Page 131 – Sonoma Magazine

5 of the Most Interesting Winemakers in Sonoma Get Top Billing at Pax Wines

September 2022

By John Beck

The Pax Winery tasting room at The Barlow on a Friday afternoon in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)

Every harvest, there’s a madcap comedy-drama just begging to be made at Pax Wines at The Barlow in Sebastopol. The father-figure character is a flip-flop-wearing, Phish-loving winery owner with too much cellar space on his hands (Pax Mahle).

Throw in a fast-talking New York sommelier turned winemaker (Patrick Cappiello); a third-generation scion of wine royalty (Carlo Mondavi); a scrappy rock climber and master of cellar logistics (Rosalind Reynolds), and a locally raised natural winemaker (Martha Stoumen), along with a team of handpicked interns from around the country— and watch as they make it through the grueling harvest season.

Along the way, trucks loaded with grapes will break down (it has happened). Others might be confiscated by the CHP (that, too, has happened). At some point, there will be too many grapes and too much juice for too little tank space. And to help it all go down, there will be plenty of mezcal shots, smash burgers, beer on tap, and a competition to see who can control the Spotify.

From left, Martha Stoume, owner Martha Stoumen Wines, Patrick Cappiello, owner Monte Rio Cellarsa and Pax Mahle share their knowledge and the Pax winemaking facility at The Barlow in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)

Server Lauren Kelly bring wine to guests at the Pax Winery tasting room at The Barlow in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)

“It’s a tricky place I run here,” says Mahle, who grew up working in restaurants in Florida and moved out to Sonoma County in the late 1990s as a wine buyer for gourmet retailer Dean & DeLuca. “Because I don’t allow anybody to bring in any outside yeast or enzymes or bacteria or anything that’s going to affect the natural, ambient, healthy environment here.”

Not to be mistaken for a custom crush operation, Pax Winery started out as the home to Mahle’s Wind Gap brand. Long before that, it was a lid factory, churning out food-grade caps for applesauce and mayonnaise jars. But for the past five years, Mahle has shared his 8,000-square-foot crushpad facility with like-minded winemakers who pay rent by the tonnage, share his team of interns—and forge deep bonds over a shared winemaking ethos.

“You think, ‘Oh, five roommates all living together —it’s gonna be messy.’ But it’s not. It’s not like a frat house. It’s very clean,” says Stoumen, an Analy High grad who interned all over the world before returning to Sebastopol to make natural wines from varietals such as Nero d’Avola, Carignan, and Syrah under her Martha Stoumen label.

Everyone in the cellar makes low-intervention wines farmed from organic and biodynamic vineyards.

Mahle’s game is mainly Syrah, with some Chenin Blanc and Gamay Noir thrown in. Carlo Mondavi and his brother Dante focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Rosalind Reynolds falls back on mostly old-world California classics like Carignan, French Colombard and Zinfandel at Emme Wines. And Cappiello buys mostly Lodi fruit to make very affordable Zinfandel, Petit Syrah, and Sangiovese at Monte Rio Cellars.

Drawing Monte Rio Cellars wine from tanks for tasting after blending in the Pax Wines' winemaking facility at The Barlow in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine) — Drawing Monte Rio Cellars wine from tanks for tasting after blending in the Pax Wines’ winemaking facility at The Barlow in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)

Monte Rio Cellars owner/winemaker Patrick Cappiello, right, and assistant Jesus Aleman take a break to sample a blend in the Pax Wines' winemaking facility at The Barlow in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine) — Monte Rio Cellars owner/winemaker Patrick Cappiello, right, and assistant Jesus Aleman take a break to sample a blend in the Pax Wines’ winemaking facility at The Barlow in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)

If everyone were picking the same varietals, the daily game of musical chairs would never work out. “Every single day is this game of ‘What tanks are available? What’s coming in? Where can we squeeze things?’” says Reynolds, who also works as Pax’s assistant winemaker.

