The Sonoma Spiel

Maui in Sonoma: The Crossover Podcast Event of the Year!

There's no physical bridge between Maui and Sonoma, but there is a spiritual one. Our friends from the Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau just happened to be in the San Francisco Bay Area to talk about why you should go visit Maui now, and we tricked them into coming onto the podcast. (We told them they would be our Very Special Guests, and This Time We Mean It.)
Sherry Duong and Leanne Pletcher brought their spirit of aloha to talk about where to visit in Maui, food trucks to try, adventures beyond the beaches, and the spirit and resilience of Maui's residents.
They also filled us in on loco moco, Spam Musubi, and what's all the fuss with poke bowls. (There's even a new contest for Maui residents - the "Anything But I'a (Fish) Poke Contest" that encourages creative poke bowl recipes that use anything other than fish. 
We also chat about things we have in common (history tours, natural beauty, farmers markets) and things that are unique to each of us (pineapple wine, hot air balloon tours).
Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. Oddly enough, we got a lot of questions in the Sonoma visitors center about travel from Sonoma to Maui, and so we were fortunate that our friends from Maui were here to help. This week they took on:
What is the tallest mountain in the world and is it true that it’s in Hawaii?
I keep hearing about this thing called poke. What is it and where should I get it in Maui?
I’m heading from Sonoma to Maui soon and want to find some local wines. Where should I go and what should I taste?
Is it better to visit Haleakalā at sunrise or sunset?
You can also find more great answers to your Maui questions at https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/maui. 
 
We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass
 
Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.
 
It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

Almost spring! Steve Ledson on Kenwood, Ledson Winery, and not sleeping much

Rancher, hay baler, contractor, winemaker... if Steve Ledson sat in our podcast studio any longer he probably would have admitted to several other jobs he has had over a varied life in and around the Sonoma Valley.
This week on the Sonoma Spiel podcast he talks about growing up in the northern Sonoma Valley area of Kenwood and exploring the woods that would become public parks like Annadel and Sugarloaf.
In a wide ranging interview we also hear about the vaunted Moon Mountain AVA, one of the top winegrowing regions in the United States, his passion for fly fishing and his quest for conservation of natural resources.
Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. This time Steve answered these Sonoma questions:
We're moving out of the area in 2 weeks: What are your "not to miss spots" for restaurants? 
Is the Sonoma art walk continuing this summer?
I’m here in town for a few days and looking for someone to drive our car to take us wine tasting? Is this possible?
I was driving through Kenwood and I saw what looked like large, smoky campfires in the fields. What’s going on with that?
I keep seeing mannequins around Sonoma Valley wearing amazing dresses made of corks and champagne cages and all sorts of recycled items. What is this?
 
We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass
 Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.
More information about Ledson Winery and Ledson Hotel is at https://ledson.com.
Details about the Moon Mountain District wine region is at https://moonmountaindistrict.org. 
 It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

ACTION! Sonoma International Film Fest with Ginny Krieger

Ginny Krieger with the Sonoma International Film Fest is back on the Sonoma Spiel podcast (three-peat!) to talk about the upcoming film festival (March) and the more than 100 films showing during the big event. Like all the SIFF events there is a curious culinary component and this year it's a fiesta of Italian cooking with "Marcella's Italian Dinner,"  celebrating legendary Marcella Hazan. (This intimate four-course wine dinner, crafted by Sonoma’s award-winning female chefs—Domenica Catelli (Catelli’s), Tracey Shepos-Cenami (Jackson Family Wines), and Chef Gia Passalacqua (Chef and Winemaker)—promises an exquisite journey through Italian flavors paired with exceptional wines.)
As we go over the different films coming we break out some movie treats courtesy of the Sebastiani Theatre like Good & Plenty candy and popcorn.
And like all of our Sonoma Spiel podcast guests, Ginny answers YOUR Sonoma questions during "We Get Questions." This week she takes on:
Where can we go to see wildflowers blooming now?  - via email to info@sonomavalley.com
Is there a fee to enter Sonoma Valley - via email
What’s a good place for Chinese food in Sonoma?
Can I propose to my girlfriend in the Plaza? Is that allowed?
We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass
Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.
 
It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

"My chateau is made of tin." Paul Giusto (Highway 12 Winery) on Sonoma Sips and winemaking

You can't swing a cat without knocking over a baby sheep in Sonoma Valley in Spring - and Paul Giusto, a three time repeat guest, is back on the Sonoma Spiel to talk Highway 12 Winery and Sonoma Sips. 
While we get the important words out of the way - namely the ones we aren't supposed to say on the radio- we then dive into winemaking, what it's like running a small winery and how to make wine in a fancy, metal-sided warehouse on the outskirts of town.
Paul also talks about what Highway 12 Winery is pouring during Sonoma Sips, the limited time special that offers tastes for $15 at more than 40 wineries. At Highway 12 they're offering four sips and a surprise, all for just $15. 
Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. This week on WE GET QUESTIONS he takes on:
What local flower farms have good prices for flowers (orange, fuschia, yellow) for our June wedding? Ranunculus, marigolds, billy balls, and wild flowers not roses.
Can you tell me where the body shops are?
I see that there was a Hungarian count named Agoston Harasthazy in Sonoma in the 1850s. Do people still speak Hungarian in Sonoma?
When is the mustard going to bloom in the vineyards? We want to get good photos.
We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass
 Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.
 
