Looking for a Zen Escape? Travel to Japan via Sonoma County

By Dana Rebmann
7/7/2013: D1: PC: The meditation garden at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, in Freestone, on Wednesday, June 26, 2013. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)

Feeling like you need to get away from it all? Or maybe you’re just looking for a getaway that’s different from the wine country norm. An easy drive is all it takes to feel a world away at Sonoma Valley favorite Gaige House in Glen Ellen. Recently renamed Gaige House + Ryokan, the inn now offers zen seekers a Japanese-inspired experience in a Sonoma County setting.

Built in the 1800s, the historic property (once a butcher shop and country home) featured some Asian inspired touches before the latest redo, but with the official name change comes a new level of Japanese aesthetic, and a number of new amenities inspired by traditional Japanese inns called ryokans.

The property features 23 guestrooms, nine of which have been turned into ryokan-style suites. The suites include the types of things guests have come to expect from high-end hotels, like comfy king beds dressed in soft linens, fireplaces, and private, outdoor patios. But it’s the Japanese touch that makes Gaige House + Ryokan stand out in the crowded field of wine country lodging. In addition to those much-loved Coyuchi robes, guests staying in the inn’s “Ryokan Zen Suites” can don classic yukata kimonos, and geta or zōri slippers while sipping sake and indulging in ice cream mochi, both found in the suite’s refrigerator.

Every Ryokan Zen Suite features a private karesansui rock garden and gurgling fountain that can be viewed from the bed, or while relaxing in a deep granite soaking tub. Traditional Japanese hinoki wood bathing accessories like mats, stools and ladles are within arm’s reach.

A Meditation Deck, tucked into a secluded corner of the property, overlooks Calabazas Creek. Steps away, a large oak tree, decked out with swinging chairs and glowing lanterns, screams zen in an Instagram-worthy kind of way. Pack your swimsuit, there’s also a pool and hot tub.

Gaige House fans can rest easy knowing that many of the things they’ve long loved about the property remain. Fresh baked cookies still appear, like magic, every afternoon. Now, in addition to the likes of chocolate-chocolate chip, you’ll find matcha cookies in the mix. Wine and cheese is served daily from 5pm to 6pm in the sitting room of the main house, and each morning a complimentary breakfast buffet is served, with selections like oatmeal banana pancakes, granola, and fresh orange juice.

Room rates for Ryokan Zen Suites, Creekside, range from $549 to $699 in low season; to $699 to $739 in high. 13540 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-935-0237, thegaigehouse.com

Nearby Zen Sonoma County Spots

Chances are, you won’t want to leave those swinging chairs, but there are nearby spots worth a visit to keep the zen-filled getaway momentum flowing.

Quarryhill Botanical Garden features 25-acres of rare and beautiful plants from Asia. Along with Magnolias, dogwoods, and maples, you can see other blooming beauties like roses, lilies, and rhododendrons. Open daily from 9am to 4pm. 12841 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen, 707-996-3166.

Ever been forest bathing? The practice of shinrin-yoku, which originated in Japan, is all about unplugging and letting nature help you feel good. (There’s no bathing, by the way, just typically very slow walking.) Sugarloaf Ridge State Park hosts a Forest Therapy Series as part of its Parks RX for Health program the 4th Saturday of each month. The next session is set for June 23, 9:30am to 12:30 pm. 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood, 707-833-5712.

When hunger strikes head to Shiso Modern Asian Kitchen in Sonoma for noodles, sushi, and sashimi. 19161 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, 707-933-9331.

Venture a little further to the west for a meditative spa experience at Osmosis. The Freestone day spa and sanctuary features zen gardens and a series of Japanese treatments, including a signature Cedar Enzyme Bath. 209 Bohemian Hwy, Freestone, 707-823-8231.

The 10 Best Restaurants in Santa Rosa Right Now, According to Yelp

By Sonoma Magazine Staff

There’s no shortage of topnotch places to eat in Sonoma County (here’s our roundup of the 50 best restaurants in 2018). From Sonoma to Sebastopol, Healdsburg to Petaluma, there are so many great restaurants here it is sometimes hard to decide where to have your next meal – especially on an empty stomach. To help hungry people navigate the Santa Rosa dining scene, Yelp has published a collection of top 10 restaurants – based on recent reviews – that updates weekly. Click through the above gallery for the latest picks.

