Gold Ridge Estate and the Pinot vineyard at Littorai Wines in Sebastopol. (Littorai Wines)
Ted Lemon is legendary among Sonoma County winemakers, and if you’ve ever tasted Littorai wines, it’s easy to understand why.
I first learned Lemon’s story a decade ago, when I was editing the annual “20 Most Admired” issue of the industry trade magazine Vineyard & Winery Management. We’d asked a panel of top winemakers, grape growers, wine writers and sommeliers across the country to nominate their heroes among North American winemakers, and his name came up over and over.
Was it Lemon’s respect for the land and vines? His light hand in the cellar? The character of Littorai’s laser-focused Pinot Noir and Chardonnay? Yes, yes and yes.
The story
Ted and Heidi Lemon of Littorai Wines in Sebastopol. (Littorai Wines)
Lemon studied winemaking in Dijon, France and worked at several estates in Burgundy before moving to the Napa Valley in 1985. He worked as a consultant for local wineries, and in 1993, he launched Littorai Wines with his wife Heidi. They made their first 150 cases with purchased fruit and eventually added their own vineyards to the mix.
In 2003, the Lemons bought Gold Ridge Estate, a 30-acre property on a foggy ridgetop in Sebastopol. A passionate believer in biodynamic practices — avoiding chemicals in the vineyard and taking a holistic approach to farming — Ted planted a small vineyard at the site and brought in cows, chickens and sheep for natural soil enhancement and weeding duties.
In 2008, Littorai completed construction of its solar-powered, straw bale winery. It now produces 5,000 cases per year, made with a 50-50 split of estate fruit and grapes sourced from like-minded growers in the Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley appellations.
The vibe
Leave the fancy shoes at home for a down-home wine tasting and farm tour at Littorai Wines in Sebastopol. (Littorai Wines)
There is no sign to mark the entrance of Littorai Wines, so you’ll need to drive slowly along rural Gold Ridge Road and keep your eyes peeled for the address. Once inside the gate, drive past the vegetable garden and century-old barn to reach the winery.
This is a real-deal working farm, so leave the fancy shoes at home. All tastings take place outdoors, mainly on the back patio overlooking the estate vineyard. On rainy days, guests cozy up inside a heated tent.
On the palate
Littorai makes about 18 wines each year, including many single-vineyard bottlings. Though they vary in profile, the wines share common threads of restraint and balance — showing off the vineyards rather than winemaking techniques.
Littorai Wines ready for tasting. (Nat Martinez/The Labs & Co.)
The vibrant 2022 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay ($70) reminds me of a crisp green apple, accented with stony minerality. Among the Pinots, I’m especially partial to the 2021 Thieriot Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($100), with its aromas of raspberries and spice, and juicy, red-fruit flavors. The 2021 Hirsch Pinot Noir ($100) from the cold and windy Fort Ross-Seaview AVA is a deeper wine, with dark berry flavors and impressive structure.
Tastings ($70-$90) feature six selections, and they typically include one older vintage that demonstrates the wines’ aging potential. Bonus: Littorai wines are under allocation and sold via a mailing list, but visitors can buy them at the source.
Beyond the bottle
Littorai Winery and constructed wetlands in Sebastopol. (Littorai Wines)
To get an inside look at Littorai’s farming methods, go for the sommelier-led Gold Ridge Estate Tour & Tasting ($90). It begins with a short walk to a rustic barn that serves as a drying room for stinging nettle, oak bark and other plants used in the winery’s natural vineyard sprays. There, a knowledgeable guide explains the concepts behind biodynamic and generative farming, and details how each practice benefits the land and vines. The tour continues through the Pivot Vineyard, past meadows and bubbling streams, and finishes with a seated tasting.
Tina Caputo is a wine, food, and travel writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including SevenFifty Daily, Visit California, HuffPost, and Sonoma magazine. Follow Tina on Twitter @winebroad, view her website at tinacaputo.com and email her story ideas at tina@caputocontent.com.
Baker Amari Quiron adds Lox Toast while pasty chef Sara Ellsworth, right, tidies up the display of goods at Quail & Condor bakery Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Healdsburg. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Since opening Quail & Condor bakery in Healdsburg in 2020, Melissa Yanc and Sean McGaughey have enjoyed a steady stream of customers from near and far, seeking out their buttery pastries and freshly baked breads.
But this past year was a bit different.
“It’s funny,” Yanc said, recalling the past few months. “We had experienced a very slow period.”
Typically, things “perk up” for the Healdsburg bakery after Halloween, she said. But business lately had been unusually slow for the popular bakery and the crew was preparing to taper down.
Then, a New York Times article published on Christmas Eve named Quail & Condor among the best bakeries in the United States.
“When the article came out — we had no idea, for one thing. And two, it just kind of flipped everything,” Yanc said. “(Now) it’s just like, we can’t make enough.”
Pastry Chef Sarah Ellsworth moves a rack of bread variates available at Quail & Condor bakery Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Healdsburg. The bakery has been selling out fast since they received a nod in The New York Times. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
On Friday, Jan. 3, the bakery had sold out of everything by 11 a.m., and the shop had to close early. “For the last week, it’s been at like 10 o’clock,” Yanc said.
The New York Times reached out to Yanc for photos before the article came out, but they didn’t provide details on what the feature was about. She didn’t bother to ask, either, because “normally it’s just a small write-up about Healdsburg.”
So Yanc was pleasantly surprised about the article and a following surge in business.
