2024 Sonoma County Wine Celebration Honorees
Sonoma County Vintners Foundation (SCVF) recognized the 2024 Sonoma County Wine Celebration (SCWC) honorees at the live auction on Saturday, September 21 at Chateau St. Jean.
We love recognizing the positive impacts our vintner community brings to our region. Members of our wine and hospitality industries continue to work tirelessly to care for those in our area who need help the most. They are always willing to help raise critical funding for our programs that provide sustainable funding for frontline nonprofits.
Michael Haney, Sonoma County Vintners Foundation Executive Director
2024 SCWC Vintner and Grower Honorees
The Sangiacomo Family
Third Generation Sonoma County Farmers
As third generation farmers, Mike, Mia, and Steve Sangiacomo proudly continue their family’s farming tradition in Sonoma County, a legacy dating back to 1927. Their story started in 1913, when their grandfather Vittorio Sangiacomo sailed alone to America at age 17. After arriving at Ellis Island, he traveled to San Francisco, eventually settling in Sonoma Valley. In 1927, Vittorio purchased a 55-acre farm, Eden Dale, establishing the roots of what would become the Sangiacomo Home Ranch. He and his wife Maria raised four children: Angelo, Buck, Bob, and Lorraine. They steadily expanded their land to support this growing family and became one of California’s largest pear-growing operations.
The late Angelo Sangiacomo, father of the current generation, was recognized as a Sonoma County Barrel Auction Icon in 2017 after working in agriculture for more than 70 years. During the decline of the California pear market, he encouraged the family to uproot their pears, and they planted their first vineyard in 1969. As the wine industry continued to gain acclaim in Sonoma County, they expanded and today they farm over 1600 acres of certified sustainable vineyards, supplying grapes to over 90 premium wineries. They were among the first to introduce vineyard designated wines, with over 30 wineries currently producing a “Sangiacomo Vineyards” wine.
Sangiacomo Family Wines, launched in 2016, celebrates their family’s heritage as grape growing pioneers in Sonoma County. These terroir-driven wines are a tribute to the family’s commitment to showcasing the unique characteristics of their estate vineyards.
2024 SCWC Chef Honorees
Terri & Mark Stark
Founders of Stark Reality Restaurants
James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur semifinalists Mark and Terri Stark together own and operate eight of Sonoma County’s favorite, and most highly rated, restaurants: Willi’s Wine Bar (2002), Monti’s (2004), Stark’s Steak & Seafood (2008), Bird & The Bottle (2015), and Grossman’s Noshery & Bar (2020) and Augie’s French (2023) in Santa Rosa, and Willi’s Seafood (2003) and Bravas (2012) in Healdsburg. After losing their flagship, Willi’s Wine Bar, in the 2017 Tubbs Fire, the Starks re-opened Willi’s at the restaurant’s new home in the Town & Country Center in Santa Rosa in June 2019. Willi’s Wine Bar first welcomed diners and introduced Santa Rosans to the small plates concept in 2002. Less than one year after re-opening Willi’s Wine Bar, the Starks opened Grossman’s Noshery & Bar in Santa Rosa’s historic Railroad Square in March 2020.
The Starks founded Stark Reality Restaurants in 2006 to manage the operations of their diverse group of dining establishments. They are now one of Sonoma County’s largest employers. More than awards and accolades, Terri and Mark are most proud of being able to provide mentorship and employment to so many workers in the local culinary field. The Starks are committed to promoting from within, what Terri refers to as “stocking our own pond.” All of their chefs started out working for them as cooks, and, in some cases, dishwashers. The biggest measure of success, according to Mark, “At least 20 employees who started out washing dishes and bussing tables now own their houses; more than anything else, that is our greatest accomplishment.”
2024 Wine Business Leadership Award Recipient
Nate Weis
Vice President of Winegrowing at Silver Oak and Twomey
The Wine Business Leadership Award is a partnership award between Sonoma County Vintners and The Wine Business Institute (WBI) at Sonoma State University which recognizes an individual annually who demonstrates great wine business leadership, vision, innovation, inspiration and impactful service to the Sonoma County community.
Nate Weis, whose father is also a winemaker, grew up locally and joined the Silver Oak team in 2014. He brought with him a wealth of experience from working at wineries in California and New Zealand.