During harvest, the shared parking lot is swamped with trucks unloading grapes, likely to the amusement of the folks at the luxury real estate company next door. “They probably think we’re funny,” says Reynolds. “I bet they wish they were us sometimes, but I’m sure they also see us here all day, every day, and they’re happy they’re not us.”

Somehow, they make it through the harvest.

Artwork in the Pax Winery tasting room at The Barlow in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)

Pax wines in the Pax Winery tasting room at The Barlow in Sebasotpol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)

Maybe it’s the mezcal and Tecate chaser at the first sign of crush in August. Or the custom of opening a bottle at lunch that matches the same variety they brought into the winery that morning. Or the bottomless bag of discount Halloween candy that appears magically on the counter midway through harvest (blame Mahle).

Even on those long October days, when it feels like there are too many cooks in the kitchen and all seems irretrievable, Mahle wouldn’t have it any other way. “It would be pretty lonely making wine all by myself in the cellar,” he says.

By the end, usually around early November, the team usually goes out golfing together, followed by a wrap party and farewell dinner at a nice restaurant. Cue the closing scene where the interns pack up and head home, a winemaker puts their wine to bed in barrels and Mahle closes the back door.

Until next season.

Pax Winery, 6780 McKinley St., Sebastopol. 707-331-1393 paxwine.com

Martha Stoumen Wines, Martha Stoumen. marthastoumen.com

Emme Wines, Rosalind Reynolds. emmewines.com

Monte Rio Cellars, Patrick Cappiello. monteriocellars.com

Raen Winery, Carlos and Dante Mondavi. raenwinery.com

The Best Cheese and Charcuterie Boards in Sonoma County

September 2022

By Heather Irwin

House-cured salami & cheese at Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria, in Geyserville. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)

Sonoma knows how to make a charcuterie board that both looks good and tastes good. At local restaurants and wineries, these boards, piled-high with local cheeses, salumi, fruit, and crackers, make for a hearty appetizer — or a serious meal. Click through the above gallery for details.

‘We Were Destined for This’: Local Brothers Expand Popular Taco Truck Business

September 2022

By Heather Irwin

Grilled cheese with birria on Texas Toast is a menu option at Galvan’s Eatery in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin / Sonoma Magazine)

Omar Galvan’s dream isn’t to own a taco truck.

The 28-year-old food entrepreneur wants a fleet of quesabirria-laden mobile kitchens operating daily at breweries throughout the county. And he’s about to get one shiny red truck closer to that dream this month.

Galvan and his brother, Ivan, 24, own Galvan’s Eatery, a familiar sight at Shady Oak, Old Caz, Cooperage and Henhouse breweries. Known for their crispy shrimp tacos, birria grilled cheese sandwiches, loaded carne asada fries and meaty quesabirria, the young duo has a fiercely loyal following who track them through Instagram as they pop up at breweries in Petaluma, Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa.

That popularity has made it possible for the first-generation immigrants to purchase two food trailers in less than two years, at a total cost of $143,000, Omar Galvan said. The brothers bought their first 16-by-8-foot trailer for $56,000 with money borrowed from their family. They bought the second for $87,000 in cash from their profits and will add it to their schedule after they get it this month.

Crispy Pancho is a surf-and-turf option at Galvan’s Eatery in Santa Rosa. (Galvan’s Eatery)

Omar credits a combination of book and street smarts for their fast growth. Industriously working long days, starting at 5 a.m. at their parents’ Windsor market and taqueria, helps as well.

“I have the street smarts, Ivan has the book smarts, and we’re both very detail-oriented,” Omar said on a recent broiling Sunday afternoon at Henhouse Brewing in Santa Rosa. Both brothers have business degrees (Ivan recently received his MBA) and were college athletes.

After working in tech at Paychex and Yelp in San Francisco, Omar decided to take a leap of faith in October 2020 and start a food business.

“Working at Yelp, I started understanding how small-business owners think,” Omar said. Growing up helping out at his parents’ market and taqueria, Martin’s, he has spent much of his life working in the food industry.

