Healdsburg’s SingleThread restaurant has skyrocketed to No. 37 on the carefully curated list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, up from No. 71 in 2019 (the awards were canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic).
The news comes on the heels of last month’s announcement that the restaurant, owned by Kyle and Katina Connaughton, had retained its three Michelin stars — the highest ranking for a restaurant — in the 2021 California guidebook.
Other Bay Area restaurants to make the top 50 list, released by a peer-reviewed awards program, include San Francisco’s Benu (No. 28) and Atelier Crenn (No. 48).
The annual list of the world’s finest restaurants, published since 2002, is a snapshot of some of the best destinations for unique culinary experiences, in addition to being a barometer for global gastronomic trends, according to organizers. A panel of more than 1,000 international restaurant industry experts — food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and well-traveled gourmets — selects the restaurants for each year’s list.
At the top of the list of international restaurants is Noma, in Copenhagen, Denmark. The restaurant bested all others in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2021 with its seasonal Nordic cuisine. Geranium, also in Copenhagen, was No. 2; with Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo, Spain as No. 3; Central in Lima, Peru as No. 4; and Disfrutar in Barcelona, Spain as No. 5.
The highest-ranking American restaurant on the list is Cosme in New York at No. 22.
Saying goodbye to summer is never easy but the changing of the seasons comes with a few perks. For example, local distilleries are serving fall-inspired cocktails with a taste of the cozy and festive months ahead. Click through the above gallery to see what some of our favorite distilleries are mixing up for their guests. Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments below.
Saying goodbye to your summer garden’s radiant sunflowers and scrumptious tomatoes can be kind of heartbreaking. But there’s still plenty of growing fun to look forward to as the days become cooler. We looked to Sonoma’s garden pros for fall planting inspiration. While fall and winter plants don’t provide the colorful show that spring and summer plants do, there’s still lots to cultivate in sunny Sonoma during this more subdued season. And for a spectacular spring, the time to start planning is now. All you need to do is dig a little bit deeper.
Grow your greens
The gardens at Wild Flour Bread in Freestone (140 Bohemian Highway) are fantastically bountiful — make sure you peruse them before or after you get some of the bakery’s legendary scones or breads. While the fruits of summer’s labor can now be seen hanging heavily on trellises (grapes, pumpkins and squash), hardier crops are flourishing alongside them, including kales and cabbages. These leafy plants prefer the cold but can withstand heat, so they’re a good choice for planting right now. Staggering planting times a week or so apart can keep a crop growing over a longer period of time.
Experiment with garlic
Wild Flour gardener Sally Smith loves planting garlic this time of year because of the experimentation involved in growing different varieties. The bakery sources seeds and plants from Harmony Farm Supply and Nursery (locations in Sebastopol and Petaluma); the nursery carries garlic in varieties that range from super spicy to mild and rich. This year, Smith will grow hard neck and soft neck varieties — she likes to weave the soft neck garlic bulbs together and give them as gifts. Her main advice for planting: “The plants will do whatever they want. You think you’ll get control — just let ’em go.”
Plant those bulbs
Now, before the first frost, is the time to plant spring bulbs. Daffodils, hyacinths, tulips and more can make up a great cutting garden. Planting with bloom times in mind — that time range from late winter to early spring — allows for staggered blooming.
Act on your impatience
If waiting for those spring bulbs to bloom makes you feel crazy with impatience, King’s Nursery in Santa Rosa (1212 13th St.) provides an excellent option. They recommend planting cold-hardy blooms in the spaces between the bulbs. Pansies or Icelandic Poppies and other flowers can color the garden beautifully while you wait for spring.
Use a cover crop
If you’d rather put your garden to bed for fall and winter, consider planting fava beans to enrich the soil with nitrogen. This creates a naturally fertile planting ground come spring. We like to take a cue from the test gardens at Cornerstone Sonoma (23570 Arnold Dr.), where the raised beds grew fava beans last season. The beanstalks grow high (at around four feet — not enough to reach a giant, but still) and provide a pop of green during winter.
