The 3rd annual Healdsburg Wine and Food Experience was a weekend-long celebration that featured the best of Sonoma County and world-renowned food and wines. This year's festival showcased the region's makers – farmers, growers, winemakers and chefs – alongside globally recognized wines, highlighting the vibrant culinary diversity, deep connection to agriculture, and sustainable farming practices of Sonoma County.

HWFE is deeply involved in the Sonoma County community, making substantial donations from this year’s ticket sales and sponsorships to local organizations that make a meaningful difference in the lives of farmers and their families, including the Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de los Viñedos. These funds will help support the Leadership Academy and workforce development for vineyard employees and their families, fostering future leaders in both the industry and the community.

As well as being co-founders of HWFE, Sonoma County Winegrowers founded the Sommelier Program to create an immersive experience for sommeliers from around the country during the festival. Working in partnership with Food & Wine and Ray Isle, we selected Sommeliers to attend HWFE in an effort to broaden the knowledge of the region of Sonoma County and showcase our commitment to sustainable agriculture. Hosting sommeliers from across the country is a significant undertaking, and we are deeply grateful to J Vineyards and 'Shifting the Lens' for sponsoring one of our 23 sommeliers, as well as to Roederer Estate for sponsoring four sommeliers from Wine Unify.

In addition to the two days of sommelier education sessions before the weekend’s events, Sonoma County Winegrowers hosted the Matt Horn BBQ at Dutton Ranch, led Vineyard Immersions with Sonoma County winegrowers, and participated in the Vintners Plaza Grand Tasting. Read on to learn more about SCW’s activations from this year’s HWFE.

Wednesday, May 15th 
Sommelier Welcome Dinner Hosted by Vérité

To welcome our sommeliers to this year’s HWFE, Barbara Banke and Chris Jackson of Jackson Family Wines graciously held an opening dinner at Vérité. The evening began with passed appetizers and stunning views of the estate vineyards, followed by a brief history of the new Vérité building and a tour of the state-of-the-art barrel room. An exquisite 4-course meal, prepared by Chef Ari Weiswasser of Glen Ellen Star & Park Avenue Catering, was held in the Vérité wine caves and perfectly paired with Vérité wines, showcasing the bounty of Sonoma County.

Thursday, May 16th 
Sommelier Education 
Sonoma County Overview and Pinot Noir Seminar with Ray Isle

Following the welcome dinner at Vérité, we welcomed our sommeliers to the SCW office for a day of education and an immersive introduction to our region. This educational initiative aimed to equip them with the knowledge and insights needed to represent Sonoma County effectively during HWFE events throughout the weekend.

Our President and CEO, Karissa Kruse, started the immersion with an insightful Sonoma County overview presentation, which was followed by a Pinot Noir seminar led by Food & Wine Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle. Featuring 10 distinct Pinot Noirs from various Sonoma County AVAs, ranging from Carneros to the West Sonoma Coast, the seminar was enriched by panelists from Kanzler Vineyards, Three Sticks Wines, Ernest Vineyards, and Paul Hobbs who shared their expertise on these diverse growing regions.

Wine and Food Pairing Seminar with Keith Goldston, MS

After a tour, tasting and lunch at Lynmar Estate, our sommeliers jumped back into action for a Wine and Food pairing seminar led by Landrys Inc. Master Sommelier, Keith Goldston. This seminar explored the intricacies of food and wine pairing, debunking misconceptions, and exploring innovative combinations by pairing wines with unconventional choices such as junk foods.

Following the seminar, we challenged the sommeliers to create their own innovative combinations, pairing junk foods with unique and less common Sonoma County wine varietals. The sommeliers got creative, breaking into groups with our panelists from Pangloss Cellars & Repris Wines, Dutcher Crossing Winery, Keller Estate, Donelan Family Wines, Bricoleur Vineyards, Amista Vineyards and Pedroncelli Winery and paired one savory and one sweet junk food with a unique varietal.

This fun activity highlighted the unique varietals grown in Sonoma County and demonstrated how different characteristics can complement even the most unlikely pairings, showcasing the versatility of Sonoma County wines to wine professionals, consumers, and enthusiasts alike.

