What’s New in Sonoma County 2020

With summer in full swing, the call of Sonoma County’s outdoors couldn’t be greater. This month, we look at how wineries, restaurants, spas, and hotels are bringing new and unique experiences outdoors. From wine tasting in the redwoods to al fresco massages and much more, Sonoma County’s new offerings make a Wine Country retreat more alluring than ever. Discover new culinary openings, memorable experiences and reimagined spaces all across Sonoma County.  

WINERIES & DISTILLERIES 

Wine Tasting in the Redwoods at Chenoweth Wines  

After 90 years of hosting weddings and other parties in the Redwood Grove at Chenoweth Wines, this magical outdoor retreat now opens to visitors for wine tastings of their ultra-premium Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Rosé varietals. Highlighting their commitment to small lot production wine that’s a reflection of Sonoma County, Chenoweth’s new experience is paired with local cheeses from neighboring Valley Ford Cheese Company in one of the most beautiful outdoor settings you’ll find in Sonoma County. 

Enjoy wines made from grapes harvested from the Chenoweth estate vineyard on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturdays at 11 a.m. Parties between 4 and 12 guests must reserve their spot. 

Chenoweth Wines 
5550 Harrison Grade Road 
Sebastopol, CA 95472 
707.829.3367 
https://www.chenowethwines.com/  

Media Contact 
Tyffani Sedgwick 
tyffanips@gmail.com  

Spirit Works wins Distillery of the year 

Spirit Works Distillery, founded in the heart of Sonoma County in 2012 by husband and wife team Timo and Ashby Marshall, have taken home the annual Bubble Cap Award for “Distillery of the Year” by the American Distilling Institute. According to the ADI, the Bubble Cap Award for “Distillery of the Year” is given to “the one distillery of the year that represents the very best in the world of artisan distilling: excellence in quality of spirits, innovation, transparency, authenticity of approach, sustained company growth, community involvement, and embodying the ethos of craft.” 

Enjoy Spirit Works’ handcrafted, grain-to-glass spirits at The Barlow in Sebastopol, where guests can pick up their well-known spirits that include gin, vodka, whiskey, and a couple of unique varieties of sloe gin. Led by one of the few female distilling teams in the U.S., Spirit Works ferments, distills, and bottles all their spirits using sustainable processes, including mashing all organic grains. 

Spirit Works 
6790 McKinley Street #100 
Sebastopol, CA 95472 
(707)634-4793 
https://spiritworksdistillery.com 

Award Winning Botanical Elixirs at FloraLuna in Petaluma 

Enjoy FloraLuna’s small batch craft elixir bitters and syrups with your favorite craft cocktails, mocktails and botanical sodas. Inspired by old-world apothecaries and historic alchemists, FloraLuna’s products are handcrafted, weaving unexpected flavors together in a heightened sensorial experience. Try the Coffee Cocoa Peppercorn Bitters, Cayenne Ginger Bitters, Tulip Magnolia Bitters, Pistachio Cherry Syrup, and more! 

Owner Phaedra Achor took home medals for all 10 of her gorgeous, handcrafted bitters submitted at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. FloraLuna’s elixirs are made with organic and wild harvested botanicals and non-GMO ingredients, and available for online orders, curbside pick-up and free local delivery Thursday through Friday. 

FloraLuna Apothecary and Trading Co. 
122 Kentucky St. 
Petaluma, CA 94952 
(707)529-0104 
https://www.floralunaapothecary.com/ 

Vino & Vinyasa at Bricoleur Vineyards, Pizza Night 

Enjoy the full range of what Wine Country has to offer—beautiful views, wine, food and wellness—in the vineyards at Bricoleur. Every Friday at 5:00 p.m., flow through an hour of restorative vinyasa led by a local instructor from The Yoga Van. Afterward, stay and enjoy a glass of wine. Take in the sights and sounds of Bricoleur’s vineyards, valley oak trees, maples, hydrangeas, boxwoods, and fig trees with views of the mountain vistas in the distance. 

Every other Friday night, following yoga, Bricoleur Vineyards is hosting their Family Friendly Wine & Pizza Night. Chef Shane McAnelly is firing up the pizza oven and creating unique pizzas and fresh salads using lettuces and vegetables grown on the estate garden. Paired with a welcome glass of Bubbly and Rosé, it’s the perfect Friday night pairing. 

