FEBRUARY 2026 | ISSUE #159


THE PETALUMA GAP WINEGROWERS ALLIANCE promotes growers, vintners and
the distinctive wines crafted from grapes grown in the wind-driven AVA.

Pruning Grapevines in Advance of Budbreak

EVENTS

Feb 5, 5 PM, Music Bingo at Brooks Note Winery


February 6, 13, 5 PM, Live Music at Brooks Note Winery


February 7, 14, 21 and 28, 5 PM, Live Music at Montagne Russe Winery


February 8, 12-7 PM, SuperBowl Sunday with Montagne Russe Winery


February 10, Sonoma County Grape Day with Sonoma County Vineyard Technical Group


February 11, 10 AM, Bold Predictions: Winery Leadership Virtual Conference


February 11, 5:30 PM, Charcuterie Workshop at Brooks Note Winery


February 14, 12-8 PM, Vinyl, Vino & Valentine Special at Montagne Russe Winery


February 14, 4 PM, Valentine's Day Chocolate Experience at Adobe Road Winery


February 14, 8 PM, Don't Tell Comedy at Brooks Note Winery


February 15, 4:30 PM, Meet the Author at Brooks Note Winery


February 19, 5:30 PM, Vino & Vinyl Trivia at Montagne Russe Wines


February 22, 1 PM, Chili Cookoff at Keller Estate


February 22, 1 PM, Pink N Paws at Montagne Russe Wines


February 22, 4:30 PM, PGWA Annual Members Meeting at Polly Klaas Theater.



May 14-21, 2027, Petaluma Gap Winegrowers "Enticing Duoro River Cruise" Aboard AmaSintra

NEWS


Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce Launches a New Website

Tony & Christine Lombardi

Lombardi Family Wines

GAP HEROES

Tony & Christine Lombardi, Lombardi Family Wines, will pour their wines at three charity functions coming up:


February 5-7, Triangle Wine & Food Experience, Raleigh, NC, benefiting the Franie Lemmon Foundation, February 26-18 at the Nashville Wine Auction, with benefits accruing to several cancer-related charities, and March 26-29 at the Sonoma Epicurean-V Foundation in Healdsburg, benefiting the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

SPOTLIGHT

Aaron Alchin grew up in Michigan. His childhood was wild and carefree, surrounded by a large Irish and German family, with plenty of cousins of all ages to play with during loud and festive family celebrations. He graduated from Sonoma State with a BS in Accounting and was on SSU's Dean's List. Aaron's first real job was working at a cafe, where he began to explore and enjoy wine; today, he supports many wineries with financial and accounting services. He's married to his 5th-grade crush, Larissa, has three sons, and two dogs. In his spare time, he's also the Treasurer of the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance and active as a member of our Board of Directors. Here’s his story.

Aaron Alchin, Partner

G & J Seiberlich

90+ PT CLUB

Congratulations to these wineries 
for their awards at the 
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition



Deodora 2018 Early Cask Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap, Double Gold


Deodora 2018 Late Cask Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap, Double Gold


Sangiacomo Family 2023 Roberts Road Vineyard Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap, Double Gold


Thirty-Seven Wines 2022 "The Hermit" Red Wine Blend, Petaluma Gap, Double Gold


Thirty-Seven Wines 2023 Reserve Malbec, Petaluma Gap, Double Gold


Brooks Note Winery 2023 Pinot Noir, Panther Ridge Vineyard, Petaluma Gap, Gold Medal


Deodora 2023 Dry Riesling, Sonoma Coast, Gold Medal


Deodora 2019 Chardonnay, Petaluma Gap, Gold Medal


Panther Ridge 2024 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap, Gold Medal


Schermeister Winery 2023 Roberts Road Vineyard Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap, Gold Medal


Thirty-Seven Wines 2023 Chardonnay, Petaluma Gap, Gold Medal


Thirty-Seven Wines 2024 Albarino, Petaluma Gap, Gold Medal


Thirty-Seven Wines 2023 Grenache, Petaluma Gap Gold Medal


Thirty-Seven Wines 2024 Riesling, Petaluma Gap, Gold Medal



Additional Awards 
from Miscellaneous Reviewers


Lombardi Wines 2023 Pinot Noir, Gap's Crown Vineyard, Petaluma Gap, 95 Pts, Jonathan Cristaldi, 94 Pts, James Suckling, 94 Pts International Wine Report, and 92+ Pts, Jeb Dunnuck


Kendric Vineyards 2023 Petaluma Gap | Marin County Syrah, 94 Pts, View from the Cellar by John Gilman


Kendric Vineyards 2023 Petaluma Gap | Marin County Pinot Noir, 93 Pts, View from the Cellar by John Gilman


Kendric Vineyards 2024 Petaluma Gap | Marin County Viognier, 92 Pts, View from the Cellar by John Gilman


Panther Ridge 2023 Pinot Noir, 92 Pts, Wine Enthusiast


Thirty-Seven Wines 2023 Reserve Pinot Noir, 92 Pts, Wine Enthusiast


Thirty-Seven Wines 2023 Grenache, 92 Pts, Wine Enthusiast, and Gold Medal, Dan Berger's International Wine Competition


Panther Ridge Vineyard 2024 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap, 91 Pts, Wine Advocate


Panther Ridge 2023 Pinot Noir, "The Cub," 91 Pts, Wine Enthusiast


Thirty-Seven Wines 2023 Reserve Chardonnay, 91 Pts, Wine Enthusiast


Gust Wines 2024 Chardonnay, 90 Pts. Wine Spectator

EDUCATION

Booze Rules 2026: California Beverage Laws Update, article by John Hinman & Zachary Reeves, Booze Rules Blog


Silicon Valley Bank 2026 State of the US Wine Industry Report, and What the 2026 SVB Report Tells Us and What Comes Next


Vinoshipper Releases 2026 National Direct Sales Report


Rocky Road Ahead for the US Wine Industry, article by W. Blake Gray


Wine Industry Inches Closer to a More Balanced Market, article by Katherine Martine


California Could Face a Grape Shortage, article by W. Blake Gray


CA Vineyard & Winery Climate Action Toolkit, from the CA Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance


California Wine Country Market Update on Real Estate, from the Stornetta Group, Compass


PETALUMA GAP WINEGROWERS ALLIANCE
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