“We are a business-oriented family. At 13, I wanted to be a butcher at my dad’s store,” he said.

In a way, the pandemic proved propitious for the brothers to launch their first food truck. When Sonoma County COVID-19 regulations required breweries to offer sit-down, dine-in meals if they wanted to serve alcohol, food trucks had a new opportunity. Without on-site kitchens, breweries turned to food trucks to fulfill the mandate to serve food. Almost immediately, niche brewery tasting rooms became family-friendly brewpubs where dogs, kids and friends could gather at outdoor picnic tables for a pint and a few tacos.

“It just snowballed. People had to try new food at breweries,” said Omar, who launched his fledgling business in late October 2020. Galvan’s Eatery grew exponentially in the following two years.

“It’s all become very harmonious, and families are (at breweries) now,” he said. That meant adding kid-friendly grilled cheese sandwiches and quesadillas to their taco, torta and burrito lineup.

“I’m also here among the crowd, getting to know our people and what they like and don’t,” Omar said. When they’re not at the grill, the brothers chat with customers, some who’ve become new friends.

Near-constant social media communication has been a boon to their business. Their Instagram account (@galvanseatery) has nearly 8,000 followers and lists upcoming locations where they’ll appear, pictures of their customers and mouthwatering tacos sizzling on the griddle.

With their first food truck, a bright red truck they call Trailer No. 1, booked out for brewery pop-ups months in advance, the brothers purchased a replica, Trailer No. 2, that Ivan will manage. It’s slated to launch in the coming weeks, and the brothers are currently looking for two more employees to join their existing six-person team.

After the crush of afternoon orders and before evening diners arrived at Henhouse on that hot Sunday, Omar sat outside the truck and enjoyed a cold beer. He envisions the day when he and Ivan will own a large taproom with beers from all the breweries they’ve worked with and food trailers slinging birria and tacos from one end of Sonoma County to the other.

“We were destined for this,” he said.

Best Bets

Crispy Pancho, $4.99: The Galvan brothers named this dish for their friend, Pancho, who came up with the surf-and-turf taco combo that includes shrimp and birria, a tender braised beef. Historically, birria was made with goat or lamb but is usually beef unless specified. The meat is cooked with spices (usually cinnamon, clove, ginger and chiles) and served with consommé, a rich broth for dipping.

Birria Grilled Cheese, $12.99: Griddled Texas toast is piled with melted cheese and stuffed with tender birria. It’s a delicious mess.

Carne Asada Fries, $15.99: Seasoned fries are the base for this mountain of food. They’re topped with bits of marinated steak (carne asada), mozzarella cheese, crema, pico de gallo and jalapeños. One serving is enough for a crowd.

Find Galvan’s Eatery on Instagram @Galvanseatery, or call 707-836-5087.

Beloved Windsor Bakery Gets Santa Rosa Outpost

September 2022

By Heather Irwin

Challah French toast topped with clementine marmalade and sweeter creme fraiche from Marla Bakery. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)

Like peanut butter meeting chocolate, two of Sonoma County’s yummiest businesses are joining forces to create a perfectly delicious collaboration. Miracle Plum, a natural wine bar and market in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square, is permanently pairing up with Marla Bakery at their Davis Street location in early October, according to Sallie Miller, co-owner of Miracle Plum.

“Wine has been really great for us, and we want to continue to focus on that,” Miller said. Recently, she and business partner Gwen Gunheim decided to move away from their perishable grab-and-go salads and lunch items to focus on their burgeoning wine bar and bottle shop, selling small-production wines made with little intervention.

Longtime friends of Miller and Gunheim, Marla’s Chef Amy Brown and partner Joe Wolf were looking for a place to have a retail presence in Santa Rosa. Their production bakery, opened in 2020, is housed in a Windsor industrial park, so they have little visibility for would-be walk-in customers, according to Wolf. The couple had a thriving bakery and cafe in San Francisco until 2019, when they decided to move their young family to Sonoma County.

