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12 Excellent Local Wines at Oliver’s Market for $25 or Less

February 2020

By Linda Murphy

Twenty dollars is the new $10 when it comes to purchasing interesting, well-made wines from Sonoma and Mendocino counties (Napa is a whole other story). So where can thrifty wine lovers find great bottles, outside of winery tasting rooms? There are several stores in the region that offer good deals. We picked Oliver’s Market for this article.

Why Oliver’s? Because it has four stores that are accessible to shoppers in Santa Rosa, Windsor and Cotati. It’s locally owned and focuses on local products and makers. The first store opened in 1972 and the company isn’t going anywhere soon. And Oliver’s offers smartly chosen, well-made wines that are affordable by today’s Wine Country standards.

To corporate wine and spirits buyer Richard Williams, an 11-year Oliver’s veteran and the one responsible for selecting the bottles and cans for the adult beverage aisles, “Local at Oliver’s means Sonoma County. We have products from elsewhere, of course, but if a wine is labeled as ‘local,’ it’s from Sonoma.”

Williams and his team taste every wine presented to them before they stock it, and value is always top of mind. This doesn’t mean all wines are inexpensive (check out the Champagne section), but they are appropriately priced for the interest and satisfaction they deliver.

According to Williams, all the Oliver’s Market stores stock the same wines, allowing him to place large orders and receive volume discounts. His current wine and liquor inventory is worth $1.4 million, he said, warehoused off-site and delivered to the stores to keep shelves and coolers stocked.

Some of those wines are made specifically for Oliver’s, by a Sonoma County winery Williams won’t name. “Oliver’s Own” wines — merlot, pinot noir and sangiovese are current fan favorites — cut out the middle men (and middle pricing) and give Williams the opportunity to dial up wines he thinks his customers will like.

Recent reports of California being awash in unsold wine in tanks and barrels, and of grapevines being pulled because there are no buyers for the fruit, are certainly discouraging to the wine industry. But it could be a boon for consumers, who might see a lowering of prices, albeit at the expense of growers and winemakers.

“There will be a lot of reasonably priced wines coming up in the next year or two,” Williams said. “A lot of discounts will be offered, and we’ll see new labels from the people who work the bulk market (buying finished wine and bottling it under their own labels).”

It’s a grape-glut cycle that comes along every decade or so, and there will be years of shortage, too. It’s how the wine business works, and it will be to shoppers’ benefit in the near future.

For now, here are 12 excellent-value wines from Oliver’s shelves, priced under $25.

White

Pech Merle Winery 2018 Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($12.99). This any-day sipper offers ripe white peach, mango and citrus aromas and flavors, balanced by bright acidity and with a wet-stone flintiness on the finish.

Leo Steen Wines 2017 Saini Farms Dry Creek Valley Chenin Blanc ($17.99). Vines planted more than 40 years ago produced this generously flavored wine with apple, pear, citrus and honeysuckle notes and a crisp finish. Few chenin vines remain in Sonoma County. Here is an opportunity to taste a fine example of the variety.

LIOCO 2016 Sonoma County Chardonnay ($19.99). This winery founded by sommeliers is trendy with, yes, other sommeliers and fans of subtle, elegant wines. This one is a fine and affordable introduction to LIOCO, coming mostly from Russian River Valley vineyards and showing racy Meyer lemon, golden apple and high-acid character. It’s a great mate with seafood.

MacRostie Winery 2017 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay ($21.99). This classy, cool-climate chardonnay from multiple vineyards comes at a remarkable price for the quality. It smacks of clean lemon meringue, pineapple and baked apple flavors, with hint of caramel and spice.

Rosé

Paradise Ridge 2018 Brides Blush Russian River Valley Rosé ($14.99). Winemaker Dan Barwick produced this wine that’s simply a joy to drink. The wild strawberry, red raspberry and watermelon character comes out in a juicy, full-flavored way, finishing crisp and refreshing.