“It’s awesome,” Yanc said, noting that they have hardly had a moment to take it all in. “We have to react so quickly, and it’s like we’re running with our heads cut off.”
The bakery is operating out of a small space on Healdsburg Avenue, making it more challenging to fulfill increased orders. “We just have zero space,” said Yanc, “it’s like a clown car of a building and it’s awkwardly shaped.”
Varieties of croissants available at Quail & Condor bakery Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Healdsburg. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Despite the ramped up business and limited space to keep up with demand, Yanc said she feels grateful for the New York Times nod and the journalist who wrote their nomination, Eleanore Park, who once lived in Windsor and had a Quail & Condor cake at her baby shower.
“It was just nice that this person — who is in my generation, who is a food writer, who has eaten at so many places, who writes for a very well-established publication — helps wake up our clientele and [they] remember, ‘Oh yeah, this place doesn’t cut any corners,’” Yanc said. “And it’s worth all the work. Like, we don’t pay for media and PR; we earned it.”
The New York Times article notes that at Quail & Condor, Yanc and McGaughey “run the gamut with luscious chocolate Champagne cakes, sourdough smacked with tang and pastries with lamination close to translucent.”
The bakery’s bread program and seasonal treats, like carrot cake and malted strawberry mini cakes, also received high praise.
Auspicious beginnings
Melissa Yanc of Quail & Condor bakery and Troubadour in Healdsburg. (Emma K Creative)
Yanc and McGaughey were selling their goods at farmers markets and pop-ups for a while before they opened the bakery. So when Quail & Condor finally opened its doors during the height of the pandemic, fans flocked to the small Healdsburg Avenue shop for flaky croissants, seasonal scones and hearty bread loaves.
The bakery’s near instant success prompted a spinoff in the form of a bread and sandwich shop, Troubadour Bread and Bistro, that opened in 2022. Later that year, Troubadour began moonlighting as French-inspired restaurant Le Diner.
Petite Escargot, served in a Limoges tea cup with creamy garlic velouté, from Le Diner at Troubadour in Healdsburg. (Emma K Creative)
Yanc said the recent New York Times article has also boosted business at Troubadour, and just in time, too. Having worked at a number of restaurants, including at the Michelin-starred SingleThread with McGaughey, Yanc said she knows what Michelin food tastes like.
“Lately, my husband’s been cooking Michelin food with this new crew,” Yanc said. “It’s awesome.”
As the bakery duo eye a Michelin star, Yanc said they’re “not trying to lose sight of who we are, because I think when you try to go for Michelin you kind of forget your foundation and your genesis.”
But losing sight of their vision doesn’t seem likely for Yanc and McGaughey, who are adamant about sourcing local and staying in tune with their customers’ values. And if the long lines and early “sold out” signs are any indication, the customers aren’t likely to forget anytime soon, either.
A newly built modern farmhouse — located minutes from downtown Sonoma — is currently listed for sale. This five-bedroom, six-bathroom, 6,476-square-foot home on 3.39 acres has its own 1.5-acre vineyard. The asking price is $13,500,000.
The gray-walled, U-shaped estate, designed by Suresh Hosakoppal and built in 2024, has juxtaposing pitched and flat roofs. Large windows offer immersive views into the vineyard, but the layout ensures privacy.
The interior, by Jessica Wichmann of Zeitgeist Sonoma, offers a muted palette of white oak floors and cabinets and natural stone surfaces. Iron and gold fixtures throughout offer bold yet delicate contrast.
Living room. (Paul Rollins Photography)Wine cellar. (Paul Rollins Photography)
A few showstopping design details energize the space further. Natural stone surrounds the DaVinci Maestro fireplace — vertical logs and a tall flame enclosed in glass. The piece is flanked by large windows that give a view to the vineyard.
Off the great room is a temperature-controlled wine cellar, which holds 860-bottles that appear to float in the room thanks to transparent shelves. A glass door and walls allows the spectacular display to be on full view from the great room.
Outdoor amenities include a pool and spa, a kitchen and a pergola-covered area with a fire pit.
For more information on 601 Napa Road, contact listing agents Joseph Zichelle, 415-279-2221, or Christine Krenos, 707-227-8661, Compass Real Estate, Krenoszichelle.com, compass.com
Raghni Naidu, owner and founder of Naidu Wines and Vineyards in Sebastopol. Photo taken Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)
Epicurean-focused Food & Wine magazine recently released a list of new California wineries you need to know in 2025. Among these 15 best newcomers are 11 local wineries, eight based in Sonoma County and three in Napa Valley.
The Food & Wine list encompasses a variety of wineries whose first vintage was launched within the last 10 years. Featured wines from each producer run the gamut from affordable Merlots and Rieslings to more pricey Pinot Noirs and Cabernet Sauvignons.
The local wineries you need to know
Alma de Cattleya
In its September/October 2024 issue, Sonoma Magazine featured Bibiana González Rave, the founder of Alma de Cattleya, in a winemaker portraits series (where each photograph was developed in wine). The magazine spotlighted Rave’s 2021 Cattleya ‘The Reward’ Syrah — a “mind-blowing,” small batch wine.
Bibiana Gonzáles Rave of Cattleya Wines, Alma de Cattleya and Shared Notes. Photo developed in the 2021 Cattleya ‘The Reward’ Syrah. Food & Wine recently highlighted Rave’s 2022 Cattleya ‘The Initiation’ Syrah. (James Joiner/Sonoma Magazine)
Rave worked at a number of top wineries around the world before starting her own in 2012 with her first label, Cattleya, the national flower of her native Colombia. Alma de Cattleya is her newest venture, featuring more affordable regional wines. Food & Wine highlighted Rave’s 2022 Cattleya ‘The Initiation’ Syrah ($70) as well as the 2023 Alma de Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc ($26).
