INTERESTED IN WINEMAKING?
JOIN SONOMA HOME WINEMAKERS!
• Meet people with similar interests, attend meetings and special events, taste great wine and socialize.
• Help others make wine and learn from experienced grape growers and winemakers.
• Borrow, buy, or rent equipment. Get leads on grapes for sale and free.
• Access how-to presentations and mentors to learn winemaking best practices.
Next Meeting
Thursday November 13, 2025
Sonoma Community Center, Room 110
Time: 6:30 Socializing, 7:00 Start
Sonoma Home Winemakers' welcomes Stephanie Moriarty of Torrellerie Ø will speak on barrels and Creative Oak alternatives and the pivotal role that our California made French and American oak barrels play in helping winemakers make the wine they intend. Creative Oak alternatives provide winemakers, distillers, and brew masters the freedom to flavor their products exactly how they envision.
This event is open to the public.
Just stop by if you are interested in the state of the wine business and/or home winemaking. 21+ only please as we will be tasting our member's wines during the event.
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Join Sonoma Home Winemakers!
Annual membership dues are $50. You have several payment options:​ You can pay at a member's meeting, Mail a check to Sonoma Home Winemakers, P.O. Box 590, Sonoma, CA 95476 or
go to Join Us page to pay using Zelle
Thursday, October 23
Free Movie Night at the Sebastiani Theatre
celebrates 40 years of local home winemaking.
Celebrating its 40th year, Sonoma Home Winemakers (SHW) welcomes the public to celebrate with its members at a Free Movie Nite at Sebastiani Theatre.
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The local pro winemaker / filmmaker Joe Daniel’s “Tiny Vineyards”, is a fun, funny and accurate documentary that follows Sonoma Valley hobby wine makers through a wine making season – a celebration of home wine makers and their obsession. The free event is presented by the SHW and co-sponsored by the Sebastiani Theatre and Tiny Vineyards Wine Co.
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The movie night is Thursday, October 23rd, and open to all ages. 6pm arrival suggested. The 90-minute film starts at 7pm. Professional and homemade wine tasting will be available with a donation made for the commemorative glass at the event. ​
The filmmaker, Joe Daniel, an accomplished and multiple award-winning professional wine maker owns Tiny Vineyards Wine Company making a host of locally sourced varietals. He has been rewarded for his efforts with a Double-Gold Medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for his 2021 Eclipse Malbec. He was also awarded a Double-Gold and Best of Class at the Sonoma Harvest Fair for their 2022 Tinto Rústico.
Joe got his start as a hobby wine maker with the Sonoma Home Winemakers club finding his love for the art and science. Daniel felt so compelled about his experience making hobby wine, he created and produced the documentary, “Tiny Vineyards” – a tribute to local home winemakers both here, and everywhere.
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A valid ID is required for wine tasting.
Event Sold Out
Now accepting entries for the world's largest COMPETITION FOR HOBBY WINEMAKERS!
Enter your wine now and beat the rush. Your wine entry will be safely stored in a climate-controlled warehouse until April when you'll compete for medals in 50 categories. Gain international recognition for your winemaking skills and get valuable feedback on your wines from the competition's judging panel. For full competition entry information click here.​
Sonoma Home Winemakers were On the Air once again!
On Wed., October 8th, SHW board members Bob Brindley and Peter Stanford were guests on KSVY's "Wine Around with Hennessy". ​
This was Sonoma Home Winemaker's third time on the very popular show, that airs from 1pm to 2pm -- KSVY 91.3 FM. Bob and Peter represent some of the most knowledgeable wine making members of our club. Leslie Hennessy is a winegrower, winemaker and owner of Gourmet Wines. He offers KSVY listeners his expertise in the vast world of wine delving into oenology, viticulture, and ampelography. Home wine making, too!
Thank you, Dennis McCarter
Award wining wine maker and SHW alum Dennis McCarter of McCarter Cellars regaled us with stories of lessons learned as a new winemaker -- the good, the bad, and the unexpected -- at our October 8th monthly meeting. We appreciate him returning to share his tips and techniques learned from trial and error, and being there in the moment ... but always trusting what he thought was right. His award winning wines speak for themselves. With our gratitude!​
Members-only event was a great success!!!
On August 18th, our members enjoyed great party at the home of always great and generous hosts Peter and Gayle Stanfords. Great Pizza, wonderfool appetizers, salads and deserts. Member's wine, Limoncello and Walnut liqueur. And the greatest party spirit ever!!!​
Would like to participate in our private events? Not a paid member? Great time to join!
Thank You Joel Petersen
Our September 2025 meeting attracted record number of members and guest.
Joel Petersen, AKA the Godfather of Zin, founder of Ravenswood Winery, now Once and future Wines and 2011 inductee into the Vintners Hall of Fame gave a memorable talk on The Rise and Resurgence of Zinfandel, Tips and Secrets of Wine Making. And he brought his wine for us to appreciate!
