Today, Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance announced that legendary wine critic and author Antonio Galloni will be a featured guest and the keynote speaker at the third annual Signature Sonoma Valley on May 16-19, 2019. Mr. Galloni, who is mapping the historic vineyards of the Sonoma Valley region with renowned cartographer, Alessandro Masnaghetti, will lead tastings and discussions on several distinctive vineyard sites and their wines throughout the weekend. Signature Sonoma Valley is an exclusive, four-day immersion into the acclaimed wines, historic vineyards and welcoming community of Sonoma Valley.
“Signature Sonoma Valley shapes how wine collectors view Sonoma Valley as a wine region. With the inclusion of Mr. Galloni this year, we continue to build on that view with key industry influencers leading intensive wine education programs,” said Maureen Cottingham, Executive Director of the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance. “Our greatest hope is that guests will leave Signature Sonoma Valley with a deeper connection to our vineyards and an appreciation for the caliber of wines coming out of Sonoma Valley.”
In addition to Antonio Galloni and his introduction to the historic vineyards of the region, Signature Sonoma Valley will also welcome San Francisco Chronicle wine writer and critic Esther Mobley who will lead a retrospective tasting of the hallmark wines of Laurel Glen Vineyard, along with Master Sommelier and renowned wine educator Bob Bath, MS who will emcee the Legends: Collector’s Dinner, the capstone event of the weekend. Leading sommeliers and wine writers from across the country will join this stellar line up to round out the all-star team of wine industry notables.
Signature Sonoma Valley offers guests unprecedented access to private, sought-after vineyards, rare vintages of iconic wines, and in-depth, educational wine tastings that showcase the collectability and versatility of Sonoma Valley wines. The 2019 weekend of events include a line-up of expertly curated wine programs including:
LARGE FORMAT BOTTLE PARTY (Thursday, May 16) – Sonoma Valley’s wine stars will be at the Large Format Bottle Party at Buena Vista Winery. Guests will be welcomed by local wine legends as they settle in for a spirited evening of artfully crafted cuisine and legendary wines by Sonoma Valley vintners and growers.
ICON: A GRAND TERROIR TASTING (Friday, May 17) – Sonoma Valley’s six distinctive appellations will be featured at ICON: A Grand Terroir Tasting at Ram’s Gate Winery in Los Carneros. A panel of leading sommeliers, led by the Signature Sonoma Valley Wine Director, Dan O’Brien, will select a roster of wines that showcase the distinctive traits and characteristics of the AVA’s within Sonoma Valley. Thirty winemakers, from the storied to the cutting-edge, will share their wines as Sonoma Valley winegrowers provide perspective on the unique sub-regions and vineyards.
RETROSPECTIVE (Saturday, May 18) – A rare retrospective tasting of vintages across four decades from iconic Sonoma Valley winery, Laurel Glen Vineyard will include commentary by current winemaker Randall Watkins and the founding winemaker, Patrick Campbell. Proprietor Bettina Sichel and winegrower Phil Coturri, pioneer of organic viticulture, will join moderator Esther Mobley to provide insight and perspective on the nuances of each vintage.
LEGENDS: COLLECTOR’S DINNER (Saturday, May 18) – The capstone event of the weekend, the Legends: Collector’s Dinner will highlight ten renowned vineyards in Sonoma Valley through the lens of wines made from their vines. Author and wine critic Antonio Galloni will share the stories of these historic sites while vineyard owners and winemakers pour wines from their personal collections at the table. Glen Ellen Star’s Executive Chef Ari Weiswasser will craft the dinner menu to complement the evening’s extraordinary and historic wines. The Legends: Collector’s Dinner is presented by TricorBraun WinePak.
IMMERSION: VINEYARD EXPLORATION + TASTING – Guests will venture behind-the-vines into Sonoma Valley’s most iconic vineyards including Louis M. Martini’s historic Monte Rosso vineyard and other extreme sites on Sonoma Mountain and in the Moon Mountain AVA that are not open to the public, as well as a comparative tasting of pinot noir clones presented by Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards. The experiences will include a curated tasting of wines produced from each site along with a sommelier-led discussion with the winemakers.
WINE + DESIGN LUNCHES – Sonoma Valley is home to many exclusive properties and architectural masterworks that are as spectacular as they are secluded. Signature Sonoma Valley’s Wine + Design offers guests a contemporary spin on the traditional winemaker lunch, set in distinctive and rarely accessible, one-of-a-kind locations featuring outstanding design and architecture. Each location is unique, ranging from the showpiece private estate of the Sebastiani family to homes by renowned designers including Jessica Hall and Chris Cahill. An intimate lunch paired with wines presented by the winemaker completes the experience.
BUBBLES + BRUNCH (Sunday, May 19) – The celebratory conclusion of the weekend takes place at The General’s Daughter to bid farewell and enjoy a wine country brunch paired with a carefully curated range of Sonoma Valley sparkling wines, many of which are not available to the general public.
Tickets for all events are now on sale and available at SonomaValleyWine.com/Signature-Sonoma-Valley. Seating is limited and all events will sell out, so early purchase is strongly recommended. For more information, please call 707. 935.0803 or visit SonomaValleyWine.com. Pricing for each event varies:
IMMERSION; Vineyard Explorations + Tasting: $125/person
Wine + Design Lunches: $175/person
ICON: A Grand Terroir Tasting at Ram’s Gate Winery: $250/person
RETROSPECTIVE at Laurel Glen Vineyards: $250/person
LEGENDS: COLLECTOR’S DINNER: $350/person
BUBBLES + BRUNCH: $65/person
Weekend Package: $1500/person
Large Format Bottle Party at Buena Vista Winery: Included exclusively in the Weekend Package
About the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance and Foundation
The Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance (SVVGA) is a non-profit trade organization serving more than 500 members who share a mission to promote awareness of Sonoma Valley’s grapes, wine, and history as the birthplace of the California wine industry. Sonoma Valley comprises six of the 17 American Viticulture Areas (AVAs) of Sonoma County: Bennett Valley, Los Carneros, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Mountain, and Sonoma Valley. The Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation (SVVGF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has raised more than $25,000,000 through Sonoma Wine Country Weekend and supports youth and children for future success, preserving our environment, and improving health and welfare of our local communities. For more information on the SVVGA and SVVGF, please visit www.SonomaValleyWine.com.