Our Favorite Soups in Sonoma County This Year

By Heather Irwin
Onion soup at Fandees Restaurant (7824 Covert Ln, Sebastopol). (Heather Irwin/Press Democrat)

A well-crafted soup says a lot about the temperament, creativity and patience of a chef.  In fact, learning to make a basic stock is one of the first (and most important) things a chef learns. Fail that, and you fail in the kitchen.

Deceptively simple, making soup is about time, seasoning and ingredients. No matter what the cuisine, every good restaurant has a massive pot of stock bubbling away on a back burner. Skimmed and simmered for up to 24 hours, it’s a literal melting pot for roasted bones and vegetable trimmings that comprise the foundation of a hearty, flavorful, steaming bowl of soup.

As the weather cools, now’s the time we really start looking for a warm cup of minestrone, posole, French onion or beef barley.  Here are some favorites…

Have a soup you’d like to see added to our list? Send a picture and a description to us.

Local Pastry Chef Featured on Food Network’s ‘Candy Land’

By Heather Irwin
Robert Nieto, Pastry Chef of Jackson Family Wines. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)

Now that the Great British Baking Show has broken all of our hearts, there’s something so much sweeter to love: “Candy Land.”

The Food Network show hosted by actress Kristin Chenoweth features a life-size, edible version of the much-loved children’s board game including a peppermint forest, chocolate mountain, lollipop woods and a licorice swamp. Thousands of pounds of candy, chocolate ganache, fresh cookies and other goodies were a dreamy larder for the contestants. According to the Food Network website, the contestants must forage for ingredients to use in their sugar masterpieces they then present to the judges.

Local pastry chef and chocolatier Robert Nieto of Jackson Family Wines and Fleur Sauvage Chocolate has helped his team sail through the first two rounds as they created a chocolate bridge (complete with gumdrop troll) and a fantasy chocolate blimp with cocoa nib race cars.

Before the show began taping in Long Beach last August, Nieto had to quarantine for a week in a hotel, where he made the cocoa nib molds — just for fun — because, well, that’s what he does.

“With the chocolate, I was just in my element,” he said.

Nieto, who has competed internationally with the US Pastry Team, joined four other bakers to make up Team Pink on the six-episode series, which premiered Nov. 15. None knew each other before the contest.

“You just show up on set and it’s go time,” he said, acknowledging that the first challenge was the hardest as they figured out where each of them fit in. His other teammates are primarily cake bakers, while Nieto has a strong background in chocolate and sugar modeling.

Nieto can’t say what happens on the next “Candy Land” episode, but he will confess that he gets a chance to be team leader (at some point) and watchers are in for a sweet treat.

If you’re dying to taste one of Nieto’s gourmet chocolates, he’ll be at the Healdsburg Farmers’ Market and Windsor Farmers Market through December. Or try his incredible desserts as part of the Jackson Family Wines’ wine pairings at Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens.

Other BiteClub News

Marla Bakery: One of Santa Rosa’s best-kept bakery secrets is popping up each Saturday throughout the month of December at Miracle Plum (208 Davis St., Santa Rosa, miracleplum.com) in Santa Rosa. Superstars of the SF bakery scene, Joe Wolf and Amy Brown, have moved to Sonoma County with their kids and are now bringing us their famous English muffins, bagels, pastries and bread starting Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. You will want to get in on that breakfast action. They’ll also be doing pre-order pickups at their new Windsor bakery on Sundays for those in the know. Stay up to speed at marlabakery.com.

Where to Get Traditional Doughnuts for Hanukkah in Sonoma County

By Michele Anna Jordan

From late November through December, nearly 20 million jelly doughnuts, known as sufganiyot, are devoured in Israel as one of Hanukkah’s traditional treats. As their popularity has grown, so has the range of fillings, from the traditional raspberry and cherry jam to the more unusual rose petal jelly. Israeli versions include nutmeg in the dough and a final dusting of powdered sugar.

Why doughnuts for Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights? The holiday celebrates the miracle of the oil, specifically lamp oil that should have lasted for only one night somehow lasting for eight. Doughnuts, like the more familiar latkes, are fried in, yes, oil.

Over the last few decades, sufganiyot have grown in popularity in the United States, including in Sonoma County. If you have a neighborhood doughnut shop, ask if they offer them during the holidays. If not, you’ll find delicious versions of the traditional recipe at these spots.

City Garden Doughnuts & Coffee

1200 Fourth St., Santa Rosa 707-595-1932

Grossman’s Noshery & Bar

308 Wilson St., Santa Rosa 707-595-7707

Johnny Doughnuts

1617 Fourth St., San Rafael 415-450-1866

Where to Find Mistletoe Outdoors in Sonoma County

By Abigail Peterson
Get in the winter spirit by searching for mistletoe out and about in Sonoma County. (HildaWeges Photography/Shutterstock.com)

Forget about that sad sprig of mistletoe hanging all by its lonely self. For a more appropriately Sonoma-style spin on the holiday tradition, find a spot underneath the mistletoe along one of our many woodland trails. Mistletoe grows widely in our deciduous valley oaks, and it’s easily recognized this time of year, when the leaves have fallen and the delicate shapes of the oaks’ branchwork are revealed. Though it represents a sweet custom, in reality the parasitic mistletoe can damage the health of our oaks; large infestations harm trees by sapping water and nutrients. But nonetheless, the time spent hiking outdoors to spot the bright-green, lacy garnishes will bring calm and good health to your season.

