A la carte: Harvest events gear up with apples and wine

SEBASTOPOL

Apple time is here

The 45th annual Gravenstein Apple Fair returns to Ragle Ranch Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. August 11 and 12 with a bushel of food, family and farm fun.

Live music, arts and crafts, an Artisan Tasting Lounge, Do-It-Yourself Arena and a Life on the Farm exhibit round out the old-fashioned event.

Tickets are $15 adults, $10 kids 6 to 12. gravensteinapplefair.com. 500 Ragle Road.

SEBASTOPOL

Community apple press

The Gravensteins are arriving, and Slow Food Russian River is setting up its Sebastopol Free Community Apple Press at the Luther Burbank Gold Ridge Experimental Farm.

The press will start cranking up from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 4 and 5. The press will operate at the Gravenstein Apple Fair on Aug. 11 and 12, then return to the farm on Aug. 18 and 19. The last day of the press is Oct. 27.

Bring your own apples and plastic containers, or you can buy half-gallon containers for $1 each. Limit your apples to not more than 100 pounds per visit. For more information and reservations, go to slowfoodrr4.org. 7777 Bodega Ave.

WINDSOR

Tour de Cru

Notre Vue Estate Winery will open its gates from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, for guests to hike, run and bike along its private trails during the Balverne Tour de Cru.

The event concludes from noon to 4 p.m. with a catered lunch from The Wurst and Gerard's Paella and wine tasting of Balverne Wines grown at the estate.

Cost is $55, all inclusive, or $30, general admission (with no food.) To reserve: bit.ly/BalverneTourdeCru. 11010 Estate Lane.

FORESTVILLE

Pigs and cider

Backyard Forestville will toast Cider and Apple Week with a pig roast and cider tasting at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5, at the Forestville restaurant.

The event kicks off with a tasting of Sonoma County ciders, hors d'oeuvres and live music. You can meet the cider makers from Horse & Plow, Eye Cyder and Tilted Shed.

A family-style pig roast will follow. Tickets: $65. For tickets: backyardforestville.com. 6566 Front St.

HEALDSBURG

Fete du Vin Blanc

The gardens behind Barndiva will host the annual Fete Blanc party from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5, with more than 20 producers of interesting whites and bubbles.

In addition to the wine tasting, there will be hors d'oeuvres from Barndiva and live music.

Tickets are $50. To reserve: barndiva.com

GUERNEVILLE

Pond Farm benefit

The Stewards of the Coast & Redwoods will hold a Sunset Dinner at 5 p.m. Aug. 11 at Austin Creek State Recreation Area's Pond Farm to celebrate the legacy of renowned potter Marguerite Wildenhain and benefit the restoration of Pond Farm Pottery.

There will be a champagne and taco bar reception, an interpretative tour of the building and a dinner of tamales, enchiladas, rice and beans and salad. Tickets are $125, to benefit the restoration of Pond Farm pottery. To reserve: stewardscr.org

SANTA ROSA

Harvest Celebration

You can purchase your tickets now for Kendall-Jackson's second annual Harvest Celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens.

The event will include live cooking demonstrations from renowned chefs such as Kyle Connaughton of Single Thread and Douglas Keane of Two Birds One Stone, unique tastes from local chefs and Bravo TV Top Chefs, recipe previews from the K-J culinary team's upcoming “Season” cookbook, wine and food pairing, farm fresh produce, master gardener demonstrations, educational wine seminars and live entertainment.

Tickets are $150. To reserve: kj.com/events/harvest-celebration

CALISTOGA

Wine awards

The inaugural 2018 Global Wine Awards, held in Las Vegas in June, has announced its award winners, with Frank Family Vineyards of Calistoga winning Best in Show White Wine for its Late Harvest Chardonnay.

Best in Show Red Wine and Overall Best in Show went to Martellotto Wine Productions of Buellton for its 2016 Il Cappocia Riserva (barrel aged.)

For a complete list of winners, go to GlobalWineAwards.co

Staff Writer Diane Peterson can be reached at 707-521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @dianepete56.