Highway 12 Winery: www.highway12winery.com
Sonoma Sips: www.sonomavalley.com/food-wine/wine/sonoma-sips
 
It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

Sonoma Speaker Series: Big Thoughts in a Little Town. Kathy Witkowicki Tells All

Kathy Witkowicki stumbled into setting up a wildly successful public speakers program when she failed at being retired (life got boring) and Gavin Newsom couldn't make it to an event, but his interesting, film-making wife could. The outcome was the Sonoma Speakers Series, an all-volunteer organization that puts together a world-class program with experts on arts, politics, media, science and sports. This week she talks about her journey from retiring from the Mentoring Alliance to starting the Sonoma Speaker Series, as well as what it takes to put it all together. She also touches on tips for listening to people you don't necessarily agree with and how we can learn from each other. Like all of our guests she takes a moment to answer YOUR Sonoma questions.(We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass)The trees on the Sonoma Plaza are incredible - and some of them are huge. Who manages all of those trees? Hello- we just moved here from the East Bay and are looking for good Mexican food - especially from Oaxaca and Michoacan. Got any ideas? Are there ever special wine tasting offers for people who want to try new wineries but don’t want to commit to more elaborate tastings? We are hosting a dinner party with a diverse group of people, and will be featuring many Sonoma Valley wines. Because the group has varying opinions on so many things, and public discourse seems so fraught, what advice would you give on how to keep conversations civil? Also, should I offer a sparkling wine option? Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers. It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNFApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

Consider the Foodie: MFK Fisher, Celebrity Chefs, Crab Feasts and more with Clark Wolf

Of course we started the podcast with a report from our trip to the Sonoma Farmers Market, because this week we had a very special guest - and this time we actually mean it- Clark Wolf, the energetic, food-obsessed, speaking-a-mile-a-minute food consultant and radio show host. And cheesemonger. And writer. Clark rips rapid-fire into tales about Ig Vella, MFK Fisher, Alice Waters, Anthony Bourdain, Ruth Reichl and any and all other chefs, producers and food writers. And opines about Gravenstein apples, hotel restaurants and farms.AND - just ten minutes into the podcast - another VERY SPECIAL GUEST pops in, and this time we actually, actually mean it - Seth the College Student / The Potato Chip Guy stops by on his scheduled rounds with samples of his locally made artisan potato chips from Planetary Potato Chips. (https://planetarychips.com)Like all of our podcast guests he also answers YOUR Sonoma questions and this week he takes on:
I am visiting Sonoma in early February, and I anticipate that I will be buying some wine to bring home. I know most of the wineries offer shipping of their bottles, however I will likely buy one or two bottles each from a few different wineries and I was wondering if there is a service in town where I can take the bottles to be packaged and shipped back to my home? - via email
Beyond wine and winegrapes, what food or produce is Sonoma County identified with? 
Help- my bike tire is getting flat. Is there a pump nearby that I can use? - at Plaza visitor center
I’m feeling a bit hungry - but I don’t need a full sit-down meal. Where are some good places for small bites or little dishes?
We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass
Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

Sonoma's Award-Winning Visitor Center Volunteers: Dennis & Diane

Dennis & Diane Mitchell won the Sonoma County "Visitor Center Volunteers of the Year" award and in spite of that pedigree, still came on the Sonoma Spiel podcast. 
Though they haven't been volunteering for a long time (two and a half years), they have deep experience working in the wine industry, starting in the Livermore Valley. But wait, they've also worked for several dot-com companies (in the 90's when it was the first wave,) a school bus manufacturer and even ran their own day care business. Oh, and Dennis moved 17 times before he got to high school because his dad was in the Navy. 
Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma.
We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass
This week they answer:
Hi - I’m coming to visit for my 40th… love my sav blanc and champagne.. any events or music events or things you recommend ?? Staying at the inn in Sonoma … open to ideas - planning a hot air balloon … and saw there’s a champagne bar and looking at a few places but anything we must see/do… 7-8 of us coming!
 
Is there a special code or something that I need to use the Sonoma Plaza tasting pass? How does it work?
 
Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.
 
It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b

Run from Napa to Sonoma with Gretchen! Half-marathons, wine in the plaza and coffee fiends

The Napa to Sonoma Half-Marathon is one of the top runs in the United States, and includes the half-marathon and a 5K fun run, in addition to a food and wine celebration.
 
Local runner Gretchen Schoenstein talks about the race and the route that takes runners from the vineyards of Napa (where you might see a hot air balloon!) past rustic barns to the farms and wineries of Sonoma Valley, ending up in the historic Sonoma Plaza. Gretchen says it is one of her favorite half-marathons, and she should know, as she has completed more than 100 such races.
 
In addition to being a runner, Gretchen talks about her work advocating on behalf of those who have auto-immune disorders and how she raises funds for the Benroya Research Institute. 
 
More information about Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon and Rose 5K is at https://runnapatosonoma.com.
 
Like all of our Sonoma podcast guests she answers YOUR Sonoma questions during "We Get Questions." This week she takes on:
I’m here for a bit of wine and food indulgence, but I still want to keep up with my exercise routine. What are some good runs to do in Sonoma Valley that have good scenery?
I’m a coffee fiend - can you direct me to some coffee shops in Sonoma Valley - especially in Glen Ellen and Kenwood area?
We’d like to come visit in February or March - what’s the weather like in Sonoma then? Should we come?
 
We Get Questions is brought to you by the Sonoma Plaza Tasting Pass: Save up to 25% off tasting fees and choose three great wineries around the historic Sonoma Plaza. Details at https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass
 
Got questions about Sonoma Valley? You can email us at info@sonomavalley.com, text us at 707-996-1090 or contact us through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or just walk into one of our two visitor centers.
 
It's Sonoma Valley's top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF