remember leaves, through car windows,
Through bedroom windows, through the classroom window,

The way they shaded and patterned the ground, all that
Power from roots. Imagine you must survive

Without running? I’ve come from the lacing patterns of leaves,
I do not know where else I belong.”

~ From “Ancestors” by Ada Limón

When Ada Limón learned that her childhood home was for sale, she felt an instant desire to buy it back.

The Glen Ellen native and 1993 Sonoma Valley High School graduate who rose to the top of the literary world as a National Book Award finalist, a MacArthur “Genius” fellow, and the nation’s 24th Poet Laureate — the first Latina appointed to that role — had lived most of her life elsewhere, in Germany, Seattle, New York, and Lexington, Kentucky. Yet she longed for home, often wistfully weaving Sonoma County’s familiar landscapes, trees, and wildlife into poems composed from afar.

Still, the decision to buy the house her father, Ken Limón — a retired teacher and former principal of Glen Ellen’s former Dunbar School — had sold 35 years ago was not one she could make with her husband, Lucas Marquardt, alone. She felt she needed to consult the house itself. Is this the right thing?

“I’m going to really listen and pay attention to what the front door says,” she remembers thinking.

Limón vividly recalls saying goodbye to the house when her father sold it, struck by the weird certainty that she might never walk through that door again. When she finally did cross the threshold decades later, she felt as though the walls embraced her, as if to say, “Welcome home. We’ve been waiting for you.”

“It just felt like it was breathing me in,” she says now, two years after moving back. “There was this sense of peace. A groundedness.”

The classic midcentury ranch house built in 1950 with open-beamed ceilings had changed little. A previous owner added a lap pool and hot tub — a welcome feature since Limón loves to swim — and remodeled the kitchen. But the bones were deeply familiar, from the over-the-garage bedroom her grandfather built to the brick fireplace that still bears the white paint her stepmother applied years earlier.

Limón has turned the walls into a gallery of paintings by her mother, Stacia Brady. The vivid local landscapes and soulful portraits of horses resonate with Marquardt, a writer, photographer, and promoter for thoroughbred racing. (Brady has also created the covers of many of her daughter’s books.) “When we moved in — the house — it just seemed to come to life as soon as we put them on the walls,” Limón says.

She and Marquardt met at a poetry reading in Greenwich Village in 2003. Limón ended up dating the Irish bartender who asked her out that same night. But she formed a friendship with Marquardt that lasted seven years before they finally went on a date.

“I came around the corner and started laughing, and we just knew,” she says. “It felt right. All the time it was you.”

Limón spent a decade in New York, where she attended graduate school for poetry and later worked for magazines, including GQ, at one point with an office literally inside the Nasdaq sign in Times Square. By 2010, she vowed to return to Sonoma Valley to devote herself fully to her poetry. Instead, she and Marquardt spent 14 years in Kentucky horse country before deciding it was finally time to go home. Limón wanted to be closer to her parents as they got older. Her mother and stepfather live in Sonoma; her father, who lives near San Diego, turns 80 this spring.

It was Marquardt who spotted the familiar Glen Ellen address when it appeared in real estate listings. Limón was intrigued, but the house was already in escrow. When that deal fell through, it felt like fate, she says.

When it came time to move, Limón was traveling extensively as Poet Laureate, serving as the Library of Congress’ ambassador for poetry and literacy. Her poem “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa,” engraved on NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft, launched toward Jupiter in 2024, and later became a children’s book illustrated by Peter Sis. That same year, she was named one of TIME magazine’s “Women of the Year.” She also partnered with the National Park Service to place poetry on park benches, reflecting her lifelong connection to the natural world, one forged in the creeks and open spaces of the Valley of the Moon.

The house sits a short walk from Glen Ellen’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it downtown — a handful of restaurants, tasting rooms, markets, and small businesses at the base of Sonoma Mountain, where Calabasas Creek meets Sonoma Creek, one of Limón’s childhood haunts. Even now, she slips down to a creek near her house, hidden by thick foliage. She finds a smooth rock in the water for a perch and sits quietly, simply listening, meditating, or observing wildlife. Once, she looked up to find a bobcat watching her. She’s still hoping to spot the great blue heron that captivated her as a child and inspired another poem, “The Great Blue Heron of Dunbar Road.”

“It feels like a place where my poems came from, because it’s where I used to go as a child and sit for long periods of time and be alone,” she says. “I can return to that place. We talk about headwaters for watersheds, but I feel like they’re headwaters for my art.”

Limón and Marquardt share their home with two senior dogs: Duffy, a temperamental rescue, and Lily Bean, a pug. She used to bring her golden Labrador, Dusty, to the creek where she would “make songs” for him. She prefers that word — “make” — to “write,” which seems more utilitarian, like notetaking or transcribing.

“Poems inherently have a different relationship with time,” she says. “The present and the past are linked in every stanza. For me, it’s about building something. You’re creating a small world.”

Moving back stirred complicated emotions. Her childhood bedroom is now her office, its shelves lined with slim volumes of poetry instead of “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “The Witch of Blackbird Pond.” Her parents divorced when she was young, and she split time between her mother’s home in Sonoma and the house in Glen Ellen, which her father bought for $36,000 in 1976, the year she was born. When she left the house, it coincided with her father’s move out of state and a painful separation from her baby half-brother, Bryce. She also has an older brother, Cyrus.

Sometimes memories alight like apparitions.