Balletto Vineyards 2018 Russian River Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir ($16.99). The longtime, family-owned company grows its own grapes and makes a beautiful pink wine that’s elegant, bone dry on the palate and brisk. The mouthwatering finish goes on and on.

Sparkling

Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards Carneros Blanc de Noirs Brut ($16.99). This moderately rich yet racy wine is predominantly pinot noir, with a delicate pink color and vibrant red berry, cherry and strawberry personality. The price is right for this level of quality.

Red

Cline Cellars 2018 Sonoma Coast Syrah ($12.99). The Cline family’s Diamond Pile Estate in the Petaluma Gap AVA produced this wine that balances savory notes of black pepper, espresso and pleasant earthiness, with sweet, ripe blackberry and dark cherry fruit. Syrah skeptics, give it a try.

Highway 12 Vineyards and Winery 2016 Merlot Sonoma County ($14.99). Supple and juicy, as most expect merlot to be, it’s filled with black cherry and plum aromas and flavors and a lushness that invites another sip.

Gundlach Bundschu 2017 Mountain Cuvée Sonoma County ($18.99). This merlot- and cabernet sauvignon-based wine is a perennial crowd pleaser. Medium-full-bodied and with supple tannins, it‘s ready to drink now, without the challenging tannins of many Bordeaux-style reds this young.

L’Oliveto 2017 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley ($16.98). This mouthful of black cherry and blackberry juiciness and vibrant texture has a pleasant earthy edge and a hint of spice. It’s produced by Brack Mountain Wine Co. in Sebastopol and is a real find in the increasingly pricey world of Sonoma pinot noir.

Elizabeth Spencer Wines 2017 Proprietor Selection Special Cuvee Grenache Mendocino ($24.99, sale price $19.99). This winery produces high-end cabernet sauvignons in Napa Valley. Wanting to offer an affordable extension of its business, it looked to Mendocino for this crisp, red-fruit-loaded grenache that’s spicy and mouthwatering with hints of cranberry and pomegranate.

Vintages and prices were current as of Feb. 12.

Oliver’s Market Locations

9230 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 707-687-2050
546 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati, 707-795-9501
560 Montecito Center, Santa Rosa, 707-537-7123
461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa, 707-284-3530
oliversmarket.com

25 Top Picks for Sonoma County Restaurant Week 2020

February 2020

By Heather Irwin

BN Ranch Hanger Steak with jalapeno charmoula, demi-glace, salt and pepper frites at Seared in Petaluma. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)

Nearly 140 restaurants from Petaluma to Geyserville (and everywhere in between) are rolling out the red carpet Feb. 21 to March 1 for Sonoma County Restaurant Week.

The annual celebration of gastronomy allows for some serious exploration of the local culinary culture at approachable price points ($19, $29 or $39 per person for dinner, and $10 or $15 for lunch) as well as “Sweet Perks” ($5) at local bakeries.

Now firmly entrenched as a Sonoma County tradition, the event is designed to bring locals out of hibernation (come on, your diet is toast by now) and give restaurants a much-needed winter boost. This year’s lineup looks especially good.

Click through the above gallery for a few of our favorite menus for Sonoma County Restaurant Week 2020.

Popular Mexican Restaurant La Fondita Coming to Downtown Santa Rosa

February 2020

By Heather Irwin

Server Marlen Flores speaks with customers at La Fondita restaurant in the Roseland neighborhood of Santa Rosa, California, on Friday, February 15, 2019. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)

Roseland’s iconic La Fondita restaurant is expanding to downtown Santa Rosa this summer, taking over the former Mercato restaurant at 630 Third Street from Chandi Hospitality Group. Known for more than 20 years for authentic, affordable Mexican cuisine, the downtown location will be the third for owner Maria Elena Reyes.

