EXHIBIT 99.1

                          SONOMAWEST HOLDINGS ANNOUNCES
 WITHDRAWAL OF PRELIMINARY EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR GOING PRIVATE TRANSACTION


         SEBASTOPOL, CALIFORNIA, JUNE 19, 2006. SonomaWest Holdings, Inc. (pink
sheets: SWHI.PK) today announced that it has received from Walker R. Stapleton,
the company's President and Chief Executive Officer, a letter withdrawing his
previously expressed interest in initiating a management-led buyout transaction
of the company by an investment group consisting of Mr. Stapleton and members of
his family, including Craig Stapleton, who is the company's largest stockholder.
The letter indicates that the range between the amount the investment group was
willing to propose in connection with its management led buyout offer and the
amount the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company was
willing to accept was too broad for negotiations to continue in a positive
direction. Therefore, the investment group informed the Special Committee they
would not be proceeding with an offer to acquire the outstanding shares of
common stock held by holders other than the investment group, and that the
investment group intends that the Company's business be returned to ordinary
course operations with the goal of developing the Company while creating value
for all shareholders.


Forward Looking Statements
--------------------------

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events
and future performance of the company, which involve risks and uncertainties.
Actual results could differ materially from those projected or implied by such
forward-looking statements. We refer you to documents that the company files
from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as the
company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q
and current reports on Form 8-K, which contain a description of certain factors
that could cause actual results to differ from current expectations and the
forward-looking statements contained in this press release.