2024 INSIDER WINE TOURS
Join Sonoma County wine stars as they act as your personal tasting guides on 30-minute excursions through the Grand Tasting American Viticultural Area (AVA) Tents. Learn more about the featured appellations and discover a special selection of hidden gems with “behind the table” pours just for you from each featured vintner.
We are unable to accommodate anyone under the age of 21, including infants and children. Pets are not allowed, only service animals will be granted entry.
From Wind to Wine in Petaluma Gap
12:30 – 1:00PM
Hosted by Christopher Sawyer, Sommelier, Consultant & Wine Educator
The Petaluma Gap is the gateway to Sonoma County wine country. Only 25 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, wind and fog are the key to what makes the appellation unique. With vineyards tucked into valleys and scattered on the hillsides, a wind gap in the coastal mountain range funnels cooling breezes and fog east from the Pacific Ocean. The persistent afternoon breeze causes lower grape yields and longer hang-time, enabling flavors and fruit characteristics to fully develop – resulting in elegant, well-balanced wines of character and distinction. Learn more about the journey From Wind to Wine in the Petaluma Gap, as you taste wines from across the region!
Featuring specially selected wines from: Toje Wines, Brooks Note Winery, Croix Estate Winery, Panther Ridge and Three Sticks Wines
Russian River Valley’s Iconic Pinot Noirs
12:45 – 1:15PM
Hosted by Pedro Rusk, Wine Education Manager, Jackson Family Wines
Located 55 miles north of San Francisco, this acclaimed winemaking region is known for award-winning Pinot Noir! With its remarkable climate and growing conditions, majestic fog from the Pacific Ocean meets ancient soil, and heritage vines are carefully tended to produce world-class wines. Established as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1983, Russian River Valley’s reputation as a winemaking nexus spans over 150 years when some of the oldest grapevines in California were planted here. Learn more about Russian River Valley’s Iconic Pinot Noirs during your insider experience!
Featuring specially selected wines from: Joseph Swan Vineyards, La Crema, Davis Bynum, Longboard Vineyards, Papapietro Perry Winery and Martinelli Winery
Alexander Valley’s Cabernet Sauvignon & Proprietary Blends
1:00 – 1:30PM
Hosted by Ben Fine, Wine Education Manager, Jackson Family Wines
The Alexander Valley appellation, located in northeastern Sonoma County, is a majestic valley with vineyards grown on the valley floor up into the breathtaking Mayacama Mountains above. Ultra-premium quality Cabernet Sauvignon grapes thrive here due to the valley’s inland locale and its diverse array of ancient soils. Learn more about the rich history of the region and its multi-generational winegrowing families, as you discover the depth and complexity of Alexander Valley’s Cabernet Sauvignon & Proprietary Blends!
Featuring specially selected wines from: Bedarra Vineyards, ACTA Wine, Zialena Winery, Trentadue Winery, Stonestreet Estate Vineyards and Alexander Valley Vineyards
West Sonoma Coast’s Cool Climate Wines
1:30 – 2:00PM
Hosted by Christopher Sawyer, Sommelier, Consultant & Wine Educator
West Sonoma Coast is located on the furthest western sliver of Sonoma County encompassing the steep, rugged mountainous terrain along the Pacific Ocean coastline, with vineyard elevations ranging from 400 to 1,800 feet. The character and complexity of the rugged West Sonoma Coast region and its cool, maritime climate produces distinctive, site-driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Taste the place as you explore the West Sonoma Coast’s Cool Climate Wines!
Featuring specially selected wines from: Brick & Mortar, Ernest Vineyards, WindRacer, Mascarin Wines and Naidu Wines
Dry Creek Valley’s Diverse Varietals
1:45 – 2:15PM
Hosted by Pedro Rusk, Wine Education Manager, Jackson Family Wines
Dry Creek Valley is one of the smallest enclosed American Viticultural Areas, experiencing both coastal and inland influences. Long, warm days allow the fruit to fully ripen, while coastal cooling in the evening enables the grapes to mature slowly and retain their acidity and balance. Its vineyards extend along the valley floor, surrounding benchlands and hillsides, and produce a diverse selection of wines ranging from renowned Zinfandels to Bordeaux and Mediterranean varietals. This diversity is due to the unique characteristics of this AVA, which comprises many different soil types, elevations and exposures to sun, wind and water, all within a narrow and majestic 16-by-2-mile valley. Traverse the region, as you taste an array of Dry Creek Valley’s Diverse Varietals!
