Russian River to East River: Sharing West Sonoma County Wines with Gramercy Park’s Cultural Elite

Last week, I ventured from Halleck Vineyard Winery and Wine Tasting Room in Sonoma Valley to the Sculptor Garden Room of the historic National Arts Club in Manhattan’s Gramercy Park to pour our California wines for a room full of artists, philanthropists, and musicians. It was my second Sonoma Wine Education Seminar at the club, and it was completely full—oversold, in fact.

I designed this event with intention: shorter than a traditional vintner dinner, more welcoming to people with all levels of wine knowledge, and significantly more affordable, but without compromising on the wines or food pairings. In doing so, I was able to bring a bit of West Sonoma County’s intimacy, complexity, and generosity to one of our nation’s most iconic, cultural venues.

Our New Wine Education Seminars

Instead of the usual four-hour, multi-course vintner dinner, this was a 90-minute guided wine tasting with these small but extravagant plates:

1. Sauvignon Blanc from the Russian River Valley paired with Hamachi Tartare

2. Russian River Valley Chardonnay with Fried Cheese and Truffle Honey

3. Russian River Valley Dry White Zinfandel with Grilled Stone Fruit, Pecorino Romano, and Mint

4. Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Cuvee with Duck Confit

5. Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Single Vineyard with Chocolate Mousse

We’ve found that some traditional wine dinners can wind up feeling intimidating or exclusionary. They appeal to seasoned wine lovers but can unintentionally exclude those less confident in their knowledge. By contrast, our new Wine Education Seminars welcome a more inclusive mix. Some guests were longtime arts patrons, while others, like the Grammy-nominated violinists I spoke with, were new to wine tasting altogether.

But the result was the same across the board: connection, discovery, and delight.

Sonoma Coast Finds Its Audience

If there was a single moment that captured the evening’s spirit, it was the reaction to our “Not Your Mother’s Dry White Zinfandel.” The name struck a chord. The humor landed perfectly with the demographic—mostly cultured, older adults who appreciated the playful nod to a style of wine they thought they already knew.

It broke the ice, started conversations, and, most importantly, reframed expectations. That kind of experience—where a wine surprises you, not because of its pedigree but because of its personality—is what we strive for.

Aged Elegance from Sebastopol Hills

One of the wines we poured was a 2018 The Farm Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley, a library wine with six years of age and the structure to show it. This bottle had been cellared by the Club from a previous purchase, and its reappearance offered an unexpected bridge between past and present—a perfect symbol for the evening.

Pinot Noir from Sebastopol Hills is shaped by fog, ocean breezes, and loamy soils. That night, it was also shaped by candlelight, conversation, and live piano drifting in from the adjacent gallery. As always, the terroir spoke—but so did the context.

Sonoma Valley Wines Meet East Coast Philanthropists

What made the event especially memorable wasn’t just the wine or the food—it was the guests. Several attendees spoke with me about our philanthropic work and joined our Inner Circle not only for the wines, but to support causes they care about.

This is the kind of community we aspire to build: one where wine becomes a conduit for shared values. Where art, generosity, and taste intersect.

This wasn’t just a tasting—it was a cultural exchange. A moment when the spirit of Sebastopol could be felt in one of the oldest art clubs in America.

From Russian River to East River

The feedback was resounding: this was, we were told, the most successful wine event the National Arts Club has ever hosted. We’ve been asked to return annually, and we’ll also be hosting a more in-depth vintner dinner for those members who want to take their exploration further.

But I believe the real success of the evening was in its spirit. It proved that great wine doesn’t need to shout—or require a long night of tasting notes and terminology. It simply needs to show up with heart, be poured with intention, and have a story worth telling.

From the Sebastopol Hills in Sonoma, California, to Gramercy Park near Union Square, the stories behind our Russian River, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Mountain, and North Coast wines continue to unfold.

Inner Circle Wine Club

Because our wines are all limited production, they aren’t sold in wine stores. Vintner dinners, wine tastings at our West Sonoma County estate wine tasting room, wine education seminars, and this website are how people can order them. You can join our Inner Circle here.

Guests who attend our seminars gain the opportunity to join our Inner Circle wine club, which grants them allocations of our limited-production wines and access to exclusive vintages. It’s not just about buying wine—it’s about becoming part of a community that shares values, stories, and unforgettable experiences.