Bricoleur Vineyards 
7394 Starr Road 
Windsor, CA 95492 
707-857-5700 
https://www.bricoleurvineyards.com/collection/events  
 
Media Contact 
Sarah Hansen Citron 
Sarah@bricoleurvineyards.com  

RESTAURANTS & EATERIES 

Blue Ridge Kitchen opens at The Barlow  

Enjoy timeless California comfort food with a Southern drawl at the new Blue Ridge Kitchen, opening at The Barlow in Sebastopol. Dig into the stunning seafood tower featuring lobster tail, daily ceviche, and jumbo shrimp, or indulge in Southern favorites like shrimp po’boys, fried chicken platters, and collard greens. Reinvented dishes include avocado toast topped with ham, roasted cauliflower steak and ahi tuna tartare. Finally, for those craving meaty meats, share a tomahawk steak with friends, try the rigatoni sugo with braised pork cheek, or experience their hardwood smoked prime rib. 

Located in the Barlow in Sebastopol, this farmhouse-style restaurant is designed for family-style sharing, with features that include a live wood grill showpiece, a full cocktail bar and an outdoor patio. Blue Ridge Kitchen delivers the level of creativity and quality you would expect from a fine dining establishment, but with the approachability and comfort of a neighborhood staple. 

Blue Ridge Kitchen 
6770 McKinley Ave., Suite 150 
Sebastopol, CA 
(707) 222-5040 
www.brkitchen.com  

Media Contact 
Samantha Marshall 
smarshall@featurempr.com  

All-You-Can-Eat Brazilian BBQ at Stark’s outdoor parking lot 

Stark’s Steak and Seafood has transformed its outdoor parking lot into a churrascaria for dinner. Stark’s “Big Red” mobile rotisserie is firing up all-you-can-eat mesquite-grilled NY steak, ribeye, filet mignon, lemon herb chicken, smoked pork belly, barbecue salmon, shrimp, hot garlic bread, and more. The meal is served family-style and is topped off with a berry crisp sweet corn streusel and s’mores pie.  

Open 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday each week.  

Stark’s Steak & Seafood 
Brazilian Backyard Pop-Up 
521 Adams Street 
Santa Rosa, CA 95401 
(707)5465100 
https://starkrestaurants.com/stark-restaurant/starks-steak-seafood/  

Media Contact 
holly@starkrestaurants.com  

SingleThread Rooftop Garden Wine Bar opens for the summer 

Lounge at the rooftop gardens of SingleThread, the three-star Michelin restaurant in Healdsburg, which is turning its private rooftop wine bar into a summer rooftop garden wine bar for the public. Opening August 6, guests can savor dishes from the kitchen, which are supplied by produce from the SingleThread farm and artisanal products from the local community. Wine Director Rusty Rastello invites guests to enjoy a by-the-glass and by-the-bottle wine list including a selection of Champagne, local wines, and Old-World selections.  

Visit the rooftop garden wine bar between 5:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, and between 2:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays & Sundays. Bookings can be made on Tock as of August 1st, while walk-ins will also be welcome. 

SingleThread Farm – Restaurant – Inn 
131 North Street 
Healdsburg, CA 95448 
(707)723-4646 
https://www.singlethreadfarms.com 

Media Contact 
Kristine Keefer 
Kristine@kristinekeeferpr.com  

4th Street Social Club’s opens with garden-to-table cuisine 

4th Street Social Club welcomes guests with dishes like the irresistible jackfruit sliders made with jalapeno and crushed pineapple on a pretzel bun or their version of a Philly cheesesteak. Diners can enjoy each dish on the menu as a vegan or vegetarian option, while meat-based offerings are also available. Pair it all with multi-flavored signature micheladas and creative cocktails.  

Fresh produce, such as heirloom squashes, are sourced from the owner’s sustainable local garden. “Whether in the restaurant or at home, we want to bring the community together on multiple levels,” explained restaurant owner Melissa Matteson, who will be running the operations on a daily basis. Melissa continues, “In addition to regular menu items for takeout and delivery, we will be offering theme oriented home meal kits such as ‘Date Night In’, ‘Family Picnic’, and ‘Night Cap Snacks’ that will also include activity suggestions for couples and families to bond over with a changing Spotify playlist.”   