While Alma de Cattleya doesn’t currently offer private seated tastings, guests can schedule a time to purchase wines at the winery and will be treated to a complimentary pour while the order is prepared.
607 Martin Ave., Suite 111, Rohnert Park, 888-597-2297, almadecattleya.com
Carboniste
Husband-and-wife team Dan and Jacqueline Person specialize in more “unusual” sparkling wines at Carboniste, founded in 2017. Food & Wine highlighted the label’s “ruby-hued, juicy” Carboniste Rouge Brute ($32). The Brut is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Albariño for a rich and playful sparkler.
Carboniste doesn’t have a tasting room, but the winery is available for club member tastings by appointment. You can also catch them pouring at events around the Bay Area.
While working at Kosta Browne Winery in Sebastopol, winemakers Bobby Joseph Huff and Jaam Jibril Moynihan met and became friends over shared dreams of making their own wines. By 2021, their dream became reality when they started a wine brand, using their middle names for the label. Joseph-Jibril sources from organically farmed vineyards and focuses on minimal-intervention winemaking.
The Healdsburg-based Joseph-Jibril winery caught Food & Wine’s attention with its 2023 Joseph-Jibril Valdiguié ($30). An “ode to old-school ‘Napa Gamay,'” according to the winery’s website, the red wine is refreshing and juicy, with notes of pomegranate, mixed berry and violet.
Joseph-Jibril doesn’t currently have a tasting room. Email info@josephjibrilwines.com to schedule a tasting.
A 2017 Kaela Cuvée from Matt Taylor Wines, based near Occidental. Food & Wine recently spotlighted Matt Taylor’s 2019 Cuvée Kaela Pinot Noir. (Courtesy Demeine Estates)
This west county winery was recently featured on The New York Times roundup of most memorable wines of 2024 with its 2017 Komorebi Vineyard Chardonnay.
On a 6.5-acre vineyard on the Sonoma Coast, just outside Occidental, winemaker Matt Taylor has used organic, biodynamic and regenerative farming practices since launching his winery. The label’s first vintage was released in 2016.
Food & Wine spotlighted Matt Taylor’s 2019 Cuvée Kaela Pinot Noir ($80) for its distinctive and delicious taste, with notes of aromatic tea leaf and a spicy-tart cherry character (find it on wine-searcher.com). Fun fact: Matt Taylor’s Cuvée Kaela label is named for his wife, Mikaela.
Last year, Sonoma Magazine featured Morét Brealynn Chavez on its roundup of 15 Sonoma Winemakers You Need to Know in 2024. Her namesake winery specializes in Pinot Noirs (including her “Stray Dogs” label that supports local and national animal shelters).
Food & Wine highlighted Morét-Brealynn Wines’ 2023 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($50) for its “aromatic, intense” profile. The vibrant Pinot is only the third vintage from the young winery, which Food & Wine said “confirms [Chavez’s] impressive talent.”
From India to Australia to Sonoma County, winemaker Raghni Naidu pulls from a world of influences at her eponymous winery in Sebastopol, which she launched in 2020.
With a focus on Pinot Noir, Naidu wines are primarily made from grapes grown on the Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley using sustainable farming practices. Food & Wine recommends the 2021 Naidu Estate Pinot Noir ($75) for its layers of juicy, red-fruit notes. The wine was a Double Gold winner in the San Francisco Chronicle’s 2024 Wine Competition.
2567 Blucher Valley Road, Sebastopol, 415-322-0565, naiduwines.com
Raghni Naidu, owner and founder of Naidu Wines and Vineyards in Sebastopol, on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Newfound Wines
Wine veterans Matt and Audra Naumann founded this winery in 2016, establishing a ranch and vineyard in the Sierra Foothills. From here and other vineyards around Northern and Central California, Newfound sources its grapes to produce a “range of impressive wines,” Food & Wine stated.
The magazine spotlighted the 2022 Newfound Gravels Red ($30) — a bright blend of Grenache, Carignane and Mourvèdre with notes of cherry, sage and dried rose petal.
In 2022, winemaker Jennie Murphy founded Oxlee Graham, named after her grandmothers — two strong women in Murphy’s life that serve as both an inspiration and commitment for the winery. Each label at Oxlee Graham carries the name of a woman who left a lasting impression on Murphy’s life.
Food & Wine suggests seeking out the winery’s 2023 Dayle’s Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast ($58), named for Murphy’s mother. The berry-forward Pinot has hints of orange zest and savory spices to complement the juicy red fruits, lending to a balanced and food-friendly wine.
Flora and Jason Chang founded Plinth Wine in 2022 after selling their former Nine Suns winery and its Houyi Vineyard in Napa Valley to their longtime partners, Realm Cellars.
Plinth maintains its relationship with Realm Cellars and produces a limited batch of Cabernet Sauvignon from Houyi Vineyard that quickly became celebrated among wine connoisseurs.
Food & Wine recommends the 2022 Plinth Houyi Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($315), along with the previous 2021 vintage, which the magazine stated is well worth the cost. The Cab features notes of cocoa, coriander, dark cherry and blackberry, and has a velvety texture on the palate. Purchase online; the winery ships to 40 states.
