Category Archives: Farm

Get Your PASSPORT To Dry Creek Valley! April 29-30

Join 35 wineries for the 32nd Passport to Dry Creek Valley April 29 & 30, 2023. Enjoy amazing wine, delicious food, vibrant entertainment and a fun-filled spring weekend within the backdrop of idyllic Dry Creek Valley.

TICKETS with the special Sawyer Somm pricing are available at this link! How does it work?

  • Choose your starting winery and go at your own pace with no reservations necessary
  • Fabulous wine & food pairings
  • Access to countless wines that you can’t find on the shelf
  • Interactions with the winemakers and growers
  • Coveted spots in wine clubs
  • Entertainment all weekend
  • Skip the line with check-in option Friday in Healdsburg (info at checkout)
  • OPTION to purchase Friday evening (April 28) Winemakers welcome dinner at The Madrona
  • Hope to be seeing you in DCV! ~Chris

Outdoor Dining & Take-Out at Gravenstein Grill starts on Wednesday June 3rd!

After long anticipation, given the recent easing of SIP restrictions, it is time to announce that Gravenstein Grill is reopening their Patio as well as beginning Take-Out for dining beginning Wednesday, June 3rd!

While the menu and hours will be slightly limited, they are making sure to bring back everyone’s favorite dishes ASAP! Chef Bob Simontacchi has been hard at work in the kitchen, working on fantastic seasonal dishes featuring ingredients from their amazing local farm partners. Be sure to select a little something from my sip-tacular wine list, and get a little preview here of the OPENING MENU!

New hours will be Wednesday-Sunday, 11:30am-8:30pm (with an hour break between 3pm-4pm), in hopes that if Sonoma County stays safe and continues to show positive signs of recovery, that hours and menu can be expanded as soon as it is safe to do so.

Reservations are highly recommended!

Gravenstein Grill is fortunate in that they have a large open patio where people can dine in the fresh air of West Sonoma County, at 8050 Bodega Ave, Sebastopol. They are also debuting online ordering beginning June 3rd, at www.gravensteingrill.com. You will be able to pre-pay, and pick up the food with minimal interaction.

Cheers & Bon Appetit! Christopher

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October 7th: A Biodynamic Farm-to-Table Feast!

Experience this fundraiser at DeLoach Vineyards for Demeter USA and their critically important Biodynamic Farmer Education Initiative, including both silent and very live auction items: To feature incredible Biodynamic wines, products, and experiences. Live music by Sonoma County’s favorite band the Cahoots, playing their own blend of “Sonomacana” country blues and rockabilly. And of course featuring the award wines of DeLoach Vineyards, Buena Vista Winery, and Raymond Vineyards.  RSVP online!

The Demeter Biodynamic Education Initiative supports the education of farmers and others to expand the practice of Biodynamic agriculture, and the production of Biodynamic food and wine, across the country. Last year, Demeter increased Biodynamic acreage by more than 16% to 22,000 acres, advised more than 350 farmers and brands, and hosted 20 farmer workshops that provided Biodynamic training for 1,155 farmers. Your support of this work is vitally important for the quality of our farms, our food, and our planet. Thank you for joining with Boisset and Demeter in our vision to help heal the planet through agriculture.

Bounty of Yamhill County: August 25-27

And now for another extraordinary event originating in Oregon this week!  Bounty of Yamhill County (BOYC) in the Willamette Valley is a three-day annual event that celebrates the vibrant community of famous wineries, celebrated chefs, and sustainable family farms. No other locally sourced food and wine event can boast such nationally-recognized participants.

Check the schedule of events and get tickets HERE!

Giving a Local Edge to Holiday Cheer!

As the sixth largest economy in the world, it is safe to assume California residents are already going local.  This vintage article in the New York Times Eat Local; Drink European reminded us of how far we have come in doing just that,  supporting the amazing assortment wineries in of our great state.

shopsmallWhile this isn’t possible everywhere in the nation there are alternatives to wine when the aim is to support the local community.  Maybe a side dish at Thanksgiving?  Holiday shopping on Small Business Saturday?  Dishing out Christmas dinner at the local shelter?  Whatever you can contribute not only strengthens the local economy, but can give a well deserved warm fuzzy to liven up your personal celebrations!