Spot mistletoe in the oak woodlands at these local parks.

Glen Ellen

Eldridge Trail to Fern Lake. Begin at the end of Orchard Road on the campus of the Sonoma Developmental Center.

Windsor

Foothill Regional Park. 1351 Arata Lane.

Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve. 2080 Kawana Terrace or 3820 Petaluma Hill Rd.

7 Sonoma Restaurants to Visit Right Now for Outdoor Dining and Takeout

By Heather Irwin
Fried chicken and waffles at Blue Ridge Kitchen in Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)

Blue Ridge Kitchen

Sebastopol’s Barlow center is having its close-up moment. After some stunning lows over the years — namely, the 2018 flood that left shops and restaurants literally underwater — the sprawling outdoor marketplace is suddenly a poster child for outdoor entertainment in the pandemic age.

Restaurants are bustling, as are taprooms, tasting rooms, and stores, as those in need of a little vitamin D with their craft brew gather, socially distanced, for a much-needed outing.

The newest entrant is Blue Ridge Kitchen, a Southern(ish) restaurant that was designed to be a sort of something-for-everyone spot similar to Napa’s Rutherford Grill or the iconic Buckeye Roadhouse. With plenty of fast-casual and cocktail-cool dining concepts in the Barlow, Blue Ridge is the approachable anchor restaurant missing since the departure of zazu farm + restaurant in 2018.

Not that fellow Barlow restaurants, including Sushi Kosho, The Farmer’s Wife, Barrio, Acre Pizza, and Fern Bar don’t have their own brisk followings. It’s just that Blue Ridge is where you take your mom for a two-mimosa brunch with fried chicken and waffles so good she’ll forgive you for the belly button ring in 1997.

Like a good SpongeBob episode, Blue Ridge Kitchen transcends its intended audience. Chef Matt D’Ambrosi (Spoonbar, Harmon Guest House, Pizzando) is keen to throw a few curveballs with deconstructed plating (Mississippi mud pie), culinary winks such as Asian pear coulis with the tuna tartare and an anise-y fennel-pollen ricotta in his tomato salad, and surprises like saffron béchamel and caviar classing up the Croque Madame.

Sure, there are moments when things like sumac powder or endless microgreens seem overly fussy. But chefs live for accessorizing their dishes. We think Coco Chanel summed it up best, however, when she decreed that a well-dressed plate should always have one thing removed before leaving the kitchen. Or something like that.

Don’t miss the Croque Madame, $25, which is the Liberace of sandwiches. Its jeweled capelets of griddled brioche sit in a dainty puddle of golden saffron bechamel. Up top is a jaunty chapeau of sunny-side-up eggs and sequins of caviar. Peering inside, you’ll find a symphony of fontina, country ham, and freaking lobster. You can’t look away from that.

Also especially special is the Fried Chicken and Waffles, $19, petite thyme and rosemary waffles that keep their structure, with two manageable pieces of perfectly fried chicken. Bigger isn’t always better. Bits of bacon and smoked syrup bring the whole thing together. I approve this dish.

What we’ll return for: It’s pretty impossible to get through the menu in even three or four visits, but we’re looking forward to trying the Roasted Cauliflower Steak; Matt’s Smash Burger; a dino-sized Tomahawk steak; and the Chef’s Raw Platter, a fresh seafood tower.

Blue Ridge Kitchen. Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (until 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday). 6770 McKinley St., Suite 150, Sebastopol, 707-222-5040, brkitchen.com

Tamales Oaxaqueños

Filled with meat, vegetables, and cheese and wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves, these ancient corn masa cakes are the original fast food. But Sonoma County radio host and businessman Neil Pacheco wants to elevate this ubiquitous street fare into something far grander. Pairing the salsas and long-simmered homemade moles of his Oaxacan ancestors with a handful of California cuisine-inspired ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, finishing salt, edible flowers, and microgreens, Pacheco has created Tamales Oaxaqueños, a newcomer to Roseland’s Mitote Food Park.

Pacheco teamed with longtime tamale-maker Maria Castillo of Tamales Magos to produce the tamales and make his dream a reality. Don’t miss the tamales de puerco en mole Oaxaqueño negro (pork tamales in Oaxacan black mole), featuring a mix of cinnamon, citrus, and chocolate. This long-simmered sauce tastes like Christmas morning.

Open 4-10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. 655 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, in the Mitote Food Park

Quick Hits for Takeout

Mary’s Pizza Shack: The new crispy chicken sandwich ($10.95) is as good as I’d dared to hope. A toasty brioche bun, not-too-thick fried chicken patty, chili mayo, Parmesan cheese, and pickled onion with cabbage and arugula slaw pairs perfectly with my third glass of Chardonnay. My go-to however, is their chicken parmigiana ($14.75) with tart tomato sauce, melted provolone, and creamy fettuccine Alfredo. I eat it while hiding in the garage from my family. Ten locations throughout Sonoma. maryspizzashack.com

Taqueria California: My kids discovered this spot on Doordash and we’ve never looked back. The crispy carnitas and al pastor tacos were still shockingly good even after they sweated it out in a delivery driver’s car. In fact, these are the tastiest carnitas I’ve had in a very, very long time. Leftovers were perfect while we watched a bloodred sunset and chunks of ash falling from the sky. 750 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa, 707-595-3363.