Featuring specially selected wines from: Lambert Bridge Winery, Bella Vineyards, Quivira Vineyards, Comstock Wines and Mauritson Wines
The Roots Run Deep in Sonoma Valley
2:00 – 2:30PM
Hosted by Ben Fine, Wine Education Manager, Jackson Family Wines
Celebrating its 200th Anniversary, Sonoma Valley has a family-first approach to farming passed down through generations. At the county’s southeastern most tip, the appellation has steep mountains, rolling benchlands and fertile plains, and is bordered by two mountain ranges, the Mayacamas Mountains to the east and the Sonoma Mountains to the west. Along with being the center of Sonoma County’s winemaking history, the area is known for its unique terroir, protected from the wet and cool influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean by Sonoma Mountain. Learn more about how The Roots Run Deep in Sonoma Valley!
Featuring specially selected wines from: MacLaren, Lasseter Family Winery, Ram’s Gate Winery, Deerfield Ranch Winery and Muscardini Cellars
MEET YOUR HOSTS
Christopher Sawyer
Sommelier, Consultant & Wine Educator
Christopher Sawyer is an internationally-renowned sommelier, wine judge, consultant, wine educator and public speaker. Voted Best Sommelier of Sonoma County 2023 by Bohemian Magazine for the tenth consecutive year, he is also a recipient of many more prestigious awards and industry honors. To enjoy his wine adventures follow his Blog, The Sommelier Files and his YouTube Channel featuring The Varietal Show!
Ben Fine
Wine Education Manager, Jackson Family Wines
With over a decade in the wine industry, Jackson Family Wines’ Ben Fine has done a little bit of everything. From selling wine in Mexico to opening tasting rooms and designing vineyard tours, Ben likes to experience as many aspects of the wine industry as possible, which has led him to his current role. As the Wine Education Manager of over 40 wineries and brands, Ben is never in one place for too long. At times, you can find him educating business partners in estates and wineries, other times he is behind a desk creating educational materials, but he is happiest in the vineyards, spending time surrounded by wildlife and speaking to the future of Sonoma County’s wine landscape.
Pedro Rusk
Wine Education Manager, Jackson Family Wines
Pedro Rusk has been working in the wine industry for over 20 years, with a broad spectrum of experience ranging from working harvests each year, to retail and hospitality management positions where he has had the opportunity to expand his knowledge of wine evaluation and gain expertise in global wines. At Jackson Family Wines, Pedro is a wine educator and host to key trade accounts, conducts sales and production trainings and comparative wine tastings. As an avid cyclist in Sonoma County for over 30 years, Pedro enjoys riding alongside the vineyards and wineries in the region.
VIP Club Reserve
VIP ticketholders will enjoy access to all Taste of Sonoma has to offer one hour earlier than the general public as well as exclusive access to Club Reserve.
Step into the luxurious VIP Club Reserve and taste some of Sonoma County’s most sought-after wines. The winemakers and owners of Sonoma County’s iconic wineries will be on hand throughout the day to answer questions as you sample their limited production, reserve, and award-winning wines. VIP Club Reserve at the 2024 Taste of Sonoma featured various culinary and beverage selections by John Ash & Co., River Vine Cafe, Costeaux French Bakery, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., Tsar Nicoulai Caviar, AVID Coffee, and Vi La Vita Spa.
This experience is open exclusively to VIP Admission Club Reserve ticket holders.
We are unable to accommodate anyone under the age of 21, including infants and children. Pets are not allowed, only service animals will be granted entry.
General Admission
Meet Sonoma County’s renowned vintners participating in the walk-around wine tasting, explore Sonoma County by region in the specially designated Grand Tasting AVA Tents.
General admission includes the grand tasting, complimentary food trucks, beer garden and themed lounges.
We are unable to accommodate anyone under the age of 21, including infants and children. Pets are not allowed, only service animals will be granted entry.
Media Coverage
Taste of Sonoma is a widely publicized event in all varieties of medium. As a condition of and in consideration for participation in Taste of Sonoma, participant releases Sonoma County Vintners from any liability connected with the reproduction, adaptation, display, publication and distribution in any and all media, whether now known or yet to be developed, on any videos, photographs or other images taken of the participant at Taste of Sonoma, participant’s name, voice, likeness, city of residence and any other information regarding their participation.
