Sonoma County Showcase of Wine & Food Celebrates 25th Anniversary

The 2005 Sonoma County Showcase of Wine & Food WSI (Wine Scene Investigation): Sonoma County

Event Schedule

Thursday, July 14, 2005

Event: Appellation Experience
Location: NovaVine Grapevine Nursery, Santa Rosa, CA
Time: 10:00am – 2:30pm
Pricing: $85.00 per person
The event divides guests into teams led by a team leader - a local viticulturalist - who will guide them on the differences in the growing patterns and soils of the fog, rocks, soils and coasts of Sonoma County appellations. This year, winegrowers will feature the County's the wide range of syrahs, petite syrahs, sauvignon blancs chardonnays, and cabernets. The fun and interactive program will include tasting and comparing varietals from the various regions. At the end of the program, guests will be able to actually taste the terroir in the wine. The presentation will be followed by a casual lunch with the growers and winemakers from the different appellations.

Event: Winery Dinners
Location: Various Sonoma County Wineries
Time: 6:00pm – 9:30pm
Pricing: $160.00 per person
Enjoy an intimate dinner hosted by local wineries. Feast on delectable food and an expertly paired wine selection while sharing laughs and conversation with winemakers and winery owners. Some of the wineries who will be participating include Alexander Valley Vineyards, Clos du Bois, De Loach Vineyards, Forchini Vineyards & Winery, McCray Ridge, St. Francis Winery & Vineyard, Vision Cellars and Wattle Creek Winery.

Friday, July 15, 2005

Event: Winery Luncheons
Location: Various Sonoma County Wineries
Time: 11:00am – 2:00pm
Pricing: $80.00 per person
Select a winery to have lunch with. Start with a tour and tasting of the winery and perhaps the vineyard and than savor the flavors of Sonoma farm fresh food while taking pleasure in the fine wines of Sonoma County. Some of the wineries who will be participating include Buena Vista, Charles Creek Vineyard, Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves, Iron Horse Vineyards, Murphy-Goode Winery, Pride Mountain Vineyards, Chalk Hill Estate Winery and Preston Vineyards at the Girl and the Fig in Sonoma, CA.

Event: “Sonoma County Live” Wine Auction and Dinner
Location: Rodney Strong Vineyards
11455 Old Redwood Highway
Healdsburg, CA 95448
Time: 5:00 - 11:00
Pricing: $450
This exclusive, limited seating event showcases the best of Sonoma County.
Hosted by Rodney Strong vineyards enjoy a sunset reception while awaiting live auction and dinner prepared by some of the county’s finest chefs. The excitement really begins with the start of the live auction when guests bid and out-b id each other for one-of-a-kind lots, dinners, weekend stays and some surprises.
One of the highlighted lots is a tribute to Rodney D. Strong, a pioneer and prominent figure in Sonoma County's Wine Industry and founder of Rodney Strong Vineyards (in 1959).

Saturday, July 16, 2004

Event: The Taste of Sonoma County
Location: MacMurray Ranch, Healdsburg, CA
Time: 11:30am – 3:30pm
Pricing: $155.00 per person
The culinary highlight of the weekend is the actual Taste of Sonoma County, which includes the chance to experience 120 wineries and food from over 50 of
the county’s best chefs. MacMurray Ranch, which is rarely open to the
public,
is the host for the Taste of Sonoma County this year. As a special treat for the wine lovers attending the event, the Silent Barrel auction, which tra ditionally took place at the Friday Night auction, has been moved to the Saturday event. The Taste of Sonoma County event is attended by more of the general public so the board decided to provide the opportunity for wine lovers to bid on
these case-size wine lots at the larger venue. The goal is to raise more
funds for the Sonoma County causes that the Showcase supports.

Event: San Francisco Symphony/Special Performance By Steve Forbert
Location: Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards, Windsor, CA
Time: 5:30pm – 9:30pm
Pricing: $125.00 per person
Enjoy an outdoor performance by the San Francisco Symphony at the beautiful Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards. Grammy-nominated guitarist Steve Forbert will provide the opening act. Relax, spread out a blanket with friends, while taking pleasure in the fine wines of Sonoma County paired with a gourmt box supper.

Our Charities
The 2005 Sonoma County Showcase of Wine & Food beneficiaries are the Redwood Empire Food Bank, Santa Rosa Junior College Culinary Education and Shone Farm Agricultural Pavilion, Counsel on Aging, Boys & Girls Clubs, and the Southwest Community Health Center