Don’t forget perennials
Fall is a good time to plant perennials since cooler temperatures won’t stress young plants. Perennials are stalwart elements of the garden, making things easier on the gardener while offering a little color during dormant times. Verbena on a Stick at the test gardens at Cornerstone Sonoma (see photo in slideshow) fill in the gaps between crops. They attract pollinators to boot, which are good for the earth and the garden aesthetic.
An iconic piece of architecture has hit the real estate market in northern Sonoma’s oceanfront community The Sea Ranch. With an $8 million asking price, the cliffside estate of late landscape architect and Sea Ranch master planner Lawrence Halprin will be open for offers until Oct. 15.
Halprin, who passed away in 2009, was among a group of architecture faculty at UC Berkeley, who, in the early 1960s, were tasked to transform a 5,200-acre sheep ranch on the Sonoma Coast into a modernist residential community. Halprin and his colleagues envisioned a community in harmony with nature; Halprin defined its guiding ethos — “living lightly on the land.” Typical features of suburbia and non-native plants were banned. No lawns, no palm trees and no fences were allowed.
While devising the Sea Ranch master plan, Halprin also made sure that the new dwellings wouldn’t obscure the rugged coastline. He wanted to protect the area from the kind of mansions typically built on expensive ocean-view properties, a phenomenon he called the “Malibu wall,” referring to the miles-long row of three-story luxury homes along the Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Monica through Malibu.
At The Sea Ranch, homes dotted the area, while ocean views remained. The community’s radically restrained approach to residential development and its unadorned wooden houses soon garnered international attention.
The Halprin estate for sale today is an expansion of a cabin the landscape architect and his colleagues designed for the lot in the 1960s. The simple dwelling by the sea provided creative inspiration to Halprin and his wife, Anna, an accomplished modern dancer. The couple held workshops for their students in an outdoor amphitheater on the property.
Over the decades, Halprin added an additional level, an adjacent studio and a Carnelian granite fireplace to the property. (The fireplace references the Franklin D. Roosevelt memorial Halprin designed in the 1970s. The memorial’s water features are made out of Carnelian granite).
In 2001, a house fire destroyed the oceanfront cabin. Halprin described the subsequent rebuilding process as “at once exciting and emotionally difficult.” The rebuild adhered to The Sea Ranch’s strict building regulations and architectural requirements intended to preserve the community’s harmony with nature. Halprin was able to add a room for his grandchildren, a larger kitchen and a study for Anna. Single-sloped roofs run parallel to the hillside. Wood siding blends seamlessly with the land.
The sale of the Halprin estate comes at a time when the local real estate market is hitting price records monthly. Listing agent Hanne Lissberg says “prices (at Sea Ranch) are up 41% over the last year with an average price of almost $1.5 million, on par with San Francisco and Santa Barbara or double the Sonoma County average.” Just this year, 77 homes at The Sea Ranch have sold.
Click through the above gallery to peek inside the Halprin estate.
The Halprin Estate is listed by Hanne Liisberg and Company in The Sea Ranch. For property details and appointments, please call 707-785-3322, info@liisbergandcompany, liisbergandcompany.com.
The Petaluma Pumpkin Patch and Amazing Corn Maze in Petaluma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
No matter how old you are, a visit to the pumpkin patch remains a cherished fall tradition. In Sonoma County, there’s more to this seasonal ritual than simply picking pumpkins. Depending on what local pumpkin patch you choose to visit, you can wander through corn mazes, climb a haystack, pet fuzzy farm animals or try out a pumpkin slingshot! Click through the gallery above for help planning your next pumpkin patch adventure.
What’s your favorite Sonoma County pumpkin patch? Let us know in the comments below!
At 4th Street Social Club in downtown Santa Rosa, the entire restaurant is run by three people with Leonardo Santoni, center, originally from Lake Garda, Italy, as the only waiter, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. “Working here has become a family to me both emotionally and financially,” said Santoni. (Erik Castro / For The Press Democrat)
The quirky downtown Santa Rosa restaurant 4th Street Social Club faced an uphill battle during the pandemic, opening just weeks before shelter-in-place orders took effect.
Since then, we’ve enjoyed wildly ambitious fare from Chef Jeremy Cabrera, made in a postage-stamp-size kitchen without a gas range or hood. The team won a Snail of Approval award for their dedication to using local ingredients and had a small but loyal following.
