As Thanksgiving and the holidays approach, it is a time for giving thanks and a time for giving back. Many local wineries have taken that spirit to heart, finding a variety of ways to do good and serve the community. Some donate wines or experiences to charitable events, some make donations on behalf of worthy causes, while others have created foundations that focus on raising awareness and rallying support for specific issues.
Here are some of the Sonoma County wineries that give back to the community.
Kendall—Jackson / Jackson Family Wines
The Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate in Santa Rosa has fostered a culture of good works among its staff by giving paid time off to employees interested in donating their time for community service. The company’s employees have made the most of the program, logging nearly 6,000 volunteer hours a year on everything from environmental initiatives to food banks, literacy programs to shelters.
In an effort to support the country’s grocery and supermarket workers, Jackson Family Wines created the Grocery Worker’s Relief Fund in 2020 just as the Covid-19 pandemic was putting those workers at greater risk. The company pledged an initial sum of $200,000 to the fund and made a commitment to raise an additional $2,000,000 over the next ten years with the aim of alleviating food insecurity and layoffs in the sector.
5007 Fulton Road, Santa Rosa. 800-769-3649, kj.com
Jordan Vineyard & Winery
Healdsburg’s Jordan Vineyard & Winery has channeled philanthropic work through the John Jordan Foundation for more than a decade. Established by John Jordan in 2012, the foundation has taken part in a variety of initiatives and worthy causes since its inception, including support for over 300 partner organizations.
With the credo “It’s not a charity, it’s an investment in the future—our future,” the foundation has served more than 400 California schools with grants provided to over 1,000 teachers for their classrooms. The organization’s original focus—helping disadvantaged youth and young adults succeed in school and the workplace—has expanded to also include programs that serve seniors, support animal welfare, health and wellness, and a myriad of important causes.
1474 Alexander Valley Road, Healdsburg. 707-431-5250, jordanwinery.com
Landmark Vineyards
Landmark Vineyards in Kenwood provides local support through its Landmark Community Grants program that was launched in 2014. During the intervening years, the program has given nearly $700,000 in funding to over 125 projects and supported more than 109 teachers and 46 schools.
This year, $60,500 went to grant recipients, with $15,000 of the funds going toward supporting K-12 schools in the community. Among this year’s grant recipients were Conservation Corps North Bay, Kid Scoop News, Living Room Center, Inc, Sonoma Valley Mentoring, and Vital Immigrant Defense Advocacy and Services.
101 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood. 707-833-0053, landmarkwine.com
Reeve Wines
Remy Dorrance, the daughter of Noah and Kelly Dorrance of Reeve Wines and BloodRoot Wines in Healdsburg, is a 12-year-old surfer who is passionate about protecting the environment. Together with her father, she makes Remy Saves the Sea, a wine that benefits the 5 Gyres Institute. The nonprofit, based in Southern California, is committed to raising awareness about and reducing plastic pollution in the ocean.
In spring 2023, Noah and Kelly Dorrance began the legal process of establishing a nonprofit, Light Catchers, in honor of Kelly’s 9-year-old niece, Evelyn Dieckhaus, who was killed in the shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 27, 2023. The couple also organized Wine Country Unites, a fundraising campaign benefitting national nonprofit Everytown For Gun Safety.
4551 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. 707-235-6345, reevewines.com
Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards
Through its philanthropic partnerships and hosting of benefits such as Wishes in Wine Country, Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards’s charitable activities have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for nonprofits over the years. Among the causes the winery has supported, Sonoma-Cutrer and Woodford Reserve have donated $300,000 to No Kid Hungry since 2018, most recently making a joint donation of $50,000 announced in November. The Windsor winery plans to donate an additional $1,000 to No Kid Hungry (a national campaign to end childhood hunger) on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 28.
4401 Slusser Road, Windsor. 707-237-3489, sonomacutrer.com
B.R. Cohn Winery
B.R. Cohn Winery is another vintner with a long tradition of raising money for charity through direct donations as well as the hosting of fundraising events. The Glen Ellen winery, which was sold to Vintage Wine Estates in 2015, was founded in 1984 by Bruce Cohn who managed rock and roll band The Doobie Brothers. Cohn’s connections in the entertainment business helped the winery bring in star talent to perform at annual charity concerts and participate in celebrity fundraiser events that raised millions for nonprofits.
15000 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen. 707-938-4064, brcohn.com
Rodney Strong Vineyards
With a history of local philanthropy that stretches back decades, Rodney Strong Vineyards continues to support a variety of organizations in the community. Among the beneficiaries of its annual donations are The Redwood Empire Food Bank, The Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Meals on Wheels Sonoma County, Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE), and Sonoma County Fund the Future for children’s literacy. Since its founding in 1959, the Healdsburg winery has also taken part in numerous charitable events and donated its wine to local fundraisers for worthy causes.
11455 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg. 707-431-1533, rodneystrong.com
Benovia Winery
Benovia Winery in Santa Rosa is among the vintners who donate proceeds from particular wines to charitable causes. The winery donates $10 from each purchase of its 2021 “Liberation” Pinot Noir to the Gary Sinise Foundation with its mission of “honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need.” Nonprofit The Anderson Family Foundation has pledged an additional $5 toward the Gary Sinise Foundation for every bottle sold. Now in its third vintage, the wine was originally created to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
3353 Hartman Road, Santa Rosa. 707-921-1040, benoviawinery.com
Bricoleur Vineyards
Windsor’s Bricoleur Vineyards has made a pledge to support cancer research foundations and raise awareness for the cause. In October, the winery began donating $5 from the purchase of each bottle of its Isla Rose Brut Rosé to the V Foundation for cancer research. The founders of Bricoleur Vineyards will match the $60 donation for every case of the wine purchased.
7394 Starr Road, Windsor. 707-857-5700, bricoleurvineyards.com