Five Establishments within 15 Miles Honored with Top Food, Wine, and Travel Awards
SANTA ROSA, CA— As the year comes to a close, the Russian River Valley AVA is toasting to top honors by the Wine Enthusiast, Michelin Guide, and Wine Spectator that were recently awarded to five of the region’s food and wine stalwarts. Savvy tourists take note: each destination falls within an efficient 15-mile stretch in Sonoma’s picturesque Russian River Valley wine region.
The impressive accolades include Wine Enthusiast’s #1 Wine of 2017, awarded to Gary Farrell for their 2015 Russian River Valley Chardonnay— notably the first white wine to top the list in over ten years. “The Gary Farrell winemaking team and I are incredibly humbled to have our Chardonnay selected by Wine Enthusiast Magazine as the #1 wine for 2017!” said Gary Farrell’s Head Winemaker Theresa Heredia. “The 2015 Russian River Selection Chardonnay is a symphony of vineyards throughout the Russian River Valley that produce the finest fruit. I would like to express my gratitude to those farmers who work tirelessly to grow us the best grapes year after year, affording me and my team the ability to make the beautiful and refined Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that is the hallmark of Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery,” she added.
The award comes at a perfect time for Gary Farrell Winery, who recently renovated their upscale tasting salon with sweeping terrace views in Healdsburg, California. Appointments are required for their stunning Pinot Noir and Chardonnay tasting experiences, available year-round.
Just five miles down the road in Forestville, California, the Farmhouse Inn was presented with a Michelin Star again for 2018— a prestigious reputation it has upheld continuously since 2007. This year, the Michelin Guide encouraged, “Urbanites seeking an escape from the fray head to this charming inn, nestled in a quiet, woodsy corner of Sonoma, for fine cooking, upscale accommodations, or both.”
Farmhouse Inn’s luxurious accommodations were also recognized as the #1 Best Hotel in Northern California by Condé Nast Traveler. Catherine Bartolomei, owner of Farmhouse Inn, said “We are humbled and wonderfully surprised that Farmhouse Inn was included in the 2018 Condé Nast Traveler Gold List! We are one of 8 hotels in California that are recognized on the list. The selection of Gold List properties is the “best of the best” voted on by their editors and a great honor.” Reflecting on the myriad of recent awards, she said that, “The year has been rewardingly full of wonderful accolades including the “#1 Hotel in Northern California,” Condé Nast Reader’s Poll 2017 and the “#3 Best Hotel in California” by Travel & Leisure’s 2017 Reader’s Poll. The team at Farmhouse Inn is grateful for so many supporters and we look forward to an amazing 2018.”
Michelin Guide also recognized Forestville’s Backyard Restaurant with its highly regarded Bib Gourmand designation. Bib Gourmand restaurants are selected by Michelin’s famously anonymous food inspectors, who choose restaurants serving high quality food on their menus and make it possible to order two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less (tax and gratuity not included).
Additionally, Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2017 featured several Russian River Valley wines, including: No. 21 Hartford Family 2015 Hartford Family Old Vine Zinfandel; No. 67 Dutton Estate 2015 The Calling Russian River Valley Dutton Ranch Chardonnay; and No. 81 Dutton Goldfield 2015 Russian River Valley Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir.
The Russian River Valley AVA spans approximately 150 square miles along its namesake river in Sonoma County, California. Small-town charm abounds throughout the region; including haute-dining Healdsburg, craft beer epicenter Santa Rosa, bohemian Sebastopol, farm-to-table Forestville, and redwood-tree-lined Guerneville— all within convenient day-trip distance from one another, and about 69 miles from San Francisco. The Russian River Valley was thankfully spared from the October 2017 fires, and excitedly welcomes guests to come enjoy the beauty and bounty of Sonoma wine country.
About the RRVW
The Russian River Valley Winegrowers (RRVW) is a community dedicated to promoting the Russian River Valley as the premier region for growing cool climate grapes while producing wines that showcase the diversity of our many neighborhoods. Our farmers and winemakers work in a manner that is environmentally sound, socially equitable and economically viable in order to continue our legacy as good stewards of the land and producers of distinctive wines of exceptional quality, authenticity and integrity. For more information on the Russian River Valley or becoming a member, please email info@rrvw.org or visit www.rrvw.org.
