Sonoma Starlight kicks off Sonoma Wine Country Weekend

It was a feast of casual grazing at Sonoma Starlight on Friday as guests flitted among an array of food stations, gathering fresh bites and wines.

The gastronomic event outdoors at Francis Ford Coppola Winery near Geyserville was an abundance of unfussy, fresh-from-the-farm food, prepared by John Toulze and Sondra Bernstein of The Girl & The Fig in Sonoma.

Buffets offered everything from charcuterie and sliders to vegetable skewers and Asian salads served in cute Chinese to-go boxes.

Wine was arranged by varietal rather than appellation, making for easy pairing.

The gala under the stars kicked off the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, which continued Saturday with the Taste of Sonoma at the historic MacMurray Ranch in Healdsburg.

The grand finale is the Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction today at Chateau St. Jean Winery in Kenwood.

On Friday, the band Notorious was belting out 1980s dance music. Deb Aldrich of Pasadena and her husband, Dan Lion, were among the crowd of 500. She said the couple make the event a yearly ritual.

“Someday we’ll own our own co-op vineyard,” she said.

The Sonoma Wine Country Weekend raises funds for local charities that benefit students, children, farmworkers and people in need. Last year, the event raised $3.3 million.