New year, new you, and new stores! As much as we hate saying goodbye to some of our favorite businesses that close their doors to the retail scene, we love meeting the new kids on the block and seeing the infusion of style they bring. Here are just a few businesses that have recently set up shop in Sonoma County—click through the above gallery for details.
2020 in Sonoma County has a lot in store, including a great new way to sample the best of Healdsburg.
During the last weekend of January, the recently launched Tastemaker Weekend will introduce participants to Healdsburg’s food, wine and artisan scene through a variety of activities, such as hunting for garden treasures with flower farmers and blending wine with renowned winemakers.
The new event is part of an effort to bring more visitors to the northern Sonoma County town in the wake of October’s Kincade fire. Though the fire largely spared Healdsburg, downtown businesses have continued to suffer as less visitors come to the area.
“The message we want to get out there is that we’re open for business,” said Holly Fox, chair of the Healdsburg Tourism Improvement District, the organization sponsoring the event. “What makes [our town] special are all the incredible people who live and work here, and our first ever Tastemaker Weekend gives you the chance to get to know these talented makers and experience their crafts firsthand.”
As Fox suggests, the weekend features one-of-a-kind, hands-on experiences with some of the best and brightest artisans in the city. Among them: A flower-foraging and design class with Carlisle Degischer and her team at Dragonfly Floral; a pastry class with Karah Williams, pastry chef at Costeaux French Bakery; high tea at Jordan Vineyard & Winery with Executive Chef Todd Knoll; a cooking class with Oaxacan chef Mateo Granados; a wine-blending workshop with Lambert Bridge Winemaker Jennifer Higgins; and a distillery and mixology class with Jason Jorgenson, co-founder and head distiller of Alley 6. (Tickets to each experience are sold separately.)
Winemaker Jennifer Higgins is excited to share the wonders of wine-blending with those who previously may only have enjoyed tasting wine.
“Blending is where the artistic side of winemaking comes out…we have this huge blank canvass and much like a painter with a brush stroke, we are creating something beautiful with each blending trial,” she said. “Giving our customers the opportunity to blend allows them to experience first-hand just how much effort and energy go into producing our wines. It’s truly a behind-the-scenes look. I think it will give folks a whole new appreciation for what we do.”
Other Tastemaker Weekend events include a wine cave dinner with Shelly Rafanelli Fehlman, the winemaker at A. Rafanelli Winery; a cooking class with four other local winemakers at Relish Culinary Adventures; a cave tour and bottle-sabering experience at Breathless Wines; a watercolor-painting class with two local artists; and a wild-mushroom foraging excursion.
The weekend itinerary also features a free activity — a trail run to the top of Fitch Mountain, led by Skip Brand, owner of Healdsburg Running Company — and ticket holders can enjoy deep discounts on lodging: 50 percent off a second night at most local inns and many Healdsburg-area hotels, including the new Harmon Guest House, Hotel Trio, Duchamp Hotel, and the Best Western Dry Creek Inn. Considering that this is the off-season in Wine Country, base rates at most properties are already lower than usual, and so the discount amounts to a pretty sweet deal.
Mike Brennan, director of sales at Mill District, a mixed-use real-estate development at the south end of town, says the Tastemaker Weekend captures the very best of what Healdsburg is all about.
“Living and working in Healdsburg, we are fortunate to sample the fruits of [these artisans’] labor on a daily basis,” he said. With this event, he added, “visitors can experience it, too.”
If the approaching new year is making you feel optimistic about improving things, that’s good because the world could use more of that. Making greener, more sustainable shopping choices is a great place to start. From products made locally with upcycled or natural materials to items made with gentle fabrication processes, here are a few things that will help make a difference. Click through the above gallery for details.
There is no better time than the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day to get out and about in Wine Country, sample bubblies of all styles, and stock up for New Year’s Eve and beyond. Any day can be a sparkling wine day in my house, although foam for the holidays is particularly appropriate.
Longtime Sonoma bubbly makers Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards, Iron Horse Vineyards, J Vineyards & Winery and Korbel Champagne Cellars continue to rule the roost, yet dozens of Sonoma wineries now offer sparklers in their tasting rooms.
The relocation of Rack & Riddle Custom Wine Services from Mendocino County to Healdsburg has provided the equipment, storage space and know-how to produce fine fizz locally. Traditionally made sparklers, for which still wine goes through a secondary fermentation in the bottle to create the bubbles (often labeled as “méthode champenoise” or “méthode traditionelle”) are labor- and time-intensive. Rack & Riddle supplies everything a winemaker needs to turn his or her own grapes into liquid gold.
