Fall is in full swing, harvest is over, and Sonoma Valley is taking a more relaxed approach to the weekend, saving up its energy for Halloween. What to do this weekend? From craft beer and comedy, to fine Pinot Noir, to a new local tasting room house, here’s my picks for your weekend in the Valley.
Friday, October 16
Palooza Gastropub & Wine Bar’s last Punchline Palooza of the year features headliner Alex Elkin, and is a good excuse to drink craft beer, eat deviled eggs, and laugh super hard under the stars.
Based in Eugene, Oregon, Elkin has a cult following in Eugene (he’s been voted the best comedian in town twice) and has been in many a television show – including Grimm, Last Comic Standing and Leverage. He got his comedy start as a skipper at Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise, so you know it’s going to be epic.
Matt Gubser, Matt Curry, and host Dan Mires will also perform.
The event takes place under the stars and in the shadow of the mountains in Kenwood at Palooza’s outdoor patio. Dinner starts at 7 PM and the show at 8 PM. They also have killer local beers and wines available for purchase. $20, 8PM, 8910 Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood; tickets available at the door or online. paloozafresh.com
Saturday, October 17
Fort Ross-Seaview Harvest Festival is one of the premiere events in the county to celebrate not only the fall harvest, but, the bounty of fine wines being produced in the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, which became a designated AVA in 2013. Proceeds from the event support Fort Ross State Historic Park’s Marine Ecology Program.
While the event is all ages (general admission is $20 per car and includes access to Fort Ross State Historic Park, live music, horse and buggy rides, tours of the historic orchard, and much more), the day’s highlights are more for the mature set.
For $40 you can enjoy wine tastings of Fort Ross-Seaview AVA wine, including legendary Pinot Noir producers like Flowers, Fort Ross Vineyard, Martinelli, and even wine by Sonoma’s own Tin Barn Vineyards, who grow Syrah in the AVA. Nine producers will be pouring and numerous Sonoma County cheesemakers will be sampling their goods, too.
The Grand Luncheon is the crown jewel of the day. A four-course meal is served using seasonal ingredients. The chefs are some of the best in the county: Barbara Horn of Night Owl Catering, Andrew & Liya Truong of the former one-star Michelin rated Terrapin Creek Cafe, Michele Anna Jordan (food journalist and cookbook author, including host of the James Beard Award nominated Mouthful), and Jamil Pedan of Applewood Inn. The menu looks amazing and for $125 you can enjoy lunch overlooking the Pacific ocean and enjoy wine pairings to boot.
The Festival is 10AM-5PM. At press time, only six tickets for the luncheon remained. Buy your tickets online for the luncheon, tasting, and general admission here. Fort Ross State Historic Park, 19005 Coast Highway 1, Jenner; 847-3437.
Sunday, October 18
Wine tasting at Winery Sixteen 600 will sate any palette for Rhone varietals, organic and biodynamic wine, and Sonoma hospitality. Owned by the Coturri family, it is one of the newest tasting rooms (er…”tasting house,” as Sam Cotturi likes to call it) in Sonoma.
About one block off the Square (south of the Red Grape), the renovated bungalow offers reservation-only tastings of high quality, low production wines.
This weekend, the Coturri’s will be offering comparative tastings of 5-6 wines, including their current Rhone offerings (I’m a big fan of their Grenache) and a mini vertical of Estate Zinfandel that they’ll be pulling from their wine library.
They offer only one tasting at a time in the tasting house (similar to the experience at Sojourn) and space is limited – so reservations are a must. Tastings start at $35 and are offered from 11AM-5PM. Email Sam at sam@winerysixteen600.com or call 721-1805. winerysixteen600.com
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