If you've driven out Denmark Street lately, you might be wondering what Gundlach Bundschu's news means for one of Sonoma's most beloved places. The short answer: the tasting room is open.

On September 23, the winery, founded in 1858, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Chapter 11 lets a business keep operating while it reorganizes its debt, and the winery says it will keep welcoming guests, hosting events, serving wine club members, and working with its employees, growers, and vendors throughout the process.

How did a winery that's been here since before the Civil War get here? Part of the strain goes back to 2020, when the company borrowed to buy a 60-acre winery and vineyard in Glen Ellen. Then the wine business turned: shifting habits, falling demand, distributor consolidation, and too much inventory across the industry. The winery cut spending by about 40% over three years, but says the debt was still too heavy for today's market. When one of its lenders asked a court to appoint a receiver, the family turned to Chapter 11.

What happens next: talks are underway with a large investor who hasn't been named, and the family expects to keep a minority stake. If that deal goes through, the Bundschus would no longer hold majority control, and the winery could lose its title as California's oldest continuously family-owned winery.

This place has weathered a lot: phylloxera in the 1870s, the 1906 earthquake, Prohibition. It's also woven into Sonoma's own traditions. The very first Vintage Festival, in 1897, was a play performed for guests at the Gundlach family's Rhinefarm (more on that in this week's trivia).

Sixth-generation owner Jeff Bundschu put it simply: “This has never been only about a winery.”

If you want to show some local love, the simplest thing is to stop by.

Read the Index-Tribune's coverage →

• Fridays, 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m. — Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers Market in the Arnold Field parking lot on First Street West, next to Depot Park. Every Friday, year-round.
• Saturdays, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. — Harvest Market at Sonoma Garden Park, every Saturday through December.
• Fridays, noon–3 p.m. — Sonoma Ecology Center's Native Plant Sale at the Garden Park nursery. Fall is prime planting season.
• Sun, Oct. 11, noon–5 p.m. — The Glen Ellen Village Fair in downtown Glen Ellen.
• Fri, Oct. 16, 7 p.m. — “Haunted Wine Country” at the Sebastiani.
• Sat, Oct. 17, 7 p.m. — “Magic and Murder,” a one-man interactive magic show at the Sebastiani. Recommended for mature audiences.
• Through Nov. 2 — The Arts Guild of Sonoma's “A Harvest of Art.”

Full Sonoma Valley events calendar →

When the Plaza gets busy, head a few blocks north. The Sonoma Overlook Trail starts at 198 First Street West and climbs through oak woodland to views of the Valley and all the way to San Francisco Bay.

The main trail with the Upper Loop is about 2.4 miles round trip, with roughly 400 feet of climbing, and it's open during daylight hours year-round. It's cared for by the all-volunteer Sonoma Overlook Trail Stewards.

Good to know: dogs, bikes, and horses aren't allowed on the Overlook Trail or the neighboring Montini Preserve, so this one's a walk for two-legged hikers only.

Trail info →

The Plaza lost two neighbors on the same night. Oso Sonoma and Parkside Wine Bar, side by side on East Napa Street, both closed on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Oso had a 12-year run. Chef-owner David Bush said the community's support meant a lot, but the kitchen and building needed upgrades that were too costly for a space the restaurant doesn't own. Oso was named Best New Restaurant in the Index-Tribune's 2015 People's Choice Awards, and plenty of us have a favorite memory from that long, narrow room. Parkside will be missed too, especially by local musicians; the Sonoma Valley Jazz Society's president called its closing a real loss for students and players.

Coming up: Black Cod Week runs Oct. 17–25, spotlighting locally caught Sonoma County black cod. We'll share where to find it once participating restaurants are announced.

Read more →

Thinking about a dog, but not a puppy? Senior dogs are often already house-trained, happy with a slower pace, and ready to settle right in.

At Pets Lifeline, adoption fees are $150 for senior dogs (age 8 and up) and $350 for adult dogs, and dogs who have been at the shelter more than 60 days get 60% off. Every dog goes home spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated, along with a tote of starter gear: food, a crate, a bed, and a leash.

Visiting hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 19686 Eighth St. East. Can't make those hours? Call 707-996-4577 to set up another time.

Meet the dogs →

On Sept. 22, Sonoma Valley's Sherpa and Nepali community raised more than $100,000 for rescue and relief after floods in central Nepal killed more than 1,000 people.

The Himalayan Sherpa Club of Sonoma hosted a free dinner at the Veterans Memorial Hall, with local restaurants and wineries donating food and wine. More than 400 people came, and the evening closed with the Sherpa community offering a prayer for the victims and their families. All of the money is going to Nepal's Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund through the California Sherpa Association.

Many Sherpa families who call Sonoma home come from the Everest and Makalu regions, and some still have loved ones in Nepal. When our neighbors needed us, Sonoma showed up. That's the kind of town this is.

Read more →

• Register to vote by Oct. 19. Nov. 3 is Sonoma's first City Council election by district. Only the District 1 council seat is on the ballot; Districts 3 and 5 each had one candidate, and the council appointed them. Not sure which district you're in? The city has a district finder. Election info →
• City Council meets Wed, Oct. 7, at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers, 177 First Street West. Meetings are the first and third Wednesday of each month, and agendas are posted online ahead of time. Council info →

Sonoma-Made: A Holiday Guide to Local Gifts

This November, Sonoma Beat is putting together a guide to gifts grown, made, and sold right here in Sonoma Valley: winery clubs, olive oil, farm boxes, sweets, handmade goods, and gifts that give back.

If you run a local business or make something here, we'd like to hear from you. Being included is free. Send us:

• Your business name and where to find you
• One or two gift ideas, with prices
• How people can order or buy
• A photo we have your permission to use

Email reply@sonomabeat.com by Friday, October 30. Space is limited, so we may not be able to include everyone.

Not a business owner? Tell us about a local maker you love. We'd like to know who we're missing.

Know something Sonoma should know about? A new business, a neighbor doing good work, an event we missed? Just hit reply. This newsletter is built with the community, not just sent to it.

Got a Sonoma question? Send it in, and we might answer it in a future issue.

Want your business in front of Sonoma locals? Reply to this email and let's talk.

Stay local. Stay connected.
— Michelle, Sonoma Beat