“It doesn’t only happen in the house,” she says. “It happens by the creek and in the regional park. It can be unsettling. If I’m in a conversation or working in my childhood bedroom, there are times when I hear something or see something, and I think, ‘Oh, that’s just me. That’s my younger self.’ It feels like I have a much more precarious relationship with time.”

There are places that anchor her. She frequently curls up on a daybed by a picture window, reading or looking out at a valley oak whose bent branch once held a tire swing. A faded photograph shows her there on her fifth birthday, surrounded by friends she still keeps close.

“It’s also a great birdwatching spot,” she says. I see pileated woodpeckers right up there on that Douglas fir. It’s just really alive.” Another tree she “befriended” after being banished to the backyard as a child — which later inspired “Homesick,” a poem in her early collection “Sharks in the Rivers” — is no longer there.

Last year, Limón published “Startlement,” an anthology of new and selected poems. In April, Scribner will release “Against Breaking: On the Power of Poetry,” adapted from the address she delivered at the end of her term as Poet Laureate. She had envisioned a celebratory event with fellow poets on the stage. But the recent presidential election, and what she describes as an administration unfriendly to the arts, shifted her tone. Instead, she wrote and read a heartfelt, uplifting essay about why poetry matters.

“It felt like a time to think about what the power of the arts could actually do,” she says. “I didn’t want it to be a defense of poetry. I wanted it to be a celebration of the power of the creative spirit.”

She dedicated the 50-page essay to Carla Hayden — the first African American and first woman to serve as Librarian of Congress — who appointed Limón as Poet Laureate and was dismissed from the post by Donald Trump in May 2025. “A lot of her work was undone,” Limón says, citing Hayden’s efforts to make the Library feel welcoming to all.

As a Latina, Limón says she feels more anger than fear in this political moment. “I don’t even think we’re angry enough yet,” she says. “I’m interested in what’s coming because I think we’re going to get angrier. I think the country needs it. I think the culture needs it. We feel like we’re at a breaking point, but I don’t feel like it’s here yet.”

Limón continues to “make poems” inspired by nature, a fragile world, and the human experience, traveling three to four times a month for readings and lectures. On a local level, she will be promoting poetry and writing as the City of Sonoma’s Treasure Artist for 2026. She hopes her reflections will help protect the minds and imaginations of her audience, just as they sustain her own.

She worries that imagination is being “co-opted by social media” and says she despises the use of artificial intelligence to bypass the creative process.

“The fact that it’s even entering the creative realm to me speaks to a soul-deadening place we are in in this society,” she says. “Here is the one thing that fills our soul — art making — and we’re going to somehow outsource that when it’s our one joy? The thing that makes us human?”

If she could offer one message, she says, it would be this: “Making art and spending time with art is of value. Writing a poem, and sticking it in your back pocket, and never showing it to anyone, is absolutely as important as a public poem because it’s claiming your brain power again.”

For Limón, poetry is a vehicle for exploring both the outer and inner worlds. In “The Carrying,” her National Book Critics Circle Award-winning collection, she weaves rich imagery from nature — dandelions, goldfinches, a symphony of frogs along the footpath near General Vallejo’s Home in Sonoma — into poems that capture both beauty and the burdens she carried: infertility, anxiety, and chronic pain. In “Almost Forty,” she reveals a longing for a long life.

Now, as she approaches her 50th birthday in March, Limón describes a sense of unburdening. “I just feel like I’m more grounded in a different way. I don’t have that kind of anxiety I used to have.”

She spends time with close friends navigating similar midlife awakenings. She has come to peace with not having children. “You spend a lot of time waiting for the universe to give you an answer, and sometimes the answer is no. But it gave me a different relationship with my art, and with my family.”

After years of writing about home from memory, she finally gets to “live inside” her poems. Glen Ellen, she says, “is the only place I want to be.”

“I feel more myself. I’m more embodied. And I think I’m interested in possibilities and the different ways that imagination can be freed,” she says, her brown eyes lighting up. “I think I’m more myself than I’ve ever been.”

Poet Ada Limón is set to visit Sonoma Valley High School’s Little Theater on April 2 to launch her new book, “Against Breaking: On the Power of Poetry.” The book officially releases on April 7, 2026. adalimon.com

The post Poet Ada Limón’s Literary Journey Leads Her Back Home to Sonoma Valley appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Home to the historic town of Sonoma, along with charming Glen Ellen and Kenwood, Sonoma Valley has relaxed, family-friendly appeal combined with rolling vineyard landscapes and walkable downtowns. Along with Sonoma Valley’s signature Cabernet Sauvignon, the region is known for Carneros Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Taste

Hamel Family Wines

Dramatic views are always on the menu at this 124-acre estate at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains, set among century-old olive trees. Book the Estate Experience for a tour of the expansive winery and underground wine caves followed by a seated tasting in the sleek Estate House, or splurge for the Chef’s Experience, featuring gourmet bites from the resident chef. Hamel’s signature wines — including Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, and Sauvignon Blanc — are shaped by volcanic soils. Reservations required. 15401 Sonoma Hwy., Sonoma. hamelfamilywines.com

Hanzell Vineyards

Set on a steep hillside, Hanzell is home to the historic Ambassador’s 1953 vineyard — Sonoma County’s oldest continuously producing Chardonnay site. The winery is known for its “firsts” — this was the first winery in the world to use stainless steel tanks and the first in California to use all French oak barrels — as well as its incredible, subtly oaked Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The winery’s newly updated tasting experience includes a tour of the caves and the original 1950s Hanzell winery, which now serves as a museum. Reservations required. 18596 Lomita Ave., Sonoma. hanzell.com

