2012 Wine Country Weekend

3 Days. 200 Wineries and Chefs. One Unforgettable Sonoma Experience.

This highly-anticipated event, now in its fifth year, combines the elegance, sophistication and style of the Taste of Sonoma with the festivity, frivolity and fundraising of the Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction during three unforgettable days. Sonoma Wine Country Weekend brings together more than 200 world-class wineries and chefs showcasing their talents at stylish winemaker lunches and dinners, a show-stopping Taste of Sonoma as well as the hugely popular Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction. Ticket prices vary. For more information, call (800) 939-7666 or visit www.sonomawinecountryweekend.com

Get an early start to your weekend on Friday with a winemaker lunch. With dozens of wineries to choose from, you'll be able to break bread with the winemakers that create your favorite Sonoma bottlings. Local chefs (or the winery’s own) create impeccable pairings from Sonoma County’s abundant seasonal offerings. A lovely noontime treat, steeped in the tradition of Sonoma County casual elegance.

When the evening rolls around, share a bottle of wine, linger over a plate of fresh local cuisine and create lasting friendships at an intimate winemaker dinner. On Friday and Saturday, you’ll share the evening with the winemakers whose creations have earned international acclaim. Paired with the stellar culinary creations of a local chef (perhaps the winery’s own), any dinner you select promises to be a classic wine country evening to remember.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves, because Saturday afternoon you'll want to immerse yourself in the food and wine culture of Sonoma County at the 33rd annual Taste of Sonoma. Sonoma’s own Gallo family invites you to enjoy an afternoon of strolling through their historic MacMurray Ranch property while sipping and savoring the very best of Sonoma County’s rich wines and delectable cuisine. With more than 170 wineries pouring their finest offerings, and over 60 local chefs whipping up divine pairings, Taste of Sonoma delivers a once-in-a-lifetime experience for wine lovers and foodies alike. Informative and entertaining wine seminars, lively cooking demonstrations, a chef competition, and much more make this one event you won’t want to miss.

Sunday afternoon, get fired up! Sonoma’s top wineries invite you to their Sunday barbecues for a more casual way to celebrate Labor Day. Each winery destination will put their own special spin on Sonoma’s top grilled foods while pairing them with the remarkable red wines for which Sonoma County is known. Whether its ribs slathered in sauce, sizzling sausages or killer kebabs you crave – or just a great glass of wine – you’re sure to find barbecue bliss right here in our backyard.

Round out the weekend at the 20th Annual Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction at Chateau St. Jean. It's a fantastic feast for the senses filled with world-class wines, culinary marvels and showstopping spectacles that promises to be an unforgettable experience. Upon your arrival, you'll discover a bustling Auction bazaar bursting with a kaleidoscope of brilliant color, seductive smells and sensual delights. Luxuriate in our silk-swathed Spice Lounge before the curtain goes up on the Live Auction. Each dining table will be presided over by a renowned Winemaker or Grower who will captivate you with epic tales behind their Sonoma wines. Meanwhile, Sonoma's most revered chefs will present the most thrilling flavors found in Sonoma's freshest seasonal offerings.

The 2013 Sonoma Wine Country Weekend promises to be three unforgettable days of celebration, Sonoma style.

Book your stay in one of our Santa Rosa Wine Country hotels.