At Read Holland winery, winemaker Ashley Holland sources fruit from small, independent growers in Sonoma County, Anderson Valley and beyond. (Mary Zeeble)
In 2021, Sonoma Magazine featured Ashley Holland of Read Holland Wines as one of the up-and-coming winemakers to watch. Holland, who grew up riding horses before pursuing a career in winemaking, founded her boutique winery in 2016.
Read Holland now produces about 500 cases of wine per year. The one that caught the attention of Food & Wine is the “lime-zesty” 2023 Wiley Vineyard Riesling ($30). The wine, sourced from a Riesling block planted in Anderson Valley in 1976, boasts a sweet aroma of lilac, pineapple guava and fresh ginger, followed by a refreshing mineral and citrus finish.
According to Food & Wine, Vida Valiente was founded in 2019 primarily to help fund the Vida Valiente Foundation, which supports low-income, first-generation students throughout their college career.
Winemaker Sam Kaplan “makes top-of-the-game Cabernet Sauvignon here,” Food & Wine stated, recommending the estate’s 2021 The Movement ($250). The Cab is a blend of grapes from all the vineyards Vida Valiente sources from, producing a powerful wine with dark fruit flavor. Plus, $100 from every bottle of The Movement sold goes directly to the foundation.
The Euphoria nonalcoholic cocktail with Seedlip Grove, goji and schisandra berry, Euphoria Elixir, lime, prickly pear-hibiscus puree and jasmine water at Fern Bar in Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
At the start of each year, we all love a good prediction of the next 365 days. The food and restaurant world is no exception, and industry pundits crunch data, consult experts and posit theories about what we’ll be eating, how we’ll be dining out and what trends will influence us at the cash register.
Often, those predictions are ridiculous, wrongheaded or just wishful thinking, but sometimes they hold a nugget of truth.
This year, I’ve again sifted through dozens of “official” predictions, including those from Whole Foods Market, Food & Wine magazine, Forbes, Chowhound and reports from several trend forecasting companies to see what resonates.
My own predictions are also based on what I’ve seen and heard while eating at more than 120 restaurants, food trucks and food purveyors in Sonoma County over the last year. Here’s what you might expect in 2025.
The word that defines dining out in 2025 — Experience
The Block Petaluma is a food park featuring drinks and live music. The varied entertainment and rotating food trucks provide something for everyone. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Diners are paying attention to their food and are looking for value, entertainment, healthy alternatives, sustainability and customization — often all in the same package. Restaurateurs and grocers will need to up their game to create “experiences” that engage customers weary of high prices, unhealthy ingredients and uninspiring options. The mantra I’ve heard a thousand times: “If I can make it at home, why go out?” Diners want more for their money and are willing to seek out the players who best fulfill that desire.
We’re all looking for ways to get healthier, especially with the advent of Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) weight loss drugs, which have diners looking for power punches of flavor in smaller-sized servings. At the start of the new year, many are also trying to cut down on alcohol. We’re also looking for great deals.
To cater to those interests, more restaurants offer flights and “experiences” that include multiple tastes at a lower cost than full-size entrées. I recently ordered a $24 flight of four mini margaritas to share with a friend. It was fun to try different flavors and have an “experience” — neither of us missed having a hangover.
“Restaurants are now offering a smorgasbord of smaller, high-quality dishes and, in some cases, mini cocktails. Think amuse-bouche, bite-size starters, dumplings, tapas and two-sip cocktails — delicious tastes that double as snacks or mini meals,” according to food-trend adviser John Koch.
Table Culture Provisions chef Stéphane Saint Louis serves a collage of late spring bites for two, including squid-ink madeleines, asparagus cappuccino and golden orbs of Indian pani puri filled with Dungeness crab salad. Expect to see more bite-size starters and smaller, high-quality dishes in 2025. (Kim Carroll)
International snacking
Riding on the coattails of microsizing is international snacking. “Brands can tell their story by sharing their cultural roots, introducing consumers to different parts of the world. Think chili masala popcorn, Mexican chamoy candy, Korean seaweed chips, and Thai chili and lime rice chips,” said the Whole Foods 2025 food trend report.
Social media influences
Chopped sandwiches, Boursin pasta, Stanley Tucci’s pasta fagioli soup and chili oil noodles were everywhere on social media this year. Copycat recipes from social media influencers and celebrities show Gen X, millennials and Gen Z how to cook. Quick preparation equipment like air fryers and easy-to-find ingredients encourage people to stay home instead of dining out.
@andyseastcoastkitchen When Stanley Tucci speaks, the world listens—especially when it’s about food. Enter pasta fagioli, a hearty, comforting Italian soup that has captured hearts and taste buds everywhere. Made famous by Tucci’s love for simple and tasty dishes, this pasta fagioli soup is perfect for cold weather. It is warm, filling, and absolutely delicious. This isn’t just soup—it’s a bowl of tradition, rich with the flavors of Italy and packed with wholesome ingredients. It’s the kind of dish that feels like a warm hug. You can enjoy it on a winter evening or during a relaxed Sunday lunch. #fyp#foryou♬ Peaches – Instrumental – Art James
“Food influencers have become culinary rock stars, wielding immense power over what ends up on our plates. Visually-stunning recipe demonstrations and endlessly creative meal ideas draw viewers in, inspiring them to experiment with new flavors and techniques,” said Amazing Food and Drink.
Low ABV is here to stay
The needle continues to swing toward less boozy drinks, whether in restaurants or at home after a long day at work. On trend are “mocktails” with “healthy” mix-ins like herbs, roots, shrubs and mushrooms. “While the millennial and Gen Z generations may have started the Sober Curious movement, it has expanded to all generations who value wellness,” according to T. Hasegawa’s “Flavor Trends 2025” report.