Amy Brown and Joe Wolf of Marla Bakery. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)

Sallie Miller, front, and Gwen Gunheim, the owners of Miracle Plum. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)

“When we left (and) were thinking about where to move to after San Francisco, one of the biggest factors were Gwen and Sallie. This is just an opportunity we’ve been waiting for,” Wolf said.

“It’s just a really nice marriage,” he said. Marla will maintain its production facility in Windsor and use the Miracle Plum location to sell coffee and pastries, light breakfast and lunch fare and baked items for online ordering and in-store pickup.

“We might even do a bagel day on Sunday,” Wolf said. The couple is known for their Jewish-style bagels and is one of the few places in Sonoma County where you can get Rosh Hashana dinners and desserts.

Marla Bakery hosted several pop-up events in recent months, including breakfasts at Santa Rosa’s Spinster Sisters and two wine dinners with Miracle Plum, where Miller and Gunheim maintain a commissary kitchen and event space.

Challah French toast topped with clementine marmalade and sweeter creme fraiche at Marla Bakery, a pop-up weekend brunch spot, at the Spinster Sisters restaurant in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sunday, March 20, 2022. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)

Crebble, a croissant-like muffin covered with with maple sugar and sea salt from Marla Bakery. (Marla Bakery) — Crebble, a croissant-like muffin covered with cinnamon and sugar, from Marla Bakery. (Courtesy of Marla Bakery)

The Miracle Plum team will continue to offer events, CSA pickups and workshops in addition to selling pantry staples and wines.

“Amy is such a talented chef, and the people they surround themselves with are just wonderful. She just has a way with flavor,” Miller said.

Watch for more details in the coming weeks at miracleplum.com. The shop, at 208 Davis St., is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Marla Bakery is at 399 Business Park Court in Windsor (go to marlabakery.com to order online and pick up). Watch for weekly “roll-up” events at the bakery space, with breakfast sandwiches, pastries, bagels and — if you’re lucky — fried chicken sandwiches.

Rundown Sonoma Home Transformed Into Cute and Stylish Cottage

September 2022

By Karen Kizer

A rundown home in Sonoma’s Agua Caliente neighborhood with tons of potential — and caution tape around it — has been transformed into a cute and stylish cottage by local realtor Regina Clyde and designer Mickey Greer of Greer and Associates.

The three-bedroom, three-bathroom, 1700-square-foot home sits at the end of a quiet street on Keaton Avenue. It is currently listed for $1,100,000.

It was the home’s beautiful views that inspired Clyde to renovate the property. Built in 1981, it gained new siding, expanded decks and cable railings, and each room has been thoroughly renovated. The home’s design, featuring split levels, makes good use of the space. The windows let in the surrounding landscape and plenty of light, which creates a feeling of spaciousness.

Updated finishes have invigorated the 41-year-old home. Engineered white oak floors provide a clean and airy base. Textured tiles add interest in the bathroom and give life to the subtle colors. Boldly contrasting colors, like slate gray tiles in an otherwise white bathroom, make bold design statements. In the kitchen, Italian-designed Bertazzoni appliances — a hood and an oven — are accented with a quartz countertop and circle-tile backsplash.

It’s the details that really make this property sing: Angular-shaped bronze fixtures, paneled interior doors and inspired lighting choices — from wicker and shell shades to scoop lights.

In a departure from the white farmhouse-style home, the exterior of this remodel has been painted a handsome dark gray. Inside, only a subtle color palette is needed for this home to radiate style. Exciting staging details by Panache by Pezzolo Designs add strong but subtle graphic detail through pillows, prints and plants.

This home is listed with Regina Clyde, Sotheby’s International Realty, 793 Broadway Sonoma, 707-529-8504, ginaclyde.com

Modern Meets Traditional in Fountaingrove Home Listed for $3.2 Million

September 2022

By Karen Kizer

After Penelope Barnes lost her custom-built home to the 2017 Tubbs fire, she approached the rebuild with the aim of modernizing her property.

