Kathleen Hill: Grenache Day parties; bless fire victims; Jacques Pépin's final shows; Murphy's new chef

In case you couldn’t tell, I escaped to southwestern France for nearly five weeks and am back. Having visited Chateau Dumas last year with Sarah Anderson’s Chateau Sonoma group, I had the good fortune to have been invited by the Chateau Dumas owner to spend a month there as writer-in-residence.

A dark and stormy night it was, twice. The latter “hurricane” with 144 km winds, lightening, rain and more, was a blow to the region, leaving us without phones or Internet (still). Hence, I must thank my daughter, Erin Hill Freschi, for transmitting somewhat briefer columns to all of you.

I am back, look forward to seeing you, and will do my best to catch us up on all the food, restaurant, wine and winery news. Cheers! (P.S. “Travels with Henri” resumes next Friday.)

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Leslie Sbrocco, host of KQED’s “Check, Please,” had her car window broken and iPad and travel bag stolen in downtown San Francisco.

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Culinary Director John McReynolds reports that Stone Edge Farm is featured on the cover of the October Sunset magazine. Mine hasn’t arrived yet, but congratulations to all – well deserved.

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Since traditional Grenache Day is celebrated in the Rhône Valley on the third Friday in September, this year it falls today, Sept. 18.

Join in the celebration first at Sam and Phil Coturri’s Sixteen 600 Tasting House where they will pour their Steel Plow Grenache and a blend called “L’Hommage à Galet” from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. ($5) To keep their Rhône vibes going and wine flowing, Sam says they will host their inaugural Tacos du Rhône with the El Coyote Taco Truck on Saturday, Sept. 19. Try a flight of Rhône wines such as viognier, syrah and grenache with three tacos for $25, with all proceeds going toward Sonoma Splash public swimming pool. 589 First St. W., Sonoma.

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Tonight, Sept. 18, Sondra Bernstein’s Suite D hosts a Grenache Day Night Celebration featuring many friends’ Grenache wines in a walkabout format. Wines will be poured by Lightning Wines, Sheldon, Tavosa, Idle Cellars, the girl & the fig, Anaba, Mathis, Winery Sixteen 600, Priest Ranch, Imagery Estate, and Sheldon, all accompanied by ample nibbles. $50. 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. 21800 Schellville Road, Sonoma. Tickets at Eventbrite.com.

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Sonoma Valley residents really turned out to help our neighbors in Napa and Lake counties this past week through their horrendous and terrifying ordeal, known as the Valley Fire. Nearly 20,000 evacuated from their homes, and many of those homes were destroyed, a total loss.

Loads of individuals, members of Sonoma Valley Rotary, and groups of friends took necessary items by trailer and truckload to the Napa County Fairgrounds in Calistoga, the county’s most northerly city, which is close to Lake County, center of most of the destruction and sadness. Popo the Clown, aka Penny Byrd, gathered up coloring books and crayons and took off for Calistoga and beyond to bring some cheer to kids in evacuation centers.

Our next door neighbor Drake Dierkhising owns Café Sarafornia in Calistoga, while his brothers own many other restaurants there and in Santa Rosa. When I asked Drake if they are feeding the firefighters he replied by email, “some, but mostly the displaced. We have given gift certificates to the evacuation center to give out. Justin, our son, just gave us $500 in gift certificates to give to the evacuation center. It is very heartwarming to see what people are doing!”

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Murphy’s Irish Pub manager Derek Belanger says that Murphy’s has hired Michael Ambriz as the pub’s new chef. Ambriz graduated with honors from the culinary program at the Art Institute of California in Sacramento with an advanced degree in baking and pastry. He has worked for Thomas Keller at Ad Hoc. He also is married with four kids.

Starting Sunday, Ambriz and Murphy’s are offering brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays, with the menu changing weekly. Recent offerings have included heirloom tomato and watermelon salad, Bloody Mary steak and eggs with potatoes O’Brien, fried chicken and buttermilk waffles, crab cake Benedict, mussels and smoked sausage, The Pub Burger, and a salmon club sandwich. ($8 to $20).

Also this coming Sunday and Monday (Sept. 20 and 21), Murphy’s will feature its always-fun dinner theater with a $30 two-course menu. Brownpapertickets.com. 464 First St. E. 935-0660. Sonomapub.com.

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Corner 103 will co-host a luncheon event with chef Kyle Kuklewski at Ramekins Culinary School on Sunday, Sept. 20, as an interactive cooking experience where teams will make a course to be paired with Corner 103 wines.

The menu will include fall vegetables fritto misto, a coriander lavash cracker, pumpkin and ricotta gnocchi, bistro filet medallions, and a “chocolate blackout cake.” Corner 103 wines to be paired and enjoyed include chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, a red blend, cabernet sauvignon, and zinfandel. $95. Noon to 2:30 p.m. reservations@corner103.com or 931-6141.

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The 2015 Hands-On Sonoma Valley Crush Festival happens next weekend, Sept. 25 to 27 at 13 Glen Ellen and Kenwood wineries.

For three days next weekend, Deerfield Ranch Winery, En Garde, Eric Ross, La Rochelle, Little Vineyards, Loxton Cellars, Mayo Family Winery, Muscardini Cellars, Orpheus Wines, Paradise Ridge Winery, St. Anne’s Crossing Winery, Ty Caton Vineyards, and VJB Vineyards & Cellars will offer a variety of rare experiences such as grape sampling in the vineyards, Crush Pad tours, samples of fresh-pressed juice and grapes picked off the vine. Guests will even taste wine while it’s fermenting, learn how to read a “refractometer,” and gain understanding about the balance between sugar and acid levels in wine grapes. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Three-day pass is $35, designated drivers, $10. Includes souvenir wine glass and access to event wine tastings and harvest activities. Tickets may be purchased online at www.heartofsonomavalley.com or by calling 707-431-1137. For early bookings online use discount code 15SVCRUSH and receive a $5 discount on each ticket!

More experiences can be booked separately such as a vertical tasting with Moon Mountain’s owner Mitchell; unusual pinot noir tasting with La Rochelle owner Chuck Easley; grape picking and sampling excursion with Loxton’s owner and winemaker Chris Loxton; taste through the terroirs at St. Anne’s Crossing; and pinot noir appellation blind tasting challenge at Talisman Wines. Tickets for these events may be purchased online at www.heartofsonomavalley.com.

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E-Saan Thai House, Java Wagon, Farmers Wife, Marks the Spot, Mary’s Pizza Shack, Rocket Catering, Tips Tri Trip Trolley, G B Meatballs, Nectars Juice Bar, Burgers & Vine, and Murphy/s Irish Pub will make food available for sale at Bruce Cohn’s Sonoma Music Festival Friday, Oct. 2 through Sunday, Oct. 4.

Victoria Campbell of Ramekins will oversee lunch for the VIP tent.

Winery partners Annadel Estate Winery, Highway 12 Winery, sponsor, Don & Sons’ SIVAS – Sonoma, and Sonoma Collection - District 3 will be pouring wine. A few VIP and “standing room” tickets are still available at sonomamusicfestival.com.

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And finally, the great Jacques Pépin began his final, final KQED television series last Saturday, Sept. 12, called “Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul.” It is an emotional series for him, as well as for many of us. I am sure a book will follow. 10:30 a.m. Saturdays, KQED.

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Enjoy!