But, as reported Thursday, owners Melissa and Chris Matteson have decided to close up shop Oct. 11, due to COVID-19-related losses and the impact of the pandemic on foot traffic downtown.
The Mattesons said they hope to pursue a new restaurant endeavor. Until then, they’ll be serving dinner from 6 – 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. 643 Fourth St., Santa Rosa
More dining news
Little Saint pairs with Marine Layer: What might be on the menu at the upcoming Little Saint restaurant, from Kyle and Katina Connaughton of the upscale Single Thread? Get a sneak peek by visiting the new Healdsburg tasting room from Marine Layer Wines.
Marine Layer is pairing samples of its wines with a Little Saint mezze plate that includes dips, spreads, housemade crackers and crudités, changing based on what’s in season in the Little Saint farm garden. Tastings with the mezze platter are $50 per person.
Exterior of the former Healdsburg SHED, now being transformed into Little Saint. (Courtesy of Little Saint)
Little Saint, located nearby in the former Shed space, is the much-anticipated collaboration between owners Jeff and Laurie Ubben, Jenny Hess and designer Ken Fulk and the Connaughtons. Similar to the “modern grange” concept of the previous owners, the massive space will have a restaurant, quick-service cafe and wine shop along with a gathering space. Owners expect a late fall opening.
Marine Layer is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, with reservations strongly recommended. To reserve, go to marinelayerwines.com. 308 B Center St. 707-395-0830.
Chef Shuffle: Brendalee Vialpando has been named executive chef at Jenner’s Timber Cove Resort. She was most recently executive chef at Bodega Bay Lodge. Cameron Bouldin is taking over the kitchens at Kivelstadt Winegarten in Sonoma. Calling himself a self-made chef, Bouldin has worked his way through the ranks, ending up as the former sous chef at Napa’s Oenotri and executive chef for Round Pond Estate.
Barndiva co-owner and creative director Jill Hales, center, with her children Isabel, left, and Lukka at Barndiva restaurant in Healdsburg. (Alvin Jornada/The Press Democrat)
Michelin stars are shining once again for California restaurateurs tapped for inclusion in the much-coveted 2021 lineup. Twenty-seven restaurants from San Diego to Mendocino County, including Healdsburg’s Barndiva and SingleThread, were awarded the coveted honor Tuesday.
The Michelin Guide canceled its 2020 awards because of the pandemic and California wildfires, making this year’s recognition even more notable and much anticipated.
The French tire company’s decisions on which restaurants have earned or lost stars is a closely watched annual ritual that can make or break the reputations of restaurants and chefs. This year’s honorees were appreciative of the attention after a difficult 2020.
“We know how hard it’s been just to open the doors for so many, so to receive this attention is humbling,” said Lukka Feldman, Barndiva’s General Manager. The restaurant has been open for 17 years, and this is its first Michelin star. The restaurant had previously won the “Plate Award,” which recognizes “good cooking.”
“It’s just a testimony to how hard everyone has been working,” said Feldman.
Like so many other local restaurants, it’s been a bracing 18-plus months as lockdowns, mask mandates, and a challenging hiring environment put a damper on restaurant dining. Feldman said that the restaurant never closed but simply pivoted to comforting takeout meals in the early days, a jarring welcome to newly-installed chef Jordan Rosas. The Southern Californian chef arrived just weeks before health mandates closed both indoor and outdoor dining. Pastry Chef Neidy Venegas also started working at Barndiva during the pandemic.
The reopening of Barndiva’s outdoor gardens allowed Rosas and Venegas to spread their wings, creating signature dishes that pull from nearby farms, ranches and waters that captured the attention of Michelin’s “Famously Anonymous” inspectors.
“The cooking, as conceived by chef Jordan Rosas, hones in on prime local produce and sustainability. There is a tangible deftness in such aromatic flavor combinations as seared day boat scallops with kohlrabi, grapefruit and lemongrass-ginger butter sauce. Of course, it should be unlawful to forgo the creative goodies from pastry chef Neidy Venegas,” said the inspectors for the 2021 Michelin Guidebook.
Nearby SingleThread retains the elusive three Michelin-star designation, the highest award a restaurant can achieve. Only five other restaurants in the state have the same honor — The French Laundry (Yountville), Atelier Crenn (San Francisco), Benu (San Francisco), Quince (San Francisco) and Manresa (Los Gatos).