Field of Dreams: Sonoma County Resident Raises Funds So Children Can Play Soccer in Nigeria

By Ashlee Ruggels

The World Cup may be over and the French have their trophy, but for Nigerian-American Forestville resident Julius Ujeh, soccer is not just a seasonal affair. It is a way of approaching life.

Known as “Chief” to friends and family, the perennial soccer coach and former professional player was initiated to the sport as a young boy, kicking a ball barefoot in his Western Nigerian neighborhood.

In his early teens, a nearby mission school took notice of Ujeh’s athletic talent and granted him a high school scholarship. But on his very first day at school, he was sent home—it was required that all students wear shoes.

“We were poor, most of my friends had no shoes,” said Ujeh. “I remember the only time I got shoes was at Christmas. Every year, I would grow taller and outgrow the shoes, but my dad would say, ‘That’s it. You wait until next Christmas.’ That was the way it was.”

At the mission school, Ujeh remembers being a bit overwhelmed—it was an institution populated by mostly better off students.

“I just brought a sack of rice with me to the boarding house. There were these kids with milk, with sugar, coming with beverages!”

But Ujeh found a way to fit in: he played soccer, volleyball and handball; he joined the track and field team. He soon became known as one of the best athletes in the school.

When a fellow student gave him a pair of soccer shoes, everything changed for Ujeh. Sports became his life. He trained day in and day out. He played soccer professionally from 1980-84. The sixth fastest man in Nigeria, he qualified for the Nigerian track team for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, California.

Unfortunately, his dreams of Olympic competition were not realized: Nigeria was able to take only its top four runners to the United States.

Undeterred by this reversal of fortune, Ujeh gathered every last penny that he and his family could collect and, with his visa already approved, he set out to visit the United States. In America, while sleeping on friends’ couches to get by, he was lucky enough to meet the head soccer coach of Boston University who offered him a full scholarship.

But his transition to the United States and college life proved more difficult than Ujeh anticipated. He failed out of school.

Again, undeterred by misfortune and with “luck and God’s help,” he was offered a fresh start on the soccer team at Salem State University in Massachusetts.

After graduating from college, Ujeh played pro football (soccer) in Denmark for a few years before starting work at Gillette.

When he was offered a job in California, he was confident that the move would be a great fit for him — “I asked the [recruitment] woman, ‘Do they play football [soccer] there?’ and when she said yes, I said ‘I’m good then.”

Ujeh moved to Rohnert Park in 1994 and soon found himself on the soccer field once again, playing with strangers. “That is how I started making a life in California,” said Ujeh.

Monica Rowley, then owner of Sports City, was one of the people he met while playing soccer. Rowley, now one of the owners of the Epicenter sports complex in Santa Rosa, was quick to recognize Ujeh’s kind spirit and work ethic both on and off the field.

“He’s tireless, talented, and he cares so much about others,” she said.

Ujeh grew to love Sonoma County. He moved into a low-income housing project in Forestville in 2006.

“People may look at my house and think it is no big deal. Looking at my background and where I come from, this is my castle,” said Ujeh. “America gave me an education, showed me that if you are worthy, if you are honest, and if you can work, the sky is the limit.”

Ujeh is not a rich man, but he feels strongly about the need to give back. In Healdsburg, he worked to get kids out of gangs through soccer. Over the years, he’s coached numerous soccer teams throughout Sonoma County, and has found fulfillment working with the homeless.

“I would go to homeless shelters, and I would see if any of them could play. Then we train, and we work to move through the obstacles,” said Ujeh.

At the Redwood Gospel Mission in 2006, he discovered a young and struggling Cornelius Bracy Jr, who later went on, with Ujeh’s help, to represent the United States in The Homeless World Cup. (Read the full story here)

In 2013, Ujeh decided to do something for the children of his home country.

“A lot of people who are from impoverished countries, they come here and get comfortable. They don’t want to go back. At first I was fighting it. I thought, ‘God, why are you putting this burden on me? I don’t have money, I don’t have this, I don’t have that.’ But you always have excuses to not do a lot of things.”

