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The Sonoma Spiel: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau
California’s Sonoma Wine Country is known as a feast for the senses - amazing food and wine, beautiful mountains and redwood forests, and charming small towns. Go deeper into the best of Sonoma Wine Country with the Sonoma Spiel, where we talk about what’s happening in and around Sonoma Valley with guests like farmers, chefs, wine makers, artists and interesting guest stars. Plus, we answer YOUR questions about visiting California’s famed wine country during our recurring feature, ”We Get Questions.”
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 5 days ago1h 2m
Behind the Bell of the Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley with Paul Hendricks
What does it take to drive a trolley full of wine tasters around Sonoma Valley—and keep everyone informed and entertained along the way? Paul Hendricks of the Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley joins The Sonoma Spiel to talk about his 11 years as a trolley driver and guide. His unconventional journey includes living in Germany, working around the Los Angeles music scene, studying improv in Chicago and leading international travelers on multiweek adventures through America’s national parks. Paul explains how the Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley combines local history, winery visits, lunch and plenty of humor. He also shares advice for new wine tasters, discusses the appeal of Sonoma’s family-owned wineries and answers practical visitor questions about shipping wine home, evening dining, nonalcoholic options, children at tastings and tipping a tour guide. Learn more or reserve a tour: https://sonomavalleywinetrolley.com/ Plan your Sonoma Valley visit: https://www.sonomavalley.com/ Save up to 25% with the Sonoma Tasting Pass: https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass Questions about Sonoma Valley? Email info@sonomavalley.com or text 707-996-1090.
- 1 weeks ago1h 7m
Sonoma Pumpkin Spice Episode 2026: The Revenge of AllSpice + Fall Preview | Michelle & Mark
Pumpkin patches, grape stomps, haunted wineries—and a pumpkin-spice taste test nobody asked for! Michelle Lacy of the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau and Mark Bodenhamer of the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce join Tim Zahner for a lively guide to fall in Sonoma Valley. Discover seasonal events, harvest experiences, fall hikes, Halloween celebrations and pumpkin patches around Sonoma, Glen Ellen and Kenwood. The group also shares recommendations for restaurants, breakfast, coffee, pastries and the best places to see fall colors. Meanwhile, Tim challenges Michelle and Mark to sample an increasingly questionable assortment of pumpkin-spice coffee, pretzels, rice cakes, snack cakes and protein bars. Plan your Sonoma Valley getaway: https://www.sonomavalley.com/ Learn more about the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce: https://sonomachamber.org/ Save up to 25% on wine tastings with the Sonoma Tasting Pass: https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass The Sonoma Spiel is produced by the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau. Visit one of our two visitor centers, email info@sonomavalley.com or text 707-996-1090 for personalized recommendations. Listen and follow: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b
- 2 weeks ago20 min
BONUS! 2026 Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival Guide with Robyn Sebastiani
The Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival returns September 24–27, 2026, and Robyn Sebastiani of the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance joins Tim Zahner with everything you need to know. Sonoma’s signature harvest celebration includes a communal Harvest Dinner around City Hall, dueling pianos, a 5K and one-mile fun run, the Blessing of the Grapes, the historic grape stomp, a free daytime festival, live music, local artisans, family activities and the Sonoma Valley Grand Tasting at the historic Sonoma Barracks. Robyn also explains the festival’s “Year of Community” theme, its support for local nonprofits and student scholarships, limited-edition Sonoma Valley wines and the Lighted Tractor Parade coming after Thanksgiving. Festival details and tickets: https://valleyofthemoonvintagefestival.org/ Plan your Sonoma Valley getaway: https://www.sonomavalley.com/
- 2 weeks ago56 min
Vintner, Vendor, Soldier, Spy: Peter Sichel's Journey from Nazi Germany to CIA to wine merchant | Bettina Sichel