Adaptogens, mushrooms and probiotics
House specialty Green Chile Apple Pie with walnut streusel, cheddar crust, whipped cream and a red chile honey drizzle and an Adaptogenic mushroom tea from the House of Better at the newly renovated Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort and Mineral Springs in Calistoga on Tuesday, July 6, 2021. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Add a little lion’s mane mushroom powder, turmeric and ashwagandha to anything, and you have an “adaptogenic” food — or so the multibillion dollar wellness industry wants you to think. Somewhere between truth and fiction are herbs, roots, fruit, seeds, oils and fungi that may help the body deal with stress, fatigue, gut issues and aging — they may also make you look better, some claim. I am passionate about drinking my mushroom-infused coffee daily, but does it make me a more relaxed person with reduced inflammation? At least, it makes me think so.
“Expect to see more mushroom-based products in everyday pantry staples like pasta, broth and coffee, allowing consumers to effortlessly add its anti-inflammatory and sleep aid properties to their diets,” said Fresh Thyme Market’s 2025 food forecast.
Early bird dining
There are dozens of reasons diners are shying away from 8 p.m. dinner reservations and looking toward early bird eating. In my experience, early dining means fewer people, better service and shorter waits for food. Happy hour deals are a steal and usually offer smaller portions with plenty of variety. We are exhausted by blaring music and poor sound baffling at restaurants, and earlier hours are far less noisy.
“I think we are going to continue to see a push for earlier reservations. I thought this would eventually swing back to later, but we’re still seeing people wanting to eat much earlier than pre-pandemic,” said Food & Wine magazine.
Sustainability
Diners are becoming more familiar with the impacts of what they eat on the environment. Epic waste to toxic pesticides and climate change have us embracing meat alternatives, locally grown produce and environmentally friendly seafood. On the horizon are sustainable aquatic greens and proteins.
“Duckweed, also known as water lentils, is in the early stages of emerging on the scene thanks to a higher protein content than other leafy greens,” Whole Foods said in its 2025 food trend report.
What trends do you want to see? And what trends just need to die? Let me know.
Inside the new Kanzler Estate tasting room in Sebastopol. (Courtesy of Yoni Goldberg)
Many small, family-owned wineries would like to have a tasting room to share their wines in a more accessible way than at a portable setup in their yard (or at their dining room table, as some of our tiny gems do).
But tasting rooms are sizable investments, and often, it can take years before a boutique business can save up enough funds to go big.
These past few months, though, we’ve seen some recognizable, much-loved brands finally take the leap.
Put these three top-notch producers on your list of must-visits in 2025. Besides sampling excellent wines, you’ll also get to know the families, too, as they generally participate in the personal tasting experiences.
Amapola Creek Lounge
Wine tasting at Amapola Creek Lounge in Kenwood. (Courtesy Amapola Creek)
The name Amapola Creek isn’t new — the boutique winery was founded by acclaimed winemaker Richard Arrowood in 2005, with 20 acres of organic vineyards on Moon Mountain.
But now it’s easier for people to get their hands on the signature Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignon, thanks to a new tasting room opened in Kenwood. The debut comes after Arrowood sold the winery in 2020 to Brion Wise, owner of Sonoma Valley’s B. Wise Vineyards.
After helping put Sonoma Mountain winemaking on the map in 1986 with his original eponymous winery west of the Mayacamas Ridge, Arrowood decided to retire, he said, though he continues to consult with B. Wise on the Amapola brand.
Visitors to the chic tasting room can explore a variety of Rhône red blends, Chardonnay, Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah and that flagship Cabernet Sauvignon.
Do plan to spend ample time admiring the extensive art collection that fills every nook and cranny of the multiroom space. B. Wise is known for its dramatic architecture and design at its properties, and this elegant destination is another stunning showstopper.
Michael Scorsone, left, and Palmer Emmitt of Emmitt-Scorsone Wines. (Courtesy Emmitt-Scorsone Wines)
The downtown Healdsburg area is home to more than two dozen tasting rooms, and more adventures just keep on coming. This new spot on the outskirts of Front Street is home to winemakers-owners Michael Scorsone and Palmer Emmitt, and showcases their small-batch Judge Palmer, Domenica Amato and Emmitt-Scorsone labels.
Named after Palmer’s grandfather, Judge Palmer celebrates Cabernet Sauvignon (including a premium selection from Oakville’s Beckstoffer To Kalon vineyard), Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Scorsone honors his Sicilian grandmother with the Domenica Amato label, featuring Old World-style Grenache, Barbera, red blends, an intriguing, tropical Falanghina varietal, and an herbal, melon-y Cortese that’s particularly great with seafood.
The newer Emmitt-Scorsone brand touts “Old Vines” for its Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon, drawing from 30-year-old estate plantings in the rugged hills above West Dry Creek Valley.
Be sure to check out the culinary garden overlooking the Russian River — the bucolic space was designed by renowned Healdsburg chef-farmer Mateo Granados. And bring a picnic, too, since outside food is welcome.
Inside the new Kanzler Estate tasting room in Sebastopol. (Courtesy of Yoni Goldberg)
Pinot Noir lovers, rejoice. This beloved, under-the-radar producer now has a tasting room, the better to share their superb bottlings. It’s been a long time coming for the boutique business that the Kanzler family established in 1996 on a nearly abandoned apple farm in the Sebastopol Hills.
