Wine Country has long been a playground for the rich and famous. Drawn to the glamour of Napa Valley, or the laid-back, rural vibe of Sonoma County, celebrities are coming here to enjoy the good life — some of them are even making their own wine.

From rock stars to movie makers, race car drivers to football players, check out the VIPs who are making wine in Sonoma and Napa. Find more celebrity hot spots in Sonoma and Napa Wine Country here.

Meghan Markle — As Ever rosé

Actor and Los Angeles-born Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle recently released a Napa Valley rosé as part of her “As Ever” lifestyle and kitchen products brand. The wine, released July 1 on the anniversary of Princess Diana’s birthday, is a Provençal-style rosé bottled at Kunde Family Winery in Kenwood. Markle’s 2023 Napa Valley rosé — As Ever’s first wine — is already sold-out online, but a Napa Valley sparkling wine and additional varietals will follow, according to the PR team.

Jessica Biel — Prophet & Poet

Earlier this year, actor Jessica Biel unveiled her locally made wine brand at BottleRock Napa Valley 2025. Her Healdsburg-based label, Prophet & Poet, currently offers a Cabernet Sauvignon, two Chardonnays and two blended reds. Biel’s wine label originated in 2019 when Jesse Katz, winemaker of Healdsburg’s Aperture Cellars, created a red wine blend as a wedding present for Biel’s younger brother, Justin Biel. Katz later suggested to the Biel siblings that they turn that wine into a label, and they were immediately on board. Katz tapped Christopher and Ariel Jackson, of Jackson Family Wines, to collaborate on the label’s inaugural release. Both Jessica Biel and Katz poured the label’s wine at this year’s BottleRock during a VIP Platinum Lounge event.

Max Thieriot — Senses Wines

Max Thieriot, the brainchild and star of the drama TV series Fire Country, co-founded Senses Wines with childhood friends Christopher Strieter and Myles Lawrence-Briggs in 2011. The Occidental winery sources grapes from the West Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley, producing an array of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Ayesha Curry — Domaine Curry wines

Restaurateur, cookbook author and food television personality Ayesha Curry teamed up with her sister-in-law Sydel Curry (Steph Curry’s younger sister) and Napa’s Coup de Foudre Winery to launch wine label Domaine Curry in 2015. The sisters-in-law share a love of wine and have been spotted sipping wine at Scribe Winery in Sonoma. Their wines include the Domaine Curry Cabernet and the Domaine Curry Sauvignon Blanc.

Salma Hayek — Eisele Vineyard

Salma Hayek and her billionaire husband François-Henri Pinault own Eisele Vineyard east of Calistoga. In October 2020, Hayek made a public announcement on Instragram, in which she thanked the firefighters who saved the Calistoga vineyard from the Glass Fire. “I can’t help but feel an immense sense of gratitude for all the first responders that came to the rescue of so many people, animals and properties,” she wrote.

Brie and Nikki Bella — Bonita Bonita

The former professional wrestling tag team known as the Bella Twins announced in October 2020 that they were moving with their families to Napa Valley, according to People magazine. The identical twins had started producing their own wine in 2017 in partnership with Napa’s Hill Family Estate, its proprietor Ryan Hill and award-winning winemaker Alison Doran. Their first wine was a Cabernet Sauvignon named “Belle Radici,” which means “beautiful roots” in Italian, and the bottle was adorned with a sleek label depicting the twins. From there, the twins launched their own winery in Napa, Bonita Bonita.

Tori Spelling — The Tori Collection at HALL Wines

Actor Tori Spelling brought 90210 to Napa Valley when she announced on Instagram in November 2020 that she had partnered with HALL Wines to put together The Tori Collection of wines. “Getting the chance to meet and work with HALL and wine legend and my spirit animal Kathryn Hall was really exciting,” she wrote. Spelling handpicked 11 wines to include in her collection — ranging from a rich Cabernet Sauvignon to light and fruity rosé to canned wine, according to People magazine.

John Legend — LVE Collection Wines

Grammy, Golden Globe and Oscar-winning musician John Legend launched his LVE Collection Wines in 2015. Working with famed vintner Jean-Charles Boisset, Legend’s wines include sparkling rosé, as well as a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay produced with fruit from Raymond Vineyards in Napa. Distributed nationally, the wines can be tasted at Raymond Vineyards and on tour with Legend.