Zoftig Eatery: Is falafel a vegetable? I’ve decided it is. This breakfast/lunch spot near Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital is doing a brisk business satisfying stresseating hospital workers and my family. You can go either way here, with a kindahealthy falafel wrap (hummus, cucumber raita, pickled onions, veggies, tahini dressing, sparkles of hope) or the K-Town buttermilk-fried chicken sandwich with gochujang barbecue sauce, sesame aioli, jalapeño, and lime. A perfect handheld lunch for those days when you’re walking in circles questioning reality. 57 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-521-9554, zoftigeatery.com

Haku Sushi: Wacky sushi rolls with names like Thunder Down Under and Funny Feeling Down There. Hours of parental giggling ensue as your teenage children roll their eyes in disgust after hearing your phone order. Win! 518 Seventh St., Santa Rosa, 707-541-6359.

Castaneda’s: The family “Super Snack Pack” comes with six crispy tacos, four burrito halves, tater tot nachos, and grilled shrimp ($40). Order one for them, then sneak another into your bedroom and lock the door, yelling, “No one home!” when anyone knocks. Also an ideal reward for crabby husbands who’ve been stuck “homeschooling” the children all day. 8465 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 707-838-8820.

Santa Rosa’s Left Edge Theatre Performs Provocative Work About the First Thanksgiving

By Karen Kizer
Playwright Larissa FastHorse.

What’s a playwright to do when theater groups say they can’t produce your plays because they can’t find Native American actors for the Native American roles you’ve written? For writer Larissa FastHorse, the answer was easy.

She penned “The Thanksgiving Play” — a play about a play of the first Thanksgiving, in which all the characters are … white.

What could possibly be awkward about that? As it turns out, all 90 minutes of it. And American theater audiences are eating it up.

In one of the most performed plays of the year, FastHorse — a member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation and a 2020 MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” winner — lampoons “performative white wokeness” via her story of four white theater artists devising a school play to honor Indigenous people. The progressive characters’ careful-not-to-offend sensibilities leads their fictional group to omit Native American characters from their play altogether. Hilarity and horror ensue, all told through language of great white guilt and more than a dash of discomfort.

Santa Rosa’s acclaimed Left Edge Theatre company is producing the play live via Zoom just in time for the holiday — yes, the very same one with the turkey, stuffing, and problematic history.

“The play’s conceit is very funny and clever, but also subversive,” says Left Edge Theatre Artistic Director Argo Thompson. That’s a good match for a troupe whose mission is to produce new, lesser-known works that are both “left and edgy.”

The show was picked last fall for Left Edge’s current season by the company’s own audience. In an innovative tactic to engage with their patrons, the Left Edge team presents a showcase of scenes from 10 plays as possibilities for the upcoming season, and the audience votes on a lineup of five to produce at full length. “

Glen Ellen resident and local theater critic Jeanie K. Smith is switching up her typical role to direct “The Thanksgiving Play.” Smith has been interested in FastHorse’s work since she reviewed a production of her play “Cow Pie Bingo” in 2018.

“‘Cow Pie Bingo’ was so quirky, sweet, funny, and smart,” says Smith. “When I read ‘The Thanksgiving Play,’ I thought, ‘This is brilliant — insanely good.’” Smith has always had a taste for theater that pushes the envelope. She wrote a doctoral dissertation on feminist performance art of the ’70s and ’80s, which she describes as “so fabulously different and political, intriguing and weird.” She has also worked in and enjoyed another form of courageous theater: being a drama teacher for middle schoolers.

Consistent through her roles — from scholar to teacher to critic — is her belief that good theater is “its own consciousness-raising event” and “has the power to create better human beings.”

And while “The Thanksgiving Play” has gotten some criticism for the lack of solutions it presents, Smith rejects the idea, believing the problem-solving falls on the viewer.

“The play is just the beginning,” she says, referencing a FastHorse interview. It’s in the new perspectives and conversations that happen after the show where the “messy” work of meaningful change happens.

Larissa FastHorse’s The Thanksgiving Play from Left Edge Theatre, streaming live November 6-15 and on demand November 16-29. Tickets $10-$30. 707-546-3600 or leftedgetheatre.com/tickets.

Best Sonoma Wineries to Visit This Winter

By Jean Saylor Doppenberg
Tasting area at Dutcher Crossing winery in Geyserville. (Dutcher Crossing)

Aperture Cellars

Winemaker Jesse Katz has an impressive resume, capped by the opening of a beautiful new facility where he can show off his skills. Plenty of outdoor and indoor spaces allow for intimate tasting experiences to enjoy Katz’s portfolio of fine wines, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, and a Bordeaux-style red blend of Malbec and Merlot.

Katz has experience working at Petrus in Bordeaux, and also in Argentina. Closer to home, he had a hand in the production of Screaming Eagle wines in Napa Valley and at Lancaster Estate in Sonoma County.

He sources his fruit for the Aperture label, which was under development for 11 years, from approximately 140 acres of vineyards in Sonoma County, including 32 planted acres on the estate site.

The new 4,000-square-foot tasting room, which opened earlier this year, takes advantage of natural light and has a gallery-inspired atmosphere.

A collection of photographs taken around the world by Katz’s father, renowned photographer Andy Katz, surround visitors. The outdoor terrace overlooks the estate vineyards, facing west toward the Russian River, and the indoor spaces include vineyard views through floor-to-ceiling windows.

