3 Badge opens new tasting room outside old Sonoma firehouse

August Sebastiani will open his first tasting room, called Gehricke Wines, at 32 Patten St. on Friday, Oct. 2. His company, 3 Badge Beverage Corporation, will offer tastings by appointment only, outside the restored old Patten Street fire station.

Sebastiani said that the Gehricke Wines tasting room will offer flights from sub-regions throughout Sonoma County. Up to two dozen seats will be available in different socially distanced configurations on the southern side of the building along Patten Street.

Sebastiani, 40, told the Index-Tribune that the tasting room has been a dream of his since 3 Badge first moved into the building five years ago.

“Despite having been in this business my entire career, I’ve actually never had one before,” said Sebastiani, who is the fourth generation of Sebastianis to make a name in the wine business. “It’s an exciting first for me.”

Sebastiani also announced the hiring of Chris Carmichael as hospitality manager. Carmichael will oversee the new tasting space and the portfolio’s new wine club.

Located at the corner of Broadway and Patten, 3 Badge Beverage Corporation acquired the building in June 2015. It was occupied by Sonoma Valley Fire & Rescue from 1948 until 2004.

Sebastiani said that plans are “well underway” for the 90-seat restaurant already approved for the building’s almost 5,000 square feet of former fire engine garage bay space. An outside restaurateur or restaurant group will operate the business.

“At least weekly, we are on calls and taking potential restaurateurs and hospitality groups through the space,” he said.

Sebastiani said he was pleased that he was able to move forward with this first part of his larger plan for the building, despite COVID.

“I’ve been really impressed by the city and how accommodating and flexible it has been as we navigate this difficult time,” said Sebastiani. “They have been great about figuring out ways for restaurants and tasting rooms to operate despite all these challenges.”

Eventually, the tasting room will host guests inside the western half of the firehouse, previously a garage and apparatus bay that once supported the fire company.

The Gehricke Wines tasting room on Broadway opens on Oct. 2, weather permitting, and will take appointments each Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations can be made at info@gehrickewines.com. Learn more at gehrickewines.com.

Contact Lorna at lorna.sheridan@sonomanews.com.