In a striking juxtaposition to the chaos in Los Angeles, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) was spotted indulging in a high-end wine tasting event in Napa Valley while riots erupted in the city. As flames and unrest engulfed LA, Newsom was, quite literally, sipping wine.
According to the City Journal, Newsom attended the “Vineyard Vibes” event at the Odette Estate Winery, which he co-founded, on June 7, 2025.
EXCLUSIVE: California Governor @GavinNewsom attended a luxury wine tasting in Napa while rioters had already begun barricading streets, lighting cars on fire, and attacking law enforcement in Los Angeles.
Newsom was sipping Cabernet while California burned. pic.twitter.com/zogQsjDHQi
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) June 19, 2025
The City Journal elaborated:
As riots consumed Los Angeles, with mobs vandalizing properties, setting vehicles ablaze, and clashing with law enforcement, Governor Gavin Newsom chose to revel at a lavish wine-tasting gathering in Napa Valley.
This event, held on the afternoon of June 7, was a fundraiser for the PlumpJack Foundation, founded by Newsom’s sister. It featured “contemporary yet sophisticated” wines, live jazz, and gourmet food. Promotional materials proclaimed it as the ultimate start to summer fun, emphasizing music, food, conversation, and, of course, fine wine.
A source who captured images of Newsom at the gathering expressed disbelief, noting the contrast between the governor’s relaxed demeanor and the turmoil in Los Angeles. “I couldn’t believe it,” the source remarked. “He was just walking around like this was an everyday occurrence.” The governor reportedly spent at least 90 minutes at the event before retreating to more secluded areas of the winery.
Ah, typical Gavin Newsom.
Let’s not forget his earlier escapade where a maskless Newsom was filmed mingling with celebrities while enforcing mask mandates on the rest of California.
TV cameras captured a maskless California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom hugging Magic Johnson last night in violation of his own mask mandate.
The video contradicts Newsom’s assertion today that he only removed his mask “for a brief second” when he “took a photo.” pic.twitter.com/kTOjBOlT0F
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 31, 2022
Or consider the time he dined at the French Laundry during the Covid pandemic while urging Californians to stay home and mask up.
EXCLUSIVE: We’ve obtained photos of Governor Gavin Newsom at the Napa dinner party he’s in hot water over. The photos call into question just how outdoors the dinner was. A witness who took photos tells us his group was so loud, the sliding doors had to be closed. 10pm on @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/gtOVEwa864
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) November 18, 2020
Even more telling, Newsom kept his own vineyard, PlumpJack Winery, operational while ordering others to close. This raises eyebrows about the fairness of his mandates, with many questioning if they were designed to eliminate competition rather than protect public health.
But hey, “No Kings”—right, Governor Newsom?
