ROCKnVINO: A Pairing of Music & Wine

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Ned Lawton, Founder and Cidermaker at Ethic Ciders. Ned and his family decided to buy property in Sebastopol about 10 years ago, that had an apple orchard. They had children from their preschool in San Francisco come to the property to learn about farms. They decided to make cider with the juice, and have been making it for about 7 years. You can visit their property on Occidental Road in Sebastopol for tastings and education. They will be part of the Farm Trails Farm Tour on October 13th. You can get free tickets (registration required) to attend and press your own apple juice! Parking is very limited, so be sure to register in advance to reserve your spot.

8490 Occidental Rd

Sebastopol., CA 95472

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Judd Wallenbrock, CEO of Priest Ranch Winery. Judd talks about working in the wine industry, learning about the synergy of wine, food and the arts from his time as global vice president of marketing at Robert Mondavi, president of Michel-Schlumberger, and president and CEO of C. Mondavi & Family. He founded his own label, Humanitas Wines in 2001, using the "Newman's Own Model" of making stuff and giving away the proceeds. In this case it was delicious wines, in a great setting featuring rock photography on the walls, and high level molecular gastronomy on the plates. After retiring, Judd discovered that he wasn't very good at being retired, so when the opportunity arose, he signed on as CEO of Priest Ranch Winery and Somerston Estate. He was delighted to work with a team that already were doing fantastic things, and so now Judd gets to help the brand work on those wow experiences, like innovative wine and food pairings (a bacon tasting! a chocolate "dirt" tasting!), and music and wine pairings. There are a few more dates this season to enjoy Thursday Night Live! at Priest Ranch. And you can also enjoy delicious food at The Kitchen at Priest Ranch! Learn more at priestranchwines.com

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, host Michelle talks with Josh Windmiller, co-founder and director of the Railroad Square Music Festival, coming up on Sunday, September 22nd. This free event features a wide variety of Bay Area musicians on multiple stages, as well as food, beverages, a kids area, and more. While it is free to attend, it takes work and funds to produce, so sponsors and donations are always welcome! Or you could volunteer for a shift at the event, and help the Railroad Square Music Festival continue to entertain and support musicians in the Bay Area! Josh has been organizing shows and festivals in Sonoma County for well over a decade, focusing on the talent that we have right here. (Coco could not join us for this show because she has jury duty! Boo!)

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Bryce Dow-Williamson, Art & Event Consultant, Planning and Economic Department for the City of Santa Rosa. What does that title mean? It means that Bryce makes cool things happen in Santa Rosa, like the Live at Juilliard concert series. There is one more free show left this season, on Sunday, August 18th from 5pm to 7pm. The Pulsators will be the final band performing in this summer's collection of shows at Juilliard Park. These family friendly shows also have beer and wine available for sale, with proceeds benefitting Sonoma County Pride, as well as a food truck on site. You can BYOB and bring a picnic if you like, as well as chairs or blankets to spread out and enjoy the show. Bryce also works on other art and culture events in Santa Rosa, including art shows at the Finley Center, the Railroad Square Music Festival, and shows at The Lost Church.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Chef Itamar Abramovitch of Blossom Catering and (M)Eat Carnival. Chef Itamar is focused on crafting experiences with his food, so he is always thinking about how to enhance a wine and food pairing to really make it pop and complement the wine. That passion extends to Meat Carnival, which was born in Israel, and Chef Itamar brought it to Wine Country. What is Meat Carnival? Part workshop, part feast, part entertainment – but ultimately it is an unforgettable experience. Guests can eat and drink all they want from 8 different chef tables, each serving up different dishes every thirty minutes or so. It is interactive, over the top, and a feast for the senses! The name has changed to (M)Eat Carnival since the dishes have expanded beyond just meat. Tickets sell out quickly, so if you are interested in attending, sign up for their newsletter and get early access to tickets.

 

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Robert Young, Hospitality Manager at Robert Young Estate Winery. Robert is part of the 5th generation of family members working at this historic vineyard and winery. His ancestors moved to Sonoma County from New York during the gold rush and bought the ranch property in Alexander Valley, originally growing prunes. A suggestion came along in the 1960s to plant grapes, specifically Cabernet Sauvignon, a varietal now famous in the Alexander Valley AVA. The Young family also developed Chardonnay Clone 17, a disease resistant grape that worked well in hotter climates, cementing the legacy of Robert Young and his family in the California wine industry. In the late 90s, Robert's children established the Robert Young Estate Winery, and now use about 7-percent of the grapes they grow each year to make their wines. The other grapes are sold to about 20 or so wineries and appear as vineyard designates. Book a tasting experience today by visiting ryew.com

 

Robert Young Estate Winery returns again this year as one of the winery hosts of Songwriters in Paradise. On Thursday, July 25th, Nashville-based songwriters will converge on the winery for an intimate songwriters-in-the-round performance, paired with appetizers and delicious Robert Young Estate Wines. Tickets are available at songwritersinparadise.com.

 

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Art Murray, owner of Flambeaux Wine and Cory Schisler, co-owner of The Madrona about a great summer film series called Movies on the Lawn at The Madrona. Cory and his business partner took ownership of The Madrona during the pandemic and opened the doors in the Spring of 2022, giving the space new life and creativity. He is directly involved in all aspects of guest experiences at The Madrona, from curating music playlists for each area of the property, to adjust the lighting until it is juuuust right! In 2023, The Madrona worked with AVFilm to create a fun summer film experience, and this year it is even better, paired with a different winery each month. Tickets include comfy blankets, popcorn and snacks, a glass of wine, and headphones to enjoy the show, as well as perfectly paired movies. Art Murray calls The Madrona his home away from home. Art loves to visit (almost daily, he says) and so presenting the film Labyrinth along with Flambeaux Wine was a natural fit. You can get tickets to see Labyrinth on July 10th by clicking here.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, host Michelle talks with Nate Prowse, organizer of the Fridays at the Hood summer concert series. This is the second year for this fun concert series at Hood Mountain Regional Park. From June through August, enjoy a live concert from a local band every Friday evening, in an absolutely gorgeous spot to watch the sun set and shake your booty. This family friendly event supports local non-profit Play It Forward, an organization dedicated to offering free music lessons, instruments, and music therapy. There are food trucks each Friday, as well as wine from Emmitt-Scorsone and Jackson Family Wines, plus beer from Lagunitas Brewing. Check out the full line up of concerts and get your tickets in advance (at a discount!) by visiting fridaysatthehood.com.

 

Nate is also the owner of Live Musicians Co-Op, a great space to rehearse, record, and refine your chops.

 

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Noah and Kelly Dorrance of Reeve Wines, BloodRoot Wines and The Ramble, a homegrown music and wine festival in Healdsburg on June 7th and 8th. Noah and Kelly moved to Sonoma County from Missouri after falling in love with each other and with wine.

 

Reeve Wines in Dry Creek Valley is known for small lot, delicious wines and a tasting experience close to nature. In downtown Healdsburg, they have a charming tasting room for their more value focused wines from BloodRoot.

 

As if that weren't enough, Noah and Kelly have created a homegrown music festival called The Ramble, June 7th and 8th in Healdsburg featuring headliners Lord Huron, Andrew Bird, and Cautious Clay, as well as The Nude Party, The Coffis Brothers, and Spike Sikes. Proceeds benefit Giffords, in memory of Kelly's 9-year-old niece Evelyn who was killed in a school shooting in 2023. Get details and tickets at www.bloodrootramble.com