For Barnes, modernizing meant a more open floor plan, a covered patio, solar power and seamless indoor/outdoor living areas — design elements featured on many homebuyers’ wishlists these days. While these elements are indeed contemporary, the style of this new build is unapologetically traditional.

“I didn’t want anything that would become faddish,” says Barnes.

The 4000-square-foot home — designed to Barnes’ tastes by Farrell Faber and Associates architectural firm in Santa Rosa — sits high on a hill in the Skyfarm area of Santa Rosa’s Fountaingrove neighborhood. It is currently listed for $3,200,000.

A hand-stamped concrete driveway leads to a courtyard-like entrance that frames a single arched wooden front door. Select areas of stone siding add more storybook-like charm to the exterior of the home.

Inside, there’s plenty of open space. The kitchen connects to the dining area and the living room. Barnes, whose former home had separate kitchen, dining and living areas, prefers the spaciousness of this layout. She believes the home has retained its elegance but with a more relaxed atmosphere. “I call it a comfortable elegance,” she says.

A pair of quartz-topped kitchen islands are attractive spots for food preparation on one side, and staging and dining on the other. Floor-to-ceiling windows that pocket into the walls capitalize on the views of this top-of-the-hill lot. Barnes credits architect Farrell Faber for positioning the home so skillfully that views are accessible from every room.

Recessed ceilings add architectural interest, and details like chandeliers cap off the look in every room. Even the main bathroom’s bathtub has an overhead chandelier — a witty choice in brass with a modern drum mesh shade surrounding the ornate fixture. The traditional design has just enough contemporary elements, such as clean-lined trims and select modern furniture pieces, to keep it fresh

The palate is tranquil but not in the ubiquitous white-on-white way. Beiges and taupes add sure but subtle warmth — a request from Barnes translated skillfully by Marin interior designer Kimberly Oxford. “If I want to add color I could just add pillows,” says Barnes.

The landscape is water-wise and fire-wise with “islands” of vegetation — a layout designed to give breaks in ignition materials. Plants include lavender, salvia and Mexican sage, as well as lush magnolia and olive trees that dot the yard.

This home at 3938 Saint Andrews Drive is listed with Dena Clover-Vargas of Keller Williams Realty. For more information, call 707-495-7113. findahomesonomacounty.com

Long-Awaited Debut of New Cyrus Restaurant Is Days Away in Geyserville

September 2022

By Heather Irwin

Chef Douglas Keane of Cyrus. The Michelin-starred restaurant reopened in Healdsburg September 9, 2022 after being closed for about a decade. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)

It’s been a decade since Chef Douglas Keane shuttered Cyrus, his Michelin-starred Healdsburg restaurant, after a dispute with the restaurant’s landlord.

In the ensuing years, the winner on TV show “Top Chef Masters” opened two restaurants in Napa (both since closed), founded a dog rescue organization, started an autobiography and appeared at celebrity chef events worldwide.

His steadfast focus, however, has been on opening a new Cyrus, even as false starts in 2014, 2017 and 2020 (a result of the pandemic) curbed the project’s momentum.

On Sept. 9, Cyrus again will come to life, welcoming its first 12 guests, all with reservations, bottles of Champagne, a 20-course dinner and a liquid chocolate art installation 10 years in the making.

“It’s all a journey,” said Keane as he walked through the yet-unfinished restaurant in late August.

Chef Douglas Keane of Cyrus. The Michelin-starred restaurant reopens in Healdsburg September 9, 2022 after being closed for about a decade. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat) — Chef Douglas Keane of Cyrus. The Michelin-starred restaurant reopens in Healdsburg September 9, 2022 after being closed for about a decade. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat, 2022)

Keane’s reincarnated Cyrus, housed in an 8,000-square-foot concrete and glass complex, sits above more than an acre of Geyserville vineyards. The immersive experience of dining here includes a Champagne “Bubble Lounge” reception, interactive chef’s table and multicourse dinner with panoramic views of Alexander Valley.