“We are so incredibly proud of the team. They have persevered this past year with so much integrity and creativity We really have been so thoughtfully supported by the community and this is a much-appreciated recognition of both our team and for where we draw both our ingredients and inspiration,” said Kyle Connaughton, chef-owner of SingleThread.
Most of the two-star designations were in Southern California, except the far-flung Harbor House in Mendocino, climbing from one to two Michelin stars. Inspectors honored the hyperlocal and foraged ingredients that Chef Matthew Kammerer sources from coastal waters and farms.
“We are delighted to celebrate 19 promotions for restaurants that elevated their quality and consistency despite the challenges of the health crisis and welcome eight new entries to our selection at the star level,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides.
Notably missing from the stars lineup in Sonoma County are Farmhouse Inn and Madrona Manor, both longtime Michelin favorites. Farmhouse was demoted to a Plate Award. Madrona Manor has been closed for remodeling for months, though a handful of San Francisco restaurants did receive stars despite lengthy closures.
Sonoma County now only has two restaurants with Michelin stars, down significantly from years past as the guidebook expands beyond its traditional favoritism of French cuisine and major metropolitan cities. Sonoma County has no two-starred restaurants.
This year sees far more diversity with the inclusion of new Japanese and Southeast Asian restaurants, among other cuisines. It also goes further afield to oft-overlooked restaurants in Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Orange County, Paso Robles, the South Bay and Los Angeles.
Last week, the guidebook announced its newest Bib Gourmand winners, restaurants recognized for value and high-quality food. In Sonoma County, Khom Loi in Sebastopol and Sonoma’s Folktable and Valley Bar + Bottle — all opened during the pandemic — were tapped for the culinary honor.
Check out the full list here.
Here are the other California Michelin Star winners for 2021.
Three Michelin Stars (no changes)
SingleThread (Healdsburg)
The French Laundry (Yountville)
Atelier Crenn (San Francisco)
Benu (San Francisco)
Quince (San Francisco)
Manresa (Los Gatos)
Two Michelin Stars
New for 2021
Harbor House (Elk -promotion from one MICHELIN Star)
Addison (San Diego – promotion from one MICHELIN Star)
Birdsong (San Francisco – promotion from one MICHELIN Star)
Hayato (Los Angeles – promotion from one MICHELIN Star)
Mélisse (Santa Monica – New two MICHELIN Star)
See list for those retaining 2 stars outside of the North Bay
One Michelin Star
New for 2021
Adega (San Francisco – Promotion to one MICHELIN Star)
Avery (San Francisco – Promotion to one MICHELIN Star)
Bell’s (Santa Barbara – Promotion from New Discovery)
Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura (Los Angeles – New one MICHELIN Star)
Jeune et Jolie (San Diego – New one MICHELIN Star)
Knife Pleat (Orange County – Promotion from New Discovery)
Marlena (San Francisco – Promotion from New Discovery)
Morihiro (Los Angeles – New one MICHELIN Star)
Niku Steakhouse (San Francisco – New one MICHELIN Star)
O’ by Claude Le Tohic (San Francisco – New one MICHELIN Star)
Pasjoli (Santa Monica – Promotion from New Discovery)
Pasta | Bar (Los Angeles – Promotion from New Discovery)
Phenakite (Los Angeles – Promotion from New Discovery)
Selby’s (San Francisco – Promotion from New Discovery)
Six Test Kitchen (Paso Robles – Promotion from New Discovery)
Soichi (San Diego – Promotion from New Discovery)
Sushi | Bar Montecito (Santa Barbara – Promotion from New Discovery)
Sushi I-NABA (Los Angeles – Promotion from New Discovery)
Sushi Shin (San Francisco – New one MICHELIN Star)
Sushi Tadokoro (San Diego – Promotion from New Discovery)
The Shota (San Francisco – New one MICHELIN Star)
See list of those retaining one stars
“Hot Mess” breakfast with polenta, fried egg, kale, kimchi and “pickled things” with Hibiscus Tea at Wishbone. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
After selling Wishbone last January, Miriam Donaldson was ready to embrace a new career in herbal healing, far from the hot stoves and stress of running her popular Petaluma restaurant.