He is especially proud of helping the Duncan family, who co-founded the winery in 1972 with Justin Meyer and are now the sole owners, build upon the culture they’ve established. This includes being a leader in sustainability by building their LEED Platinum and Living Building certified winery in Alexander Valley and winning the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance Green Medal for Leadership in 2019. He helped found the winery’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee and subsequent apprenticeship program in partnership with The Veraison Project for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals interested in wine careers, establishing paid time off for volunteerism as a company benefit, and instituting a formal internal mentorship program and leadership development for high-potential employees.
Nate has been an adjunct faculty at Napa Valley College since 2018, teaching courses in enology and wine education. He has been a board member of the Wine Business Institute since 2022, a former board member of the Northwest Chapter of the American Red Cross, and a member of the Unified Grape & Wine Symposium Program Development Committee since 2018. He was a North Bay Business Journal “40 under 40” recipient in 2014 and a Wine Business Institute Outstanding Alumnus award winner in 2021. However, Nate maintains that his real claim to fame is being the father of triplets (two boys and a girl) and their little brother, as well as recently celebrating a 20th wedding anniversary with his wife, Sally.
Thanks to @barndivahealdsburg for hosting and to @veritewines & @williamsselyemwinery for their generosity in creating “An Exclusive Journey from Past to Present!” This amazing #SonomaCountyWineCelebration lot from the 2024 live auction included a special wine tasting experience hosted by Winemakers Hélène Seillan and Jeff Mangahas spanning decades of select library vintage wines. Following the tasting, the winning bidders and guests enjoyed an intimate multi-course dinner from Barndiva with specially selected wine pairing flights featuring Vérité & Williams Selyem wines throughout the evening.
Very special thanks to these #SCWC lot winners for bidding on this extraordinary evening and supporting our Sonoma County Vintners Foundation. We are grateful for your support!
#SCWC 2025 will be held September 18-20, stay tuned for your chance to bid on #SonomaCounty’s top wines and grand experiences!
#sonomawine #sonomacountywine #sipsonoma
We are so appreciative of our guests who supported our Sonoma County Vintners Foundation by purchasing a seat for the 2024 Sonoma County Wine Celebration’s Lot 14 Buy-in Dinner featuring Animo + Golden Bear Station on Sunday, November 10! Thank you to our incredible hosts, Chef Joshua Smookler and Heidy He of Golden Bear Station, along with Three Sticks and Hamel Family Wines.
Proceeds from this and all of the live auction lots featured at the 2024 Sonoma County Wine Celebration will fund SCVF Community Grants in 2025.
#GatheringToGiveBack #SCWC #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomawine #sonomacounty #sonomacountywine #sipsonoma
It’s #FoundationFriday! This week we’re passing along a message of thanks from one of our long-time beneficiary partners.
“The support of the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation helps us to provide students from all across Sonoma County with empowering opportunities for growth and learning through culturally-relevant music education. We aim to inspire our community’s students of greatest need, and they in turn truly inspire us all. We’re grateful to have the partnership of Sonoma County Vintners Foundation in ensuring a brighter tomorrow for our young people.”
Ashleigh Worley, Director of Education & Community Engagement
Luther Burbank Center for the Arts Memorial Foundation
Thank you to everyone who gathered to give back at this year’s Sonoma County Wine Celebration! Because of your support, we raised nearly $1.6 million to continue our SCVF community grant program. Learn more at SoCoWineCelebration.com.
#SCWC #gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty #sonomacountywine
It`s #FoundationFriday and we`re sharing messages of hope and thanks today!
"With the support of the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation, @californiapoetsintheschools inspires youth in Sonoma County to pay attention, to articulate their lived realities and to claim their stories as a pathway to true agency and change. In these poetry programs, participants learn how to use poetry creation and performance as a tool for transformation and self-empowerment, while at the same time building critical literacy skills that help advance academic engagement and achievement. This grant supports our trauma-informed poetry creation programs in K-12 schools, the Youth Poet Laureate program of Sonoma County, and the Poetry Out Loud initiative in up to a dozen local high schools. As a result of this important funding partnership, California Poets in the Schools offers continuous opportunities for local youth to engage in a top-notch literary arts curriculum throughout the grade levels."