“When I worked at J (Vineyards & Winery), through 2006, there were a dozen producers of sparkling wine in California,” partner Bruce Lindquist said. “Now Rack & Riddle has 100-plus sparkling clients, a private-label business, and most (Sonoma) tasting rooms have bubbles.”
All the wineries below are bubbly masters, and also produce and sell still wines. Guest experiences might include wine and food pairings, tours, and the opening of older vintages and magnum-size bottles. Tasting room hours vary, so call ahead before visiting.
Rack & Riddle co-founder Rebecca Faust and her sisters, Cynthia Faust and Sharon Cohn, own Breathless Wines and pour their sparklers at a tasting room adjacent to Rack & Riddle.
Don’t let the industrial park setting deter you from visiting: They offer a fun, art deco France-meets-Sonoma vibe, with several sparkling wines, patio and inside service, recorded music and experiences that include instruction on the art of sabrage – the removal of a sparkling wine cork with a sword. Recent events have included crepe and dim sum brunches.
The wines, made by Penny Gadd-Coster, are fruity and so very easy to drink, made in a slightly sweet, crowdpleasing yet remarkably refreshing style.
499 Moore Lane, Healdsburg, 707-395-7300, breathlesswines.com.
Alan Baker and Serena Lourie’s winemaking business is a labor of love – for each other and the wines they like to drink. Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Rosé and Pinot Noir are among their offerings at their downtown Healdsburg tasting room, though sparkling wine holds a special place in their hearts. They make two: a lovely, nuanced 2013 Brut Rosé ($68) and 2013 Brut Zero ($68), an all-Chardonnay blanc de blancs to which no sugar was added at the time the yeast was removed after secondary fermentation – an otherwise common practice. The wine is bone-dry and yet remarkably rich and textured.
340 Center Street, Healdsburg, 707-433-8270, cartographwines.com.
This is the oldest continually operating sparkling wine house in North America, established in 1882. That history gives Korbel the legal right to use the term “Champagne” on its labels, even though the wines are not from Champagne, France. They’re produced in Guerneville, from grapes sourced from Sonoma and throughout California.
The bruts, rosés, blanc de blancs and blanc de noirs are ubiquitous in national markets, yet visits to the winery are highly recommended. Not only does the staff pour winery-only reserve bubbles and still wines, it’s also a great place to taste and buy the 2016 brut made from organically grown grapes, a bit harder to find. Don’t miss the tour of the ancient cellars and robust gardens.
13250 River Road, Guerneville, 707-824-7316, korbel.com.
Judy Jordan and her father, Tom Jordan of Jordan Winery, founded J Wine Co. in 1986 for the express purpose of producing méthode traditionelle wines. Judy later took over the business and with her then-winemaker, Oded Shakked, vaulted J to the top tier of U.S. sparkling wine houses. E. & J. Gallo purchased J in 2015 and has continued to offer a great visitor experience.
Belly to the bar for the five-wine J Signature tasting, or reserve ahead for the Legacy Tasting (small-production wines paired with artisan cheeses) or chef Carl Shelton’s five-course tasting menu, with winery-only and older-vintage bottlings, in the J Bubble Room. Want to see how Sonoma sparkling wine is produced? Book a tour and tasting.
11447 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 888-594-6326, jwine.com.
Barry and Audrey Sterling purchased the property in 1976 and made their first sparkling wine in 1980. Their daughter, Joy Sterling, and her brother, Laurence Sterling, are the out-front faces of the company, though Barry and Audrey continue to live on the estate and have a hand in continuing the tradition of producing prestige-level bubbles from their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards in the chilly Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA, several of which have been served at White House diplomatic dinners and the 1986 Ronald Reagan-Mikhail Gorbachev summit meeting in Iceland, which ended the Cold War.
Not to be missed are the 2015 Ocean Reserve Blanc de Blancs ($54), 2014 Classic Vintage Brut ($45) and the festive 2014 Wedding Cuvée ($45) — Iron Horse’s youngest sparkler that still spends three years aging on the spent yeast cells. Come for the wide range of classy bubblies, and stay for the jaw-dropping view of Green Valley from the outdoor patio tasting room. At this time of year, rainbows make frequent appearances.
9786 Ross Station Road, Sebastopol, 707-887-1507, ironhorsevineyards.com.
Fizz runs through the veins of Longboard owner and winemaker Oded Shakked. A former sparkling winemaker for J Vineyards & Winery, he founded his own business in 1998.