More wineries worth seeking out

Sample co-fermented blends made with Rhône varieties at Abbot’s Passage. The “Shuffleboard Social” experience includes game time on the vineyard court. Reservations encouraged. 777 Madrone Road, Glen Ellen. abbotspassage.com

Obsidian Base Camp’s Japanese garden oasis pours complex reds from an obsidian-laced vineyard in Lake County. Try the fun, experimental Rabbit Hole wines. Weekend reservations recommended. 441 First St. W., Sonoma. obsidianwineco.com

At Winery Sixteen 600 — tucked in an old farmhouse off the Sonoma Plaza — taste the Coturri family’s organically farmed wines in antique theater seats as vinyl records spin. Reservations required. 589 First St. W., Sonoma. winerysixteen600.com

Dine

Sonoma Eats Mexican Food & Café

Relish soulful Oaxacan fare in Boyes Hot Springs, where canned foods are banned and locally grown produce is everything. Founded by a former vineyard worker, Efrain Balmes, the restaurant team whips up chilaquiles and trés leches French toast in the morning, then moves on to must-have mole enchiladas and tacos for lunch. 18133 Sonoma Hwy., Sonoma. 707-3431141, sonoma-eats.com

Enclos

A mere seven months after opening, this splurgy tasting menu destination landed not one, but two, coveted Michelin stars — as well as a Michelin Green Star for sustainable practices. On the plate, that translates to gorgeously presented dishes made with Sonoma-grown ingredients — from heirloom produce to responsibly raised meats. 139 E. Napa St., Sonoma. 707-387-1724, enclos-sonoma.com

Songbird Parlour

Dine in a plush and stylish Victorian-inspired salon at Jack London Village, where the menu reads like a love letter to Sonoma County farms and food purveyors. On Sunday nights, Songbird offers succulent, sweet-hot fried chicken at a bargain price. 14301 Arnold Drive, Suite 3, Glen Ellen. 707-343-1308, songbirdparlour.com

Spread Kitchen

This casual, indoor-outdoor café from French-trained chef Cristina Topham whips up Lebanese-inspired dishes with a decidedly California spin. The dips are divine — try the hummus spiced with Aleppo pepper — as are lavash wraps ranging from classic lamb kofta to fried cauliflower drizzled with green tahini. 18375 Hwy. 12, Sonoma. 707-721-1256, spreadkitchensonoma.com

Explore

The sculptureWALK exhibition showcases 30 outdoor statues and kinetic sculptures — crafted from metal, wood, stone, glass, and concrete — throughout Jack London Village. 14301 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen. sculpturesite.com

Hitch a ride in a vintage VW bus with West Wine Tours and enjoy a relaxed day of wine tasting while drinking in Sonoma Valley’s vineyard views. Each charming Volkswagen in their fleet holds six to eight passengers, and there’s even an option to choose a color to set just the right vibe for a Wine Country cruise. 707-787-8141, westwinetours.com

Insider Tip

Stomp grapes at the Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival. Now in its 200th year, the weekend event is set for Sept. 25-27. valleyofthemoonvintagefestival.org

Give in to temptation at Pomme Cider Shop & Taproom. This apple-centric venue off the Sonoma Plaza is a haven for fans of natural ciders from near and far. 531 Broadway, Sonoma. pommecidershop.com

The post Spend A Perfect Wine Weekend in Sonoma Valley appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Harvest in Sonoma County brings grapes, of course, but it also tends to usher in “Summer: The Sequel.” Often, some of the hottest days of the year don’t happen until fall is at our doorstep.

While much of the country is cuddled up with pumpkin spice lattes, we’re looking for something a little more refreshing. Make way for the Sonoma Spritz. This low-alcohol, flavor-forward cocktail was created for the 200th anniversary of harvest in Sonoma Valley, and has been popping up on menus and in tasting rooms all summer long. The fizzy sipper will be highlighted at The Great Spritz Off on Sept. 25 as local bartending pros compete to craft the most effervescent version.

Spritz cocktails, such as the Aperol spritz, have seen a surge in popularity, thanks in part to the sober-curious movement and their eye-catching presentation. The homegrown, wine-based Sonoma Spritz is no exception.

“It’s a way of making wine approachable and easy, it doesn’t have to be a formal tasting,” says Robyn Sebastiani, executive director of the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance, which presents the annual Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival.

It’s also an easy drink to make at home for sipping on the patio while watching the sun dip a little earlier each evening.

The main ingredient in the Sonoma Spritz is rosé, an easy find at Sonoma Valley wineries, according to Sebastiani. “There are so many makers who make rosé throughout the valley, so choose your favorite.”

The other ingredients — freshly squeezed lemon juice and figs turned into jam or syrup — also incorporate the abundance of Sonoma Valley. Many have the luxury of plucking the fruit straight from a tree either in their own garden or from the tree of a generous neighbor, and if not there, they are easily found at local markets and farmstands this time of year.

The Sonoma Spritz

Makes 1 drink

1 tsp. fig preserve or caramelized fig syrup (such as Liber & Co.)