Ivan Reyes, general manager of La Fondita restaurant which is owned by his mother Elena Reyes, poses for a portrait in the dining room of La Fondita restaurant in the Roseland neighborhood of Santa Rosa, California, on Friday, February 15, 2019. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat) — Ivan Reyes, general manager of La Fondita restaurant, which is owned by his mother Elena Reyes, poses for a portrait in the dining room of La Fondita restaurant in the Roseland neighborhood of Santa Rosa. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)

“We’re really nervous (about moving downtown) with so many restaurants closing,” said Maria Elena’s son, Ivan Reyes, who has worked in the restaurant most of his life, and now serves as spokesman for the family. Several downtown restaurants, including Chandi Hospitality’s Stout Brothers and Mercato along with Jade Room, Gerard’s Paella, 2 Tread Brewing and Tex Wasabi’s have closed in recent months.

Despite the trend, Sonu Chandi, president of Chandi Hospitality Group and co-owner of downtown restaurants, Beer Baron and Bollywood, says he plans to help shepherd the family to succeed in the new space.

“They have a strong commitment to their core product, and they make it affordable. They can be a driving factor for what downtown Santa Rosa needs,” he said. Chandi Hospitality Group also owns several Mountain Mike’s franchises, including a new pizzeria on Cleveland Ave. that replaced one they lost in the 2017 Tubbs Fire. The family took over the Third St. space in 2015 from downtown developer Nino Rabbaa, reopening it first at Bibi’s Burger Bar and later as a pasta concept called Mercato. The restaurant closed in late 2018.

Julia Ingalls, right, and Evan Marquez, both of Santa Rosa, share some elote at La Fondita restaurant in the Roseland neighborhood of Santa Rosa, California, on Friday, February 15, 2019. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat) — Diners share some elote at La Fondita restaurant in the Roseland neighborhood of Santa Rosa. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)

The Reyes family says affordable Mexican with a proven track record seems to be a good fit for the downtown demographic.

“We think that downtown deserves a half-time show of authentic, reasonably priced food. We’re known for that. You’ll be able to have a meal without breaking your wallet,” said Ivan Reyes. The new restaurant will offer family and business-friendly lunch and dinners, along with late-night dining for downtown revelers, and will offer a full bar.

Elena Maria Reyes started her food business in 1996 with an old food truck she and her husband financed by selling their cars and asking her grandmother for a few thousand dollars in start-up money.

9/11/2006: B1: LEISURELY TALKS: In the parking lot of La Fondita restaurant in Roseland, customers order and pick up their food from Delicias Elenita, one of two taco trucks located at each corner of West Avenue and Sebastopol Road, on Friday. PC: News lede/ --3 of 3--in the parking lot of La Fondita restaurant in Roseland, customers order and pick up their food from Delicias Elenita one of two mobile taco trucks located at each corner of West Avenue and Sebastopol Road, Friday September 8, 2006. Fernando Reyes (not pictured ) owns La Fondita and the two trucks. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat) 2006 — In the parking lot of La Fondita restaurant in Roseland, customers order and pick up their food from Delicias Elenita at the corner of West Avenue and Sebastopol Road. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)

That same truck — which became the unmistakable orange Delicias Elenitas mobile kitchen — remains permanently parked outside the 816 Sebastopol Road restaurant. Open until 3 a.m., it remains one of the most popular stops on Sebastopol Road.

Molcajete at La Fondita Mexican restaurant in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD

Reyes was approached by Graton Rancheria in 2015 to open a casual food court eatery at the new casino, which is one of the few remaining original restaurants.

Though no official date has been set, the restaurant is aiming for a mid-June date with a possible pop-up for Cinco de Mayo.

Mole burrito at La Fondita in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine) — Mole burrito at La Fondita in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD

Great Places for Winter Cocktails in Sonoma County

February 2020

By Chelsea Rose Kurnick

The Oakland cocktail, at Whisper Sisters, consists of tequila, mezcal, cinnamon, port, grapefruit, and banana. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)

Here in Sonoma County, our nights and sometimes our days stay chilly through February and even into March. When you want to get cozy with a drink that matches your wintry mood, check out these season-inspired drinks from three of Sonoma County’s finest cocktail bars. Though these drinks are served cold, their flavors complement brisk, late winter nights and will carry your spirit into spring.