It’s a lovely, modern space, with cozy sofas, walls of glass to welcome in vineyard views, and an inviting deck to lounge over glasses of five different Pinot Noirs, a Chardonnay and a rosé of Pinot Noir.
Find your favorites, then snap up some bottles to squirrel away home — production ranges from just four barrels to 46 barrels, and stock sells out fast.
After sipping, stroll the property to feel like you’re worlds away in your own quiet, rural retreat.
The Pretty Fly for a Fungi with pesto, white sauce, mushrooms, Valley Ford Estero Gold Reserve cheese topped with arugula rom Slow Co. Pizza Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in Cotati. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
According to industry studies, between 33% and 41% of Americans eat pizza once per week, spending more than $47 billion annually on our favorite fast food.
We love our ‘za.
But some eyebrows were raised when the tiny town of Cotati (population 7,500) got its fourth pizzeria — Slow Co. Pizza — in November. Could there be such a thing as too many pizza restaurants?
The answer is a resounding “no,” as Slow Co. Pizza co-owners Dane Baratta and Dany Cleland take a bite out of not only Cotati’s pizza scene but are impressing pie-eaters throughout Sonoma County.
Their focus is on a “slow” mindset of cooking and eating — using long-fermented dough, family farms and sustainability. The literal opposite of “fast food.” Though the cartoon snail logo for Slow Co. Pizza isn’t a direct reference to the iconic snail of the Slow Food movement, there’s a shared point of view, said Baratta.
Slow Co. Pizza brings a fresh look to an old cinderblock building, formerly a Mexican restaurant, off La Plaza park Fri., Dec. 20, 2024 in Cotati. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
“I don’t know if I can claim that we are doing something that doesn’t exist, more so a concept that I don’t think there can ever be enough of,” said Cleland (whose pronouns are they/them).
“Local seasonal food that is simple and done well. Supporting local agriculture and producers and honoring the work they do by making bomb pizza that is served in an environment that is a hang for the community. A pizza spot that is all about ground-up connectedness,” they added.
Baratta and Cleland, both longtime chefs and friends, worked together for several years in Bend, Oregon, where they developed a passion for woodfired pizzas. Baratta moved back to Sonoma County with his family and invited Cleland to open Slow Co. Pizza in Cotati.
“Seasonal foods that I could create and be connective with were always the thing that … hit home. And pizza spoke to this simple and beautiful point … especially doing so in Sonoma County, where everything to make pizza is produced within a 50-mile radius,” said Cleland.
Slow Co. Pizza sources flour from Central Milling in Petaluma, produce from nearby Coyote Family Farm and FEED Cooperative, a food hub for more than 50 North Bay farms, and meats from Sonoma County Meat Co. in Santa Rosa and Zoe’s Meats in Petaluma.
“I’ve always been drawn to farming and good vegetables on the canvas of a pizza,” said Baratta, who worked on a farm outside Seattle for several years.
Slow Co. Pizza’s dough, however, is a signature.
Slow Co. Pizza emphasizes working with the local farming community with a simple, healthy menu Fri., Dec. 20, 2024 in Cotati. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
“I’ve been obsessing about pizza and dough for 12 years,” said Baratta. The dough uses a sourdough starter and is fermented for 48 to 72 hours. Regular pizza dough is typically ready to use in a few hours.
The sourdough fermentation lends a nutty, slightly sour taste to the dough and creates air pockets for a crisp crust. The pizzas are cooked in a specially-made Pavesi dome oven that uses gas rather than wood to cook the pies in three to four minutes.
The pizzas are 10 inches, enough for one hearty eater or two with a side salad and a small plate. The menu is curated to include seven traditional styles of pizza — pepperoni, cheese, mushroom, veggie — and seasonal additions. Add-on toppings are also available.
Creating a family-friendly space is also a focus for Slow Co.’s owners. Baratta has young children, and wanted a space where kids were welcome and the food was approachable. Though there are some more adult gourmet-style pizzas, there’s plenty to love for younger eaters, too (including Valley Ford soft serve) for the Clean Plate Clubbers.
So, while there’s plenty of great pizza in Cotati and around the region, Slow Co. Pizza’s warmth and inclusivity make it a welcome addition.
“We just want to encourage people to take things slow and enjoy the good stuff,” said Baratta.
Best Bets
Clockwise from top left, Hogwarts Express, Pep in Your Step, The Bird, Living on the Veg and the Pretty Fly for a Fungi pizza from Slow Co. Pizza Fri., Dec. 20, 2024, in Cotati. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
The Bird, $13: A great pizzaiolo once told me that cheese pizzas are the true measure of a pizzeria. There’s nothing extra to get in the way of tasting the sauce, cheese and, most importantly, the crust. This pizza is stripped down to its core elements and weighs in strong with a sturdy, mottled crust, simple red sauce and shredded mozzarella. Nothing fancy, but nothing missing.
R-Grated, $18: Consider this the classy older sister to the standard cheese pizza. Adding Estero Gold Reserve cheese from Valley Ford Creamery — an aged Parmesan-style cheese with a nice bite — adds depth and umami. You get the sense this pizza could hold her own at a cocktail party.
Pretty Fly for a Fungi, $20: Mushroom pizza is my go-to, mostly because I can justify eating a vegetable with my carbs and cheese. Slow Co. turns the tables on the sauce, using pesto and white sauce instead of red sauce. It makes so much sense. The combination of garlic, cream and basil set the stage for a restrained layer of cheese (including Estero Gold Reserve) that lets the mushrooms take center stage.