Candace Cameron Buce — Bure Family Wines

“Fuller House” star Candace Cameron Bure and her husband, hockey player Val Bure, own Bure Family Wines in St. Helena. The couple began making wine in 2006, according to Wine Spectator. The couple likes to spend time in Wine Country and Candace Cameron Bure has been spotted at luxury restaurant SingleThread in Healdsburg. She shared in an Instagram post that she “brought a treat to drink” — a bottle of Screaming Eagle wine — when she took a friend to dinner at the restaurant in 2017.

Tamera Mowry-Housley — Housley Napa Valley

Actor Tamera Mowry-Housley, who got her start on the sitcom “Sister, Sister,” co-owns Housley Napa Valley with her husband, journalist Adam Housley. The tasting room is located in downtown Napa. The winery produces rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Petit Sirah.

Guy Fieri — Hunt & Ryde

Guy Fieri bought a 5-acre vineyard of Pinot Noir grapes in the Russian River Valley appellation in 2013. In his first vintage, he sold his grapes to Jackson Family Wines for its La Crema brand and to Williams Selyem winery in Healdsburg. He then launched his own wine label, Hunt & Ryde, named for his sons Hunter and Ryder. Fieri collaborates with local vintner Guy Davis, of Davis Family Vineyards, to produce Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and a Cabernet “Trophy” blend.

Francis Ford Coppola — Francis Ford Coppola Winery

Legendary film director, producer and screenwriter Francis Ford Coppola has been involved in the wine industry since buying Napa’s Inglenook Estate in 1975. Coppola expanded his wine empire to Geyserville when he opened his namesake winery in 2006. The winery includes a museum of memorabilia from his iconic films, such as The Godfather, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Apocalypse Now. In 2015, Coppola bought a second winery, Virginia Dare. Both are open to the public.

John and Nancy Lasseter — Lasseter Family Winery

Lasseter Family Winery in Glen Ellen was founded in the early 2000s by Nancy and John Lasseter, the former chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar. The winery produces rosé, Sauvignon Blanc and a variety of red blends.

Robert Mark Kamen — Kamen Estate Wines

When screenwriter and producer Robert Kamen (the Karate Kid series, Fifth Element, A Walk In The Clouds, Taken and Taken II) visited Sonoma County in 1980 to celebrate the sale of his first screenplay, he fell in love with the land. He purchased a 280-acre mountaintop property and eventually transformed it into a world-class vineyard producing estate wines. Pop into Kamen Estate Wines’ tasting room in downtown Sonoma or make an appointment to visit the mountaintop vineyards.

Les Claypool — Purple Pachyderm at Claypool Cellars

The bassist and lead vocalist of the rock band Primus, Les Claypool has been living in the Russian River Valley region of Sonoma County since 1994. His Claypool Cellars produces sparkling wine, rosé and Pinot Noir under the Purple Pachyderm label. Wine club members receive bottles signed by Claypool in their shipments and get invitations to exclusive concerts where they can party like (and with) rock stars. Taste the wines at their appointment only “fancy booze caboose” in Sebastopol.

Dave Matthews — Dreaming Tree Wines

Singer-songwriter Dave Matthews entered the winemaking game in 2000, when he opened Blenheim Vineyards winery in Charlottesville, Virginia. In response to demand from his fans, Matthews partnered with former Clos du Bois winemaker Sean McKenzie to launch Dreaming Tree Wines. Distributed nationally, and reasonably priced, they produce a Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma County and other wines made with grapes from throughout California.

Jonathan Cain — Finale Wines

Musician and songwriter Jonathan Cain is the keyboardist and rhythm guitarist for Journey. (The keyboards on “Don’t Stop Believin’”? Yeah, that’s him!). When he isn’t touring the world, he’s enjoying his own wine journey with Sonoma County vintner Dennis De La Montanya. Proceeds from their Finale Wines, which include a rosé of Malbec and a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, benefit charity.