“We are delighted to show guests and friends a transportive hospitality experience,” explains Jesse. “This new space is stunning — it’s the Aperture story in building form.”

At press time, Aperture was offering two tasting experiences: the Soil Series tasting ($50) featuring Bordeaux-inspired blends, and the Site Series ($75) showcasing the vineyards of Alexander Valley, with wines produced from single-vineyard locations.

12291 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 707-200-7891, aperture-cellars.com. By appointment only; reservations available online.

Dutcher Crossing Winery

Dutcher Crossing has a long legacy of making exceptional wines, and under the ownership of proprietor Debra Mathy and the winemaking expertise of Nick Briggs, the winery has expanded production from five wines to more than 30. Seated tastings by appointment ($35) last about 90 minutes. “We’re planning special varietal or vintage weekends for the holiday months, where we present a different wine flight from the regular tasting that focuses on one varietal or one vintage, and even a barrel tasting opportunity,” says manager Miranda Hagedorn.

8533 Dry Creek Road, Geyserville, 707-431-2700, dutchercrossingwinery.com

Flanagan Wines

Eric Flanagan planted his first vineyard almost 20 years ago in Bennett Valley, which yielded 150 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon. He later added Syrah to the label, then Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Flanagan sources his grapes from vineyards he owns around the region, including Platt Ranch in Bodega and Gap’s View in the Petaluma Gap AVA. The label also bottles a Viognier made from Bennett Valley AVA fruit, and a Merlot. The by-appointment-only tasting experience ($40) is available three times per day and lasts 60 to 90 minutes.

435 W. Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-723-8800, flanaganwines.com

Fog Crest Vineyard

James and Rosalind Manoogian developed a fascination with great wine when James was a restaurateur in San Francisco. The couple found a 30-acre parcel in Sonoma County in 1997, and their grapegrowing and winemaking adventure was underway. Rosalind Manoogian reports that their tasting room has been “very busy” since reopening. “A few days ago we had more reservations than we’ve ever had. Our visitor numbers are basically the same as last year at this time.”

7606 Occidental Road, Sebastopol, 707-829-2006, fogcrestvineyard.com

Goldschmidt Vineyards

The Pour House is the first tasting room to spotlight Goldschmidt wines, and it’s also a collective of three family-operated wineries (the others are Optima and Lago di Merlo). Winemaker Nick Goldschmidt has a portfolio of several labels, having been in the wine business for many years and in many places, including Chile and New Zealand. Goldschmidt received two gold medals in the 2020 North Coast Wine Challenge, for Cabernet and Chardonnay. A flight of four tastes is $10.

4791 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-0100, thepourhouse707.com, goldschmidtvineyards.com

Hanna Winery

Hanna may be best known for winemaker Jeff Hinchliffe’s perennially award-winning Sauvignon Blanc, but he also produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Malbec, and many others. The winery was founded by heart surgeon Dr. Elias Hanna and is now run by his daughter Christine Hanna. Take in the spectacular Alexander Valley scenery with tastings from $35 to $45, or visit the Russian River Valley location adjacent to the winery’s production hub, with tastings starting at $30.

9280 Highway 128, Healdsburg, 707-431-4310; and 5353 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa, 707-575-3371, hannawinery.com

Highway 12 Vineyards & Winery

Friends and winemakers Michael Sebastiani and Paul Giusto founded this label together several years ago, focusing on Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. (They also bottle the Highwayplanted man and Carneros Highway labels.) Their flagship Bordeaux-style blend is made with equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

23564 Arnold Drive, Sonoma (at Cornerstone Sonoma), 707-935-8815, highway12winery.com

Imagery Estate Winery

Joe Benziger founded Imagery Estate more than three decades ago, and today his daughter Jamie is winemaker, producing Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Tempranillo. More unusual Albariño and Lagrein may also be on the tasting menu ($30 for five tastes). “Guests who come for a seated tasting during the holiday months will get a bonus pour of our newly released sparkling brut rosé,” says Hilary Clair, tasting room manager. Imagery was awarded several gold medals at the 2020 North Coast Wine Challenge, including for its Malbec and its ‘Tusca Brava’ red blend.

14335 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen, 877-550-4278, imagerywinery.com

Larson Family Winery

More than 10 varietals are bottled at this 5,000-case winery, which sits on land that has been in the Larson family since 1877. The Larsons initially raised cattle and ponies here; the first grapevines were in the 1970s. They are known for excellent Pinot Grigio, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Tempranillo, Chardonnay, and Gewürztraminer. The family’s Pinot received a gold medal in the 2020 North Coast Wine Challenge. In a tribute to their winery dogs, they also bottle ‘Three Lab Cab’ and ‘Three Lab Chard.’

23355 Millerick Road, Sonoma, 707-938-3031, larsonfamilywinery.com

Mayo Family Winery

Founded in 1994, the winery owned and operated by the Mayo family produces more than 20 different single-vineyard wines every year. The tasting choices can range from sparklers and Chardonnay to Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. The main tasting room in Glen Ellen is open daily; the Reserve Room has a food-pairing focus, and reservations are required. President Jeffrey Mayo says visitors during the holiday months can expect to sip at least two new sparkling releases. “We’ll be pouring our 2012 reserve brut and the 2015 regular brut,” he explains. “Both are Chardonnay and Pinot blends, and they are delicate, fruity, and incredible.”

