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

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

"Wine supported my France habit..." Lori Varsames started in Vermont, studied French, ended up in France doing bike tours, learning about wine, then selling French wine, then moving to New Mexico in search of change, met her husband, and then landed in... Sonoma Valley. Not to strike it rich, but to strike it well. This week on the Sonoma Spiel podcast, Lori talks Sonoma Wellness, especially as it relates to visiting the famed wine country in the winter. Looking for ideas? Lori has more than 100 ideas for things to do in Sonoma Valley for wellness, part of the "100 Days of Sonoma Wellness" from January to April. She also helps us review healthy and delicious wellness juices from the fresh juice bar at Sonoma Market, using her skills as a wine taster to tell us about the citrus, kale and cardamon flavors of the nutritious beverages. Lori is a personal and professional coach and offers some tips on how to organize yourself for the year ahead. More info about her coaching services is at https://lorivarsames.com. Like all of our guests she answers YOUR Sonoma questions, and this week she takes on:

What kind of tree is that in front of the Visitor Center?

What fun & educational activities are there in Sonoma for families with kids? Are there places where kids and adults can learn together about the history and science and artistry behind winemaking?

What are a couple of fun wine tasting festivals you recommend?

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

I just started a BlueSky account - can I find Sonoma Valley information there?

Which movies were made in Sonoma Valley?

He performed the intro music, he did the outro music, he edited the podcast AND he makes sure the mics are plugged in: Bob Taylor from Sonoma TV and KSVY is our Very Special Guest (this time we actually mean it) and we review the year passed and the year ahead.

We debate whether or not chocolate chip cookies are actually Christmas cookies (no) and if Bob should eat cookies with nuts (also no, as he is allergic.) He also plugs his band, the Illegitimate AC/DC, which is available for gigs like weddings, baptisms, bar mitzvahs and all the usual places one would want 50-something men playing AC/DC. Details here: https://acdcsonoma.com/ Bob marvels at the fact that the recipes on SonomaValley.com don't have long, meaningless intros: they just have recipes. Find some wellness recipes: https://www.sonomavalley.com/food-wine/recipes-from-sonoma-valley/ And then we recap the "Top Podcast Moments" from 2024 according to our YouTube shorts channel. Did you catch them? https://www.youtube.com/@ExperienceSonomaValley/shorts Like all of our guests he answers YOUR Sonoma questions, and this week he answered:

1. We love seeing the lights around the Sonoma Plaza. We want to come take some photos for a family picture - how long will they stay up?
2. I’m looking for Oysters. Where’s a good place to get some?
3. Good morning. We’re staying in Forestville, and are thinking of driving up to two hours out and then back to see some redwoods. Any suggestions on destinations for that? - via text 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

Listen to Bob Taylor on Fridays on KSVY on the FM dial and also https://ksvy.org

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

George Rose is an award-winning photographer whose career has taken him from hard news in LA and celebrity portraits to in-house PR and photographer for some of the best wineries in California.

He stops by the Sonoma Spiel podcast to discuss the convoluted way California allocates water and how many communities rely on shipping it from wet Northern California to drier Southern California through a series of canals, rivers, pipes and aqueducts.

Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma:

"We are visiting in the winter, and we noticed that in the vineyards there are groups of people working in long lines down the rows. What are they doing out there?"

"We are looking for wineries with nice gardens - got any ideas?"

"I hear there are mountain lions in the hills above Sonoma Valley. Is this true?"

"Where can I find sweeter wines? And how do I know if a winery is making any?"

"I'm visiting Sonoma from Solvang and like to take photos - should I use my iPhone or should I use my real camera?"

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

George Rose's book "California's Changing Landscape: The Way of Water" is available here: https://store.calnatureartmuseum.org/collections/featured-products/products/californias-changing-landscape-the-way-of-water

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

Angie Sanchez started the Hola Vida Collective to showcase unique gifts and foods from and inspired by Mexico. Located "right next to the Red Grape (Sonoma's go-to pizza place)" the store has handicrafts and gifts and art that with a Latino flair. "Sonoma Valley is Michoacan, Oaxaca and Jalisco," Sanchez notes, rattling off the home regions for the majority of Mexican immigrants to Sonoma. In addition to finding out about the classes offered in the arts at her studio, Angie goes through some of her favorite items including:

Danny Trejo's coffee Chocolate covered grasshopper snacks Churro flavored popcorn Oaxacan-made wool llamas She also details the work that goes into putting on regular festivals like Mexican Independence Day in September, Cinco de Mayo, Las Posadas and Dia de Muertos. Like all of our guests she also answers YOUR Sonoma questions, including:

Where is the best place in Sonoma County to get a grilled cheese sandwich?

What is the significance of the Sonoma Plaza- why is it a thing? - fourth grader from San Diego

I’m a fan of the recipes on your website. What lessons did you learn in collecting these recipes and what have you seen in terms of interest about them? - Monica Poling, Cultural tourism consultant, New Mexico

I saw videos online of salmon running up Sonoma Creek all the way in to town and up. Are these real?

What are some good places to get a mocktail in Sonoma Valley?

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 details about Hola Vida can be found here: https://holavidacollective.com/es https://www.instagram.com/vidaculturalarts

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

Hey everyone - not your typical podcast this week. This is the recap of the brightest night in wine country: The Lighting of the Sonoma Plaza. Enjoy! If you want to watch the whole show, or some of the segments, find them on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsKpmmTmnfOjx5_W9mqu6xJq Sponsors for the Lighting of the Plaza:

Sonoma Tourism Improvement District

City of Sonoma

Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau

Sonoma International Film Festival: https://sonomafilmfest.org

Pangloss Cellars: https://panglosscellars.com

Highway 12 Winery: https://www.highway12winery.com

Gehricke Wines: https://www.gehrickewines.com

Cline Cellars: https://clinecellars.com

Jacuzzi Winery: https://www.jacuzziwines.com

Beltane Ranch Winery: https://beltaneranch.com

Kunde Family Winery: https://www.kunde.com

Viansa Winery + Marketplace: https://www.viansa.com

MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa: https://www.macarthurplace.com

El Pueblo Inn: https://www.elpuebloinn.com

Sparc Cannabis Sonoma: https://sparc.co

Mary’s Pizza Shack: https://maryspizzashack.com

Sonoma Clean Power: https://sonomacleanpower.org

Sonoma Botanical Garden: https://sonomabg.org

Sonoma Springs Brewing Company: https://www.sonomaspringsbrewing.com

Sonoma Market: https://sonomamarket.net

The Lodge at Sonoma: https://www.thelodgeatsonoma.com

More than fifty years ago, forward-thinking farmers in Sonoma County created Farm Trails, the oldest organization of it's kind in the United States, dedicated to promoting local farms directly to customers. Carmen Snyder of Sonoma County Farm Trails talks about the origins of the group, their beloved Gravenstein Apple Fair and how visitors can best interact with their seasonal programs. Farm Trails: https://www.farmtrails.org/

Every week our podcast guests answer YOUR questions about wine country and visiting Sonoma. This week, Carmen Snyder takes on: Are there any year-round farmers markets in Sonoma?

We are looking for Cabernet Franc?

We’ve been staying in Napa, and are on our way to San Francisco tonight, and decided to stop in Sonoma and wow - this is a great place to visit! We’re looking for a great place to grab brunch in the cute town of Sonoma.

What’s in Kenwood?

It’s late fall and we still see some grapes on the vines. What is that? - Visitors from Quebec

We have someone in our group that is under 21 - what should we do? Can they go to a winery?

We want to take a walk in a vineyard- can we do that?

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

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