Dwyane Wade — Wade Cellars

NBA star Dwyane Wade discovered his love of great Napa Valley wines while wining and dining with teammates Chris Bosh and Lebron James. The former professional basketball player partnered with his friend, Napa Valley vintner Jayson Pahlmeyer, to launch his own wine label, Wade Cellars, in 2015. Wade Cellars wines include a rosé and a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Yao Ming — Yao Family Wines

Former NBA All-Star Yao Ming fell in love with wine while playing for the Houston Rockets. Today, he owns and operates Yao Family Wines in St. Helena, producing age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon. The ultra-modern tasting room features food and wine pairings and a touch of memorabilia from Yao’s career in sports. He’s not only selling wine in Napa Valley, but also to great success in China, including in his hometown of Shanghai.

Charles Woodson — Intercept Wines

Former NFL football player Charles Woodson fell in love with wine and decided to learn more about the winemaking process during spring training for the Oakland Raiders, which takes place in Napa Valley. After a successful career in sports, including winning the Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers, Woodson started his own label, Charles Woodson’s Intercept Wines. Intercept Wines include a Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and a red blend.

Carmen Policy — Casa Piena

He might not have played on the field, but Carmen Policy helped bring the San Francisco 49ers four Super Bowl championships and was named “Executive of the Year” by the NFL and one of the “Most Influential People in Professional Sports” by GQ. Now retired, Carmen and his wife, Gail, operate Casa Piena (“Full House” in Italian) in Napa Valley, where they produce Cabernet Sauvignons that score high with Robert Parker. Wines are available on an allotment-only basis, with tastings available by appointment.

Dick Vermeil — Vermeil Wines

As an NFL coach, Dick Vermeil led the St. Louis Rams to their only Super Bowl championship, and also coached for the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. Born in Calistoga, it is no surprise that Vermeil started his own winery upon retirement. Vermeil Wines has a tasting room in downtown Napa and produces varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. Vermeil attends all wine member events, signing autographs and sipping the fruits of his labor.

Mario Andretti — Andretti Winery

Mario Andretti is considered one of the most successful race car drivers of all time. With that success comes not only a Ferrari (or two), but also a winery in Napa Valley that he co-founded in 1996. Wines run the gamut, from sweet Moscato and Riesling to beefy Cabernets and super Tuscans. Andretti Winery offers food and wine pairings in an Italian-inspired environment. Winery guests frequently brush elbows with Andretti and other race car drivers, especially when races take place at Sonoma Raceway.

Kevin Buckler — Adobe Road Winery

Race car driver and team owner Kevin Buckler has been producing wine in Sonoma County since 1995 at his Adobe Road Winery. Winner of Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, 24 Hours of Le Mans and numerous championships, Buckler and his wife, Debra, produce a wide array of wines from well-known vineyards, including Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer. Taste the wines at Adobe Road’s downtown Petaluma tasting room, complete with racing memorabilia.

Randy Lewis — Lewis Cellars

Most race car drivers will never race in the famous Indy 500, but Randy Lewis has done it — five times. Lewis started Lewis Cellars in 1992 with his wife, Debbie, a longtime wine industry professional. Eventually the couple were joined by their son, Dennis. Their appointment-only Napa Valley tasting room features wines from throughout the region, which include Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and a Cabernet Sauvignon-based Cuvée.

Gavin Newsom — PlumpJack, CADE and Odette wineries

Gov. Gavin Newsom co-founded PlumpJack Winery in Oakville, CADE Winery in Angwin and Odette Estate in Napa.

No longer available / Not open to the public

Vince Neil — Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil launched his own “Vince” wine label in the early 2000s. Vince wines were produced by Adler Fels Winery in Santa Rosa, according to Wine Spectator.

Joe Montana — Iconic 49ers quarterback Joe Montana teamed up with winemaker Ed Sbragia to create Montagia, a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, according to Decanter. The wine was released in 1999, when Sbragia was the winemaker at Beringer Vineyards in St. Helena. In 2019, Montana listed his Napa estate for $28.9 million. It was later re-listed for $20 million less. The 503-acre ranch was originally priced at $49 million in 2009.

Dan Marino — Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino put his name behind the Sonoma County-based Marino Estates Vintage “13” California Cabernet, which benefited the Dan Marino Foundation, according to Wine Spectator.

Nancy Pelosi — Rep. Nancy Pelosi and her husband, Paul, own a private vineyard on Zinfandel Lane in St. Helena.

Tommy Smothers — Late comedian Tommy Smothers — best known as half of the musical comedy duo the Smothers Brothers, alongside his younger brother Dick — owned Remick Ridge Vineyards in Kenwood.