While Syrah, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc are foundation wines at Longboard, Shakked’s love of bubblies wines are on display at his Healdsburg cellar: a brut ($45), brut rosé ($50) and a scintillating Brut Z, a late-disgorged wine with zero dosage and four years in the bottle ($75). Fermentation of the juice in neutral oak barrels is a signature of his sparkling winemaking style, which adds depth and palate weight to the naturally acidic bubblies.
5 Fitch Street, Healdsburg, 707-433-3473, longboardvineyards.com.
It is not every day that Wine Country makes an appearance in a presidential debate. But we live in strange times, and stranger things have happened.
Judging from news sites and social media feeds, one of the key moments during last night’s Democratic debate was when Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized Mayor Pete Buttigieg for holding a fundraiser with wealthy donors in a luxurious Napa Valley wine cave (turns out, it was Hall Wines in Rutherford).
Following the contentious exchange between Warren and Buttigieg, the hashtag #winecave quickly began trending on Twitter. What is a wine cave? Where is the wine cave? These were some of the questions the American people pondered as they were assessing the performances of the Democratic candidates.
Now, while we try to stay away from making political remarks here at Sonoma Magazine, the question we’d like to ask is this: Why not Sonoma, Mayor Pete? We also have wine caves with excellent wines — but with fewer shiny items to distract voters from the real issues at hand.
Ok, you’re from Indiana, we’ll give you that — but you’re a smart guy: you should have known this Napa wine cave might have been a tad too much. If nothing else, the chandelier with 1,500 Swarowski crystals should have given you an idea… But hey, we’re kind folks here at Sonoma Magazine and we’re always eager to help out-of-towners have the best Wine Country experience. That’s why we’ve lined up a few Sonoma wine caves for you to try on your next visit.
You’re welcome, Mayor Pete. Click through the gallery above for all the details.
Here are some photos of the Buttigieg fundraiser in Napa — with the famous wine cave and the chandelier with 1,500 Swarovski crystals — that @BrianSlodysko wrote about.https://t.co/0sprQ3aDsy pic.twitter.com/3waO6jO93L
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) December 16, 2019
Every year, I love making my very idiosyncratic list of favorite meals. It’s highly unscientific and reflects both my moods and my personal taste, but I think it also captures a snapshot of a year of dining out in Sonoma County. There are newcomers you may have never visited (and now are dying to go to), tried and true favorites you’ll all agree with…and a few curveballs thrown in just for fun.
So how do I come up with the list? It’s not that hard, actually.
Like anyone, certain dishes just hit all the right notes for me. For the most part it has to look beautiful, have a “best-in-class” quality, be surprising in its flavors and (usually) well-sourced. It’s exceedingly rare that anything lives up to all of those expectations, but when it does happen, it’s notable. Restaurants I visit toward the end of the year tend to be more top of mind, but I go through my entire backlog of photos to make sure I haven’t missed any earlier faves.
Click through the gallery to see my faves of 2019. Let me know below some of yours.
Online reservation service OpenTable released today its annual “Top 100 Restaurants in America.” This year, California dominated the roundup with 22 restaurants featured on the list, which is generated from diner reviews collected between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019. Four Sonoma County spots, including two wineries (!), made the list — click through the gallery for details.
If you’re looking to become more of a locavore when it comes to your shopping diet, Sonoma County has plenty to offer. Just in time for the holidays, we’ve rounded up six great shops where you can find artisan products from local makers. This is by no means an exhaustive list: many local boutiques offer items from far and wide, but also have a section for locally made goods. Get into those stores and see what exclusive style secrets are yours to unfold and give to others for the holidays—click through the gallery for details.
The holiday gift exchange looms. The shopping world seems to be all fuzzy socks, scented candles and coffee gift cards. It’s long after Black Friday, and big box stores are crowded messes with tossed-around inventory from all their “BIG!” “SALES!” Online orders might not arrive in time. But local brick and mortar businesses are here to save you. Here are 15 unique finds—all priced under $30—sold in Sonoma County stores. Click through the above gallery for details.
When San Francisco interior designer Benjamin Dhong started searching for a Sonoma home, he had plenty of inspiration leading him in the right direction.
Fellow interior designer and dear friend Myra Hoefer had welcomed Dhong to Healdsburg many times over the years, and under her generous spirit, he came to adore Sonoma’s relaxed lifestyle. It was fitting, then, that Hoefer, who passed away in 2015, was the one who first saw the listing for Dhong’s current home, about a mile from Healdsburg’s downtown.
As an interior designer, Dhong knew he could revitalize the gardens and maximize the 1,750-square-foot interior for entertaining. Dhong built his design career almost by accident after earning a business degree from UC Berkeley.