Whisper Sisters, Petaluma

The Tea Service: This twist on an old fashioned is made from rye whiskey, lapsang souchong and Monarch cherry bitters made in Petaluma.

Why it’s good for winter: Spirit-forward, stirred cocktails are for sipping slowly; they’re meant to fortify you, not quench thirst. Even though it’s chilled, the high proof has a warming effect as you drink it. This cocktail’s key is the lapsang souchong, and the flavors of whiskey and smoky pine immediately conjure coziness.

Tea Service, at Whisper Sisters, consists of rye, Lapsang Souchong tea, and monarch cherry bitters. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat) — Tea Service at Whisper Sisters in Petaluma. (Christopher Chung)

The Oakland: This pale-pink drink is a zesty blend of tequila, mezcal, cinnamon, port wine, grapefruit and banana.

Why it’s good for winter: Grapefruit is a mouthwatering winter citrus that adds character to any drink. Intense flavors in cocktails often need other bold ingredients to stand up to their strength. Here, grapefruit is a good match for smoky mezcal and sweet-spicy cinnamon. Port wine and banana add surprising richness for a complex and balanced drink.

Whisper Sisters Cocktails & Provisions, 190 Kentucky St, Petaluma, 707-774-6689, wspetaluma.com.

Perch & Plow, Santa Rosa

The Rendezvous: This not-too-sweet treat of a drink features vanilla-infused vodka, thyme, huckleberry and egg whites shaken and strained into a chilled martini glass and garnished with bitters and baking spices.

Why it’s good for winter: Fresh huckleberry is a summer fruit, but the spice profile on this jammy cocktail calls to mind a winter cobbler a la mode. Because the creaminess comes from the vanilla-infused vodka and the velvety feel of the egg white rather than from heavy cream, the drink feels decadent and delicate at the same time.

Cocktail from Perch + Plow in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine) — The Cantina Candy Apple at Perch and Plow in Santa Rosa. (Chelsea Rose Kurnick)

Cantina Candy Apple: Apple cinnamon-infused Heradura tequila meets maple syrup and lemon in a Collins glass topped with cinnamon foam.

Why it’s good for winter: Spiced apple makes my shortlist of most comforting flavors and the distinctive nuttiness of maple syrup makes it my favorite way to sweeten almost anything. Perch & Plow emphasizes freshness and balance, so they do a great job of making fruit-forward drinks that never feel cloying. A dollop of cinnamon foam is the delicious finish that brings this all together and makes for a lovely presentation.

Perch + Plow, 90 Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa, 707-541-6896, perchandplow.com.

Fern Bar, Sebastopol

Suburban Bourbon: Another apple delight, this one’s got bourbon, ginger gomme syrup, apple butter, Cardamaro and lemon. It also has a cute origin story.

Why it’s good for winter: For many of the same reasons the Cantina Candy Apple is a yummy, homey cocktail, so is Suburban Bourbon. Here, ginger and cardamom contribute the spice profile and everything’s a little sweeter, from the roundness of the base spirit to the pool of apple butter that sits atop a dehydrated apple slice floating in your glass.

Fern Bar bartender Kiki Fabian once developed a drink called Urban Bourbon that was a riff on the classic Manhattan. A friend then challenged Fabian to come up with a Suburban Bourbon, a whiskey drink that would take its inspiration from country neighborhoods rather than the Big Apple. With this in mind, Fabian got to work, and with a little apple butter borrowed from the kitchen, found a recipe worthy of the name.

Masala Balla: This drink features a dazzling array of tropical fruits and spices. Chai tea-infused pisco, guava, coconut watet, lemon, pineapple and St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram are shaken with frothy egg white and served in a large coupe with a spiced sugar rim.