Friday, May 17th 
“Farm of the Future” Vineyard Walk and Aged Cabernet Sauvignon Seminar

On Friday, our President and CEO, Karissa Kruse, led our sommeliers on a “Farm of the Future” vineyard walk, showcasing our sustainability leadership and forward-thinking farming initiatives through our various pilot programs and partnerships with companies such as Wilbur-Ellis and Agrology. During the tour, we highlighted how Sonoma County winegrowers implement sustainable winegrowing with practices such as pollinator strips, carbon sensors, owl boxes, weather stations and so much more.

Following the walk, our sommeliers participated in an Aged Cabernet Sauvignon Seminar led by Ray Isle, where they compared older vintage Cabernet Sauvignon with the current vintage from five different producers, showcasing the incredible “age-ability” of Sonoma County Cabernet. Panelists included winemakers, winery executives, and winegrowers from Stonestreet Winery, Rodney Strong Wine Estates, Laurel Glen Vineyards, Medlock Ames Winery, Silver Oak Cellars, and Redwood Empire Vineyard Management.

Matt Horn BBQ at Dutton Ranch and Truck Talk Vineyard Immersions

For the second consecutive year, Sonoma County Winegrowers hosted the Matt Horn BBQ at Dutton Ranch. This sold-out event featured live music from Dustin Saylor, axe throwing provided by New West KnifeWorks, Sonoma County wines and an incredible California-style BBQ lunch prepared by Chef Matt Horn.

Following the delicious meal, over 30+ Sonoma County winegrowers and winery partners led more than 100 HWFE consumers, media, and sommeliers on private vineyard excursions across Sonoma County. These Truck Talks offered an exciting opportunity for participants to connect with the land and its stewards by walking the vineyards, touching the soil, and enjoying wines with the makers.

Bubble Room Sommelier Dinner Hosted by J Vineyards

After an afternoon of vineyard immersions, our sommeliers enjoyed a dinner hosted by J Vineyards & Winery with winemaker Nicole Hitchcock. The evening began with sparkling wines on the patio, followed by a family-style dinner expertly prepared by Estate Chef Forest Kellogg featuring three sparkling wines and a Pinot Noir. Both Chef Kellogg and Winemaker Hitchcock shared insights about the wines and pairings during the delightful meal.

Thank you to J Vineyards and Gallo for hosting our sommeliers on their third evening in Sonoma County!

Saturday, May 18th
Vintners Plaza Grand Tasting

The "crown jewel" of HWFE, the Vintners Plaza Grand Tasting, welcomed over 2,000 wine lovers, sommeliers, and media guests to sample wines, spirits, and beers from more than 150 local and world-renowned artisans and makers. This event truly brings the best of the food and beverage world to the heart of Healdsburg.

This year, attendees had the unique opportunity to “Meet the Farmers” at the SCW booth. Our Winegrowers and Pilot Farmers for the “Farm of the Future” sustainable winegrowing initiatives joined our activation, sharing insights into how Sonoma County winegrowers are pushing the boundaries of sustainability. Showcasing our new and exciting collaboration with John Deere, guests were able to take selfies on a tractor and enjoy wines from different winegrowers, gaining a deeper appreciation for the innovative practices in our region.

Thank You to Our Partners

We extend our deepest gratitude to our Sonoma County community, local farmers, and winery partners for their invaluable contributions to the resounding success of our events. It is their unwavering support and dedication that allows us to showcase the beauty of Sonoma County to our HWFE guests.

We are immensely grateful to Steve Dveris, SD Media, and the entire Healdsburg Wine and Food Experience team. Your dedication and hard work truly shine, and we are honored to be co-founders with you. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this event so special. We are eagerly looking forward to next year’s festivities!

One of this year’s sommeliers’, Joseph Puente, summed up the impact of HWFE best: “The gradual growth of diversity and representation in the wine industry is happening, from winemakers to sommeliers, but it’s opportunities like a weekend in Healdsburg that drive the creativity and passion to share our experience, stories of the region, and the art of winemaking with friends and family.”

Healdsburg Wine and Food Experience