Hamilton Family Wines, Kitchen, & Mercantile

Who We Are

We are Lindsay and Greg Hamilton, owners of Hamilton Family Wines in Kenwood. Lindsay has a Winston Churchill quote taped to side of her office monitor that guides how we approach both life and business:

“A pessimist sees the challenge in every opportunity, but an optimist sees the opportunity in every challenge.”

We are no strangers to challenges. We lost our home in the 2017 Sonoma wildfires, launched Hamilton Family Wines in 2019, evacuated again during the Glass Fire in 2020, and kept our business going while raising two young children during COVID. Our determination to see opportunity in adversity is what led us to take over the lease of a winery tasting room during the height of the pandemic. One year later, we opened the doors to the Hamilton Family Wines tasting room in Kenwood.

Seeing Opportunity Where Others See Challenges

Like all hospitality-based businesses in Sonoma, we now face a new set of challenges:

• Economic uncertainty
• Reduced tourism
• Rising costs

But once again, we see opportunity — this time in connecting more deeply with our local community. We love Kenwood and have been incredibly fortunate to receive strong support from our neighbors. That said, let’s be honest: people don’t often head out during the day just for a glass of wine. They do, however, go out to eat and enjoy a glass or bottle of wine at the same time. That insight has shaped our next chapter.

The Next Evolution: Kitchen & Mercantile

Our vision is to evolve into Hamilton Family Wines, Kitchen & Mercantile. We are uniquely positioned to do this well:

• There are very few lunch and late-afternoon dining options in Kenwood
• We already have a kitchen, ample outdoor space, and ADA-accessible features
• Our kitchen plans have been approved by Environmental Health, meaning we are ready to begin

We will start with a focused, approachable menu:

• Curated charcuterie boards
• Paninis
• Salads
• Snacks, nibbles, and alternative beverages (so we can appeal to non-drinkers and designated drivers as well)

This menu was shaped by polling friends and neighbors about what they actually want. While our current menu does not require it, we have also secured commissary kitchen space. Commissary space is a challenge in Sonoma County, so this positions us well to expand offerings in the future.

Built-In Demand: Tours & Onsite Guests

We recently signed a partnership agreement with Pushpak Wine Country Tours. Pushpak operates electric trike tours in the City of Sonoma and has been ranked the #1 tour in North America on both Viator and TripAdvisor for two consecutive years.

Together, we designed a route that:

• Starts at Hamilton Family Wines in Kenwood
• Winds through the scenic and historic Kenwood village
• Climbs into the hills above Kenwood past historic vineyards and stunning views
• Returns to our tasting room for a wine tasting

With two tours currently available per day, we anticipate many guests will join us for lunch either before or after their tour. In addition, we own a vacation rental located just half a mile from the tasting room, creating another natural funnel for guests to enjoy a tour, lunch, and tasting — all within our ecosystem.

Our Goal

Our goal is simple: to create a place where people come to sip, shop, eat, and gather — a true meeting place for the community.

An Invitation

Even if you’re not in a position to invest, we would be grateful if you shared our campaign with others, offered your ideas, or shared lessons learned from your own experience. We’re excited to launch Hamilton Family Wines, Kitchen & Mercantile, and we deeply appreciate your support.

Thank you.