Meg Hamill, Executive Director, California Poets in the Schools
Thank you to everyone who gathered to give back at this year`s Sonoma County Wine Celebration! Because of your support, we raised funds to continue our SCVF community grant program. Learn more at SoCoWineCelebration.com.
#SCWC #gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty #sonomacountywine
Sonoma County Vintners Foundation (SCVF) is pleased to announce that its newly reimagined Sonoma County Wine Celebration (SCWC) has raised nearly $1.6 million. These proceeds will continue to fund SCVF Community Grants for nonprofit organizations in the areas of education & literacy, health & human services, the environment, and arts & culture as well as the Emergency Relief Fund. The SCWC Live Auction was held at the beautiful @chateaustjean on September 21. Since the auction’s inception more than $43 million has been raised, directly benefiting the Sonoma County community.
Read the full story at SoCoWineCelebration.com or see link in bio.
Save the date for the next SCWC on September 18-20, 2025!
Photos by @BobMcClenahanPhotography
@Samantha Paull Events
#sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #SCWC #sonomacounty #GatheringToGiveBack
THANK YOU to our participating vintners, guests, auction bidders, production team, SCWC event venue hosts, Insider Wine Tours, Dine-Around Showdown Dinner venue hosts, sponsors, culinary partners and grant beneficiary representatives for making the 2024 Sonoma County Wine Celebration (SCWC) a smashing success! We can’t raise this critical funding for nonprofits in our community without your help. We hope to see you all again next year.
Photos by @bobmc
#sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #SCWC #sonomacounty #GatheringToGiveBack
Our SCVF Executive Director, Mike Haney is getting ready to welcome guests to our 2024 Sonoma County Wine Celebration Live Auction!
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty #sonomacountywines #SCWC
We had a amazing time at our Wine Country Nights: Boots, Bottles & Bites at @Sugarloaf Wine Co.! This second night of the Sonoma County Wine Celebration gathered many of our loyal bidders who will be under the tent at Saturday’s Live Auction, with proceeds supporting our Sonoma County Vintners Foundation. Thanks so much to our fantastic vintners who poured their fantastic wines and to our local chefs who fueled us with their delicious bites.
#sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #SCWC #sonomacounty
Our #WestSonomaCoast Insider Wine Tour, part of this year’s Sonoma County Wine Celebration, included a very special afternoon at @smallvines, with a tour of their beautiful, organically farmed vineyard, a private tasting of their incredible wines, and picnic lunch amongst the picturesque grape vines. Thanks so much for an unforgettable experience!
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty #sonomacountywines #SCWC
Our #WestSonomaCoast Insider Wine Tour, part of this year’s Sonoma County Wine Celebration, started the morning with a fantastic multi-vintner tasting of West Sonoma Coast’s cool climate wines hosted at @blackkitecellars Cellars, featuring their wines as well as @cobbwines, @ernestvineyards @freeman_winery, @hirschvineyards, and @senseswines. It was topped off with a breathtaking Black Kite vineyard tour! Thank you to our host, as well as @westsonomacoast and all of the participating vintners, guests and our wonderful partners at @pure_luxury_transportation!
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty #sonomacountywines #SCWC
Dry Creek Insider Wine Tours - we enjoyed touring the gorgeous Single Thread Farms, wine tasting at Amista Winery and a beautiful lunch at Quivira Vineyard.
Cheers!
#singlethreadrestaurant #amistawinery #quiviravineyards
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty #sonomacountywines #SCWC
Our #SonomaValley Insider Wine Tour, part of this year’s Sonoma County Wine Celebration, continued in the afternoon at Donum. SCWC guests were treated to a seasonally-inspired wine paired lunch and a guided walking tour, exploring one of the largest accessible private sculpture collections in the world, The Donum Collection. Special thanks to the team at Donum for providing an extraordinary experience and supporting our community fundraising.
Learn more about how we’re #GatheringToGiveBack during this year’s events at SoCOWineCelebration.com.
#sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #SCWC #sonomacounty
The #SonomaValley Insider Wine Tour is part of year’s all new Sonoma County Wine Celebration! We celebrated the region’s 200th Anniversary at Sangiacomo Wines, this year’s SCWC Vintner & Grower Honorees, by visiting their winery and tasting their delicious wines, as well as exclusive selections from Auteur Wines, Saintsbury, and Sojourn Cellars. Thanks to our amazing vintners for hosting SCWC guests for this tour and showing off this beautiful part of the world.
Learn more about how SCWC supports nonprofits with Sonoma County Vintners Foundation Community Grants at SoCoWineCelebration.com.
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #SCWC #sonomacounty #sonomavalley #sonomavalleywine
One of the spectacular Sonoma County Wine Celebration’s NEW Dine-Around Showdown dinners was titled “A Perfect Score”. It couldn’t have had a better name. Taking place at the beautiful @themathesonhbg, guests enjoyed incredible wines from @valettewineshbg, @pride_wines, @lombardi_wines, and @koblerestate paired with a masterful 5-course dinner crafted by Chef Dustin Valette. Thank you to our hosts, vintners and our guests for what truly was an unforgettable and perfect evening!
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine#SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty#sonomacountywines #SCWC
What a fantastic way to kick-off our Sonoma County Wine Celebration! Thank you @vintnersresort for hosting such a lovely Thursday Welcome Reception. And many thanks to our wonderful guests, sponsors, vintners, and beneficiary partners for joining. We are so appreciative of you being part of these events and can’t wait to spend the next few days with you raising money for our Sonoma County community. Cheers!
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty #sonomacountywines #SCWC
Everyone had a fantastic time at Sonoma County Wine Celebration’s ALL NEW Dine-Around Showdown dinners! Tonight’s events started with wine receptions at Laurel Glen Vineyard and Talisman Wine. Then guests were seated at Glen Ellen Star for a special Sonoma Valley: Family Style dinner paired with wines from Bedrock Wine Co., Sangiacomo Wines and Three Sticks Wines. Thank you to our guests, vintners and restaurant host for a wonderful evening!
This was the kick-off to three days of #SCWC events, benefiting our Sonoma County Vintners Foundation. Learn more at SoCoWineCelebration.com.
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty #sonomacountywine @sonomacounty
Get your Wine & Dine Game On with Lot 21 in the Sonoma County Wine Celebration live auction on September 21! You and three guests will join @ernestvineyards in a luxury suite at a San Francisco Giants game as well as an epic gourmet wine dinner at one of their favorite San Francisco spots.
Our Sonoma County Wine Celebration September 19-21 is in an entirely NEW format this year, where we will continue to raise funds for our nonprofits in our community. We have an amazing selection of live auction lots lined up - but even if you can`t attend the festivities, you can still bid remotely on these once-in-a-lifetime wine collections and experiences. Get tickets or register to proxy bid at SoCoWineCelebration.com or see link in bio.
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty #sonomacountywine #SCWC @sonomacounty
On this #FoundationFriday, we’re hearing from one of this year’s Sonoma County Vintners Foundation environmental community grant recipients on what this funding means for their programming.
“We know what catastrophic wildfire can do in our region and beyond — from damaging wine grapes to destroying communities. Prescribed fire is an essential tool to reduce over 100 years of fuel accumulation and restore our beloved forests and grasslands, and we are grateful to the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation for supporting our prescribed fire training and workforce development efforts to care for Sonoma County’s people and places.”
Tom Gardali, Chief Executive Officer, @auduboncanyonranch
Join us as we gather to give back at this year’s Sonoma County Wine Celebration September 19-21, where we will continue to raise funds for our nonprofit programming! Learn more at SoCoWineCelebration.com.
#SCWC #gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty #sonomacountywine
Support charitable organizations in Sonoma County while filling your cellar with a truly remarkable collection of wines by bidding on #SCWC Lot 1: Sonoma County Collector’s Edition! This rare collection of 750ml, Magnum and 3-Liter format bottles donated by the SCV Board of Directors hail from Sonoma County’s acclaimed vintners, and guarantee you’ll have unforgettably luxurious wines gracing your table for all of your celebrations.
The Sonoma County Wine Celebration will be September 19-21, featuring all new experiences and an amazing selection of live auction lots.
See full lot description, get tickets or register to proxy bid at link in bio or SoCoWineCelebration.com.