Now, the tireless chef, busser, expediter, butcher, baker and candlestick lighter has once again tied on her apron at the longtime cafe she runs with husband Josh Norwitt and daughter Poppy.
The U-turn came about earlier this month when the new tenant for the space Wishbone occupied, Stephane Saint Louis and Steven Vargas with their restaurant Table Culture Provisions, decided it wasn’t a good fit for their fledgling eatery. After six months in the location and two months of remodels, they are moving on.
“At the end of the day, it wasn’t the right space and they were looking for something different,” Donaldson said.
Miriam Donaldson on the patio of Wishbone restaurant in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)“Hot Mess” breakfast with polenta, fried egg, kale, kimchi and “pickled things” at Wishbone. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
With two years left on their lease, Donaldson said they’ll continue at the location, offering morning treats, community gatherings and the old Wishbone vibe for the foreseeable future.
“It’s nice to be back. I know how to be here,” Donaldson said during brunch service last Sunday. The former 3 Cooks location on Petaluma Boulevard has become a neighborhood favorite with offbeat, comforting dishes that draw from local farms and Donaldson’s signature sass, like the Hot Mess, a dish of polenta with kale, kimchi and other pickled ingredients.
Saint Louis and Vargas, whose restaurant was gaining serious traction for upscale farm-to-table dishes, are planning to move to another recently vacated Petaluma restaurant location.
Once there, they will partner with Asombrosa Farm in Petaluma, a 65-acre plot with a 7,000-square-foot barn. Table Culture Provisions will have a small culinary garden and vineyard, according to Saint Louis. Details are still few on the reopening of Table Culture Provisions, but Saint Louis called the farm partnership a “dream situation.”
Wishbone is at 841 Petaluma Blvd. N., open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday through Sunday, with additional hours and changes posted at facebook.com/wishbonepetaluma
More Sonoma dining news…
The Sonoma County Veg Fest takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Sunday, Sept. 26, at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building. The celebration of vegan food is a chance to meet forward-thinking vendors who are advocating for compassionate, healthy and environmentally responsible living, according to organizers.
Eclipse nondairy frozen desserts will have soft serve sweets; other vendors include Taco Sagrado Vegan Tacos, Vegan Hood Chefs, Fourteen Magpies jams and preserves, Sporgy Mushroom Jerky, Morning Ritual Bakery, Biey Leaf Vegan Chef, Wellnut Farms, Coffee and Cumin Bakery and Jewels of the Forest Farms. $10 entry, 1351 Maple Ave. Santa Rosa. socovegfest.org
Inside one of the cabanas at Cline Family Cellars in Sonoma. (Cline Family Cellars)
Once upon a time in Sonoma, tasting rooms poured samples of their wines for free. Complimentary. Gratis.
That was a quarter-century or so ago, when “wine tasting” was not yet a thing here and wine consumption wasn’t common throughout the U.S. A running joke among winemakers was that perhaps they should pay people to try their wines. It had little to do with quality and almost everything to do Americans’ hesitancy to drink wine, let alone understand it.
Over the years, tastings went from free to $5, with a free glass with a logo; then to $10, with a finer piece of stemware to take home and perhaps a basket of French bread and a plate of cheese. Today, $20-$25 tastings, without food (nor freebie glass) are so prevalent they don’t raise eyebrows with guests. Napa Valley remains king when it comes to expensive tastings — rather, experiences — yet Sonoma wineries are catching up, with small bites, box lunches, full meals, private cabanas, vineyard hikes and tastings of library wines sending per-person fees into the $100-and-up stratosphere.
But what about the rest of us? What’s a budget-minded wine taster to do? Thank goodness, there still are a handful of Sonoma wineries whose basic tastings are complimentary, and many more that charge reasonable fees ($20 or less). Some even waive the cost if you buy a full bottle or two.
Here are 10 tasting venues with affordable fees or freebies. Keep in mind that pandemic protocols remain in place. These wineries explain their COVID-19 regulations on their websites, which include making appointments, masking and whether tastings are conducted indoors or out.
