By Virginie Boone

Hard to imagine yet another year has gone by, another growing season, another vintage, another time of rest and quiet before it all begins again. With that, we take a look at some of the highlights in Sonoma County wine from 2024, a grand year of events, milestones, recognitions, partnerships and people.

The Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience celebrated its third year of makers in this global event in our backyard. The Pinot Talks seminar at Healdsburg Wine & Food was a blind tasting of Pinot Noirs from around the world led by a panel of winemakers and wine writers. Wines from Sonoma County-based Occidental, RAEN and Kosta Browne were the highlights, besting in many cases, wines from Burgundy and Oregon.

Two Sonoma County wines made Wine Spectator’s Top 10 of 2024 list: 2022 Ramey Russian River Valley Chardonnay at number 10 and 2022 Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Eastside Road Neighbors Pinot Noir at number 8. The 2022 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc wasn’t far behind at number 16, with Sonoma County wines from Carlisle, Patz & Hall, Flowers, Kistler and Ferren also making the magazine’s top 100 list. In October, Sonoma County Winegrowers was the featured lunch host for the Wine Spectator NY Wine Experience pouring wines for over 800 wine fans and trade.

Sonoma County featured in the Farm4Profit Podcast for “Leading the Way in Vineyard and Winery Development.” Check out our local farmers being featured each month on this podcast.

JebDunnuck.com listed the 2021 Occidental Wines Bodega Headlands Vineyard Pinot Noir its number 3 wine of the year.

Sonoma County Winegrowers launched a new partnership with the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Acrisure Arena connecting with fans in Southern California who are a quick plane flight away from Sonoma County. As part of this partnership, SCW was named the presenting sponsor of the Cactus Cup Hockey Tournament in Palm Springs. The Cactus Cup is a two-day hockey match-up of NCAA D1 teams.

Following Sonoma County Winegrowers’ partnership with the Houston Rockets to highlight Sonoma County wines that began in 2023, in 2024 Kendall Jackson became the NBA’s first official wine partner, while La Crema, KJ’s winery in the Russian River Valley, was named the official wine of the WNBA. Sonoma County Winegrowers’ partnership with the Chicago Bears, announced in November, is its first with a NFL team. SCW’s collaboration with the San Francisco Giants continued in 2024, hosting a two-night takeover of Oracle Park’s Triples Alley in August, Cloud Club tastings, and dinner at the Gotham Club.

James Hall re-acquired his Sonoma County-based winery Patz & Hall from Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, moving it from corporate to family control. James MacPhail did the same, buying back his namesake MacPhail Family Wines from Hess Persson Estates, who had owned it since 2011.

Ridge Lytton Springs celebrated 50 years with the release of its 2022 vintage. The head-trained, dry-farmed vineyard grows Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane, Mourvèdre and Grenache and was planted more than a century ago.

A continued partnership with Landry’s Inc. | The Leader in Dining, Hospitality and Entertainment featured Sonoma County wine festivals in San Antonio and Houston and masterclasses at their annual GM Conference in Las Vegas.

The Ledbetter Family and Vino Farms won the California Green Medal Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Award for Business in recognition of its smart business practices through efficiencies, cost savings and innovation from implementing sustainable practices, while Sonoma County’s Gloria Ferrer was given the Green Medal’s Environment Award, for demonstrating environmental stewardship through maximized environmental benefits from implementing sustainable practices.

Fundación de la Voz de los Viñedos (Voice of the Vineyard Foundation, formerly the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation) named Yolanda Cruz as the 2024 Vineyard Employee of the Year — the first woman to receive the esteemed honor. The foundation also graduated its third Leadership Academy class of vineyard employees and 17 of them enjoyed the trip of a lifetime to Washington, D.C., to host the Congressional Wine Caucus with Congressman Mike Thompson. This trip was supported with the “gift of travel” from Alaska Airlines. Check out the video that captures highlights from the trip: Leadership Academy 2024 DC Trip

In June, the 41st annual Aspen Classic with Food & Wine featured Sonoma County Winegrowers as the Welcome Party host, continuing a decade plus partnership with the magazine.

The 2017 Matt Taylor West Sonoma Coast Komorebi Vineyard Chardonnay made The New York Times “Most Memorable Wines of 2024” list by Eric Asimov, who described it as “unforgettable… richly textured, both complex and saline.”

GuildSomm, a decade-long partner of Sonoma County Winegrowers, brought 15 winners of its Wine Champs Quiz to Sonoma County in September for a two-day immersion into the vineyards, enjoying dinners, educational seminars and lots of wine.

Serres Ranch in Sonoma Valley marked its 100th year in 2024. Members of the fourth, fifth and sixth generations continue to farm and live on the property. Serres is one of 22 current members of The Century Club, a newly recognized group of local families who have been farming in Sonoma County for at least 100 years.

The John Deere Company collaborated with Sonoma County Winegrowers in 2024 to pilot concepts that could advance sustainable farming practices as part of a larger Farm of the Future initiative that also includes Ford Pro, Wilber Ellis, Pellenc and Agrology.

“The Good Stuff” presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers podcast and radio show on KSRO 103.5 and 96.9 FM, which airs live every Saturday at 1 pm, has recorded 67 episodes with local Sonoma County superstars since launching in late 2023, with more to come for 2025.

Shoulder to Shoulder with Amy G, a new video series presented by Sonoma County Winegrowers and hosted by 8-time Emmy Award-winning storyteller Amy Gutierrez (“Amy G.”) launched in October. The series, available on YouTube, explores the family legacies, sustainable practices, and multi-generational traditions that define Sonoma County.

So much to celebrate, so much to look forward to. Happy New Year everyone!