Fruit Wines

Most commonly, grapes are what wine is made from; however, wines made from other fruits are just as delicious as grape wines. Some decadent fruits that are frequently used to make wine include plums, pineapples, elderberries, peaches, and cherries. Wines made from other fruits than grapes are often referred to as "Country Wine."

Almost any plant matter that can be fermented can be used to make fruit wine, but since there are few foods other than grapes that have the correct balance of sugar, tannin, acid, and salts, the majority of fruit wines need to be adjusted at fermentation. For example, in order to increase the alcohol content, sugar or honey may be added to the wine since sugar turns to alcohol during the fermentation process.

Some popular fruit wines:

Pineapple wine offers a sweet flavor with a bit of zest; pair it with ham for a holiday or special occasion.

Peach wine is wonderful with spicy foods. It's also great with smokey foods which enhance it's sweetness.

Blackberry wine offers a deep, rich fruit flavor, very similar to what you would expect from a Merlot.

Strawberry wine works well with pasta, pork and veal.

Our recommendations:

Chateau Fontaine Cherry Wine

Carlson Vineyards Peach Wine

Smith & Hook Winery Elderberry Wine

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2017 Sonoma County Farmers Markets

Are you visiting Sonoma County, CA and looking for something to do? Visiting the local farmers markets is one thing that should definitely be on your list! Known for it's agricultural bounty, in the summer, Sonoma is a wonderful place to find apples, berries, apricots, plums, and all sorts of delicious fruits. The fall brings an abundance of pumpkins, squash, melons, and grapes. 

In addition to the fruits and veggies found at the farmers markets in Sonoma, you can find other goodies like cupcakes and sausages. Flowers and coffee can also be purchased along with gifts.

Here are some local farmers markets going on in Sonoma this year:

Bodega Bay Community Farmers Market 

Sundays (Memorial Day-October): 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 2255 Highway 1 (behind the Community Center)

Cloverdale Community Market & Exchange

Tuesdays (April 4-Dec. 19, rain or shine): 3-6 p.m., 225 North Cloverdale Blvd. (in the empty lot next to Plank)

Cotati Community Farmers Market

Thursdays (June-August): 4:30-7:30 p.m., La Plaza Park (Old Redwood Highway and West Sierra Avenue)

Forestville Farmers Market

Tuesdays (June-October): 4-7 p.m., Forestville's new downtown park, 6990 Front St.

Healdsburg Farmers Market

Saturday (May-November): 8:30 a.m.-noon, West Plaza Parking Lot

Wednesday (June-October): 4-7 p.m., in the Cerri Lot on North Street between Grove and Foss streets

Kenwood Community Farmers Market

Sunday (June-September): 10 a.m.-2 p.m., St. Patricks Church, 9000 Sonoma Highway 12

Occidental Farmers Market 

Fridays (June-October): 4 p.m.-dusk, downtown Occidental

Petaluma East Side Farmers Market

Tuesdays (year-round), 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Lucchesi Park, 320 N. McDowell Blvd.

Petaluma Walnut Park Farmers Market

Saturdays (May 13-Nov. 18), 2-5:30 p.m., in Walnut Park, on the corner of D Street and Petaluma Boulevard

Petaluma Theatre District Farmers Market

Wednesdays (June 7-Aug. 30), 4:30-8 p.m., on 2nd Street between B and D Streets.

Rohnert Park Farmers Market

Fridays (June-August): 5-8 p.m., Rohnert Park Plaza, 500 City Center Drive (library parking lot)

Santa Rosa Farmers Market

Wednesdays (year-round): 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 1351 Maple Ave.

Saturdays (year-round): 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., in the same location as the Wednesday market

Sebastopol Farm Market

Sundays (year-round): 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., in Sebastopol Plaza on Weeks Way in downtown Sebastopol

Sonoma

Tuesdays (May-September): Valley of the Moon Certified Farmers Market, 5:30 p.m.-dusk, in front of and behind City Hall on the Sonoma Plaza

Fridays (Year-Round): Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., in the Arnold Field parking lot at 241 First St. W.

The Springs Community Farmers Market

Sundays (July 9-Sept. 10): 4-7 p.m., Larson Park, 329 DeChene Ave., Boyes Hot Springs

Windsor Certified Farmers Market

Sundays (April to mid-December): 10 a.m.-1 p.m., on Windsor Town Green, 701 McClelland Dr.

Thursdays (mid-June through August): 5-8 p.m., same location as Sunday

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The Best Way to Enjoy Canned Wine

If you're headed to the beach, on a picnic, on a boat, or camping, it may be difficult to lug around a bottle of wine and a couple wine glasses but luckily there's an easier option... cans of wine!

Drinking canned wine can mute the flavors of the wine so it's common for canned wine to contain residual sugar to make the wine taste fruitier. You may be hesitant that canned wine takes on the tinny taste of the can, but it does not. Just like other beverages that are served in a can, like soda and beer, the can does not affect the taste of the wine. One thing that does affect the taste is the way in which the canned wine is served. Due to the aroma being harder to smell, drinking the wine directly from the can isn't as good as when you pour it into a glass. It is best to serve canned wine chilled, in a glass, and right away as aging the wine does not improve it.

Canned wine comes in a few different sized cans, the most popular being:

• 500 ml can - containing 3.34 glasses of wine - 2/3 the size of a standard bottle

• 375 ml can - containing 2.5 glasses of wine - 1/2 the size of a standard bottle

• 50 ml can - containing 1.67 glasses of wine - 1/3 the size of a standard bottle

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Wine Country Fireworks 2017

Independence Day is one of the best holidays that we celebrate in America and there's no better place to see beautiful fireworks than in wine country! Napa Valley and Sonoma County both provide some of the most amazing fireworks displays. Here are some places you can catch an awe-inspiring show at for the 4th of July:

Napa Valley

American Canyon

Veteran’s Park

Crane Park

Visit Legendary Napa Valley for more information.

Sonoma County

Weill Hall Green Music Center

Depot Hotel Restaurant and Garden

Sebastopol

Visit Sonoma County California for more information.

And don't forget to celebrate with your favorite bottle of wine!

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