Spring is here, and April kicked off a season of local artisan-driven events at the sublime Medlock Ames Tasting Room. Last year, we banded together with a posse of local food heroes (featured in Food & Wine, April 2011). We love their products, respect what they do, and thought it was about time to shine the spotlight on this cast of characters who usually work tirelessly behind the scenes.

Featured event lineup includes…craft beers, pork sliders and talking shop with Bear Republic Brewmaster Rich Norgrove; a whole hog butchery master class led by Dino Bugica of Diavola, Rian Rinn of Wyeth Acres, and Nancy Prebilich of Gleason Ranch; a vertical cheese tasting of Bellwether Farms Carmody at various ages with Cheesemaker Liam Callahan; an ice cream social with Laloo’s Goat’s Milk Ice Cream Company; and a Wood-Fired Feast in Sonoma featuring the Food & Wine menu with Ames Morison of Medlock Ames.

Lots of excitement brewing around these events thanks to shout-outs from Santa Rosa Press Democrat (x2), SFGate’s InsideScoop SF, UrbanDaddy, DailyCandy, TastingTable SF, San Francisco Magazine ItList, Healdsburg Patch, and the Examiner.