The Sonoma Spiel
Funny interviews and insider secrets from chefs, winemakers, farmers, artists and more, plus hot deals, shocking history and everything else about Sonoma Valley in California’s wine country. Plus we answer your questions during ”We Get Questions!”
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 52 minutes
- Episodes
- 109
- Years Active
- 2023 - 2025
Kombucha, Organic Chef and Hot Springs: Lauren Kershner of Songbird Parlour in Glen Ellen
Chef Lauren Kershner was born in Wisconsin, raised in Arizona and then moved to Mendocino before working in Napa and settling in Sonoma... and along the way she picked up how to cook, how to make kom…
A murder at the laundry, stinky trees and rogue librarian : Jim Silverman of SonomaPlazaHistory.com
Everyone talks about Sonoma Plaza's history, but no one does anything about it.
Until now.
Jim Silverman, retired librarian (he got kicked out of library school a few times first!) and man with a …
Accidental Tour Leader: Howard Sapper of Pushpak Motors on History, Wine, Community & Music
Howard Sapper didn't mean to start an award-winning electric scooter tour company. But somewhere along the way from Squirrel Hill in Pittsburgh to a career as a musical community organizer, concert p…
Arts Preview with Allison Coats -Music, museums and more
Allison Coats knows a thing or two about the arts in Sonoma, as she represents some of the Valley's premier arts institutions. She stops by to talk about what's happening at the Sonoma Valley Museum …
2023 Harvest & Vintage Festival Preview, Plus a Salami Toss: Laura McGilley & Bart Hansen
Two guests, one good time: we're talking the 2023 winegrape harvest and the upcoming Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival with Laura McGilley of the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance and Bart …
Murder mystery in Sonoma! Author Bethany Browning’s ”Dead Spread” has tarot, a raven, a duck pond and a mystery
"Dead Spread," the new book from local author Bethany Browning, is set in a small wine country town of Prosperity, where the mayor (Preston Brix) was recently found deceased by a local tarot reader (…
World’s Best Olive Oil: Kym Hough and Samantha Dorsey of McEvoy Ranch Olive Oil & Winery
A little bit west of Sonoma lies the town of Petaluma, and a little bit west of Petaluma is the enchanted farm at McEvoy Ranch, where some of the world's best Olive Oil comes from. Sam and Kym give u…
Eric Zivian & Nick Reeves: Valley of the Moon Music Festival Update
World-class musicians Eric Zivian (fortepiano) and Nick Reeves (cellist) from the Valley of the Moon Music Festival stop by the Sonoma Spiel podcast to talk classical music, performing outdoors and w…
Eaten by a crocodile and other made up stories about real histories: George Webber- Historian/Actor/Singer/Wine Expert
He says he was the king of the third-tier market, but George Webber made a grand entrance during his first appearance on stage as he lept over a small fence on the stage, knocking down the whole set,…
Summer Cocktails in Sonoma: Amy & Fred Groth of Prohibition Spirits
This week on the Sonoma Spiel: Amy & Fred Groth from Prohibition Spirits stop by to talk summer cocktails and how to rely on fresh ingredients to provide great flavors.
With 40 different distilled …
Talkin’ Juice: Highway 12 Winery’s Paul Giusto
Highway 12 in California runs from the vineyard-studded hills of Calaveras County all the way to the vineyard-covered hills of Sonoma County, passing through the vineyards of Napa, Solano, Sacramento…
You can reuse this podcast: Jana Wang from Refill Madness declares war on single-use plastic
Jana Wang wants you to put that plastic bottle down. And reconsider your approach to consumer packaged goods by just refilling that perfectly good, reusable bottle for your soap, shampoo and detergen…
Father & son battle it out: Filmmaker George Dondero talks Sonoma movie ”War of the Wills”
Film maker George Dondero had the audacity to not only shoot an independent film in Sonoma, but he dared question the orthodoxy that it's "always a lovely day in Sonoma." His new movie, "War of the W…
An RV of Thespians in Baja Goes the Full Monty: Amy Miller talks Broadway Under the Stars
Amy Miller started doing theater in Cincinnati, Ohio and found her way to Sonoma Valley via New York, New York then Naples, Florida dinner theater and with an interesting trip to Mexico with two recr…
Beyond the Left Turn: Jill Gregory of Sonoma Raceway on NASCAR and More
Jill Gregory of Sonoma Raceway says the 12-turns of the famed Sonoma Valley road track make it a "high consequence race track," where you can "get into the wall pretty quickly."
Jill sat down with u…
Joe D’Alessandro - The Return of San Francisco - Sonoma Spiel
Every ten to fifteen years or so, pundits and wags write the obituary for San Francisco. Ink gets spilled, think pieces get thunked and opinions opined about the "cool, gray city of love," but none o…
Elements of Sonoma Style: Jenne Wicht of JAK W design
Jenne Wicht was on track to go to law school but instead thought it would be better to start an interior design business in the middle of a major recession that greatly impacted the housing and offic…
World class concerts in Wine Country: Green Music Center with Jacob Yarrow and Andy Shepherd
Jacob Yarrow and Andy Shepherd of the Green Music Center at Sonoma State University tell us about the upcoming season of concerts at the world-class concert venue, describe the best strategies for en…
Summer Preview! How to Win the Tuesday Night Farmers Market! - Michelle Lacy & Mark Bodenhamer
This week on the Sonoma Spiel we discuss competitive gardening, how to properly do the Sonoma Tuesday Night Party/Farmers Market (bring a blanket, a bottle opener and a bag for the food) and the odd …
Grandma was a Sonoma nudist and other historical tidbits- Patricia Cullinan of Sonoma Valley Historical Society
Our history isn't just dates and faces - when Patricia Cullinan comes to tell us, it could also be places and patookuses. The head of the Sonoma Valley historical society came by with special second …