Wine lovers, mark your calendars! The highly acclaimed Garagiste Festival: Northern Exposure is making its seventh annual return to Sonoma on April 26th, 2025.
Prepare for an extraordinary tasting experience as 40 micro-production wineries showcase over 100 diverse wines, featuring more than 20 grape varieties.
Dubbed “America’s Best Wine Festival” by numerous publications, including a 2018 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Award, the Garagiste Festival offers a unique opportunity to discover hidden gems from Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Marin County, Lodi, Sierra Foothills, and Livermore.
This year’s event will take place at the historic Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall, conveniently located within walking distance of Sonoma’s charming downtown plaza.
What sets the Garagiste Festival apart is its exclusive focus on small-lot, commercial “garagiste” winemakers. These passionate artisans, producing fewer than 1,500 cases annually, will personally pour their wines, allowing attendees to engage directly with the creative minds behind each bottle.
We love coming to Sonoma and shattering preconceptions about Northern California wine country with the festival’s remarkable array of wines and the down-to-earth approach of its small-production winemakers,
Attendees will enjoy grape varieties and blends they’ve never tasted before, as well as unique interpretations of the region’s familiars, such as Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Pinot — all while discovering the story behind each wine, told by the winemakers themselves.
said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Doug Minnick.
This year’s lineup features a host of exciting newcomers, including:
- Identity Wines: Helmed by Pablo Antonio Suarez, this winery sources grapes from diverse regions, including Napa, Mendocino, and Amador.
- Ottavino Wines: Winemaker Shalini Sekhar, a former musician and award-winning vintner, showcases her passion for unique varieties like Gruner Veltliner and St. Laurent.
- Fine Disregard Wine Co.: Focused on minimal intervention, this winery crafts wines from compelling vineyards, featuring varieties like Grenache, Chenin Blanc, and Carignan.
- Morét-Brealynn Wines: Named one of “Sonoma County’s Top Winemakers to Watch in 2024,” the winery is renowned for its Pinot Noirs and Rosé.
Other new participants include Blaine Wines, Fraser Family Vineyards, Fun Mom Wines, Grand Scheme Wines, Grey Stack Cellars, KNA Wines, Mersenne Wines, North American Press, and Shick Family Wines.
The festival offers two ticket options:
- Rare and Reserve Early Access (1 pm-2 pm): Gain exclusive access to the library, club-only, and reserve wines.
- Grand Tasting (2 pm-5 pm): Enjoy over 100 wines from 40+ micro-wineries, accompanied by complimentary cheese, charcuterie, and samples from local artisan vendors.
A silent wine auction will also be held, with proceeds benefiting the Garagiste Festival Scholarship at Cal Poly SLO.
“The Garagiste Festival is an environment where laughter, learning, and love for the grape converge. You’re not just attending an event; you are part of a celebration, a vibrant community where each sip is a cheer to the art of the small producer,” concluded Minnick.
The Garagiste Festival, which originated in Paso Robles in 2011, has expanded to include events in Los Angeles and the Santa Ynez Valley.
Tickets are limited and typically sell out in advance. Secure your spot here: Garagiste Festival Tickets.
For a year-round tasting adventure, consider the Garagiste Tasting Pass, which provides 2-for-1 tastings at 75 artisan wineries across California. Learn more at Garagiste Festival Website.
Stay updated on festival news and discounts by signing up for the free newsletter, The Dirt, at Garagiste Newsletter Signup or follow them on social media (@GaragisteFest).
SOURCE Garagiste Festival
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