Peter Sichel escaped Nazi Germany, joined the U.S. Army after Pearl Harbor, worked for the OSS during World War II and became a CIA station chief in Berlin at the dawn of the Cold War. He later returned to his family’s wine business and helped turn Blue Nun into an international phenomenon. His daughter, Bettina Sichel of Laurel Glen Vineyard, shares the extraordinary story behind the documentary “The Last Spy”—from her father’s work with the French Resistance and early Cold War intelligence operations to his growing concerns about the CIA’s involvement in overthrowing foreign governments. Bettina also explains why she created Laurel Glen’s PS Riesling as a tribute to her father, complete with a tiny blue nun on the label. The conversation also covers: • Peter Sichel’s Jewish family and their escape from Nazi Germany • His recruitment into the OSS, the predecessor to the CIA • The birth of the Cold War and his leadership in Berlin • The remarkable discovery of 250,000 cases of family wine beneath wartime rubble • His criticism of dangerous CIA covert operations • The marketing campaign that made Blue Nun famous • Laurel Glen Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon and PS Riesling • How winemakers use Brix measurements to decide when to harvest • Winery reservations, hidden-gem tasting rooms and Sonoma dining recommendations “The Last Spy,” directed by Katharina Otto-Bernstein, will be presented at Sonoma’s historic Sebastiani Theatre on October 22 and 23, 2026, with live Q&A programs. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22: https://events.sebastianitheatre.com/the-last-spy/ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23: https://events.sebastianitheatre.com/the-last-spy-with-live-qa/ WATCH THE OFFICIAL TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX0DRUJ7pi0 LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FILM: https://www.menemshafilms.com/the-last-spy VISIT LAUREL GLEN VINEYARD: https://laurelglen.com/ PLAN YOUR SONOMA VALLEY VISIT: https://www.sonomavalley.com/ SAVE UP TO 25% ON WINE TASTING: https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass Listen to The Sonoma Spiel: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b #TheLastSpy #PeterSichel #SonomaValley
- 3 weeks ago1h 0m
Pickles & Fermentation with Sam Paone of Golden State Pickle Works
What turns a cucumber into a naturally fermented pickle—and how is that different from simply adding vinegar? Sam Paone, founder of Golden State Pickle Works and Collective Cultures, joins Tim Zahner for a delicious tour of pickles, probiotics and Sonoma County farmers market culture. Sam shares how growing up in Hawaii, working in Bay Area kitchens and cooking with just-picked Sonoma produce inspired her to start preserving vegetables instead of wasting them. She also walks Tim through an impressive tasting menu: deli-style half-sour cucumbers, fermented ranch potato salad, Pepperonata Slaw, Allium Aioli, fermented strawberry-cucumber relish and probiotic gazpacho. They also discuss: • How salt, water and beneficial bacteria transform vegetables • The difference between fermented and vinegar pickles • Why pickling cucumbers can be surprisingly difficult for small producers to find • Sam’s hands-on fermentation workshops • Her food series, Jarring Everything • The best way to shop at a farmers market • The secret trades vendors make at the end of market day During “We Get Questions,” Sam helps answer visitor questions about places to eat before Broadway Under the Stars, boutique Sonoma Valley wineries, bringing children to wineries, the 30th anniversary of Scream and where to find fermented foods around Sonoma. SHOP, LEARN AND FIND WORKSHOPS Golden State Pickle Works: https://goldenstatepickleworks.com/ Watch Jarring Everything: https://www.youtube.com/@goldenstatepickleworks PLAN YOUR SONOMA VALLEY GETAWAY Events, lodging, wineries and special offers: https://www.sonomavalley.com/ Save up to 25% on wine tasting with the Sonoma Tasting Pass: https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass LISTEN TO THE SONOMA SPIEL Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b #SonomaValley #Fermentation #Pickles
- Aug 19, 202654 min
Military Honor on Trial: General Joseph Hooker’s Sonoma Scandal | Travis Wagner
Long before Joseph Hooker became a prominent Union general, he was stationed in Gold Rush-era Sonoma, where a bitter dispute with Army engineer and humorist George H. Derby led to accusations, arrests and two extraordinary courts-martial. Local historian and author Travis Wagner joins Tim Zahner to discuss his book, Military Honor on Trial: The Saga of Joseph Hooker and George H. Derby. Travis traces the conflict between the ambitious, notoriously prickly Hooker and Derby, a gifted satirist who wrote as John Phoenix and Squibob. Their feud involved a stolen horse, competing ideas about military authority and allegations that Hooker profited from selling Army supplies. It also drew in officers who would later become major Civil War figures, including Henry Halleck and William T. Sherman. The conversation ranges across Sonoma’s Mexican and military history, the Russian presence at Fort Ross, California’s early theater culture and a newspaper prank that changed San Diego politics. In “We Get Questions,” Travis and Tim discuss family-owned Sonoma Valley wineries, tipping tour guides, the Sonoma Plaza restrooms, the historical flags displayed around town and why locals call it the Sonoma Plaza—not the Sonoma Square. Order Military Honor on Trial: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/military-honor-on-trial-the-saga-of-joseph-hooker-and-george-h-derby Save up to 25% on Sonoma wine tastings with the Sonoma Tasting Pass! Choose three great wineries in Sonoma Valley: 👉 https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass Plan your visit: https://www.sonomavalley.com/ Call or text: 707-996-1090 Email: info@sonomavalley.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExperienceSonomaValley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonoma_valley/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sonoma_valley YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b