Why it’s good for winter: Masala chai is a warming mix of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and peppercorns. Allspice is also warming.

Though it’s used in savory dishes like jerk chicken, it’s also common in sweet holiday pastries like gingerbread, so adding a touch of Allspice Dram to a drink immediately has me feeling festive.

This winter drink can warm you up physically while also sending your taste buds to the tropics.

Fern Bar, 6780 Depot St #120, Sebastopol, 707-861-9603, fernbar.com.

Chelsea Rose Kurnick is a wine and spirits professional and a cocktail enthusiast. She is a Level 2 certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Street Social is Petaluma’s Most Exciting New Restaurant

February 2020

By Heather Irwin

Beet Tartare with sweet potato chips from Street Social in Petaluma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Down a dark and narrow alley that seemingly leads nowhere — especially if you’ve never ventured into the bowels of the century-old Lan Mart Building in Petaluma — is one of the most exciting new restaurants in Sonoma County.

With just six tables and 300 feet of dining space, Street Social feels like the most logical extension of the buzzy underground pop-ups that owners Jevon Martin and Marjorie Pier have hosted up and down the California coast for years. With just over a dozen diners in the restaurant at its busiest, it’s unavoidably intimate and makes you feel like you’ve stumbled across a secret culinary hideout. You have. But with a reservation, anyone’s welcome.

Taking over the former Twisted 2 space in downtown Petaluma, Street Social is every bit as quirky as that restaurant, with a labyrinthine kitchen where Martin bustles between a glass-enclosed mise en place area in the dining room and a larger kitchen tucked in back, down several stairs he climbs hundreds of times a day. It’s not a kitchen many chefs would dream of, but it somehow works.

Patrons of Glen Ellen Star may know Chef Martin from his three-year stretch at Sonoma Valley’s most obsessively farm-to-table restaurant, though the couple met and made their way north from Los Angeles via a brief stint in Santa Cruz. Cultivating relationships from the Star, along with many of his own, Martin has put together a menu that’s both simple and exceedingly specific, with ingredients like ashitaba powder (a Japanese superfood veggie he sources from Mike Benziger of Glentucky Farm), homemade chorizo marmalade and caramel corn made with duck fat.

Though it seems tiresome to repeat the hazy adage about local sourcing, it’s part of the couple’s way of creating community through food. Using top-tier purveyors like Green String Farm, Stemple Creek Ranch and Anna’s Seafood isn’t just lip service but a pillar of their business. The clean, unadulterated flavors reflect that.

“We really believe in creating community at the restaurant by using meat, seafood, wine. … The idea is all sustainable,” Pier said.

Pier is manager, server and host, along with sommelier, busser and sometime dishwasher. She easily walks guests through the dishes, though Martin is usually within earshot if there are questions. Mostly it’s the two of them running the entirety of the operation, though Pier said they’ve recently had to hire a couple of extra hands on busy weekends.

Though the space is, in total, just over 600 feet, Pier said they moved to Sonoma County intentionally to “root down” and find a brick and mortar space of their own. If the food and ambiance are any indication of early success, chances are they’ll grow out of their tiny space quickly.

Then again, maybe it’s enough to have a secret culinary club of one’s own.

Best Bets at Street Social

It’s almost unfair to recommend specific dishes because chances are they’ll change up by the time you get there, and that’s the very delicious nature of the beast. The menu is brief and focused on a handful of well-created dishes rather than a laundry list catering to myriad food allergies, preferences and lifestyle choices. You are here to be surprised and delighted with this food, and altering it in any way misses the point. (Though, yes, they are willing to accommodate you whenever possible).

Ricotta Toast, $12: A thick slice of toasted Della Fattoria is an edible raft for piles of homemade ricotta, salmon caviar and dill pickle powder. So exceedingly simple, but brilliant with unexpected pops of briny caviar, vinegary pickle and dill and creamy homemade cheese.