13101 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-938-9401; and the Reserve Room, 9200 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, 707-833-5504, mayofamilywinery.com

Seghesio Family Vineyards

Five generations of the Seghesio family have farmed grapes and bottled fine wine over the past 125 years, a legacy that’s hard to match elsewhere in Sonoma County. They produce Zinfandel, Chardonnay, a white wine made from Vermentino grapes, and such Italian heritage varietals as Aglianico and Barbera. “Venom” is the name of their 100% Sangiovese. The classic seated tasting ($25) features a flight of current release Zinfandels and Italian varietals.

700 Grove St., Healdsburg, 707-433-3579, seghesio.com

Wilson of Dry Creek

The Wilson family made their bones at this winery, one of several they own and operate in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. They know what they’re doing: this winery picked up 18 gold medals at the 2020 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and many more golds at the 2020 North Coast Wine Challenge. Wilson specializes in Zinfandel and also bottles Petite Sirah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. A signature deck tasting includes a flight of four wines served at a private table ($25, by appointment only).

1960 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-4355, wilsonwinery.com

8 Indie Wineries to Check Out in Sonoma

By Linda Murphy

Flying mostly under radar, there are dozens of Sonoma wineries making micro-amounts of wine — many without high-tech production facilities or tasting rooms, selling directly to the public. Here are eight worth seeking out.

Caleb Leisure Wines

Many visitors to the Republic of Georgia return home to rave about the wines and the novelty of them being fermented in clay pots buried in the ground. Winemakers around the world experiment with in-ground clay vessels, but Sonoma’s Caleb Leisure might be the only one in the US to use authentic qvevri from Georgia, costing thousands of dollars each. Not an oak barrel in sight. The oval-shaped qvevri are lined with beeswax and are stored in a Sonoma Mountain hillside, behind Coturri Winery. Leisure was lured to winemaking specifically by the natural, sulfur-free qvevri method, and in 2017, began fermenting Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Mourvedre and other grapes underground. He’s up to 1,000 cases of natural wines a year, with more story behind them that marketers can’t buy. The wines are unfiltered, keeping with the natural theme, yet remarkably bright.

calebleisurewines.com 

Enriquez Family Wines

Cecilia Enriquez’s father, Eduardo, was intrigued by the wine business; she was not impressed working for a bank and agreed to help him. Cecilia was 22 when she discovered Sonoma, and it became the place she and her New Jersey family would purchase vineyard land and start their brand in 2011. Now the proprietor and president of the company, Cecilia works with her winemaker husband, Dana von Sternberg (Vokel Cellars), at their rustic barn winery in Forestville. Among her unusual wines: aged (and brilliant) dry Muscat and a Brisa white blend from Russian River Valley, and two Tempranillos from the Petaluma Gap. The Forestville estate vineyard is prominently Pinot Noir and is another, more traditional focus for Enriquez.

enriquezwines.com 

Idle Cellars

Berkeley resident Ari Heavner and Southern Californian Ben Larks connected in 2006 while working harvest in Sonoma. Soon thereafter, they founded Idle Cellars and are going strong, 13 years later. They took the classic California winemaking path, producing micro-lots of Grenache Blanc, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and other wines, from such Sonoma vineyards as Los Chamizal in Sonoma Valley, Mounts in Dry Creek Valley, Peaceland in the Fountaingrove District and Catherine Bonneau in Los Carneros. Heavner and Larks own no vineyards nor winemaking equipment, employing a custom-rush facility and doing all the work themselves. The brand name comes from the idle time the friends enjoy, drinking wine with family and friends.

idlecellars.com 

Jolie-Laide Wines

Restaurateur Scott Schultz transitioned to winemaking in 2007, working for Pax Mahle, among others. His personal label, Jolie-Laide (it loosely translates to “beautiful-ugly,” reflects his choice of unglamorous grape varieties, among them Melon de Bourgone, Valdigue and Trousseau Gris. Like many independents, Schultz sources fruit from within and outside Sonoma, including Mendocino, Monterey and El Dorado counties. Some of his whites are given some skin contact during fermentation, adding richness and texture; the Trousseau Gris from Peter Fanucchi’s Russian River Valley vineyard is a fine example.

jolielaidewines.com

Martha Stoumen Wines

Stoumen makes her wines at Pax Mahle Winery at The Barlow in Sebastopol and has earned an avid following for what she doesn’t do to the juice. She is a local face for natural wines, those produced with as little human intervention as possible. That means organically grown grapes, no commercial yeasts for fermentation, and little, if any, post-fermentation stabilizers or enzymes. The Sebastopol native does add small amounts of sulfur as a preservative, but the goal is for her wines reflect the place they were grown, without masking the character with additives. Her Nero d’Avola comes from the warm interior of Mendocino County. There is also a sparkling Zinfandel, unusual blends and a more traditionally styled Petite Sirah. Like many “natural’ wines (there is no official definition for the term), a Stoumen wine occasionally has a funky note, and she’s OK with that.

marthastoumen.com

Raft Wines

Jennifer Reichardt grew up on her family’s duck farm near Petaluma. Her father, Jim Reichhardt, established the Liberty Duck brand, prized by chefs everywhere. Jennifer is now chief operating officer of the company and makes time to produce Raft Wines – a raft is a group of ducks – for which she sources Picpoul Blanc and Grenache Blanc from El Dorado County, Counoise and Viognier from Madera County, and Syrah from Sonoma. Low alcohol levels and food-friendliness are her mantras – particularly if they match with Liberty Duck. Being around wine and wineries via the food industry, Jennifer made what she calls an easy transition to working her first harvest in 2011 and launched Raft in 2016.

