Why consumers love food and wine festivals – feedback from Taste Of Sonoma

There are hundreds of wine and food festivals held across the United States each year, and one of the places that hosts them more frequently than average is Sonoma County, California. But perhaps that’s because Sonoma County is not only home to over 500 wineries, but also some of America’s most famous gourmet food, served in top restaurants across the country.

Examples include Sonoma Liberty Duck, Rocky and Rosie Chicken, cheeses from Point Reyes and Cowgirl Creamery, Mycopia gourmet mushrooms, organic vegetables from Kendall-Jackson Culinary Gardens, and fresh Pacific Dungeness crab, oysters, salmon and halibut.

“Sonoma County has dozens of microclimates that make it ideal for many agricultural ventures, from apples, grapes, dairy, ducks, chickens, seafood to a stunning selection of cheeses that rival the best cheeses in France,” reports Michele Anna Jordan, author of 24 books to date, including The new Cook Tour through Sonoma.

It is most likely thanks to this abundance that Sonoma County currently hosts twelve different wine and food festivals each year, but the granddaddy of them all is Taste of Sonoma, which regularly attracts visitors from across the nation.

This year’s event was held at Kendall Jackson Winery. Over 1200 people came to sample wines from 80 wineries and food from 11 different establishments, from food trucks to gourmet caviar vendors. During my stay, I had the opportunity to interview several participants to learn more about why they chose this particular type of food and wine tourism.

Reasons why customers participate in “Taste of Sonoma”

“We took a flight from Albuquerque this morning just to get to the Taste of Sonoma “We’ll be taking a late flight home tonight,” said Danielle Wartman, an office manager at ABQ Pediatric Dentistry. “Every year I look at the list of food and wine festivals in the U.S. and decide which ones I want to attend during my vacation. This one looked interesting.”

She was accompanied by a good friend, Dr. Erin Stockton, a dentist at Copper Canyon Family Dentistry. “This is my first time participating, but I really enjoy trying all the dishes and am looking forward to touring the Kendall-Jackson Culinary Gardens,” said Erin.

Danielle added that she usually brings her husband to such festivals, but Erin is a mother of four young children and she felt that Erin needed a day of fun away from work and home while her father was in Albuquerque looking after the children.

Their favorite foods and wines included the cabernets from Roth Winery, the eggplant slider from Black Pig Meat Co, and the cheese tacos from Galvan’s Eatery Mexican Cuisine. They said they enjoyed the relaxed, casual atmosphere of the event.

Another couple who flew in for the event were Kori and Daryl Norsell from Riverside, Southern California. “This is our tenth year participating. Taste of Sonoma,” said Kori, a retiree. “We enjoy it so much that two years ago on our 30th anniversary we went home.^th wedding anniversary, we brought our grown children and they liked it so much they came back the next year.”

“We come primarily for the wine,” explains Daryl, program director at KCAL 96.7 Rocks radio, “and we like that the site is organized by appellation so we can easily find the regions and wineries we like.”

They pointed out that the event has been held in various locations over the years, but they prefer the Kendall-Jackson venue because it has plenty of places to sit, relax, and enjoy food and wine – not to mention the air-conditioned VIP area inside.

Their favorite wines included a GSM red blend (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre) from Seghesio Winery, anything from Ridge Winery, and “any rosé we could find—we love rosé wine.” Culinary highlights were the pepper and cheese tacos and mushroom arancini from John Ash Restaurant.

A third couple was back for their second time. “We love wine, especially from Napa and Sonoma, and we like to try small new wineries that we’ve never heard of,” said Nick Moezidis, CEO of Napa Technology, based in Henderson, Nevada.

“For example, last year we discovered Kokomo Winery and joined their wine club. I think it’s a great marketing event for wineries because you get to try so many different wines and find new ones that you like,” he continued.

“But we still like to try the classics, like Silver Oak,” added his companion Brittany Schmidt, studio manager at Breathe Diversity Pilates in Santa Rosa, Calif. “I especially enjoy meeting new people and trying all the delicious food and wine.”

Her favorite foods and wines included the chicken skewers and herb meatballs from Persian Version Restaurant, but also “the pie baker” from Sonoma Crust Pizza and some of the “great red GSM blends that are here today.”

“Taste of Sonoma” nominated for the “Best Wine Festival” award

Overall, it seems that people from this small sample of interviews Taste of Sonoma for different reasons: some place more value on the wine, while others want to try the local cuisine.

Michael Haney, CEO of Sonoma County Vintners, summed it up well: “Taste of Sonoma is an opportunity for guests to experience delicious wine and food right where it is produced, in the heart of our world-class wine region. Whether it is wine tasting, indulging in delicious culinary creations, themed lounge experiences, garden tours and insider wine tours – there really is something for everyone.”

The Taste of Sonoma The festival must be doing something right because they have just been informed that they have been nominated by USA today as one of the best wine festivals in its Top 10 Readers’ Choice Awards.

The 12 Biggest Wine and Food Festivals in Sonoma County

Below is a list of the twelve largest wine and food festivals held in Sonoma County each year, with links to this year’s festivals.

1. Winter Wineland of the Wine Route (January)

2. Barrel tasting on the wine route (March)

3. Pass to Dry Creek Valley (April)

4. Healdsburg Food & Wine Festival (May)

5. Taste of Sonoma (June)

6th Press Democrat Food and Wine Festival (June)

7th Great Wine Festival (June)

8th Bodega Bay Wine and Seafood Festival

9. Russian River Valley Wine Weekend (August)

10. Wind to Wine Petaluma Gap Festival (August)

11th Sonoma County Harvest Fair (October)

12th Wine & Food Affair of the Wine Road (November)