Charred Brassicas with Miso Caesar, $13: No, you’re not the only person who has no idea what brassicas are. I thought it was a fish (that’s branzino). Brassicas are an entire genus of cruciferous vegetables in the turnip, kale, cauliflower and mustard green family. Here, however, the sulfury flavor is replaced by a kicky miso Caesar dressing, making for a chewy umami-bomb of a salad. Every bite is a surprise.

Kohlrabi and Scallop Chowder, $25: Not all scallops are created equal. The other night, at a highly rated Santa Rosa restaurant, I had a dish of scallops that was not only full of sand, but fishy and off. Just two nights before, at Street Social, the sweet, perfectly cooked scallops in this hearty chowder set the bar high for what a scallop should be. Kohlrabi, a hearty winter vegetable, is tempered by bits of Yukon gold potatoes, bits of scallop and a single seared scallop swimming in a creamy kohlrabi stock. Topped by fried potatoes and chorizo marmalade and microgreens, it’s a wintery warmer you’ll wish you could recreate at home.

Slow Braised Beef, $29: Fall-apart short rib is great, but hand-milled red flint polenta (from GreenString Farm) with all of the cheese and butter make this extra special. With sautéed mustard greens and buttermilk shallot rings just because.

Duck fat caramel corn at Street Social in Petaluma. @street_social Instagram

Duck Fat Carmel Corn, $6: Instead of cream or butter, this uses duck fat in the actual caramel. So yeah, it’s deluxe.

Beet Tartare, $11: Pierpointed out very clearly that this is not beef tartare, but beet, since there has been some confusion. There is no confusion that this takes beet salad to a new level, with ruby jewels of roasted red beets cut into a perfect brunoise, then studded with salty capers, herbs and microgreens with a tiny dollop of Dijon mustard on top. Homemade sweet potato chips are the perfect carriers for all the veggie goodness.

Chicken Liver Mousse, $13: Offal can be divisive, but with enough butter, cognac and cream, chicken liver becomes a silky spread for deeply pocketed, savory Cassava waffles. Sweet, caramelized onion jam, pickled onions and “gribenes” (crispy crumbs of chicken skin) round out everything. I dare you not to love this.

A brief, but well-sourced wine and beer list with bottles and by-the-glass offerings is made to compliment the food and easily does.

Ready to join the club? You’re invited.

Street Social is at 29F Petaluma Boulevard North, Petaluma, 707-774-6185, streetsocial.social. Reservations strongly suggested.

Best Ramen Spots in Sonoma County

February 2020

By Heather Irwin

Seafood Ramen with a medley of scallops, shrimp and squid in a shiso ponzu broth from Taste of Tea in Healdsburg. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Noodle soup translates into warmth and happiness in just about any language, but in Japan, it’s called ramen.

Unlike anything you’d find in a supermarket aisle, real ramen is based on a miso, shoyu (soy sauce) or tonkotsu (pork) broth and filled with all manner of yumminess, like pork belly, mushrooms, soft-boiled eggs, bonito (dried tuna flakes), bamboo shoots, green onion, corn, seafood, seaweed and corn. The added plus? Lean your head over the bowl and get a nice ramen face steam while you’re eating.

Click through the above gallery for some of our favorite ramen spots throughout Sonoma County. Have one we missed? Let us know in the comments.

10 Ways to Spice Up Your Relationship in Sonoma County

February 2020

By Shana Bull

Sonoma Canopy Tours offers three different tours, The Forest Flight Tour, The Tree Tops Tour, and The Night Flight Tour, for guests to choose from when they visit.

Sonoma County is a top destination for romance and love. Couples from near and far get married here and spend honeymoons surrounded by vineyards and rolling hills. Restaurants cater to the candlelight dinner kind of crowd. And tasting rooms pour bubbles and wine to your heart’s desire.

But, despite all of Sonoma County’s charm, living in “romance central” is no guarantee that you won’t get stuck in a rut once in a while and take not only the beauty of the local landscape for granted but also your partner.