¾ ounces fresh lemon juice

¾ ounces simple syrup

3 ounces Sonoma Valley rosé wine

2 ounces soda water

Fresh rosemary sprig, for garnish

In a shaker, combine the fig preserve (or syrup), lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake well, then strain into a glass filled with ice. Top with Sonoma Valley rosé and soda water. Stir gently to combine and garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

The Great Spritz Off

When: 6 p.m., September 25

Where: Three Sticks Wines at the Adobe, 143 W. Spain St., Sonoma

More info: Tickets $100, valleyofthemoonvintagefestival.org

The post The Sonoma Spritz Honors Harvest Season in Sonoma Valley. Here’s How To Make It appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

There was a time when kids and Wine Country was not a great pairing. But that is changing. A new breed of family-friendly wineries are welcoming wine-loving parents and their (well-behaved) offspring for some fun in the vineyard — children sipping grape juice while parents relax, wine in hand.

Here are some of the most kid-friendly wineries in Sonoma and Napa counties.

Sonoma County

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

One of Sonoma County’s most famous family-friendly destinations, Francis Ford Coppola Winery has an expansive pool for an afternoon of fun in the sun. Wine and food is delivered to parents poolside, while kids can play bocce and board games. A museum inside the winery features props from Coppola films like The Godfather and Dracula. Reservations required for pool access. 300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville, 707-857-1400, francisfordcoppolawinery.com

Preston Farm & Winery

This cat-friendly winery (leave your dog at home) has gardens, bocce and sheep, in addition to the cats that live on the property. If you’re lucky, your little one can help bottle-feed a lamb. Bring a picnic, pick up one of the winery’s famed Rhône wines, and enjoy the rustic, old-world charm of this west county spot. Don’t miss the farm shop, which sells fresh farm-grown produce. 9282 W. Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-3372, prestonfarmandwinery.com

Larson Family Winery

The Larson family has been farming land in the Carneros region for over 120 years. After they started making wine in the 1970s, they turned their farmhouse into a family- and pet-friendly destination. Bring a picnic and enjoy an afternoon of wine tasting in the sun. Larson Family Winery offers bocce, cornhole and other kid-friendly games and has an expansive lawn that makes for a great location for a game of tag. 23355 Millerick Road, Sonoma, 707-938-3031, larsonfamilywinery.com

Landmark Vineyards

Founded by the great-great-granddaughter of John Deere, Landmark Vineyards has created a family-friendly environment at its Kenwood and Hop Kiln estates. After rounds of bocce ball at either property, parents can relax with a picnic and wine tasting while the kids play in the grass. 101 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood; 6050 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-833-0053, landmarkwine.com

Benziger Family Winery

It’s not just in the name. Benziger Family Winery is truly a family operation; generations of Benzigers have been raised on the property, known for its organic and biodynamic wines. The winery tour is a must for any first-time visitor to Wine Country. Kids and adults love riding the tram through the property while learning about agriculture, as well as biodynamic and organic winemaking practices. Sheep and cows make appearances along the route and the tram even travels into the wine caves. 1883 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen, 707-935-3000, benziger.com

Cline Family Cellars

Founded in 1982, Cline Cellars is a family-run winery that offers unpretentious tasting experiences in an updated farmhouse, outdoor cabanas and by a pond. Kids will love the property, and parents the wine. Take a guided tour through the estate to the barrel room, where guests can learn about the history of the winery. Or, pack a picnic to enjoy pondside after a self-guided walking tour of the historic ranch, where the family can meet the winery’s resident donkeys and other farm animals. 24737 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-940-4044, clinecellars.com

Buena Vista Winery

Founded in 1857, Buena Vista Winery is the oldest commercial winery in California. The historic property offers wine tastings for adults and an educational and interactive experience for kids. Schedule a tour guided by period actors, who will guide your family through the winery, including the old wine caves and the historic Wine Tool Museum, which features a colorful multimedia presentation that feels like a blend between Wine Country and Disneyland. Don’t miss the hedge maze and the giant crocodile. 18000 Old Winery Road, Sonoma, 800-926-1266, buenavistawinery.com

Napa County

Castello di Amorosa

The closest thing to Disneyland in Napa Valley, Castello di Amorosa is a 121,000-square-foot replica of an Italian castle from the Middle Ages. It took 15 years to build and even a bored 15-year-old will be impressed. Book a guided tour, which features everything from gargoyles and knights in shining armor to a dungeon and an opportunity to meet the winery cats. There are also peacocks, sheep, chickens and other farm animals. Kids can sip grape juice (included in their $25 general admission ticket) and color their hearts out in their own play area while parents enjoy vino. Please note: Strollers are not allowed inside the winery. 4045 St. Helena Highway, Calistoga, 707-967-6272, castellodiamorosa.com

Sterling Vineyards

Sterling Vineyards offers yet another family-friendly experience in northern Napa Valley. The winery is only accessible via an aerial tram, which takes visitors 300 feet from the ground to the mountaintop estate. Upon arrival, kids will receive age-appropriate backpacks filled with a drink, snack and game. After a self-guided tour of the winery, parents can enjoy wine tasting overlooking Napa Valley. Please note: Children are welcome at the “Sterling Stroll” and “Tour and Terrace” experiences, but the tasting experiences in the Hilltop areas are strictly 21 and over. 1111 Dunaweal Lane, Calistoga, 800-726-6136, sterlingvineyards.com

The River Club

Founded by two local family-owned wineries, Belong Wine Co. and Paper Planes Wine Co., the newly opened River Club welcomes children and pets (be sure to meet estate dog Peaches on your visit) to its cheery, laid-back tasting room space, nestled on the edge of the Napa River. Parents can sip Pinot Noir and Mourvèdre while taking in expansive river views, as the children play games, read books and color with provided art supplies in the kids’ corner. A kids’ snack pack is also available for purchase. Tastings are just $25 per person, and the next-door River Studio offers equally affordable riverside grub. 101 S. Coombs St., Napa, 707-234-5814, exploretock.com/riverclubnapa

Grace Yarrow and Maci Martell contributed to this article. 

The post 10 Kid-Friendly Wineries in Sonoma and Napa appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Sonoma County, with its many renowned vineyards, is a great place to enjoy a day of wine tasting. The region is also a great place for dogs and their owners, with an increasing number of parks, establishments and venues welcoming and catering to canine companions.

But just where should you go if you want to visit a winery while also spending time with your furry best friend? Fortunately, there are plenty of options in the county — and some of them have special events planned for this year’s International Dog Day, Aug. 26.

Sonoma

Gundlach Bundschu Winery

One of the oldest wineries in California welcomes on-leash dogs to their Rhinefarm. Pack a picnic and enjoy the patio, which overlooks the estate vineyards, or bring your dog into the historic tasting room, a pet-friendly pick for a rainy day. 2000 Denmark St., 707-938-5277, gunbun.com

Larson Family Winery

Larson Family Winery makes a dog-themed wine, Three Lab Cab, named after winery dogs Buster, Bubba and Pete. Dogs are welcome in the tasting room barn and on the lawn and picnic area, where you can play cornhole while your dog relaxes in the sun. 23355 Millerick Road, 707-938-3031, larsonfamilywinery.com 

Bartholomew Estate Vineyards and Winery

Located within 375-acre Bartholomew Park in Sonoma Valley, Bartholomew winery has a variety of great views and trails for humans and canines to enjoy. Leashes are required at all times. 1000 Vineyard Lane, 707-509-0540, bartholomewestate.com

Roche Winery

Watch the world go by, dog by your side, on the patio of this downtown tasting room, with a fire pit and trees providing shade. The tasting room offers barrel tastings, snacks and some of the best people-watching in town. 122 West Spain St., 707-935-7115, rochewinery.com

Glen Ellen

Abbot’s Passage Winery + Mercantile

Coming from a long lineage of winemakers that stretches back over a century and a half, vintner Katie Bundschu is making her distinctive mark with small-lot Rhône-style wines. Her winery is both family-friendly and dog-friendly. Dogs should be on a leash. 777 Madrone Road, 707-939-3017, abbotspassage.com

B.R. Cohn Winery

This Glen Ellen winery offers water bowls and treats for visiting dogs to enjoy. Leashed dogs are welcome on the winery patio and grounds, which include estate vineyards and views of Sonoma and the Mayacamas mountains. 15000 Sonoma Highway, 707-938-4064, brcohn.com

Mayo Family Winery

Mayo’s Glen Ellen tasting room is dog-friendly and open for tastings daily. Guests can also bring a picnic and their pets to the outdoor courtyard. 13101 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-938-9401, mayofamilywinery.com

Kenwood

Deerfield Ranch Winery

“May All Fours Be With You” is the motto of Deerfield Ranch’s winery dog, Obi Wine Kenobi. Water is available for pooches, while dog owners can taste some of the wineries delectable vintages. 10200 Sonoma Highway, 707-833-5215, deerfieldranch.com

Kunde Family Winery

Fourth-generation winegrower Jeff Kunde invites dogs to accompany their owners on tastings and to join him on a hike through his family’s historic vineyards through oak woodlands, native grasslands and chaparral. The dog hikes last about four hours and conclude with a wine tasting and lunch. Dogs must be on a leash. 9825 Sonoma Highway, 707-833-5501, kunde.com

Landmark Vineyards

Welcome throughout the property, dogs are allowed to wander with their owners into the vineyard. Thirsty dogs get a taste of the royal treatment: Fiji water fresh from the bottle served in a bowl. 101 Adobe Canyon Road, 707-833-0053, landmarkwine.com

Muscardini Cellars

Winemaker Michael Muscardini’s golden retriever, Biondi, and staff welcome well-behaved dogs in the tasting room and on the patio and green rolling grounds behind the tasting room. Dogs can look forward to treats, water and toys as well as dog-themed events. 9380 Sonoma Highway, 707-933-9305, muscardinicellars.com

Santa Rosa

Balletto Vineyards

The family-owned winery says it usually has dog treats and water bowls at the ready for visiting dogs. Just make sure your dog is on a leash during the entire visit. 5700 Occidental Road, 707-568-2455, ballettovineyards.com

Belden Barns

This family-run winery prides itself on being dog-friendly and kid-friendly. The property, which is located on Sonoma Mountain, is also a working farm that produces a diverse array of fruits and vegetables. 5561 Sonoma Mountain Road, 415-577-8552, beldenbarns.com

Matanzas Creek Winery

Well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome both inside and outside at Matanzas Creek, where aromatic lavender gardens line the property. This year, the winery is hosting its third annual Dog Day Celebration for dog owners and lovers from noon to 3 p.m. on Aug. 31. The event will include estate wines for purchase, hot dogs, local pet vendors (such as K9 Activity Club and Pawsarotti’s Dog Boutique), a dog caricature artist and plenty of opportunities to socialize with other pups. General admission is $30 per person and includes a glass of wine and a hot dog, plus a take-home caricature of you and your pup. Purchase tickets on Tock. 6097 Bennett Valley Road, 707-521-7019, matanzascreek.com

