Sonoma’s Benovia Winery Celebrates ‘Liberation’ Release by Donating to Veterans Charities

In advance of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Joe Anderson, Co-Founder & Chairman of Benovia Winery , is pleased to announce the release of the 2020 vintage of Liberation Pinot Noir. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the wine will be donated to the Gary Sinise Foundation and The Navy SEAL Foundation , along with matching donations from the Anderson Family Foundation and the Green Foundation. A total of $60,000 has been raised for The Gary Sinise Foundation thanks to previous vintages of the wine.

The Gary Sinise Foundation honors and supports defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need, while The Navy SEAL Foundation provides critical support for the warriors, veterans and families of Naval Special Warfare. Benovia’s Winemaker & Co-Owner, Mike Sullivan, crafted Liberation as a tribute to veterans, and for each vintage of the wine, $10 from each bottle purchased has been donated to charity. A striking gift for pilots, veterans and history buffs, the wine is $60 per bottle and can be acquired in-person at Benovia Winery’s tasting room or via this link here .

“ We are extremely grateful to the many generations of veterans who have defended our freedom. I had the honor of meeting WWII veterans across the county several years ago and it was remarkable to connect with them. We are also indebted to the younger generations of soldiers who have followed in their footsteps, so we’re delighted to support the good work done by the Gary Sinise Foundation and The Navy SEAL Foundation ,” said Joe Anderson, Co-Founder & Chairman of Benovia Winery.

Supporting and honoring veterans is one of Joe Anderson’s passions. In 2019, Anderson and his team flew his C-53 Skytrooper airplane called “The Spirit of Benovia” to Normandy, as part of the D-Day Squadron to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. An inspiring documentary of that journey, “Into Flight Once More,” is narrated by Sinise and captures priceless interviews with WWII veterans and shows what happened behind the scenes when fifteen adventurous teams flew to Normandy in restored WWII planes to honor the veterans’ sacrifice and to thank them for their service. “The Spirit of Benovia” was recently acquired by a New Zealand-based family, who has renamed her “The Spirit of Douglas,” after her creator, and the plane has once again made the journey across the Atlantic, this time to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

Benovia’s tasting room is in a renovated Ranch House—surrounded by the estate’s Martaella Vineyard—which was once a quarter horse ranch. The tasting room was modernized while also intentionally left to keep its original feel. It is among the best places in Sonoma County to enjoy a seated, by-appointment tasting on the deck overlooking the vineyard, or by the cozy fireplace. Tours of the winery & seasonal vineyard tours can also be booked, reservations are required: visit benoviawinery.com . The property is located at 3339 Hartman Lane in Santa Rosa, CA and can be found on social media @benoviawinery .