Wine country media visit generates Food & Wine coverage

Visit California hosted freelance writers Stasia Brewczynski and Adam Callaghan on a culinary tour of Northern California wine country, generating two stories in Food & Wine. The husband-and-wife team explored the region’s food culture, wineries and accommodations, meeting local experts and discovering stories about California’s wine heritage and emerging trends.

The itinerary included stops in Healdsburg, elsewhere in Sonoma County and downtown Napa. In Healdsburg, the writers experienced the area’s farm-driven culinary scene through artisan breads, seasonal tasting menus and locally inspired dining at The Madrona. A tasting at Stone Edge Farm’s La Maison and a dinner showcasing Sonoma County’s agricultural bounty offered additional opportunities to explore the connection between food, wine and place.

In downtown Napa, the writers met culinary leaders, visited independent wine tasting rooms and explored the Napa Farmers Market. These experiences introduced them to the people and ideas shaping the region’s food and wine offerings.

Coverage resulting from the trip includes:

• These Ancient California Vineyards Make Some of America's Most Interesting Wines Today: The story explores California’s historic vineyards and the distinctive wines they produce, highlighting generations of growers and winemakers.
  

• The Rise of Great Low-Alcohol Wine: Inspired in part by a conversation with Peter Eastlake at Outside Lands, the story examines partially dealcoholized wines and features California voices and brands, including Valkyrie Selections’ Que Pop and The Duckhorn Portfolio’s Decoy Featherweight.

The coverage brings California’s wine heritage and innovation to a national audience, supporting Visit California’s efforts to inspire travel to the state’s culinary and wine destinations.