St. Francis Winery

Named after St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment, this Santa Rosa winery lives up to its namesake by supporting local animal charities and partnering with Canine Companions, to which it has contributed over $400,000 since 2021. Friendly pets are welcome on the property and must be leashed at all times. The winery will host its 23rd annual Blessing of the Animals Fundraiser from 2-5 p.m., Oct. 5, in support of the Humane Society of Sonoma County and other local animal rescue organizations. Admission is free but donations are welcome. There will be wine by the glass as well as a raffle and dog contest. 100 Pythian Road, Santa Rosa, 707-833-0242, stfranciswinery.com

Windsor

Mutt Lynch Winery

Winemaker Brenda Lynch’s winery is both an ode to wine and to furry friends. The tasting room hosts “Yappy Hour” events and offers water, treats, toys and possible playmates, as staff members often bring their pups to work. The winery also raises funds for animal rescue organizations through its Wines That Give Back program. 9050 Windsor Road, 707-687-5089, muttlynchwinery.com

Bricoleur Vineyards

Bricoleur’s Essentials Picnic tasting ($75 per tasting flight) is the perfect excuse to treat yourself and your furry friend to an alfresco lunch by the estate pond with a glass of refreshing sparkling wine. Dogs are welcome in all outside areas at Bricoleur Vineyards, though only official service animals are allowed in the Winery Barn. All dogs should be leashed and never left unattended. 7394 Starr Road, 707-857-5700, bricoleurvineyards.com

Martinelli Winery

The historic Martinelli Winery & Vineyards welcomes well-behaved dogs on a leash for its Vineyard Terrace Tasting ($50 per person). The tasting includes a flight of estate wines to sip on the terrace overlooking the Hop Barn Hill Vineyard, with the option to add a picnic lunch and bottle service. Only service animals are allowed inside the tasting room. 3360 River Road, 707-525-0570, martinelliwinery.com

La Crema

Located within Saralee’s Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, La Crema Estate also welcomes dogs. The site’s landmark historic barn has been converted into a tasting room and wine education facility. Dogs should be on a leash at all times. 3575 Slusser Road, 707-525-6200, lacrema.com

Two Shepherds

Named for the owners’ two Australian shepherds, Arya and Austin, Two Shepherds winery is not only pet friendly — animals are a part of the whole operation. Donkeys help turn the soil in the wintertime, the estate cats hunt for gophers in the vineyards and the dogs serve as friendly brand ambassadors. There are even wines named after some of Two Shepherds’ furry family, like the “Wiley” Carbonic Carignan named after cat Wiley and the “L’il Trouble” Mourvèdre named after their frisky Nigerian dwarf goat Trouble. The winery also releases a canned sparkling orange wine called “Natty Pets,” which features the furry farm crew on its colorful label. 7763 Bell Road, Windsor, 415-613-5731, twoshepherds.com

Healdsburg

Amista Vineyards

Guests can bring their four-legged companions to this dog-friendly Healdsburg winery, where they can enjoy a walk on a half-mile path through the vineyards. The covered, solar-paneled patio is an idyllic place to relax with the pup and enjoy a wine tasting with stunning views. Amista staff will provide water bowls and dog biscuits. Bonus: You may even get to meet the winery’s own shelties. 3320 Dry Creek Road, 707-431-9200, amistavineyards.com

Bacchus Landing

With a reputation of being “super” dog friendly, this collective of just over a half dozen boutique wineries is a hub of winemaking and tasting activity. Bacchus Landing is equally family-friendly with bocce courts and lawn games as well as a large open patio and five tasting rooms, among them Smith Story Wine Cellars and resident goldendoodle Lord Sandwich. 14210 Bacchus Landing Way, 707-395-0697, bacchuslanding.com

Breathless Wines

Guests can enjoy a flight of sparkling wines on the winery’s garden patio accompanied by their dogs. The winery also hosts fundraisers for Humane Society of Sonoma County. Out of courtesy for other visitors and staff, the winery requests that all animals are leashed and well-behaved. 499 Moore Lane, 707-395-7300, breathlesswines.com

Lambert Bridge Winery

This Healdsburg winery allows dogs to settle into a dog bed and relax with a bowl of water while owners try out the wines. After enjoying a tasting, wander through the estate gardens with your pup. 4085 W. Dry Creek Road, 707-431-9600, lambertbridge.com

Portalupi Wine

This winery’s downtown tasting room is a convenient stop along a dog walk. The family is a supporter of the local Humane Society and donates proceeds from their wine sales to the nonprofit. 107 North St., 707-395-0960, portalupiwine.com

West Wines

The winery, with a tasting room below a large oak with views of the vineyards, invites guests to enjoy a tasting on the dog-friendly patio. West Wines’ Instagram account occasionally features an assortment of photos of some of its canine visitors as well as its “winery cat extraordinaire” Jane Bond. 1000 Dry Creek Road, 707-433-2066, westwines.com

Wilson Winery

The Wilsons make a dog-themed wine, Three Dog Zin, which features the family’s three dogs, Molly, Sydney and Victoria. The staff welcomes dogs, offering pups treats and water, while humans sip zinfandel in the tasting room or on the patio overlooking the vineyards. 1960 Dry Creek Road, 707-433-4355, wilsonwinery.com