Janet Balicki, Elissa Chudwin, Maci Martell and Sarah Stierch contributed to this article. 

The post The Celebrities Who Are Making Wine in Sonoma and Napa Wine Country appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

In case you missed it, Leonardo DiCaprio hosted an invitation-only gala and art auction in Santa Rosa on September 15, benefiting environmental causes. The event was presented in partnership with Jackson Family Wines. Coldplay singer Chris Martin performed and the event was attended by a number of celebrities. Click through the above gallery for photos.

The post Photo Gallery: The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Gala in Santa Rosa appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

On a sunny terrace overlooking Sonoma Valley, visitors at Viansa Winery sipped whites and reds Thursday afternoon, unaware of the Mexican film crew working diligently on the other side of the tasting room behind yellow caution tape shooting scenes for a Mexican soap opera.

Every now and then, the prototypical, emotion-filled outburst of a soap opera actor escaped the boundaries of the set, a patio surrounded by potted plants and trees next to the winery’s main lawn.

For much of the afternoon, Latin American telenovela stars Gabriel Soto, Cynthia Klitbo, Azela Robinson, Kimberly Dos Ramos and Irina Baeva shot what were essentially location scenes for “Vino el Amor,” one of Mexico’s newest and most popular soap operas. The soap opera, which has already aired 40 episodes in Mexico and is scheduled to begin broadcasting in the United States Oct. 25 at 9 p.m., is set on the outskirts of Sonoma and showcases the popular wine industry destination.

Soto, the soap’s principal hunk, has been to Sonoma County four times, and said the valley was “like a dream.”

“Every time I come, I feel like a part of me is here,” Soto said during a break in the taping of the show.

Soto said he’s been impressed with the entire industry, the winemaking process, the vineyard workers and the overall respect people have for the industry.

“Vino el Amor,” or “Then Love Arrived,” is produced by well-known Mexican producer and director José Alberto Castro for Televisa, the largest media entertainment company in Latin America. It tells the story of David, a vineyard owner of Mexican heritage who early in the show loses his wife in a tragic “accident.” David falls into depression and loses interest in his business and children, a dark road exacerbated by his conniving in-laws.

But David becomes reacquainted with Luciana, a young Mexican immigrant who was previously deported but returns to David’s vineyard, El Viñero de Los Angeles, where her family worked. Amid the romantic drama and intrigue, the soap highlights the plight of Mexican immigrants in the United States, their hopes and dreams, and the sacrifices they make, Soto said.

David, said Soto, “tries to protect them, to give them the human rights that each person deserves, not just as employees but as equals, as human beings.”

Laura Somerville, the soap’s production manager, said Viansa was the first winery the scouting crew visited back in April. About 30 vineyards and wineries were visited in Sonoma and Napa counties, she said. Viansa, however, had all the qualities Castro wanted for his production.

The buildings, which resemble a mansion, sit atop a hill in Sonoma Valley’s Carneros region. It also has views of San Pablo Bay to the south and the Mayacamas Mountains to the east. The production has most of its indoor sets in Mexico, including sets of the inside of what is supposed to be David’s house, five of its rooms and a wine cellar. The production crew comes to Sonoma for most of the show’s outdoor scenes.

Sometimes that takes the actors and film crew to Sonoma restaurants and the popular plaza. Somerville said the production team considered Napa but chose Sonoma for its more rustic feel and small-town friendliness.

“Everybody has been really welcoming,” Somerville said.

The film crew will wraps up a week of taping today and heads back to Mexico Saturday.

Soto said he hopes to stay a few days and visit the area with his family before going home.

This article was originally published in The Press Democrat. 

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Miss summer already? Here’s a TBT gallery looking back at this summer’s celebrity fundraisers and events in Sonoma County. 

Canine Companions for Independence: Helpful Pups Shine at Sit. Stay. Sparkle

Were dogs allowed at the tasteful food-and-wine gala that unfolded June 18 at a park-like spot in southwest Santa Rosa?

Why, they were downright essential.

Wiggly puppies and trained, mannerly service dogs utterly enchanted attendees that afternoon at the national headquarters of Canine Companions for Independence. The occasion was called: Sit. Stay. Sparkle.