Visit 4th Street Social Club Monday through Sunday for lunch, happy hour, dinner, and late night for takeout or al fresco dining. 

4th Street Social Club 
643 4th Street 
Santa Rosa, CA 
707-247-5737 
https://4thstreetsocialclub.com  

Media Contact 
fourthstreetsocialclub@gmail.com  

Valley Bar + Bottle Shop Opens on the Sonoma Plaza 

Explore the true taste of Sonoma County home cooking and delicious wines at the new radically intentional Valley Bar + Bottle on the historic Sonoma Plaza. Focusing on organic, biodynamic, regenerative, and traditional agricultural practices, Valley Bar + Bottle’s menu changes regularly depending on local produce available, and other goodies that farmers bring to their kitchen. Some seasonal favorites being served now include razor clams or mussels served with fries, lettuces with green goddess, and beet caponata.  

“As Sonoma locals, we look for creative ways to support and promote our community, and we are dedicated to making sure that our team is able to live fully and fairly in the place we serve,” said owners Lauren Feldman and Tanner Walle.  

Kick back at this neighborhood restaurant, wine bar and bottle shop Thursday through Monday. 

Valley Bar + Bottle 
487 First West 
Sonoma, CA 95476 
(707)934-8403 
https://www.valleybarandbottle.com 

Media Contact 
drink@valleybarandbottle.com  

Down to Earth Café brings Seafood & Eat to Windsor 

Try the fish and chips, such as the beer-battered local rock cod, at Down to Earth Café’s new pop-up seafood restaurant. Seafood & Eat offers serious seafood like Dungeness crab hushpuppies, fritto misto combo with local rock cod, Monterey Bay calamari and Gulf shrimp, and the crab Louie salad.  

To support the local seafood industry, Seafood & Eat’s creative new pop-up has a menu that is carefully crafted to make the most of what is grown, foraged and fished here in Northern California. Call ahead to order take out, enjoy the relaxing patio or pick it up and savor your meal picnic style at the Windsor Town Green, Tuesday through Sunday. 

Seafood & Eat 
9238 OId Redwood Highway 
Windsor, CA 
707-657-7701 
https://www.seafoodandeat.com  

Al fresco dining on Santa Rosa’s 4th Street 

Dining service has moved outdoors and onto parts of Santa Rosa’s 4th Street at Old Courthouse Square. Surrounding restaurants like Bollywood Bar & Clay Oven, Beer Baron Bar & Kitchen, and Russian River Brewing Company are now serving directly on 4th street for lunch, happy hour, and dinner. Enjoy a pint of Pliny al fresco directly on 4th Street, sip and savor an amazing selection of whiskies and small bites at Beer Baron, or bask in the sun for happy hour at Belly Left Coast Kitchen & Taproom. Bring your face coverings, sunglasses, and hats to enjoy a charming day dining out with friends and family.  

Downtown Santa Rosa 
4th Street & Old Courthouse Square 
Santa Rosa, CA 95401 

SPA & WELLNESS 

Al Fresco Massages at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary 

Feel rejuvenated with a spa day at Osmosis Day Spa’s outdoor sanctuary. Try the new al fresco massage treatments inside one of the intimate outdoor pagodas and be transformed by the gifted and healing touch of an expert massage practitioner. Guests are invited to sip on traditional Japanese tea in a private room or retreat to the Zen-inspired meditation garden. This wooden paradise is surrounded by Japanese-landscaped gardens, and the tranquil atmosphere provides the ideal self-nurturing getaway.  

Reservations are required, and can be made here.  

Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary 
209 Bohemian Hwy 
Freestone, CA 95472 
(707)823-8231 
https://www.osmosis.com/ 

Media Contact 
Michael Stusser 
michael@osmosis.com 

Nature, Inner Growth, and Sigils with Unbeaten Path Tours 

Naturalist, yoga instructor and regional historian Margaret Lindgren launches a new Unbeaten Experience, the Sigils Walkshop. Retreat to the North Sonoma Coast, and join Margaret on a private guided hike, where the inspiration of nature will give rise to the creative manifestation of intentions, goals and affirmations. Explore the creation of personalized Sigils to set the stage for inner growth and greater collective consciousness while overlooking the redwoods in an outdoor workshop.  