Cloverdale

BobDog Wines

Named after a beloved Rottweiler that lived at Sky Pine Vineyards 20 years ago, BobDog Wines lives up to its reputation as a dog-friendly winery, where pets are free to walk around on a leash. A portion of wine sales proceeds benefits programs for the protection and care of animals. 31955 Pine Mountain Road, 707-756-2471, bobdogwine.com

Geyserville

Dutcher Crossing Winery

Dogs are welcome in the tasting room, where they can try on winery-branded dog collars for purchase while their owners taste estate zinfandel and other small-production wines. The back patio and lawn is a great spot for nibbling on cheese and charcuterie, and playing catch. 8533 Dry Creek Road, 707-431-2700, dutchercrossingwinery.com

Sebastopol

Dutton-Goldfield Winery

Canine companions are celebrated at the winery, with special dog cookies offered to pets. Winery partner Theresa Dutton serves on the Northwest regional board of Canine Companions for Independence, a nonprofit that provides service and therapy dogs to those in need. 3100 Gravenstein Highway N., 707-823-3887, duttongoldfield.com

Horse & Plow

Located in a historic Sebastopol barn near local vineyards and apple orchards, Horse & Plow welcomes dogs and their owners to the tasting room. Treats and water are provided to pups. 1272 Gravenstein Highway N., 707-827-3486, horseandplow.com

Marimar Estate Vineyards and Winery

This vineyard, owned and operated by the Spanish-American Torres family, welcomes dogs in outdoor areas. Visitors will also find some larger than life dogs on the winery grounds — 10-foot metal sculptures of the owners’ springer spaniels, Chico and Bonita. 11400 Graton Road, 707-823-4365, marimarestate.com

Taft Street Winery

Taft Street Winery is a family-friendly business — and that includes dogs. Well-behaved pups on a leash are welcome on the winery’s back patio. The winery also provides treats and water bowls. 2030 Barlow Lane, 707-823-2049, taftstreetwinery.com

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Wine lovers, rejoice! For one month only, Sonoma Valley wineries are offering premium tastings at an unbeatable price. Sonoma Sips, running from Feb. 15 to March 15, invites visitors to experience world-class wines for just $15 per tasting at 16 participating wineries.

The event, a collaboration between the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau and Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers, is designed to make wine tasting more accessible. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or a first-time visitor, Sonoma Sips offers the perfect opportunity to sample a variety of wines, from rich Pinot Noirs to refreshing Chardonnays.

“Wine Country can be intimidating to new visitors who don’t know what they want or where to start. Sonoma Sips embodies what makes Sonoma Valley so special,” said Tim Zahner, executive director of the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau, in a press release. “It’s a welcoming invitation to try something new in a beautiful place with friendly people.”

Taking part in Sonoma Sips is simple. Visitors can choose from a list of participating wineries, most of which don’t require reservations. Upon arrival, guests just need to mention they are there for Sonoma Sips to unlock the special tasting offer. Each winery will curate a selection of wines to showcase, allowing guests to explore a range of flavors and styles. Visitors can purchase bottles to take home or join a winery’s wine club for exclusive, year-round perks.

“Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience the best of Sonoma Valley wines at an incredible value,” Zahner said in the release. “Gather your friends, plan a day trip, or make it a weekend escape to soak in the beauty and bounty of California’s Wine Country this winter.”

For more details and a list of participating wineries, visit sonomavalley.com. Looking for free wine tastings? Check out some Wine Country wineries offering complimentary tastings here.

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Four afternoons a week, cellist Michael Fecskes leads a room of young musicians through the fundamentals of classical music as the artistic director of Sonoma’s ViVO Youth Orchestras.

Modeled after El Sistema, the renowned Venezuelan training program that produced conducting phenom Gustavo Dudamel, the nonprofit based at El Verano Elementary brings music education and leadership training to K-12 students across Sonoma Valley.

Teaching is a calling for Fecskes, who moved to Sonoma as a high schooler, studied music at Sonoma State, and lived and performed in New York and Europe for over a decade before settling back in Wine Country eight years ago.

Fecskes performs locally as well, and will be playing with a chamber ensemble July 23 at Buena Vista Winery as part of the 10th anniversary Valley of the Moon Music Festival. valleyofthemoonmusicfestival.org, vivosonoma.org

Read below for Fecskes’s views on his music program and teaching process.

“I really wanted to design a program where the student could theoretically stay with us from kindergarten until they graduate from high school, always with something to do, always with an elevated purpose, with a new set of musical skills they can apply. And that’s working. It’s really beautiful to see.”

“I love to ask my intermediate classes, ‘When did you join?’ And they’ll tell me kindergarten or first grade, and I remember them when they were so little. Offering the program four days a week for years, you really know these children. You know about their days, their successes, which they always report back to us. You know their families, too. To be that kind of figure in their lives for multiple years, multiple seasons, multiple stages — I mean, there’s nothing better.”

“I’ve realized this type of work is not at all like a transaction. I don’t just come with a body of knowledge to instill and then just walk away. It feels very cyclical, very circular in the relationship with the children. Like, I give them everything I’ve gained in my life, and they give me back these amazing reminders of the human process.”

“The teaching helps me to recognize we all go through the same kinds of little struggles throughout our life, but with maybe a little less love and care as we get older. I run into my students all the time around town. I’ll hear my name from any direction from a child, and I’m just like, ‘Yes, what is it? What can I do?’ And I pull a Band-Aid out of my pocket.”

The post Sonoma Cellist Provides Elevated Music Program To Local Students appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

A visit to Sonoma Wine Country doesn’t have to break the bank. You can fill your belly at inexpensive restaurants, spend the night at chic and affordable hotels and, perhaps most importantly, enjoy free or cheap wine tastings.