- Aug 12, 202652 min
Codi Binkley on B&V Sonoma, the Codi Burger, Music and a Pirate Flag
Codi Binkley grew up touring in a converted school bus, became a musician and eventually helped transform a long-vacant building on Sonoma Plaza into B&V Whiskey Bar & Grille. Codi joins Sonoma Spiel host Tim Zahner to share stories from his unconventional Sonoma journey. He explains how he and Executive Chef Carlo Cavallo built B&V, why its early days were filled with live music and how his experiences touring with The Whiskey Thieves shaped his approach to hospitality. And then the good stuff: an oversized burger bearing Codi’s name, the pirate flag that stirred up controversy, rumors of tunnels beneath Sonoma Plaza and a hidden wishing well. During “We Get Questions,” Codi and Tim answer practical wine-country questions, including what to wear wine tasting, where visitors can stomp grapes, whether Sonoma Valley has cooperative tasting rooms and which winery experiences may work well for families traveling with children. Learn more about B&V Whiskey Bar & Grille, view the menu or make a reservation: https://bvsonoma.com/ Find Codi Binkley’s music and upcoming performances: https://www.codibinkley.com/ SAVE ON SONOMA WINE TASTINGS Save up to 25% on Sonoma wine tastings with the Sonoma Tasting Pass! Choose three great wineries in Sonoma Valley: 👉 https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass ABOUT THE SONOMA SPIEL The Sonoma Spiel introduces you to the people, places and stories that make Sonoma Valley such a special destination. The podcast is produced by the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau. Plan your Sonoma Valley visit: https://www.sonomavalley.com/ Questions about Sonoma Valley? Email: info@sonomavalley.com Call or text: 707-996-1090 Follow Experience Sonoma Valley: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExperienceSonomaValley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonoma_valley/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@experiencesonomavalley VISIT OUR SONOMA VALLEY VISITOR CENTERS Historic Sonoma Plaza 24 East Spain Street at the Toscano Hotel Sonoma, CA 95476 Jacuzzi Family Vineyards 24724 Arnold Drive Sonoma, CA 95476 WATCH AND LISTEN YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b #SonomaValley #TheSonomaSpiel #BVSonoma
- Aug 3, 20261h 2m
Gundlach Bundschu: 168 Years of Sonoma Wine with Katie Bundschu
Six generations, 168 harvests and one unforgettable six-wheeled vineyard vehicle: Katie Bundschu shares the story of Gundlach Bundschu, California’s oldest family-owned winery. Katie explains how Rhinefarm was established in 1858, how the Gundlach and Bundschu families came together, and how the winery survived Prohibition and generations of change. She also talks about leaving Sonoma to pursue a career in college athletics fundraising—and what eventually brought her home to the family business. Today, “Gun Bun” combines wine, history, regenerative organic farming and live music. Katie takes us inside the Pinz Excursion through the vineyards, the Donkey Bar, the winery’s amphitheater and historic Redwood Barn. She also discusses an unusually early beginning to Sonoma’s 2026 grape harvest. Over a glass of dry estate Gewürztraminer, Katie and host Tim Zahner explore library wines, Chardonnay, Tempranillo, farming at Rhinefarm and the qualities that make Sonoma Valley feel like home. During “We Get Questions,” Katie helps answer questions about the Bear Flag Revolt, finding great Chardonnay, sweet and semi-sweet Sonoma wines, visiting during the fall, dog-friendly businesses and how to convince someone to move to Sonoma. VISIT GUNDLACH BUNDSCHU Website: https://www.gunbun.com/ Tours and tastings: https://www.gunbun.com/visit/ Concerts and events: https://www.gunbun.com/events/ PLAN YOUR SONOMA VALLEY VISIT Discover wineries, restaurants, lodging and upcoming events: https://www.sonomavalley.com/ Save up to 25% on Sonoma wine tastings with the Sonoma Tasting Pass! Choose three great wineries in Sonoma Valley: https://bit.ly/SonomaTastingPass GOT A SONOMA QUESTION? Email info@sonomavalley.com, text 707-996-1090, find us on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok, or stop by one of our two Sonoma Valley visitor centers. LISTEN TO THE SONOMA SPIEL Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b
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About The Sonoma Spiel
California’s Sonoma Wine Country is known as a feast for the senses - amazing food and wine, beautiful mountains and redwood forests, and charming small towns. Go deeper into the best of Sonoma Wine Country with the Sonoma Spiel, where we talk about what’s happening in and around Sonoma Valley with guests like farmers, chefs, wine makers, artists and interesting guest stars. Plus, we answer YOUR questions about visiting California’s famed wine country during our recurring feature, ”We Get Questions.”
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