Guests met and heaped adoration on some of the pups that will become service dogs for people with disabilities. Adult dogs demonstrated the skills that make them indispensable to the grateful people who receive training and a canine companion from CCI, at no cost.

There was an auction and a testimonial from a woman with impaired hearing whose life has been changed by her Canine Companions for Independence dog.

Supporters sampled and sipped, fell in love with one dog after another and toured the home of the organization that since its founding in Santa Rosa in 1979 has greatly enhanced the relationship of mankind and its best friends.

Photos by Alvin Jornada.

Hanna Boys Center Fundraiser Barbecue: Helping Hand for Farmers-to-Be

Home, for most residents of Sonoma Valley’s life-altering Hanna Boys Center, was a million miles away from the wholesome, constructively demanding environs of the ranch or farm.

A neighborly barbecue at Hanna on July 9 raised money to expand the residential school’s eff…orts to introduce agriculture to the boys and perhaps prepare them for careers that involve working with the land or the environment.

Guests savored wine, enjoyed appetizers and a meal of grilled tri-tip and chicken, and strolled the grounds and facilities of the 71-year-old school for troubled boys. Some of the students greeted the diners and shared tales of how Hanna and its ag program are helping them.

The occasion, dubbed “On Our Way to the FFA,” also featured live and silent auctions and a fund-a-need appeal that will boost e…fforts by the center’s Archbishop Hanna High School to become a chapter of Future Farmers of America.

Photos by Charlie Gesell.

15th annual Schulz Celebrity Golf Classic: Million-Dollar Win for Good Causes

Even big-league athletes, performers and professionals became like wide-eyed li’l folks upon spotting Snoopy on June 7 at the Mayacama Golf Club in Santa Rosa.

Everybody, including the world’s most adored beagle, was there for the 15th annual Schulz Celebrity Golf Classic. It raised about $1 million for local organizations that serve children.

Hosting the two-day gala were Jeannie Schulz, the widow of “Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz, and Sonoma County Children’s Charities. The event was a magnet for personalities drawn by the chance to play golf on a renowned, Jack Nicklaus-designed course, visit the Schulz Museum and boost the efforts of nonprofits that include Catholic Charities, the PDI Surgery Center and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Sonoma County.

Actor John O’Hurley emceed the tournament dinner.  Among those seen in the happy crowd were Cheech Marin, Frankie Muniz, Kevin Rahm, Debbe Dunning, Jim Plunkett, Jim McMahon, Gregory Itzin, Bruce McGill, Danny Seraphine, Tommy Thayer, Matt McCoy, Kevin Sorbo — and Snoopy.

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: Boosting Students’ Dreams at The DoubleTree 

Salsa dancing and lively conversation animated the June 25 celebration of achievement and potential hosted in Rohnert Park by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County.

The occasion was Dream Big, a festive community gala and scholarship awards ceremony. Held at the DoubleTree Hilton Sonoma County, it applauded the local young people who are this year’s recipients of scholarships for their pursuit of higher education.

Arriving guests were greeted by students and invited to follow the red carpet to the party. There was a grand meal accompanied by wines from Chavez Family Cellars in Healdsburg. Dancers Jose Santamaria and Stephanie Campbell turned up the heat with their demonstration of a bachata dance.

State Sen. Mike McGuire conducted the live auction that brought in money for future Dream Big scholarships. To date, the Hispanic Chamber has helped aspiring students with aid totaling some $300,000.

Photos by Alvin Jornada.

Gay Wine Weekend Welcome Party: LGBT Event of the Year Kicks Off in Sonoma

Abundant free time in the pool, on the dance floor and in the company of kindred spirits marked the June 17 to 19 Gay Wine Weekend in Sonoma Valley.

Home base for the celebration, declared the LGBT event of the year by the travel magazine ManAbout, was the MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa in Sonoma.

Gay Wine Weekend was conceived by Gary Saperstein and Mark Vogler, founders of the valley’s Out in the Vineyard event and travel company.

It boasted winemaker dinners, VIP receptions, a wine auction, winery excursions, a sparkling wine brunch and ample time simply to savor the company and the place and the sun.

Its signature event: The Saturday night Twilight T-Dance at Chateau St. Jean winery in Kenwood.