If you’re looking for ways to relight that sparkle, we’ve rounded up a few ideas on how to spice up your relationship in Sonoma County. Click through the gallery for all the details.

Where to Get Sonoma-Grown Roses This Valentine’s Day

February 2020

By Jill Koenigsdorf

2/10/2010: B1: PC: Roses for Valentines day at Neve Brothers Roses in Petaluma, Tuesday Feb. 9, 2010. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2010

Valentine’s Day is far from a typical day in the rose business, says Petaluma farmer Lou Neve. Alongside his sons Chris and Nick, Lou runs Neve Brothers, a fourth-generation cut-flower business.

Each year for Valentine’s Day, Lou and his sons sell upwards of 20,000 roses, an increase in production of more than 30 percent. Behind the scenes, workers arrive at the greenhouses extra early in the days leading up to the holiday to cut and sort the roses into bunches of 25 and wrap them tightly before they head off into the world.

“Red roses used to be about 80 percent of what we grew, and while they are always in demand for Valentine’s, we are seeing customers branching out to other, more vibrant colors,” Neve says. Good sellers for the big day are the ruffled, peachy “Helios Romantik”; soft, yellow “Catalina” spray rose; and fragrant, white “Norma Jean,” named for Marilyn Monroe.

Neve acknowledges that the cut-flower business can be a tough one. Even within the controlled environment of their 460,000 square feet of greenhouses, growing roses is all about the light. Too many cloudy days can affect production. And there are the pressures of imported roses, especially from South America. “There used to be a hundred big flower growers in California, and now we are one of five left,” explains Neve. “But I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about that. The import roses are more of an industrial product — they are not that one-hundred-dollar bottle of Cabernet.”

A love of the local landscape and people helps keep Neve going. “It’s beautiful here in Sonoma County, with all the diverse agriculture and terrain. At the end of the day, we have tried to remain the real deal, to create our own niche.”

Look for roses from fourth-generation growers Neve Brothers at these local stores

Nugget Market, Sonoma
Petaluma Market
Safeway
Cal Mart Calistoga

The Most Romantic Wineries in Sonoma County

February 2020

By Sarah Stierch

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or just any day of the year, keeping the spark alive in Wine Country is easy. Rolling hills, vineyard views and coastal scenery; world-class wine, gourmet food and luxe hotels — you’ll find more romantic elements here than in your favorite fairytale.

If you’re planning a special date or romantic getaway, we’ve got you covered with the best Sonoma County wineries to visit. While every local winery has its own charm, a few offer something a little extra when it comes to the ambiance.

Click through the above gallery for all the lovey-dovey details.

Acre Pizza Opens in Sebastopol’s Barlow

February 2020

By Heather Irwin

Wila Imhoff heads across the street to Crooked Goat Brewing with a to go Acre Pizza in Sebastopol’s Barlow district. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Long-awaited Acre Pizza, from the owner of Acre Coffee, has opened at the Barlow in Sebastopol.

Steve Decosse has hired well-known pizzaiolo Alastair Hannmann as the opening chef, where he’s making authentic New York and Detroit-style pizza.

What’s Detroit-style? The pan-style pizza with crispy caramelized edges gained a furious following in the 1940s when Gus Guerra, the owner of Buddy’s Rendezvous restaurant baked a Sicilian-style dough in a heavyweight rectangular pan and covered it with hearty brick cheese and tomato sauce. Whether or not those pans were borrowed from a motor-industry friend who’s factory used the pans for spare car parts is part of the legend, but the Sicilian-inspired pizza has gained a following throughout the country.

The casual pizza shop took over the former Village Bakery, sharing the space with Red Bird Bakery’s new commissary kitchen. The gourmet pizzas are selling for a song, with hearty quarter NY pie slices for between $4.50 and $6 and whole pies for between $16 and $22. More details coming soon.

Open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 6760 McKinley St., Suite 150, Sebastopol, order online at acrepizza.com.