Living on the Veg, $20: Seasonal veggies are the star of this show. My pizza included half-moons of sweet Delicata squash atop white sauce. Fresh mozzarella (not the shredded kind) plus Estero Gold Reserve with Calabrian honey and radicchio. Definitely for a more mature palate.
Crispy Broccolini charred in the pizza oven with a housemade chili sauce from Slow Co. Pizza Fri., Dec. 20, 2024, in Cotati. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Small Plates, $10: This is where the kitchen gets to flex. Every two weeks or so, a new star gets its moment in the spotlight. When I visited, crisp, roasted stalks of bitter broccolini got a drizzle of creamy miso aioli and dots of chili crunch to add the heat. Stunning.
Caesar salad $15: A lovely mix of local greens, cheese and garlicky Caesar dressing. The breadcrumbs use the day’s leftover uncooked dough, which is baked and crumbled so nothing goes to waste.
Slow Sauce, $3: I remember a pizzeria in Sebastopol with a chef who refused to serve ranch dip with his pizza. Sullying his pies with salad dressing! The nerve! That pizzeria quickly went out of business because ranch dip’s sole purpose (in my opinion) is for dipping pizza crusts.
The Slow Co. crew get it and make their herby sauce with so much garlic you could burn someone’s eyes by saying “hello” a little too enthusiastically after a dip or two.
8197 La Plaza, Cotati, 707-796-5124. Order online at slowcopizza.com.
The Hommeboys, a boutique Sonoma interiors firm headed by Alex Mutter-Rottmayer and Austin Carrier, outside their Haus of Hommeboys studio in Sonoma. (Eileen Roche / for Sonoma Magazine)
The boutique Sonoma interiors firm headed by Alex Mutter-Rottmayer and Austin Carrier marries thoughtful design with hands-on craftsmanship (see their richly detailed home in the March/April 2023 issue). Married since 2019, the two say they appreciate classic Wine Country design but think that the look is ready for a shake-up — a revolution they’ve pioneered in award-winning designs for Healdsburg’s Marine Layer tasting room and Sonoma’s Valley Bar + Bottle restaurant.
The couple are now launching three new capsule collections for their furniture line, Haus of Hommeboys, and opening a new woodshop and cabinetry studio just off the plaza in downtown Sonoma.
“It’s kind of scary,” admits Mutter-Rottmayer. “Doing all this work to see if anyone will actually like it. But we’ve always wanted to have a store. Every designer’s dream is to have their own showroom.”
Among the Hommeboys’ interior design projects is the Marine Layer Wines tasting room in Healdsburg. (Gretchen Gause)Alex Mutter-Rottmayer, left, reviews a custom furniture design in the workshop. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)
Mixing materials
Alex: “Design is in our blood. It’s what drew Austin and I together. We are always trying to mix the materials we are using, playing with different shapes in plaster, stone, wood. We definitely focus on more organic and natural materials. It’s what we are drawn to. It’s synonymous with California and this part of this country, and this gets routed back to our furniture line, which is very organic and earthy.”
Rustic inspiration
Austin: “We’ve been playing with wood for years. One of the capsule collections is dark, ebony stained, hand-notched cedar furniture. We wanted it to feel raw, rustic and edgy. The shapes are very anthropomorphized, inspired by the backdrop of California’s golden hills.”
On shaping design
Alex: “What’s the process? You just do it! One of the bedrooms we are designing had all of this green velvet from a photo shoot we were doing. And we were like, what if we just cover the walls in green velvet? What can you do with what you have? A lot of design inspiration and process comes from a desire to have fun with it.”
Landscape designer Tim Farley, left, with Santa Rosa homeowners Perri Haughwout and Carmen Castaldi at the couple’s Labyrinth Garden off Piner Road in Santa Rosa, Sept. 18, 2024. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
Perri Haughwout’s decision to build a labyrinth in her front yard wasn’t rushed. She had been thinking about it for years, much like one walks a labyrinth: deliberately but slowly, in quiet consideration, allowing things to unfold.
Haughwout would look out on her front lawn with distaste, imagining something more thoughtful in its place. In time, she let the weed-stricken lawn die entirely. Then two long years passed. By chance, in October 2023 she struck up a conversation with a local acquaintance named Tim Farley, who had been designing and planting gardens for a quarter of a century — but had never built a labyrinth. Both were now excited about the project, though still not hurried.
It took another year to design and build and plant. Finally, there it was: A meandering path that embodies its own circuitous road to existence. To Haughwout, a winemaker and beekeeper, and her husband Carmen Castaldi, who recently retired as president of Healdsburg’s Rodney Strong Vineyards, the garden’s long road to realization reinforces its call to contemplation, meditation and patience.
Carmen Castaldi at work in his and his wife Perri Haughwout’s Labyrinth Garden off Piner Road in Santa Rosa, Sept. 18, 2024. A labyrinth represents a way of looking both inward and outward, explains Haughwout. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)Perri Haughwout and Carmen Castaldi’s Labyrinth Garden off Piner Road in Santa Rosa, Sept. 18, 2024. The irregular, undulating footprint of the labyrinth recalls a serpent or sea creature rising up from the landscape. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
A labyrinth represents a way of looking both inward and outward, explains Haughwout, a way of bringing everything together, especially the natural world. One local example that spoke to the couple and helped set the project in motion is a grassy spiral on the Sonoma Coast along the Kortum Trail, near Shell Beach. It’s believed to have been there for over 20 years.