(The Sonoma County Vintners trade group has partnered with Visa Signature and Visa Infinite to offer buy-one, get-one tasting deals at approximately 50 wineries, if you use one of those credit cards. Visit sonomawine.com/visa-signature for the list of participating tasting rooms and other perks, among them $1 ground shipping through December.)
Alexander Valley Vineyards
This east-of-Healdsburg winery offers a tremendous tasting bang for the buck, or less. The Estate Tasting is free. Tours of the 25,000-square-foot underground cave are free. A sampling of Reserve-tier wines is just $20, and the cost is refunded if you buy one of those wines. Who does this? A winery that was among those that poured complimentary samples decades ago and sees value in continuing to do so.
“We had to charge and take reservations during the shutdown, and after we were allowed to open, we decided to go back to complimentary tasting for four wines and no-charge tours of our caves twice daily,” said Katie Wetzel Murphy, who, with her brother, Hank, operates the vineyards and winery founded by their parents in the 1960s. “It is just something we feel very strongly about as a family.”
Even the splurge experience here is a very fair $60 and includes a guided hike through the vineyards, wine and a boxed lunch (weather permitting).
John and Teresa Balletto’s extensive vineyard holdings in the Russian River Valley afford winemaker Anthony Beckman many choices of grape varieties, vineyards and specific blocks within vineyards. Sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, gewürztraminer and rosé receive the same loving care as chardonnay, pinot noir and sparkling wine, all produced from Balletto vines.
Four of them are served at the Estate Tasting Experience, a fine value at $15. So is the $20 Reserve Tasting Experience of five wines, including block and vineyard designates. Across the board, the wines are excellent and fairly priced, from $20 to $48.
5700 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa, 707-568-2455, ballettovineyards.com
Outdoor tasting at Balletto Vineyards in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy photo)
Cline Family Cellars
Fred and Nancy Cline started Cline Family Cellars in 1982, in Oakley in northeastern Contra Costa County. There, on the banks of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, grow ancient zinfandel, mourvedre and carignane grapevines in soils so sandy it’s hard to believe they can support green growth.
The Clines tapped these vines for their wines and 1989 moved their business to southern Sonoma Valley/Carneros, where they planted chardonnay, viognier, pinot noir and syrah and opened a tasting room in a 1850s farmhouse. Tastings are only outside for now, with five-wine flights priced at $15. Ponds and a sea of rose bushes add color to the tranquil grounds.
24737 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 800-546-2070, clinecellars.com
Frick Winery
Bill Frick was cool years before the current wave of Sonoma and Mendocino winemakers discovered the pleasures of wines made from carignane, cinsaut, counoise, grenache, syrah, mourvedre and viognier grapes.
Bill and his wife, Judith Gannon, started Frick Winery in 1976 in a remote spot near Geyserville. They bought 7.7 acres of land in Dry Creek Valley and planted the previously mentioned Rhône grapes, not because the varieties were popular, but because they were what the Fricks wanted to drink and sell.
Forty-five years later, Bill Frick remains dedicated to what were once oddball wines for Sonoma, doing all the work himself and welcoming those willing to make the drive to his remote tasting room for complimentary tastings. Open on weekends only, Frick Winery is well worth making an appointment, to taste with the man behind the wines. Zero frills, lots of tasting thrills.
San Francisco firefighter Cecil De Loach and his wife, Christine, founded De Loach Vineyards in 1975, planting pinot noir on Olivet Road and farming old-vine zinfandel at their nearby Barbieri Ranch. They sold De Loach in 2003 and restarted with Hook & Ladder, also on Olivet Road, eventually installing grandson Jason De Loach as winemaker.
Pinot noir remains a staple at Hook & Ladder, though the family’s Los Amigos Ranch vineyard in Chalk Hill contributes Bordeaux red varieties to the winemaking mix. The Cadet tasting of five wines ($20) is a solid introduction to the winery: Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir, Olivet Ranch Sauvignon Blanc, Estate Pinot Noir, Estate Chalk Hill Merlot and Estate Chalk Hill Cabernet Franc. Or upgrade to the Captain tasting flight ($30) of five limited-production wines, among them Sparkling Rosé de Noirs, Aquarius Ranch Chardonnay, Severson Ranch Pinot Noir, Simeone Ranch Pinot Noir and Los Amigos Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon.