The carefully curated evening ends with a Willy Wonka-esque trip to the Chocolate Room that features a pool of liquid chocolate and levitating bonbons. The price of admission is $295 per person (a wine pairing is an additional $250). Tickets are only sold in pairs, and reservations are filled for September.

Two weeks before opening, it was quiet chaos as workers scrambled to finish renovating the former prune-packing plant. Private investors bankrolled the $5 million construction. It includes a cavernous open kitchen (and separate prep kitchen), temperature-controlled wine vault, private dining room, a main dining room and wraparound patio and a 1,600-pound cantilevered steel table floating against a backdrop of olive trees and vines.

The opening menu is still in development, but Keane disclosed a few seasonal dishes that may appear, including Gazpacho Consommé; Steamed Egg Custard with Gochujang and Gribenes; Sonoma County Duck with Kosui Pear and Hoisin; and Strawberry, Lemon Verbena, Greek Yogurt and Black Lime.

There’s no shortage of jaw-dropping features. Keane pointed out the highlights of the new space while juggling near-constant inquiries from vendors and contractors.

“Nick and I were involved in every aspect of the process,” said Keane of his longtime business partner, Nick Peyton, who serves as greeter, meeting scheduler and overall “fixer” before the opening. Peyton will reprise his role as maître d’hôtel in September.

Wine Director Cyrus Shultz and sommelier Alex Silverman sat at the chef’s table surrounded by bottles of wine and spirits as they checked emails. Chef Drew Glassell shucked corn as hunks of beef were cooked sous vide. Josh Gaulin will be the pastry chef. A series of friends and family dinners (by invitation only) will test the staff’s mettle over the next week.

The new Cyrus will have 20 staff members, about a third of the staff size of the original Cyrus. All employees will share tips and work both front and back of house, with waitstaff also preparing food and kitchen staff also serving food. Keane aims to equalize pay between the two groups as well.

“We can’t keep fighting this,” said Keane of the ongoing labor shortage and the lack of living wages for restaurant staff nationwide. “We have to do more with less. We want to pay people good money.”

Nearly 4,000 bottles of wine will be available at the opening, and plans are for the cellar to hold 10,000 bottles, Keane said. Although a curated selection of classic cocktails and spirits will be available, craft cocktails like those established by mixologist Scott Beattie at the original Cyrus will not be a focus.

Keane has a 30-year lease on the property off Highway 128, having learned a hard lesson in 2012, when wine magnate Bill Foley purchased the Les Mars Hotel, where the original Cyrus was located. The relationship between the two soured quickly, resulting in the restaurant’s closure.

In 2014, Keane hoped to reopen Cyrus at a property owned by Jackson Family Wines near Jimtown. A group of neighbors voiced concerns about zoning changes in the quiet vineyard area. The plan for Cyrus once again faltered.

In 2017, it was announced that Keane planned to reopen Cyrus in Alexander Valley by 2019. That also never came to fruition.

Peyton and Keane want to make the Cyrus experience inclusive for locals and will open the Bubble Lounge to the public in early October for small bites and drinks, without reservations. Food and drinks will be available a la carte there.

Cyrus is at 275 Highway 128, Geyserville, 707-318-0379. Reservation only. Tickets for the full Dining Journey are released in monthly blocks two months in advance at cyrusrestaurant.com.

Hot New Places for a Drink in Sonoma County

September 2022

By Sarah Doyle

Looking for a new place to sip in Sonoma County? Here are two places to check out.

The Drink

The drink is a collaborative tasting space from Leo Steen Wines and Rootdown Wine Cellars, two brands that share not only a building, but also a thoughtful, intentional style of winemaking. The co-mingled tasting flight pulses with veracity and verve, featuring standouts from each producer, like Leo Steen’s flagship Chenin Blanc from Saini Farms and a zippy Riesling from Rootdown’s Cole Ranch vineyard.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings, the menu expands to include flaky pastries from Marla Bakery and espresso drinks served from a cheeky, vintage ‘Italian Ape’ scooter cart that once served as a tuk-tuk.