From quaint small town tasting rooms to sprawling wine gardens, Sonoma County offers wine sipping opportunities that will please your palate as well as your pocketbook. Click through the above gallery to discover wineries where you can taste wine for free or cheap ($20 and less).

Tina Caputo, Sarah Doyle and Linda Murphy contributed to this article. 

The post 10 Free and Cheap Wine Tastings in Sonoma County appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Millie Howie blamed the moon for convincing her to move to Sonoma County.

It was the mid-1970s, and the publicist and wine writer was about to head home after an event at Geyser Peak Winery. As she made her way across the parking lot, her gaze lingered on the expansive view of Alexander Valley at dusk.

“I stopped and turned to get into my car, and the moon came up like a jack-in-the-box,” Howie recalled in an oral history recorded by the Sonoma County Wine Library in 2004. “It was the golden harvest moon … and it was perfectly round and enormous. I said, ‘Yup, this is where I’ve got to live.’”

Over the next 30 years, Howie became one of the most passionate promoters of the Sonoma County wine industry: the region’s first wine publicist, co-founder of the Wine Road, creator of the first Sonoma County wine map, curator of wine history and prolific wine writer.

But perhaps Howie’s greatest achievement was the Sonoma County Wine Library, which she envisioned and fundraised for over the span of 20 years.

“Millie was the spark plug and the driver of the wine library,” said Jan Mettler, Howie’s former mentee and retired co-founder of Boss Dog Marketing. “She loved the rich history of Sonoma County’s farm families and wanted to preserve the region’s agricultural roots. She wanted to create something for the greater community.”

What is the Sonoma County Wine Library?

Dedicated in 1989, the Sonoma County Wine Library doesn’t serve wine. But don’t let that stop you from a detour to this fascinating archive of wine history.

Located at the Healdsburg branch of the Sonoma County Library, the wine library’s collection features 5,000 wine books, including 1,000 that are rare, and one astonishing tome dating to 1514.

You’ll also find a generous collection of historical wine ephemera, local wine artifacts and a glut of historic photos, maps and posters. The library carries current subscriptions to 40 wine periodicals and trade publications and plenty of current research material.

However, perhaps the library’s most valuable collection is Howie’s brainchild: a compendium of 26 oral histories with Sonoma wine industry pioneers like Davis Bynum, Merry Edwards, Saralee and Richard Kunde, Mike Tedeschi and Howie herself. (You can find physical copies of the transcribed interviews in the library and digital copies online at digital.sonomalibrary.org.)

“All it takes is one generation to lose historical information about your family or an industry,” said Jeff Davis, the Sonoma County Wine Library Association’s oral history chair. “These oral histories are important to preserving Sonoma County’s wine history and making the information available to the public.”

In 2018, Davis began producing “visual oral histories,” or video interviews, for added engagement and insight. So far he’s captured interviews with wine industry icons Helen Bacigalupi, Jim Pedroncelli, Joe and Tom Rochioli, Gary Heck and others.

Premiere screenings of the interviews serve as fundraisers for the wine library association and include a Q&A with the guest. The next event is scheduled for June 9 with Hank and Linda Wetzel of Alexander Valley Vineyards. (Tickets are available online at sonomawinelibraryassn.org/events.)

“The 30- to 45-minute visual oral histories appeal to a younger generation who wants information quickly,” said Julie Pedroncelli, board president of the Sonoma County Wine Library Association. “Video is a format they understand, and that’s one of the main reasons we’re doing this.”

A new generation

Compelling a young adult audience to visit and use a brick-and-mortar library is not a new challenge. So Peg Champion, the Sonoma County Wine Library Association’s media manager, is turning to local colleges and universities for help.

“We’re lucky there are so many wine studies programs in our area,” Champion said. “An internship program would be a great way for the library to connect with a younger audience who can carry on our work.”

But the legacy of the Sonoma County Wine Library doesn’t rest solely on the shoulders of younger generations.

“We have a vision for the future of the library and need the community’s support,” Champion said. “The library is a key component of wine history overall, not just in Sonoma County. We have an incredible resource in our community, and we want to expand our reach, educate students and continue to grow our treasure trove of information.”

Howie’s legacy

Howie, who died in 2011, remains an integral part of the Sonoma County wine history she fought to preserve.

This June, on the 100th anniversary of Howie’s birth, the Sonoma County Wine Library Association will celebrate her legacy by launching the Millie Howie Century Fund, a campaign to enlist new members and gain financial support for library services.

“Many people don’t even know there is a Sonoma County Wine Library, and our biggest challenge comes down to spreading that information,” Champion said. “There is history embedded in every rock and every brick in Sonoma County. We just want to share that with the greater community.”

You can reach Staff Writer Sarah Doyle at 707-521-5478 or sarah.doyle@pressdemocrat.com.

The post Sonoma County Wine Library a Haven for History Buffs appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

This article was originally published in 2018.

One of the many advantages to living in Sonoma County is having easy access to dozens of beautiful parks and thousands of miles of hiking trails. From taking in ocean views on coastal paths to hiking through Redwood forests and exploring botanical gardens, Sonoma County has something for every type of hiker. The Sonoma Valley corridor on Highway 12 in Kenwood and Glen Ellen includes several hiking destinations that each offer visitors something a little different. Click through the gallery above for four of our favorite hikes in Sonoma Valley.

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