drink.raft.wine

Rootdown Wine Cellars

From an enclave of winemaking stalls on Hassett Lane in Geyserville, Mike Lucia makes Rootdown wines, taking it from a side project to a full-time business in 2016. Lucia focuses on varietals such as Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Trousseau and Mourvedre. Sonoma and Mendocino Counties are the primary sources for Rootdown grapes, and Lucia produces the wines as naturally as possible, using native yeasts, no new oak, and limited sulfur. The wines are racy and low in alcohol, crisp and refreshing rather than fruity and ripe. In late 2019, Lucia acquired the 150-acre Cole Ranch in a shockingly cool pocket of land near Ukiah, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Riesling. He’s begun a project to grow rare varieties that thrive in the Alps region of France. Mondeuse, anyone?

rootdownwinecellars.com

Ryme Cellars

Ryan and Meghan Glaab met while making wine in Australia, fell in love and married. They started Ryme Cellars in 2007 by crushing a ton of Aglianico, a rustic red grape. From there, they expanded to other obscure varieties such as Ribolla Gialla and Vermentino, as well as more traditional grapes Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The indie experimentation mode is apparent in the Glaabs’ “His” and “Hers” Vermentinos; Megan presses the grapes, lets the fermented juice settle, and bottles the wine at its freshest. Ryan’s Vermentino is harvested later, fermented on the skins, and aged longer. They now have a small tasting room in Forestville.

rymecellars.com

15 Sonoma Wineries With Warm and Cozy Outdoor Tastings

By Linda Murphy
Ledson Winery

Over the past seven months, Sonoma wineries have been busy adjusting to coronavirus restrictions. No longer able to host visitors indoors, many have modified their patios, great lawns, walkways and even parking lots to accommodate seated tastings outdoors. Those changes, plus virtual tastings, online wine sales and free delivery, have kept many wineries in business.

But it’s now mid-November. Much-needed rain has started to fall and temperatures are dropping. For now, there’s no retreating inside to toasty tasting rooms warmed by fireplaces and decorated for the holidays. However, with the Thanksgiving weekend ahead, wineries are again adapting to conditions by looking to tents, canopies, space heaters and plush blankets to make their guests as comfortable as possible.

For Joy Sterling of Iron Horse Vineyards in Sebastopol, being limited to outdoor tastings is not a big deal. Year-around, her family’s wines are poured outdoors; there is no indoor tasting room. There is, however, a magnificent view to the east of the Mayacamas Mountains, sometimes dusted with snow. Four walls would deprive visitors of the full-view beauty of the place. Heaters and farm-market-style tents are always on hand for chilly, rainy days and have been dusted off for the looming winter weather.

It’s a bit more lavish at Muscardini Cellars in Sonoma Valley, which has taken on the coronavirus challenges with a Winter Wonderland Tent for tastings and pairings and a Meet Your Palate tasting experience (Nov. 21-22), featuring a blind tasting of wines that are great mates for the Thanksgiving table.

These Sonoma wineries have scrambled yet again to host visitors under COVID restrictions, offering cozy rather than chilly receptions in trying circumstances. Remember to make a reservation in advance.

Alexander Valley Vineyards

Like many longtime wineries, Alexander Valley Vineyards relied on indoor tastings at its cozy bar, conducive to collegial conversation. COVID forced tastings to be moved to the covered outdoor porch, though the comfortable vibe continues. During chilly weather, each table will have a pyramid patio propane heater to ward off the cold. Space is limited to four tables, with a maximum six guests per table, for the Estate and Reserve tastings. Cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel are the calling cards, and estate-grown chardonnay and pinot noir do well in Alexander Valley’s typically warm climate, with vines cooled by the Russian River.

8644 Hwy 128, Healdsburg. 707-433-7209 x116, avvwine.com

Benovia Winery

Winemaker and partner Mike Sullivan excels at producing so many varietals that it’s difficult to choose favorites. Chardonnay and pinot noir, grenache and zinfandel and sophisticated sparkling wines are all outstanding. Taste a selection of them at the winery’s Ranch House on the Martaella Estate Vineyard in Russian River Valley. Alfresco tastings at Benovia are hosted on a deck that wraps around the Ranch House and offers views of Mount St. Helena. Benovia has added awnings, space heaters and blankets for visitors.

3339 Hartman Road, Santa Rosa, 707-921-1040, benoviawinery.com

Bucher Wines

By appointment, Diane and John Bucher pour their Russian River Valley estate-grown wines at Grand Cru Custom Crush in Windsor. “We roll up our beautiful glass doors, position a large heater in the open doorway and guests can be a few feet inside our salons and enjoy tasting,” Diane Bucher said. “As there is plenty of fresh air, we encourage guests to dress warmly.” The Buchers grow pinot noir in the Middle Reach area of Russian River Valley, with the wines made by Adam Lee of Siduri Wines fame. All the pinots (and a late-harvest sauvignon blanc) are big-flavored and juicy; if it’s available, don’t miss tasting the 2018 Pommard Clone Pinot Noir.