The Drink in Healdsburg. (Bonafide Productions)

Through August, drop in the second Friday evening of each month for live music on the patio and bites from local chefs.

Tastings from $30; reservations recommended. 53 Front St., Healdsburg. 707-433-3097, thedrinkhealdsburg.com

Elk Fence Distillery

Located in an industrial building off Santa Rosa Avenue, Elk Fence Distillery is an exercise in patience and determination for friends and co-owners Gail Coppinger and Scott Woodson. From ideation to first distillation, the process of launching their new business took about five years.

“You hit one brick wall, you figure out how to go through it, and then you keep going,” says Coppinger.

Gail Carpenter, right, and Scott Woodson, owners of Elk Fence Distillery, make Fir Top Gin, The Briny Deep Whiskey and White Elk Vodka in the only distillery in Santa Rosa, (John Burgess / The Press Democrat) — Gail Carpenter, right, and Scott Woodson, owners of Elk Fence Distillery, make Fir Top Gin, The Briny Deep Whiskey and White Elk Vodka in the only distillery in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)

Elk Fence Distillery produces three spirits: an American single malt whiskey, a botanical gin, and a barley-based vodka. Woodson and Coppinger, both former painting contractors, deftly transformed an office space adjacent to the distillery into a cozy tasting room beaming with character, from the first-growth redwood bar dating to the 1800s, to the antique Steinway piano, to the dark and dreamy flea-market art, collected over time.

Tastings include a complimentary tour of the distillery, and the pair hope to start offering live music and distilling classes.

Fridays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and by appointment. 464 Kenwood Court, Santa Rosa. 415-497-4338, elkfencedistillery.com

Santa Rosa’s Third Street Aleworks Goes Cajun

September 2022

By Heather Irwin

Ramen at Bayou on the Bay. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

Third Street Aleworks once again will become a full-time brewpub with food on Tuesday, Sept. 6, as Chef Bradley Wildridge’s Bayou on the Bay takes up residence in the kitchen, permanently.

“We’re thrilled to welcome @bayou.onthebay to the 3SAW fam! This new partnership will bring a full food menu back to the pub seven days a week,” the brewery announced Monday.

In early June, the downtown Santa Rosa brewpub closed its kitchen to focus entirely on making beer. Food was served only on the weekends, as caterers including Canevari’s Deli and burger restaurant Lunch Box (forthcoming in Sebastopol) stepped in for brief weekend pop-ups but didn’t commit to the kitchen full time.

Muffuletta sandwich at Bayou on the Bay. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

Chef Bradley at Bayou on the Bay. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

Cooking under a humble pop-up tent, Wildridge and his wife, Mandy, quickly became rising stars of the local food scene, serving beer-friendly dishes including jambalaya, crawfish meat pies, muffuletta sandwiches and beignets. Wildridge launched his roving restaurant in November 2021, serving food at local brewpubs and farm markets.

Kitchen hours will be noon to 7 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Details: 610 Third St., Santa Rosa; 707-523-3060; thirdstreetaleworks.com

Brew to Open Second Location in Sonoma County

September 2022

By Heather Irwin

Loren Hansen, 29, of Sebastopol serves up coffee and beer for happy hour at Brew in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

The owners of Brew Coffee Bar and Taproom in Santa Rosa are opening a second location in Forestville early next year. According to co-owner Alisse Cottle, they’ll take over the former Backyard restaurant space. They plan to continue to serve coffee and local brews and add casual food on the patio.

The new location will have breakfast sandwiches, burritos and avocado toast, but Cottle said they hope to add more menu items including for brunch, grab-and-go picnic food, snacks and salads. Long-term plans include pop-up dinners and events, too.

“We are excited and ready to spread some more Rainbow Unicorn Brew Magic,” Cottle said.

Expect a January or February opening.

Details: 6566 Front St., Forestville.