He fell in love with architecture on a trip to Italy and left his banking career for an entry-level position at a San Francisco design firm, where he advanced quickly. “It came completely naturally,” he explains. In 2003, he opened Benjamin Dhong Interiors in San Francisco, where he still lives on weekdays.
Designer Benjamin Dhong in the kitchen with his friend and fellow Healdsburg homeowner Julia Berger. (Rebecca Chotkowski)
In the six years he’s owned the Healdsburg property, Dhong has made some structural changes, but focused most of his effort on finishes, paint, artwork, and furniture choices. First up was a kitchen renovation, with the goal of having both formal and casual eating areas at opposite ends of the 30-foot-long room. He raised the kitchen roof, added skylights, and installed a massive antique French oak apothecary cabinet along the back wall. Across from the cabinet stands a new island with sink and prep space and a thick marble waterfall edge.
The overall feel is bright and airy, with French doors that open straight into a garden and a porthole window above to let in even more light. Dhong also borrowed a few square feet of space from the garage to add a relaxing daybed nook – a small change with big impact.
The breakfast area next to the kitchen shows Dhong’s talent for mixing old and new, with a midcentury modern white Saarinen table surrounded by antique upholstered chairs. “My style is to create beautiful rooms that are efficient but elegant, designed in a way so guests can feel like they can relax here. I also like what I call rich man/poor man – high-end pieces mixed with inexpensive things.” Adjacent to the kitchen is another more formal dining area, with a pedestal dining table and chairs.
Dhong believes setting a table should be about having fun. He recommends starting with something pretty and pairing it with something unexpected. Here, he and Berger placed her linens alongside tinted glassware, mismatched china, fruit and flowers. (Rebecca Chotkowski)
Though the home is full of treasures collected over the years, the look is unified. Working within a neutral palette helps, as does Dhong’s expert eye for combining accessories. His open kitchen and large tableware collection are put to good use at this time of year. Often, Dhong takes on holiday hosting duties with another dear friend, Julia Berger, who also has a weekend home in Healdsburg. Berger is the founder of Julia B. Handmade for Life, a high-end line of custom table linens, bedding, and window treatments featuring delicate hand embroidery.
Dhong and Berger believe that holiday entertaining can be gorgeous and grand without being grueling. They love to work with lots of rich greenery, candles, and mirrors for an elegant and sparkling holiday look that’s still traditional but not overtly red-and-green.
At the holiday table, the two celebrate a mix of old and new, making the most of Dhong’s passion for antique glassware and china alongside Berger’s hand-embroidered linens. Pops of color from small clutches of red roses are a nod to the traditional holiday palette in a contemporary format. They share a love of keeping things simple but beautiful, not going overboard even at the holidays. “My favorite color is white,” says Berger.
Textile designer Julia Berger’s table linens make a sparkling holiday display at Benjamin Dhong’s Healdsburg home. Berger works with artisans to produce cocktail napkins, placemats, and other housewares. (Rebecca Chotkowski)
Although Dhong’s kitchen is photo-worthy, he claims his cooking skills are less so. He’s not afraid to sneak in some prepared foods from local markets to ease party prep. A big holiday ham is a classic choice. “It’s so easy. You mash some potatoes and add a side and you’re finished, and everyone thinks it’s so delicious and homey.” He’s also a fan of purchasing a perfectly cooked chicken or turkey from a favorite local market, then carving it and dressing it on a platter with fresh herbs cut from his garden.
“Make people feel comfortable and that will put them in a party mood. Show you’ve made an effort with candles, flowers, and a pretty table setting and then put on Pandora,” Dhong said, “People will relax, and it will all be very festive.”
In Dhong’s formal dining area, Julia Berger’s ‘Como’ linen napkins and placemats anchor another holiday table. (Rebecca Chotkowski)
Despite the expensive homes he designs for clients, Dhong doesn’t think you have to spend a lot to have a beautiful holiday table. “You can have things look 90 percent perfect with three or four trips to HomeGoods.” And he says Safeway is a great place to buy flowers and good, value-priced wines. “There’s a great deal of cooking and entertaining that goes on in Wine Country. It is part of the culture, and it is quite lovely.”
Though he’s still in San Francisco most weekdays, Dhong says his heart is in Healdsburg. “I’m so blessed and lucky to live here. It’s a wonderful lifestyle and there are so many kind and interesting people here. All around the world people recognize Sonoma as a dream place to live.”
The breakfast area has French doors that open directly to the garden. In a guest bath, Dhong repurposed an arched-front dresser as a vanity, adding a basin and marble top. A simple clutch of baby’s breath from the grocery store adds a sweet touch. (Rebecca Chotkowski)