Let nature guide the path to wellness, and enjoy wine tasting, yoga, and meditation techniques on top of a transformational Sigil workshop, all outdoors. 

Unbeaten Path Tours 
Sea Ranch, CA 
(707)888-6121 
https://www.unbeatenpathtours.com  

Media Contact 
info@unbeatenpathtours.com  

ACCOMODATIONS  

Casa Secoya opens in Guerneville (Previously Northwood Lodge) 

Embrace the outdoor lifestyle and explore Monte Rio, California at Casa Secoya. Set amidst the famous redwoods, Casa Secoya is set on three acres of an open and sunny glade, across the street from the famed Northwood Golf Course. It has several room styles, and two different types of cabins that are tucked in the redwoods. Escape to Casa Secoya for a peaceful location and comfortable accommodations near Monte Rio, California. 

Located along the Bohemian Highway, Monte Rio is situated on a section of the Russian River that is characterized by mystical redwoods, riverside activities, peaceful golf greens, and of course, Sonoma County wineries.  

Casa Secoya 
19455 Highway 116 
Monte Rio, CA 95462 
707-865-1655 
https://www.casasecoya.com/ 

Media Contact 
Kim Smith 
kim@imprinthospitality.com  

The Cambria Sonoma Opens in Rohnert Park 

Enjoy a relaxed, upscale vibe at the new Cambria Hotel Sonoma Wine Country for a Wine Country getaway or a business trip. Indulge in the little luxuries, like taking a dip in the outdoor heated pool, or sitting with a craft brew or specialty coffee in hand on the outdoor patio by the fire pits. Refuel at the hotel restaurant, Sam & Mary’s Restaurant and Bar, or at the bar lounge before heading out to explore nearby attractions.  

Guests can start booking the tasteful rooms at The Cambria Sonoma starting August 12, 2020. 

Cambria Hotel Sonoma Wine Country 
5870 Labath Avenue 
Rohnert Park, CA 94928 
(707)584-1500 
http://cambriasonoma.com  

Media Contact 
Stacey Washburn 
swashburn@cambriasonoma.com  

La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham opens in Santa Rosa 

Discover the perfect Sonoma Wine Country retreat at La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham, a pet friendly hotel. Enjoy the free Bright Side Breakfast, take a dip in the heated outdoor pool and hot tub, and lounge around the fire pit during your stay.  

Located off US-101 and 10 miles from Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (STS), La Quinta Inn & Suites opens August 2020. 

La Quinta Inn & Suites 
111 Commercial Court 
Santa Rosa, CA 95409 
(707)596-9800 
https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/hotels/santa-rosa-california  

Hampton Inn & Suites Rohnert Park gets a $1 Million Renovation 

Utilizing the Hilton CleanStay protocols, the Hampton Inn & Suites in Rohnert Park has completed renovations to its 102-guestroom and suites property. The $1 million renovation includes a refresh of all guestrooms, interior spaces, the pool, and exterior paint.  

“Hampton by Hilton hotels have a rich history in providing guests with accommodations that are multi-functional, modern, convenient and comfortable,” said Marc Farris, General Manager. “With these renovations, we continue to uphold the Hampton standards, which our guests have come to expect from our brand.” 

The hotel offers guests brand amenities including free hot breakfast (currently a hearty Grab & Go with the current Covid impacts), complimentary Wi-Fi, a 24-hour business center and an expanded fitness center. Each guestroom includes HDTV, free in-room movie channels and coffeemaker. 

It’s centrally located in the Heart of Sonoma County, just minutes away from Sonoma State, Green Music Center, Graton Casino and area wineries. 

Hampton Inn & Suites Rohnert Park by Hilton 
6248 Redwood Drive 
Rohnert Park, CA 
(707)586-8700 
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/stsrphx-hampton-suites-rohnert-park-sonoma-county  Media Contact 
Danni Randolf 
danni.randolph@hilton.com