2134 Olivet Road, Santa Rosa, 707-526-2255, hookandladderwinery.com
Korbel Champagne Cellars
Reservations are a must to taste at Korbel, which has produced “California Champagne” since 1882 and continues to use “Champagne” on its labels, to the great consternation of French Champagne makers.
The Marketplace tasting of three wines is generously complimentary, and $10 buys the four-wine Discovery tasting of sparkling, still and sweet wines. For those frothing for fizz, the All Bubbles tasting of five wines ($15) is a good deal. COVID-19 issues continue to hinder Korbel’s tours of its historic cellars and gorgeous gardens, though the Deli & Marketplace have reopened, for outdoor dining and takeout.
13250 River Road, Guerneville, 707-824-7000, korbel.com
Sonoma Portworks
Fifteen bucks buys a lot of deliciousness at this Petaluma tasting room, particularly for those who favor sweet and after-dinner wines. Sit outside at the old Foundry Wharf building on the Petaluma River and savor founder/winemaker Bill Reading’s port-style wines, those infused with natural chocolate flavoring, sherries and grappas.
DECO, an 18% alcohol, spirit-fortified dessert wine with a subtle yet distinctive dark chocolate flavor, is a great mate for chocolate-y sweets. ARIS is a port-like blend of zinfandel, grenache and alicante bouchet, boosted by the addition of a distilled spirit. Six sweeties are poured, plus tastes of Sonomic Red and Sonomic Gold Almost Vinegar, culinary condiments are that richer and less acidic than most vinegars.
613 Second St., Petaluma, 707-769-5203, portworks.com
Spicy Vines
For a tasting on the wild side, there is Spicy Vines, a downtown Healdsburg tasting room that pours wines with friendly names such as Sunnydaze Sauvignon Blanc, Dragon’s Kiss Syrah and Violet Rose Rosé.
Crystalyn Hoffman founded the brand in 2011. Three years later, she partnered, matrimonially and business-wise, with winemaker Doug Hackett. A five-wine flight is $15, the Reserve flight (with chardonnay, pinot noir and two cabernet sauvignons) $25. It’s more than a tasting room and also serves wine-based cocktails, beer, cider and cocktails, charcuterie boards and panini.
After closing its downtown Geyserville tasting room in April 2000, per Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statewide order, the Meeker family moved tastings to their winery in Healdsburg, a few blocks from the Plaza and next door to Longboard Vineyards. A sit-down tasting area was carved out of the cellar, surrounded by in-use fermentation tanks and barrels, and an outdoor space gives visitors the sights and smells of just-harvested grapes beginning their journey to fermented wine.
Winemaker Lucas Meeker produces a wide range of wines — something for everyone — with rosés, grenache, merlot and “pet nat” sparklers among the stars. As many as eight wines are poured in a $20 tasting, with the fee waived when you buy one bottle.
5 Fitch St., Unit B, Healdsburg, 707-431-2148, meekerwine.com
Ty Caton Vineyards
With his vineyard in the Moon Mountain District of the Mayacamas mountains and his tasting room on the valley floor below, in Kenwood, Ty Caton’s Classic Tasting Experience, at $20, is a cool way to sample hillside-grown red wines for a reasonable price.
Caton uses grapes from his family’s 40-acre Caton Vineyard for all his wines and produces a whopping nine vineyard-designated cabernet sauvignons in some vintages. Merlot, petite sirah and syrah might also appear in the tasting, as well as Tytanium, a blend of six red grapes grown in the vineyard. The Caton Cabernet Collection Experience is $30, focused on block-specific cabernet sauvignons.
A barbecue plate at Austin’s Southern Smoke BBQ in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
A good barbecued brisket is the most primal of foods, smokey and charred, with soft pads of melted fat that make our necks go limp with joy, our faces raised to the heavens with happiness. At least that’s what mine does, because a well-cooked brisket is a thing of wonder worth an amen any day.
As the founder of Austin’s Southern Smoke BBQ, Kris Austin is among the faithful believers of investing time in worth-the-wait barbecue, turning the muscly cut of beef into a soulful Texas-style, smoke-ringed slice of joy with the proper Southern ratio of fat to meat, meaning just enough but not too much. After 12 hours of white oak and almond wood smoke and 10 hours of resting, it’s just about right and ready to serve at his pop-up restaurant at Old Possum Brewing in Santa Rosa each Monday (although not Monday, Sept. 27).