Many guests traveled from far out of state for the getaway, which beyond being great fun, raised dollars to sustain the work of the nonprofit Face to Face, the Sonoma County AIDS Network.

Photos by Alvin Jornada.

Farmster Festival: Farmers Plant a Seed at SOMO Village

The food, music and summertime play at the Farmster Festival all delighted the crowd that came together July 23 at SOMO Village. But what some who came liked best was that they could almost see the concept of neighborhood, collective farming grow; they could nearly sense that its roots were spreading deeper, wider.

Farmster was founded by first-generation farmers and recent Sonoma State University grads Dustin DeMatteo, Tomio Endo, Allison Jenks, Jamal Edwards, Lauren Lum and Jenna Topper. They arranged to make a farm at SOMO Village (aka Sonoma Mountain Village), the mixed-use community occupying a former Hewlett-Packard campus off Petaluma Hill Road near SSU.

The festival raised operating funds and awareness for the endeavor, which seeks to involve children in the production of healthful food grown close to home.

The day included a concert and barbecue, and there was a raffle and pingpong, plus abundant opportunity to talk about the benefits of knowing where your food comes from. Even better, of planting and harvesting it yourself.

Photos by John Burgess.

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The writer of what has been called “the summer’s hottest novel” is trying hard to stay grounded, even as she is being anointed with the kind of superlative-laden praise that could send any tender, newly-published writer to Crazytown.

Emma Cline’s “The Girls,” inspired by the slavish young women caught up in the bloody cult of Charles Manson, has garnered a breathtaking body of stories and reviews from the top echelons of media in the run-up to its official June 15 release by Penguin Random House.

Stories and reviews have appeared in publications from The New York Times to the Washington Post and The Guardian, and James Wood in the The New Yorker called the 27-year-old Sonoma-grown writer “a talented stylist fast-tracked by the Muses.”

She is at a young age that intrigues critics and the literary press, who forget that the twenties is a fresh and fertile time for writers. Consider Michael Chabon, Norman Mailer, Mary Shelley, Jane Austen and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Keats was dead by 25.

And yet it has to be a breathtaking experience getting caught up in a whirl of publicity and praise, and the expectations that go along with that. Cline’s manuscript, written over a three-year period while she was living in a 9- by 12-foot gardening shed in a friend’s yard in Brooklyn, set off a bidding war that resulted in a reported seven figure deal for the young writer.

“A friend who was just published recently said it’s like getting knocked over by a tidal wave,” said Cline, speaking by phone from Minneapolis, where she had touched down during a book tour that also took her to London.

She returns home to Sonoma County this week, with book talks scheduled Wednesday at Readers Books in Sonoma and Friday at Copperfield’s in Petaluma.

Keeping Focus

Cline said she’s keeping her focus on her real purpose as a writer in the midst of the flurry of attention and accolades.

“I feel theres a lot of noise, but to me it’s helpful to remind myself it is not why I write and it’s not why I wrote this me,” she said. “I would have written this book even if no one wanted to read it. That’s what I focus on — and thinking about writing the next projects.”

It’s apt that she’s making her homecoming appearances in Sonoma and Petaluma. She grew up in Sonoma as one of seven kids of Fred and Nancy Cline, founders of Cline Family Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Winery. And Cline chose to place her protagonist, the 14-year-old Evie Boyd who is living a dull, semi-neglected adolescence, just over the hills from her family’s winery in Petaluma.

Sonoma County during the late 1960s and early 1970s was a counter-cultural haven and home to hippie communes like The Morningstar Ranch. So her storyline isn’t out of the realm of believability, even though the real Manson killings took place in the glitzy neighborhoods of LA. The most celebrated victim was the young and pregnant actress Sharon Tate.

“I guess as a novelist I’m interested in writing about extremes, side by side,” Cline said of her setting. “I think especially the California landscape is so idyllic, so beautiful. And I’m interested in that sense of peace and danger.”

As the setting for her own fictional cult’s ranch, Cline said she drew from Olompali State Park south of Petaluma, where a group that called themselves “The Chosen Family” hung out during the late 1960s. For a time, The Grateful Dead also lived there.

Dark Fascination

Cline sets her story in the same turbulent summer of 1969 as the Manson killings, the summer of Woodstock and the first moon landing. But only bits and pieces of that cultural context seep into the bubble of Evie’s existence.