Grand Cru Custom Crush, 1200 American Way, Windsor, 707-484-5162, bucher.wine/our-wines/taste

Copain Wines

Wineries along Westside Road southwest of Healdsburg get more than their share of attention. After all, Rochioli, Williams Selyem, Gary Farrell, MacRostie and Flowers are here. But don’t forget about Eastside Road, which parallels Westside Road along the Russian River, and Copain Wines. The winery overlooks the river and produces site-specific chardonnays, pinot noirs and syrahs. Guests sit at private outdoor tables; in cold and/or rainy weather, seatings are in covered, heated areas.

7800 Eastside Road, Healdsburg, 707-836-8822, copainwines.com

Chalk Hill Estate Winery

Rain or shine, this Windsor estate offers tastings as well as wine and food pairings, including the “Fried Chicken & Caviar Chardonnay Pairing for Two.” Current tastings are on the patio, with tents pitched for inclement weather. At press time, Chalk Hill was poised to move winter wine and culinary experiences to a former dressage horse riding arena, with its covered roof and open-air sides. It’s now an elegant space, repurposed by owner Bill Foley from previous owner Peggy Furth’s equally grand equine center.

10300 Chalk Hill Road, Healdsburg, 707-657-1809, chalkhill.com

Dry Creek Vineyard

Kim Stare Wallace and her team, which includes winemaker Tim Bell, continue to produce excellent-value wines, after Stare Wallace’s father, Dave, founded the winery in 1972. Sauvignon blanc and zinfandel are strong suits, and the merlots, cabernet sauvignons and Bordeaux-style blends over-deliver for their price. Blessed with a large lawn in front of the tasting room, Dry Creek Vineyard offers outdoor seated tastings there by appointment when the weather is dry; a tented area with socially distant seating is available for rainy days. Blankets are available for chilly days.

3770 Lambert Bridge Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-1000, drycreekvineyard.com

Iron Horse Vineyards

Some of the finest sparkling wines from California, as well as elegant chardonnays and pinot noir table wines, are produced by the Sterling family at Iron Horse. The wines can be tasted at the outdoor tasting “room” with views of Mount St. Helena. There is also physically distanced seating in a gazebo for bottle purchases, with an option to pre-order picnic-style meals from Big Bottom Market in Guerneville. Don’t miss the biscuits; they pair beautifully with the Classic Vintage Brut bubbly.

9786 Ross Station Road, Sebastopol, 707-887-1507, ironhorsevineyards.com

Keller Estate

Walking tours of the Petaluma Gap estate, with its vineyards, outdoor artwork, olive groves and south-facing views, are an invigorating part of each visit, unless it’s raining. In that case, Ana Keller and her team move the experience to the Classic Collection Room, with its wide double doors open to the view of the vineyards and perhaps a classic car in the background. Tastings of Keller’s chardonnays, pinot noirs, rosés and sparkling wines (and an deep, earthy, under-the-radar syrah-based wine called Rotie) are intimate, with one small party per time slot. Through Dec. 5, guests who bring a lightly used winter coat, to be donated to Larkin Street Youth Services in San Francisco, receive two tastings for the price of one.

5875 Lakeville Highway, Petaluma, 707-765-2117, kellerestate.com

La Crema Estate

Jackson Family Wines’ revitalization of the Saralee’s Vineyard site in Russian River Valley was designed to take advantage of this grand outdoor location, with additional tastings indoors of the chardonnays and pinot noirs. The winery’s outdoor patios come into play during the pandemic, with their high plexiglas screens providing overhead coverage from rain and limiting direct wind gusts on guests. Fresh air flows though the seating areas, and heaters are there for warmth.

3575 Slusser Road, Windsor, 707-525-6200, lacrema.com

Ledson Vineyards & Winery

Steve Ledson has been known to throw a tent event or two on his Kenwood estate. His winery building, known as the Castle, has several indoor tasting areas, but a tent has been used for special events for years, and it has come in handy during pandemic times. The tent is heated for cold-weather visits, and guests can order fresh sandwiches and cheese and charcuterie plates from Ledson’s Gourmet Marketplace. The list of wines produced is lengthy, with a bottle for every taste.

7335 Highway 12, Kenwood, 707-537-3810, ledson.com

Muscardini Cellars

Mike Muscardini’s cabernet sauvignons and Italian-style red wines are big, bold and ideal for enjoying in late fall and winter. His Winter Wonderland Tent, which opened Nov. 7 and runs into early 2021, is decked with 2,000 sparkling lights and silver snowflakes, with a selection of olive oils, chocolates and other treats for sale. Several sensory experiences are offered by appointment, including a blind tasting of wines that are great mates for the Thanksgiving table (Nov. 21-22) and a chocolate-with-wine pairing session of Muscardini wines with sweets created by master chocolatier Sebastian Beline (Dec. 5-Feb. 28, 2021).

9380 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, 707-933-9305, muscardinicellars.com

Papapietro Perry Winery

This pinot noir specialist, previously offering traditional tastings at its indoor bar, expanded and covered its outdoor deck just before the pandemic hit. It was a prescient move, as the Dry Creek Valley winery has been able to host visitors outside since March, physically distanced. Heaters are at the ready for chilly days, and logo blankets are sold for additional warmth. Tastings include five wines; charcuterie boards can be added for additional cost.

