Pop your cork at Gay Wine Weekend this summer in Sonoma County

STEVEN LINDSEY | Contributing writer
stevencraiglindsey@gmail.com

As a young gay boy curled up on the sofa at my Nana and Gran’s house every Friday night, I’d savor each devious deed of J.R., Sue Ellen, Bobby and Pam on Dallas, dreaming of one day living in this glamorous city.

Three years into its wildly successful ratings domination, Dallas was followed on CBS by Falcon Crest, a much campier nighttime soap glamorizing the exploits of the ever-cunning Angela Channing as she reigned over a successful vineyard.

(Side note: We performed the theme song for both shows on the piano for private recitals in our living room, yet my parents still seemed shocked when I came out of the closet).

Largely due to Falcon Crest, the California wine country rose to the top of places to one day live — possibly while having an affair with Lorenzo Lamas or plotting a murder to gain control of a rival vineyard. The possibilities were endless.

Our childhood dream of living in Dallas came true, but we always ponder an alternate reality where we watch sunsets over our expansive vineyards while enjoying a fine Pinot Noir. Vacationing in a different California wine region at least once a year remains the next best thing.

Yet, for all the wine-growing enclaves we’ve visited over the years, Sonoma County lures my husband and me back again and again. The rolling hills, majestic redwoods and gaggles of tipsy gay men beckon like sultry sirens sipping on Sauvy B.

This summer I’m returning again while finally crossing off a bucket list item: Gay Wine Weekend, sponsored by La Crema Winery.

Sonoma County’s already one of the queerest places on earth, so I can only imagine what it will be like when hundreds of gay men (and every other letter in the LGBTQ collective) descend upon the region for a three-day party powered by charcuterie boards and chardonnay.

In 2008, founder and owner Gary Saperstein started Out in the Vineyard, an experiential wine country event and travel company serving the LGBTQ community, curating experiences as unique as we are.

“At the time, I was in the restaurant business here in Sonoma County, and I was seeing a growing trend of LGBTQ tourism in addition to a growth in the population of people moving to the region,” he says. “It was at that time that I started to wonder why no one in the wine industry was talking to us. Mecca, aka the Castro, is one hour from Wine Country, and yet, there was no ‘courting’ our community.

“That is where the concept for Out In The Vineyard was born.”

It all began with the Twilight T-Dance, a one-night event. After three years of the party’s increasing popularity, Gay Wine Weekend was born.

“It has grown from 300 attendees the first year to now to over 700. People come from all around the country to experience the three-day event. It has become a renowned event for our community,” Saperstein said.

Each year, Gay Wine Weekend raises funds for Face to Face, Sonoma County’s HIV/AIDS Network. To date, the event has raised more than $600,000 for the nonprofit.

During the long weekend, many guests choose Vintner’s Resort, the host hotel, as a home base. Attendees can experience winery tours, winemaker dinners, drag brunch, a pool party and the Twilight T-Dance that started it all. For the second year, Visit Dallas is the event’s presenting sponsor, helping demonstrate that even in a red state like Texas, our city celebrates diversity and the LGBTQ community in particular.

Dallas residents can escape the Texas heat more easily than ever thanks to nonstop American Airlines flights into Santa Rosa’s Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS).

“Dallas is one of the largest wine markets for Wine Country and wine in general,” Saperstein said. “Sonoma is also easy to travel to and a great getaway in the summer months.”

For those who can’t make it to Gay Wine Weekend, Saperstein suggests visiting during the off-season, between December and March, when wineries are quieter, and you can get more one-on-one attention.

“Honestly, any time is a good time to visit Sonoma,” he said. “Each season is beautiful in its own way.”

For more information on Gay Wine Weekend, visit OutInTheVineyard.com. To learn more about the region, visit SonomaCounty.com.