“There is sort of a dark fascination there, and in the case of Manson, I feel like there were so many different cultural forces of the ‘60s that got refracted through him in terms of celebrity and Hollywood and the music scene down there. All these things crossed over with Manson in an interesting way.”

Cline said her first experience with Manson was driving past San Quentin as a child and her parents commenting that it was “Charles Manson’s house.” She didn’t really know what that meant or even who Manson was. But later, as teenager (she attended St. Francis Solano School in Sonoma and Sonoma Academy) she stumbled across a copy of “Helter Skelter” by Vince Bugliosi, who prosecuted Manson. She raced through it and became obsessed with knowing more. She found herself reading everything she could.

“Their story had never been told in a way that gave them their full humanity. They were cutouts. They were cliches, reduced to brainless followers. I wanted to know more about them.”

To do that she had to fictionally inhabit the mind of a 14-year-old. Evie becomes enamored of the older girls of the cult, who she observes in a park in Petaluma. She enters their world but remains on the periphery.

Cline said she mined her memory for vestiges of her 14-year-old self.

“They operate on very black and white terms. Everything is either the best thing that ever happened or the worst tragedy to befall anyone on the planet,” she said.

To get a feel for the age and the times, she read her mother’s diary from 1969; her mother was not quite a teenager that summer. Cline admits she was a bit disappointed at the vapidity of a child’s mind during such a historically significant time.

“I expected it would be all about man landing on the moon. Instead, it was about how she had a bad haircut or had a crush on a boy. But that was very helpful to keep in mind when writing about the ‘60s, to think about how a 14-year-old girl without experience was in that cultural moment. So it was important to stay away from some of the most familiar ‘60s signposts and not overdo it.”

Community of Writers

Cline attributes her affinity for writing to a childhood steeped in books.

“That’s what comes first. Just loving books. For me, books were a great way to be alone in such a big family,” said Cline, the oldest of the five girls in her family. After high school, she tried her hand at acting but admits she was “terrible at it.” Instead, she majored in art at Middlebury College in Vermont.“Then I decided to go to grad school because I had been working on a novel, and I wanted to be in a community of writers,” she said. She got her MFA from Columbia and began working as a fiction reader at The New Yorker.

One change Cline has permitted since her book sold is moving out of the shed and into a real apartment nearby. But the tiny shed, without Wi-Fi, remains her writing space. She’s now deep into a second novel.“It’s a great place to write because it is so immersive,” she said.

“I can be incredibly focused on the book without intrusions.”

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Sebastopol’s century-old Analy high school was gussied up Friday with fresh paint and landscaping for a starring role in a Netflix series, “13 Reasons Why,” based on a best-selling young adult novel about teenage bullying.

The 13-episode series — directed by Tom McCarthy, fresh off his best picture Academy Award for “Spotlight,” co-produced by Disney star Selena Gomez and backed by Paramount Television — has plenty of Hollywood power behind it.

But Analy, No. 1,900 and a silver medal winner in U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 Best High Schools rankings, will be discernible only to those who know it well.

The signs over Analy’s front door and library door now read “Liberty High School,” and the 14-page contract between Paramount and the West Sonoma County High School District stipulates the television company shall not use the school name “in any manner whatsoever in connection with its use or exhibition of the photographic product.”

Paramount is paying the district $60,000 for up to 30 days of filming at Analy through Nov. 23, with an allowance for additional days for a fee of $2,500 a day. Once classes resume, the company is assured of access to the campus only from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays and all day on Sundays.

On Friday, a large klieg light illuminated the school’s front door, but all the filming was going on inside the building, closed to the public. Robert Scott, a production manager, told a reporter and photographer it was a “closed set.”

Two yellow school buses, with no school identification on them, were parked in front of Analy/Liberty High, along with a dark brown coffee truck summoned from San Francisco to serve the crew.

“We’re excited they’re here,” said Jennie Bruneman, the district’s director of facilities, maintenance and operation. “They’ve been really good to the campus.”

The filmmakers painted the vertical columns on the school’s facade light green, placed fresh brown bark mulch over some landscaping and planted 10 bushes in front of the 108-year-old school, with more plantings in the interior quad.

