Beer & Wine Events in Wine Country this December
Usually December is a month filled with family obligations, work holiday parties, and entirely too much holiday shopping trips... So most smart event coordinators (at least the ones that I know) stay away from planning big events during the entire month of December.
I would too if I was planning an event. But, that doesn't mean I don't love a good beer release, or wine party - especially in December when I can dress up in Winter cocktail attire, or just a warm scarf.
I was only able to find a few events around Sonoma/Napa/Marin County that involved beer or wine during December. Here is my short list:
#GivingTuesday Holiday Pub Crawl
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Downtown Santa Rosa: Stout Brothers Irish Pub & Restaurant, La Rosa Tequileria & Grille, and Belly: Left Coast Kitchen & Taproom.
$1.00 per drink goes to the Child Parent Institute in Santa Rosa. While outside of Stout, stop and take an #unselfie to support #GivingTuesday. Stout Brothers is also donating 20% of all sales from the entire day from those that mention #GivingTuesday.
Details: http://on.fb.me/1z5JvlQ
Christopher Creek Winery’s 2nd Annual Prohibition Party
Friday, December 5th, 2014
The Healdsburg winery transforms into a Speakeasy for a night of 1930's fun with delicious food, dancing, entertainment, and of course, plenty of wine! Come dressed in your best flapper frock, gangster getup, fur coat, pinstripe suit, feathers, fedoras or any other era appropriate clothing, ready to party like it's 1933!! Tickets are $150 for wine club members, $200 for non-wine club members.
Details: http://on.fb.me/1z5LSoM
Bootleggers Ball, Presented by Napa Valley Museum
December 6, 2014 7:30-10pm
Celebrate the 81st Anniversary of Repeal Day in downtown Napa. The Museum will transform into a swinging speakeasy, with live music, cocktails and 1920s inspired food. A Fundraiser for Napa Valley Museum. $35 for Museum members/$45 for non-members.
Details: http://bit.ly/1z5O93m
Trione Winery's Christmas Open House
December 6, 2014 1-5pm
Tickets are $20 for Adults and FREE for children with an unwrapped toy! Tickets include your picture with Santa, hot cocoa bar, crafts, music, food and one glass of wine. Additional wine will be available for purchase.
Details: http://trionewinery.com/events/#sthash.CQTDcOKu.dpuf
Judd's Hill Hanukkah Hootenanny
Sunday, December 7th from 12:00pm-2:30pm
Sip current vintages and library wines at the Silverado Trail in Napa winery. Satisfy your sweet tooth with traditional jelly donuts and an extravagant latke bar with fine company and grand entertainment. Wine Club Members Price: $25, others $55.
Details: http://bit.ly/1z5NSgS
Anchor Brewing Pint Nite at Sprenger’s Tap Room
Friday, December, 12 at 6pm +
Enjoy Anchor Christmas Ale, and many others on tap.
Details: http://on.fb.me/1z5JzC4
Gloria Ferrer Holiday Crab Feed - SOLD OUT
Saturday December 13, 2014, 6:30pm - 9:30pm
A casual and fun evening of some fresh crab and award-winning sparkling and estate varietal wines. The holiday menu includes Dungeness crab, mussels, clams, shrimp, corn, artichokes, and potatoes. Ticket Price: $128, Wine Club member Price: $112
Details: http://bit.ly/1z5N6QT
Hopmonk Sebastopol 10th Annual Ugly Xmas Sweater Party
Friday, December 16th, 2014
Make or find your favorite Ugly Christmas Sweater and head over to the brew pub, Hopmonk in Sebastopol, CA at 8pm+. Frankie Boots And The County Line, a folk rock/Americana band will be playing.
Details: http://bit.ly/1z5LXZC
Feast of Seven Fishes at D'Argenzio Winery
Friday, December 19, 2014 - 5:00pm to 8:00pm
The D'Argenzio family has celebrated the Feast of Seven Fishes (Festa dei Sette Pesci) for over 100 years. Enjoy bowls of Cioppino, delicious Italian Bread, and (of course) D'Argenzio wines.
Details: http://bit.ly/1z5NBdO
Let me know about any other December Beer events I may have missed!
Thanksgiving Wines & Beers...
Almost as important as the company are the libations at the Thanksgiving table... Food comes in third in my experiences. The food is always great, but it is the laughs at the table and the wine/beer that goes along with the food that I tend to remember more.
Wente Vineyards sent me a bottle of their Cabernet Sauvignon and I opened it with my mother and sister a few weeks ago - and it was GREAT! The black cherry flavor goes great with rich foods (like turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc).
My tastiest client - Iron Horse Vineyards - has at least 10 different types of sparkling wine that will go great with every course (or, if you are like me... one giant plate of mixed up Thanksgiving dishes), but their Estate Pinot is a GREAT Thanksgiving wine that has a berry, almost cola-like taste to it - which pairs well with mushroom gravy.
White wine can also go great with fall foods. One of my favorites I have ever put into my mouth is a 2012 Hagan Vineyard Chardonnay from Red Car Winery, on Hwy 116 right by Graton, CA. My reaction when I tried a glass was that THIS was perhaps the best damn Chard I have ever put into my mouth. You don't even need food to make this a tasty wine.
Pumpkin Beers may sound a bit too cliche, but done right - they are PERFECT for any good meal.. Especially Thanksgiving. If you can get your hands on some, try the Southern Tier Warlock (Imperial stout brewed with pumpkins), or PumpKing (ale with pumpkins). Both are some of the best examples of what "pumpkin spice" should be... Just good fall flavors mixed together with grains. Good on their own, or with fall foods.
I don't want you all to think I do not care about the food at Thanksgiving. OF COURSE I DO! I crave mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce all year round... Here are some of my fav recipes for Thanksgiving and fall: http://www.pinterest.com/sharayray/crave-fall/.
Sonoma County Harvest Fair - Beer, Wine, Cider
The Sonoma County Harvest Fair is the quintessential end to the harvest season here in Sonoma County wine country.
The first weekend of October, it celebrates everything that wine country is known for. In the past this used to be mostly wine, followed by food. Starting last year, this also included beer and cider - which of course makes me so excited.
That's the great thing about living in this area. Yeah, we make amazing wine, but wine country is also home to some of the best beer in the world (I live five minutes away from Russian River brewing Company, so.. yes. I can say this).
I haven't been to the Harvest Fair for years. But I finally remember it as the place I met Jess a.k.a. @Moxie_Lady IRL for the first time. A mutual friend, James Marshall Barry, kept saying that we would get along – we finally met and we definitely did. A few years later we traded our single selves for husbands, and a mutual love for everything food, beer, wine, and social media.
This year I'm attending the harvest fair with my family – and we are all bringing four cans of nonperishable food items for the Redwood Empire Food Bank, in lieu of gate admission. Any event that supports our local food bank, I am definitely all for. Learn more and grab your tickets: http://www.harvestfair.org/schedule.
There are so many activities during the day, and the Grand Tasting each night. I wish I would of signed up for the grape stomp earlier, but hey it's still fun to watch.
Let me know if you plan on attending this year as well.