Cheers & Happy Holidays from the Sawyer Family!

 

A marvelous National Heirloom Expo 2016

0908161134Sorry if you missed this one, but put it on the calendar for next year! What beautiful, and yes BIG, food was on display at the
6th Annual National Heirloom Expo in Santa Rosa, Sept 6-8. What wine lover would not be impressed with the amazing assortment of vegetable varietals in an abundance of colors? Makes you wonder what to pair it with. . . and the tower of gourds is definitely a display to be witnessed first hand.

Great to see some local schools sharing their gardens projects, including some very interesting botany-based displays.  There was also a mass pasta making seminar for kids with Chef Gino Campagna. And of course the educational speaker series was for the adults in the crowd, so hopefully you can join me at some of those in 2017!

Yummy yum yum!
Yummy yum yum!

Heritage Fire @Charles Krug Winery – August 21st

If you are interested in a whole animal fire roasting experience then set your sites for this event! 2016 Heritage Fire Napa, by Cochon555, will feature heritage and heirloom foods including dry-aged beef, whole pigs, lamb, goat, squab, rabbit, duck, fish, chicken, artisan cheeses, oysters, and heirloom vegetables. So set your sights on Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena next Sunday August 21st, and plan to please your palate!

May Tours at Redwood Hill Farm in Sebastopol

Care to frolic with goats?  Well here is your chance!  For two weekends in May, Redwood Hill Farm offers farm tours which of goatscourse means playing with baby goats, learning to milk a goat, or feeding and brushing the goats! There will be milking parlor demonstrations, lots of kids’ activities and of course  picnicking in the beautiful Gravenstein Apple orchard.  But will there be wine you ask?  Not sure, that depends on how you load your picnic . . .

Redwood Hill Farm tour dates are May 8 and May 21 & 22, 11 am – 3 Redwood-Hill-Logo-Website-2016pm.  Rain cancels so be sure to check the website beforehand, then plan your trek over to 5480 Thomas Road in Sebastopol.  Until then check out this interview by Daedalus Howell with the goat cheese man himself, David Bice!

Sunset Celebration Weekend coming to CornerStone in Sonoma! May 14-15

With the recent relocation of Sunset Magazine headquarters, Sonoma County also inherits the 18th Annual Celebration Weekend! sunsetcwJoin editors, celebrity chefs, vintners, craft beer brewers and renowned lifestyle experts at Cornerstone in Sonoma, CA, for this two-day series of culinary, wine, garden and lifestyle events. Enjoy the grand opening of Sunset’s Test Gardens and Outdoor Kitchen, as well as an all-new, high-design Airstream Village.  More event information at Sunset Magazine.

VIP ticket holders will experience
even more at Celebration Weekend, including:
Early entry at 10am
Welcome gift bag
Unlimited tastes from wine, beer, and spirits purveyors
Exclusive VIP lounge access, including live entertainment, featured regional wines, refreshments, catered meals and snacks
Purchase you tickets HERE!

See what Celebration Weekend has in store for you
in this video montage!

Flavor! Napa Valley: Five Days, Forty Events – One Legendary Festival

logo3Here is your opportunity to join all the star chefs and winemakers flocking to the CIA and other special venues for Flavor! Napa Valley.  As wine director this year, I have organized some amazing events ranging from local and celebrity chef demonstrations to intimate winemaker workshops along with Grand Tastings and exclusive experiences that bring out the best flavors of Napa Valley.  Be sure to check the schedule to see when you can attend!

dessertThis year Flavor! Napa Valley takes place during Cabernet Season and provides experiences in the finest in farm-to-table cuisine, world-class wines and culinary star talent.  It’s the perfect time of year for five days of culinary indulgence, and to wine and dine with Napa Valley’s legendary talent.

oystableTicket sale proceeds benefit The Culinary Institute of America.  Stay tuned this week as I will be posting more details about individual classes however you can find out more and purchase tickets at the Events Page!

Cheers!  Christopher