“People are just planting all their intentions there, and memories of people, and personal statements,” Castaldi says. “Little rocks, too. It’s very cool.”
Haughwout was immediately drawn to labyrinths as a personal tool. “I’m not one to sit still, so a way for me to center myself and focus has been walking meditation,” she says. “The walking, the purposeful walking, was what really attracted me to have this at my own house. I mentioned to my neighbors, ‘If you see me walking around in circles, you’ll know I’m just meditating, and not that crazy old lady next door, right?’”
The couple’s new labyrinth is not, in fact, a true circle. Instead, it meanders left and right, winding its way around an existing concrete path that leads to the front door. And this serpentine footprint is artfully echoed in the design of the low, mounded “walls” that define it. Farley chose to construct them of flat, slate-like slabs of locally quarried Sonoma fieldstone. The stones are placed vertically into the earth and aligned perpendicular to the flow of the lava-rock path, so each stone points to the center of the labyrinth.
Perri Haughwout and Carmen Castaldi’s Labyrinth Garden off Piner Road in Santa Rosa, Sept. 18, 2024. Landscape designer Tim Farley specified flat Sonoma fieldstone laid on its side in a bed of crunchy lava rock. The stones are aligned so each points to the center of the labyrinth. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
The effect is something lifelike and familiar, yet mythical. In the spaces between the stones, Farley has planted a crevice garden that Haughwout and Castaldi figure will be a perennial work-in-progress, where succulents and groundcovers and other small plants can put down roots and send up flowers and spread over the rock, softening the already gentle walls while bearing the promise of constant change.
“It’s really going to grow,” Castaldi says. “What I like is that I continue to walk around it, and every time, there’s something else there. We just started placing different nuggets that we’ve collected over the years, like a shell from the beach” — or a rock from Sedona, Haughwout adds.
Another metaphorical layer is Farley’s own labor. He estimates he spent 160 hours last winter, five or six hours at a time, often on hands and knees, selecting and hammering each stone into place.
“In the garden, a lot of times we have tasks that are repetitive,” Farley says. “It’s all about the planning. Get the stone here, get the dirt here. Once I have all that in place, and I actually go into execution, it’s very repetitive. It doesn’t take 100% of your mind state — it absolutely has some of those meditative qualities.”
Perri Haughwout and Carmen Castaldi’s Labyrinth Garden off Piner Road in Santa Rosa, Sept. 18, 2024. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)Tiny sedums and flowering succulents are slowly filling in between the stones at Perri Haughwout and Carmen Castaldi’s Labyrinth Garden off Piner Road in Santa Rosa, Sept. 18, 2024. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
The labyrinth is adjacent to a Pinot Noir vineyard that supports Haughwout’s small label, Perri Jaye Vineyards, which produces about 150 cases of Pinot Noir and rosé each year. Once or twice a year, she invites a few dozen members of her wine club to her vineyard for an intimate gathering, with home cooking from Castaldi — and now a chance to walk the labyrinth and perhaps tuck their own small mementos into the stones.
Even as she asks guests and loved ones to bring their own remembrances, Haughwout feels a strong connection to the labyrinth.
“Walking is my way to meditate, and the labyrinth is pretty magical,” she says. “I feel like as soon as you walk in there, you just kind of go, ‘I’m here for a reason.’ And the reason is, you know, being here, being present and walking with intention.”
Resources
Landscape Design and Installation
Tim Farley
773-456-3813 unlo.com/gardens
The New York Times recently released a list of the most memorable wines of 2024. Sonoma and Napa wineries made it on the roundup of 12 young, noteworthy wines.
The Times’ chief wine critic Eric Asimov curated the list with a focus on “younger, more accessible bottles along with a couple of middle-aged examples.”
Among the newer bottles is a 2017 Chardonnay from Matt Taylor Wines in Occidental. And one of the older, “middle-aged” wines is a 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon from Corison Winery in St. Helena.
Matt Taylor Wines, Komorebi Vineyard 2017 Chardonnay
Bottles of Chardonnay from west county-based Matt Taylor Wines. (Todd Pickering Photography / Courtesy Demeine Estates)
This west county winery focuses on small batches of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir made with organic and biodynamic vineyard practices. Asimov noted he had been “hearing great things” about Matt Taylor’s wines, and was finally able to try it at Point Seven restaurant near New York’s Grand Central Station.
“It was unforgettable, so different in style from the lean, precise Chardonnays that are in fashion around the world today,” Asimov wrote about Matt Taylor Wines’ Komorebi Vineyard 2017 Chardonnay. “This seemed broader, more richly textured, both complex and saline.”
Purchase the Sonoma Coast wine for $75 at Fiasco! Wine & Spirits. The winery also has its Komorebi Vineyard 2018 Chardonnay for sale on its website for $100. Its 2020 Chardonnay is currently sold out, though recent release Pinots are available ($80-$100). matttaylorwines.com
Corison, Napa Valley 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon
Cathy Corison works in the Corison Vineyard in Napa Valley. (Chicago Tribune/MCT)
Cathy Corison, renowned owner and vintner of St. Helena’s Corison, specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon. The San Francisco Chronicle named her Winemaker of the Year in 2011 as well as “one of Napa Valley’s best winemakers of the last half century” earlier this month.
“With sufficient aging, her wines always have a lot to say,” Asimov wrote of Corison’s Cabernets. “This 2001 was a beautiful expression of the potential of Napa Cabernets, graceful and complex with a lovely balance of earthy, stony, fruit and herbal flavors.”