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Joel is a current member and former president of the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance and also served on the Board of Directors for the Sonoma County Vintners. A founding board member and former two-time president of ZAP, he is also an advisor to the Historic Vineyard Society. Joel was the lead winemaker and chairman of the Heritage Vineyard project, ​
SHW News
SHW Alum Joseph Daniel awarded Double Gold Medals and Best of Class in the Professional Wine Competitions.
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Congratulations to Joseph Daniel, Sonoma Home Winemaker member since 2018 and commercial winemaker since 2021 and owner of TinY Vineyards. He has again been rewarded for his efforts with a Double-Gold Medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for his 2021 Eclipse Malbec. He was also awarded a Double-Gold and Best of Class at the Sonoma Harvest Fair for their 2022 Tinto Rústico. Well done, Joe! ​
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Supporting our Community
Sonoma Home Winemakers donated 20 professional pruning shears to the SVHS Viticulture Program
We support Sonoma High School Viticulture program by donating much needed tools to this popular program. Included in the picture are SHW members Bob Brindley, Doug Ghiselin, and Rebecca Kreeger. Also pictured are Pat Stornetta, industry advisor to the program; a faculty member Lori Bisordi with daughter and students Audrey Clarke, and Mari Suazo The photo was taken by Les Boschke
Supporting Mount Veeder Fire Safety Council at the Home Winemaker Classic.
Board Members Paul Pastorino and Rebecca Kreeger poured a selection of Sonoma Home Wines at the Home Winemaker Classic Napa. This event supports the Mount Veeder Fire Safety Council.
Who we are ... and how you can participate
For over 40 years, Sonoma Home Winemakers (SHW) remains a group of enthusiastic home winemakers whose nonprofit charter is to promote the fine art of growing grapes, making great wine and to share information and tips among members. We're based in Sonoma, California and meet once a month, generally the second Thursday. (Please double check our events calendar for specific dates and location). We share ideas and information, evaluate and taste each other's wines, and host a speaker from the wine community -- all in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
If you'd like to learn more about home winemaking - whether you're a complete beginner or have been making wine for years -- come to a meeting as our guest. Consider this your open invitation! And if you like what you see, dues are only $50 a year for you plus one. (21+, please.) Membership also gives you access to several private, "member only" events: behind the scenes tours of grape vine growers, barrel makers, vineyard operations and so much more -- all designed to better your understanding of wine making.
We grow our grapes in our private vineyards, backyards, acquire grapes from local sources, or just help out fellow members with their winemaking. (You're not required to make wine...but most do!) Varietals our members make range from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel and Pinot Noir to the distinctive Tanat, Sangiovese, Syrah, Primitivo, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, and Mourvedre.
Additionally, SHW farms and manages the Tex Juen vineyard located on Leveroni Road at the end of Fryer Creek Trail in Sonoma. This vineyard was established on land leased from the City of Sonoma for the education of our members and is fully maintained by our group. Members are welcomed to participate and experience hands-on viticulture during our frequent, weekend work days. No previous knowledge required, just eagerness to learn. Send us an email about our next work day!
Are you a member of our regional wine community with knowledge you'd like to share with our group? Please let us know! We would welcome your sharing tips and techniques with us ... we're all about learning, and enjoying great home made wine!
With our efforts, we believe we are continuing the great tradition of winemaking that started in the Sonoma Valley almost 160 years ago. What will be your wine story? Come to a meeting and start creating it. Welcome!
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Officers
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President: Bob Brindley
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Vice-President: Paul Pastorino
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Treasurer: Brian Middleton
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Secretary: Rebecca Kreeger
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Membership Chair: Faye Mellos
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Website: Gregory Levinson
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Members at Large: Doug Ghiselin and Peter Stanford.
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Welcome to the SHW!
Hello from the Sonoma Home Winemakers! I’m glad you are interested in learning about home winemaking and vineyard management. Information on our website can help you. Better yet, please join us at one of our monthly meetings.
The goal of our group is to help hobby winemakers learn to make wine and hopefully new friends along the way. Each month we offer you a speaker to teach us about the different aspects of making wine from pruning a vineyard, to harvesting grapes, to making wine that you can be proud to share with friends and family. Plus we have several social events throughout the year to help you make new friends with the same interests and to enjoy the bounty of our labors.
I have been a wine enthusiast and collector most of my life and more recently a home winemaker. It may run in the family since I have early memories of helping my grandfather tend to his vineyard in Upstate New York.
The Sonoma Home Winemakers are a valuable and helpful resource. We also have fun! There’s only so much you can learn in books and online. Being able to access the minds of professional vineyard managers and winemakers as well as other experienced hobby winemakers has been invaluable. Understanding how to grow better grapes and learning how the pros make their wine has armed me with the knowledge to make better wine in my own right. And best of all, we share some fantastic home wine at each of our gatherings!
If you’re interested in home winemaking or you’re already on your way, I encourage you to come to our next monthly meeting - no winemaking or vineyard xperience is necessary. Everyone is welcome! I hope to see you soon.
Cheers!
Bob Brindley, President
Sonoma Home Winemakers