Growing up in Kansas City, Memphis and Texas, I got to know the stark differences in the barbecue of each place. Texas barbecue is dry-rubbed, the others heavily mopped with sweet-tangy tomato-based sauce. They all have their merits, but Texas brisket, cut from the breast area of the steer, is my favorite. And no, tri-tip, cut from the other end of the steer and a favorite of Californians, is not brisket, so stop telling me it’s the same thing.
In addition to brisket, sourced from Joe Matos heritage-raised beef in Santa Rosa, Austin smokes pork and ribs and offers sweet cornbread, collard greens with smoked turkey, coleslaw and other weekly specials. Don’t expect super-saucy barbecue, because that’s not Austin’s style.
“I don’t over-sauce, because too much sauce is hiding something,” he said.
Kris Austin of Austin Barbecue at Old Possum Brewing in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)Brisket bowl at Austin’s Barbecue at Old Possum Brewing. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
The Mississippi-born Austin has barbecue in his soul. He learned the craft from his mother, aunts and uncles. As with any good apprentice, it took years for the tongs to pass to Austin, but like golf or food writing, you never really master it. You just keep working at it.
“I’ve been around barbecue pits from 10 years old. As a family, we processed our own hogs and got our own food. The only thing we bought from the store is milk, flour and sugar,” he said.
Austin isn’t the old-school pitmaster with a filthy apron and beer belly. He’s a personal trainer with a passion for barbecue run amok. As his fitness clients dried up during the pandemic, he decided to make the leap to barbecue catering after rave reviews about his cooking from friends and family.
That led to a Monday takeover at Old Possum, where Chef Carlos Rosas of Barrio Fresca Cocina Mexicana recently set up a cafe operating nightly out of the taproom’s kitchen.
It’s a leap of faith, but Austin believes whatever’s in store is for the best.
“God hasn’t let me down yet. When he’s closed a window, he’s opened a door,” he said.
For now, Austin is sticking to private catering, his Monday pop-up and taproom events, though he hopes to open a brick-and-mortar location or purchase a food truck in the future.
Like any good pitmaster, when he sells out, he sells out for the day, so go early.
Overall: Excellent Texas-style barbecue from a passionate pitmaster who knows his way around brisket and pork butts. The dishes are always a work in progress for this first-time chef, but Austin’s ’que is the real deal and worth a visit.
Barbecue nachos with pulled pork, nacho cheese, barbecue sauce, black beans and chimmichurri at Austin’s Barbecue at Old Possum Brewing. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Best Bets
Austin’s menu is brief but incorporates flavors from the South and California and inspiration from Rosas’ Barrio menu.
Nachos, Loaded Pork ($18) or brisket ($20): Juicy pulled pork floats above a raft of tortilla chips, black beans and straight-up ballpark nacho sauce (cause it’s freaking good). Sweet homemade barbecue sauce and a squeeze of citrusy chimichurri that adds dimension.
BBQ Bowl, Pork ($18) or brisket ($20): This is the most fusion dish, a mix of Barrio’s black rice and Chile Seco with Austin’s barbecued meat on top. Dark chocolate and smoked chili flavors of the seco echo the smoked meat for a rich, savory, earthy bowl. I’d love to see a side a sweet or vinegary sauce just to balance things out.
Combo Plate ($38): Brisket, pulled pork (some weeks it’s ribs), with collard greens, coleslaw and a cornbread muffin. This is the best way to see what Austin is working with. We loved the juicy pulled pork with crispy bits and melted fat. Austin adds a dash of his creamy vinegar sauce for an extra bump. Collard greens are legit but could use just a touch more vinegar and salt. Sweet cornbread muffins are a taste of home.
While you’re there, try out Old Possum Brewing’s lineup of tasty beers on tap. The covered patio is nicely spaced out, and dogs are welcome.
Austin’s Southern Smoke Barbecue, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, except Sept. 27. 357 Sutton Place, Santa Rosa, austinssouthernsmokebbq.com