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty #sonomacountywine
@aldinavineyards
@benoviawinery
@chateaustjean
@edaphosbyernest
@ernestvineyards
@jwinery
@mauritsonwines
@patzhall
@pride_wines
@rameywinecellars
@rsvineyards
@threestickswines
Join us Wednesday, 9/4, for a #WinemakerWednesdays complimentary wine tasting at @themathesonhbg from 5:00pm to 6:00pm. Mari Wells Coyle, Winemaker at @chateaustjean, will be pouring tastes of their delicious wines. No reservations needed but you might also like to book a table and stay for dinner at The Matheson after the wine tasting.
From 6:00pm to 7:00pm our live Vine, Wine & Dine radio show airs on @crntalk featuring an interview with Mari to discuss their exciting winery experiences and their participation as the live auction host in our upcoming Sonoma County Wine Celebration (#SCWC), September 19-21. Óscar Chávez, President & CEO of @cfsonomacounty, will also join as the Last Call guest to talk about their grantmaking partnership with our Sonoma County Vintners Foundation, which distributes proceeds from SCWC as community grants.
Listen live at https://crntalk.com/crn1/ or download the CRN Digital Talk Radio App by dialing #250 on your smartphone and say "CRN."
#VineWineDine #sonomawine #sipsonoma #sonomacountywine #sonomacountywinecountry #winetasting #happyhour
It’s #FoundationFriday and once again, our beneficiary partners are telling us how our Sonoma County Vintners Foundation Community Grants allow them to help our community.
“The Jewish Community Free Clinic’s ability to provide free food to anyone in need ensures that no one within our reach runs short. The easy availability of free and nutritious food with no questions asked is a huge benefit for low-income individuals and families who need food assistance to survive and thrive. No one in our community should have to choose between food and other basic needs and, with support from the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation, that fear is alleviated for thousands each year because of the existence of our accessible JCFC Food Pantry.”
Donna Waldman, Executive Director, @jewishcommunityfreeclinic
Join us as we gather to give back at this year’s Sonoma County Wine Celebration September 19-21, where we will continue to raise funds for our nonprofit programming! Learn more at SoCoWineCelebration.com.
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #sipsonoma #sonomacountywine #SCWC
Sonoma County Vintners Foundation has distributed $350,000 across 35 SCVF Community Grants to #SonomaCounty nonprofits to continue their work in education & literacy, health & human services, the environment and arts & culture. This year’s grants were funded by the 2023 Sonoma County Wine Auction, which has been reimagined for 2024 as the Sonoma County Wine Celebration (#SCWC). The three days of new events are happening September 19-21, with the live auction taking place on Saturday, September 21 at @chateaustjean.
Read the full story and find out how these grants impact the work our beneficiary partners are able to do in our area. See Latest News link in bio.
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #sipsonoma #sonomacountywine
@plumfieldacademysebastopol
@jewishcommunityfreeclinic
botanical.bus
@auduboncanyonranch
Thanks so much to our partners at @sonoma_county_airport for promoting our upcoming Sonoma County Wine Celebration on screens throughout the terminal! We want locals and visitors alike to get their tickets for the newly reimagined #SCWC happening September 19-21 at venues across the county.
Three-day event packages and single event tickets are on sale now at SoCoWineCelebration.com or see link in bio. For those who can`t be there in person, proxy bidding is available on the amazing live auction lots!
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty #sonomacountywine @sonomacounty
Who needs a vacation? This amazing, sun-drenched holiday will be auctioned off on September 21 during our Sonoma County Wine Celebration (#SCWC) - and the proceeds will fund our Sonoma County Vintners Foundation Community Grants!
Francis Ford Coppola invites you to visit his private island for a once-in-a-lifetime Caribbean experience! Your party of up to six people will spend three extraordinary nights on the island of Coral Caye, a private island retreat behind the world-famous Belize Barrier Reef. You’ll continue this oceanfront luxury with an additional two night stay at Sofia Coppola’s beach house at Turtle Inn in Belize.
See full lot details, get tickets or register online for absentee bidding at link in bio or SoCoWineCelebration.com.
#gatheringtogiveback #sonomawine #SoCoWineCelebration #sonomacounty #sonomacountywine @sonomacounty @coppolawine