“We can’t afford landscaping,” Bruneman said, noting that Analy Tiger boosters had wanted to make those improvements for years. Proceeds from the filming will go to improvements at the Analy campus, the district said.

The first round of filming wrapped up Friday, but the Liberty High signs will remain in place at least through July, when the crew is expected to return.

“It’s great that they selected a small community and we get to be involved,” Bruneman said.

Sonoma County has a storied history of cinematography dating as far back as 1914, including scenes at both Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park’s Rancho Cotate high schools. In 1996, the Santa Rosa school board refused to let director Wes Craven film part of “Scream” at the high school, but he used alternate locations in town and scored a hit with the gory teen slasher flick.

“13 Reasons Why” is based on an adaptation — by Pulitzer Prize-winning lyricist Brian Yorkey — of the New York Times bestselling novel by Jay Asher, published in 2007 and printed in 35 languages, according to Variety. The story revolves around a shoebox of cassette tapes from a girl named Hannah Baker who explains to 13 people how they each played a role in driving her to suicide.

In a January interview with TeenVogue, Selena Gomez, a 23-year-old singer and actress, said her mother, Mandy Teefey, was struck by Asher’s book.

“Four or five years ago, she found this book and fell in love with it,” Gomez said. “I think I was still in high school. Now we’re here. We took our time with it.”

Analy’s previous appearance on the silver screen in the 1999 comedy-drama “Mumford,” featuring Ted Danson and Jason Lee and costing $28 million, got lukewarm critical reviews and was a financial flop, earning only $4.6 million in the United States.

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One of Mexico’s most well-known celebrities, Gabriel Soto, has spent the last few weeks in Sonoma Valley filming a highly anticipated new telenovela for Univision. 

The show, which will air beginning in August, is called “Vino el Amor,” or “Wine Love.” It will be broadcast in nearly 100 countries and is expected to draw tens of millions of viewers. The series is set in Sonoma, while its interior shots are being filmed in Tijuana, Mexico.

The cast and crew of 75 has been staying in Sonoma, spread between two hotels, one on the Plaza and one just outside the city limits. Filming has taken place at Viansa Sonoma. Crews will return later in the summer and film the soap opera off and on in Sonoma throughout the fall.

Over the past few weeks of filming, the actor-model Soto, 41, has been mobbed more than once on the Plaza, according to production officials. He stars in the production along with Russian actress Irina Baeva, 25.

The telenovela is being produced by Mexican filmmaker Jose Alberto Castro for Televisa, the largest producer of Spanish speaking television programming in Mexico.

Castro is well known in his own right, both for the global success of his most recent telenovela, “Passion and Power,” which swept Mexico’s television awards in 2015, and for making headlines in various Mexican tabloid papers.

Production manager Laura Somerville has worked with Televisa for almost 20 years and she was responsible for selecting Viansa Sonoma as the setting for the show. The location had been under wraps until recently, out of concern that fans of Soto might arrive on set disrupting production.

Somerville had never been to wine country before this summer but she is already a huge fan. “We all love it here,” she said.

“I came to Sonoma on vacation three years ago,” added Castro, and “ever since then I have wanted to set a show here. It is such a beautiful place and we have found the people to be exceptionally friendly.”

Gabriel Soto has a background as a model (he’s a former Mr. Mexico) and as a former boy band star. He is currently known as a telenovela star in Mexico.

“Our Mexican employees said that having Gabriel here is like if we were hosting Tom Cruise at the height of his fame,” said Viansa’s general manager Phillip Hansell.

Interviewed on his last day before a break in filming, Soto said, “This is such a beautiful place, we never want to leave. I love our hotel, I love this winery.”

Castro added that while the cast and crew have been working around the clock, they have enjoyed some “terrific” meals in Sonoma, including “a fantastic breakfast at Fremont Diner” and great meals at both Della Santina’s and OSO.

The plot of “Wine Love” centers on a winery owner (Soto), who is depressed after losing his wife in a tragic accident. A young woman (Beava), who grew up in the vineyard, returns and helps the winery owner learn to once again love life, and his vineyard. The series is a remake of a Chilean series “La Chúcara.”

“Vino el Amor” will have upward of 100 episodes, and will air every weekday for an hour starting in August. According to Univision, the soap opera “gives life to Mexican Americans trying to not only achieve the American Dream but also the success with family and love.”

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