4791 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-0422, papapietro-perry.com

Pedroncelli Winery

This 90-year-old winery has weathered many a storm, including wars, Prohibition and depressions. As a family-owned winery, it’s tackled coronavirus with determination, now with the purchase of a tent for sheltered outdoor winter tastings and the addition of space heaters. Plush logo blankets are sold at winery cost to guests, and flights have been developed (Elegant Pursuits, Pedroncelli Starters and others) so visitors can choose a flight at the time of booking and have it ready upon arrival. Pedroncelli wines offer excellent value; zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon and sangiovese and a sauvignon blanc are strengths.

1220 Canyon Road, Geyserville, 707-857-3531, pedroncelli.com

Rodney Strong Vineyards

If you’ve ever attended one of Rodney Strong’s summer concerts, know that the Concert Green Stage is where outdoor tastings are now being held. The stage, where the Beach Boys, Hall and Oates, Huey Lewis and others have performed, is covered by a permanent tent top, with open sides for air and heating lamps to keep people warm. Multiple tasting experiences are offered, including those from Rodney Strong Vineyards and sister brands Davis Bynum and Rowen Wine Co.

11455 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 707-431-1533, rodneystrong.com

Vérité

Here is a rare opportunity to taste wines that cost $400 or more per bottle, score in the high 90s and even 100 points from prestigious critics and are sold almost exclusively to mailing-list members and collectors. That Vérité now welcomes guests to sample its three Bordeaux-style red blends (Le Désir, La Muse, La Joie), made by Pierre Seillan from Sonoma grapes, is rather remarkable. For $150 per person, the three current-release Vérité wines, plus an older library wine, are poured in a heated tent for a maximum six persons. Oenophiles, take advantage of the opportunity while it lasts.

4611 Thomas Road, Healdsburg, 433-9000, veritewines.com

Fourth Street Social in Downtown Santa Rosa Appeals to Meat and Plant Eaters Alike

By Heather Irwin
Jackfruit pulled “pork” sliders with slaw at Fourth Street Social in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)

Who eats more plant-based “meat” products than vegans and vegetarians? Turns out, everyone does.

Skyrocketing sales of meatless burgers like the Beyond burger and other “faux” animal proteins are being driven almost exclusively by meat eaters looking for healthier alternatives. A 2019 study by NPD Group, a market research company, found that more than 90% of plant-based meat and dairy fans just wanted more variety in their diets.

It makes sense, if you think about it. Not many vegetarians are thrilled about experiencing something that looks like blood coming out of their burger — even if it is vegetable-based. At least that’s what my meat-free friends tell me.

But finding restaurants that have a strong appeal for both meat eaters and plant eaters is as rare as civil discourse on politics at the Thanksgiving table. It’s a dream but rarely a reality.

Enter Fourth Street Social in downtown Santa Rosa, located in the former Jade Room, as a new alternative.

Co-owner Melissa Matteson, who owns the restaurant with her husband, says as a former vegan, she struggled to find plant-based comfort food for years when she went out to eat.

“I wanted to do something for everyone, where you could go out with family and friends and finding something to eat was a 20 minute process,” she said.

Using her own recipes as inspiration, she’s created an approachable menu that serves up sustainably raised meat like Philly cheesesteak, along with vegetarian mushroom toast with pomegranate seeds or a variety of eye-tricking dishes like watermelon poke, jackfruit chicken nuggets and carrot “lox”.

What we love about Fourth Street Social Club is the unapologetic creativity in creating flavorfully crafted dishes that welcome almost any dietary preference. As a genre-bending menu, there are some hits and misses, but no doubt about the heart behind this new downtown space.

Open for all-day brunch, lunch and dinner, the restaurant also features an extensive beer, wine and cocktail list. Don’t miss the Michelada flight or “design you own mimosa” with a bottle of champagne and fruit juices.

Best Bets

Carrot “Lox” Plate, $15: Way back in 2017, I was floored by the carrot “lox” served at the now-shuttered Drawing Board restaurant in Petaluma. How a carrot could have a smoky, umami taste nothing like a carrot but reminiscent of cured and smoked salmon was mind-bending. This version is a bit simpler, but the salty, smoky strips of carrot smothered with vegan cream cheese, onions and capers is a tasty alternative to the real thing.

Watermelon Poke, $11/$17: This was one of my favorite dishes of the day — even though it had a few issues. Small ruby chunks of watermelon become tuna imitators atop a pile of jasmine rice, avocado and brilliant kimchi green onions. The cold, flavorless rice doesn’t add anything to the dish, and I would have tossed in some sesame oil to really boost up the flavor of the “poke”, but overall, this provocative dish impressed.

BBQ Sliders, $16: Jackfruit has become a common meat alternative due to its fibrous texture and mild flavor. Think of it as a chewier cousin to tofu, taking on the flavor of whatever sauce it’s paired with. Two small pretzel buns are piled high with slaw and flavorful barbecue jackfruit chunks. Solid.

Mushroom Pomegranate Toast, $12: Mushrooms and pomegranate seem like a super odd combination, but work nicely together as a bruschetta. Earthy, cooked mushrooms lighten up with a combination of rosemary and thyme. Tart pomegranate seeds — which are so of the moment — brighten the dish even more.

Jacked Up Popcorn Chikn, $10: Wedges of jackfruit are breaded and fried into a chicken-nugget look-alike. Alone, the jackfruit has a slight artichoke taste, but when dipped into vegan cilantro-lime aioli, honey mustard or buffalo sauce, they’re likely to pass the picky-eater test.

643 4th St, Santa Rosa, 707-978-3882, 4thstreetsocialclub.com. Open Thursday through Monday.