How did he plan on giving back? Through soccer, of course.

Ujeh had founded Spitfire Leadership & Sports Academy in 1992 in the US. He returned to his home country to establish a Nigerian version of the program in 2013, and began working with young children. He rented a tractor and with the help of a few friends set about fixing a giant crack which ran through the center of the soccer pitch. He started the first girls soccer teams in his Western Nigerian neighborhood when his wife, whom he’d met upon his return to Nigeria, asked what he was going to do for the future of his two little girls, Lydia and Sophia.

His latest goal? To create a real soccer field for the local youth and build turf fields able to survive the annual floods.

In addition to raising funds, Ujeh spends much of his yearly disposable income on the Spitfire soccer program. Because he doesn’t make enough in Nigeria to finance the entire operation, he returns to his Forestville home during harvest season to work as a weighmaster for Clos Du Bois Winery.

He spends summers in Sonoma County volunteering after work and picking up used jerseys, shoes, and trophies at Salvation Army to bring back to Nigeria.

Monica Rowley, his friend from the soccer field, has donated hundreds of jerseys and shoes over the years through her non-profit, The Goals Foundation. Santa Rosa’s Atletico soccer club donates trophies and medals they’ve won so that Ujeh can bring them back for Spitfire tournaments in Nigeria.

“Football is such a powerful tool that changes people’s lives. When I came here, I saw people playing in Rohnert Park. I didn’t know who they were, and they were speaking Spanish. I didn’t speak Spanish, but we started playing soccer and we understood each other. The language: one ball and we know what it’s for. That is why it’s such a universal game. That is why I want to bring it home,” said Ujeh.

Monica Rowley has set up a fund through The Goals Foundation to support Spitfire in Nigeria. If you are interested in learning more about the program, or contributing to the fund, it can be found here.

Wine Country Comedy Fest Returns to Santa Rosa

By Sarah Stierch

The motto of the Laugh Cellar, the only comedy club in wine country, is “macerate in comedy!” Come July 19, comedy fans will be able to do just that when the Wine Country Comedy Fest returns to the Santa Rosa club.

Now in its third year, the festival has been expanded from three to four days due to its popularity, said Lisa Pidge, festival promoter and co-owner of the Laugh Cellar. This year’s lineup includes an interesting blend of stand-up comedians performing at the Laugh Cellar stage over the course of four fun-filled days.

The Laugh Cellar is known for its efforts to promote diversity on the comedy scene, something that is evident in this year’s festival, which includes performances by trans woman Jeena Bloom, Cheri Hardman, who began her comedy career at the tender age of 54, Native American comedian Brian Bahe, and Shanti Charan, who was voted Best Bay Area Comedian 2016 by the Guardian and hosts a podcast celebrating South Asian food and comedy, called Mixing Masala.

“Our mission at the club is to work with talent that are professional, admired by their peers and present meaningful, relatable – and hilarious – content,” said Pidge. “We truly believe that each comic in the line-up this year is a ‘one and only’ talent.”

One of those comics is Jenny Yang, a labor organizer-turned-comedian, writer, and actor. In 2016, she was named a White House Champion of Change for her leadership in Asian American and Pacific Islander Art and Storytelling and she’s been featured in the New York Times, LA Times, and on the BBC.

Yang has an infectious personality filled with wit and wisdom, and channels her intellectual pursuits into a no holds barred comedy style of “equal parts happy and angry.” “I’m the opinionated friend who will always tell you the truth about her personal life and about the world,” said Yang.

Yang has performed several times in Sonoma County, at shows organized by Pidge, and is a big fan of the Wine Country Comedy Fest.

“One of my favorite places to play is Sonoma and wine country,” said Yang, “Pidge puts together a festival full of soul and love and we can all feel it. Everyone is excited to be at the shows and that makes the night super fun.”

In addition to serving up a whole lot of laughs, and witty commentaries on topics like sexuality, gender and race, the Wine Country Comedy Fest will also be pouring plenty of wine – as is customary in this region. Laugh and wine pairings include “Spit AND Swallow: A Wine Tasting Comedy Show,” during which a sommelier and three comedians “teach” the audience about wine. The audience sips alongside those on stage, while the sommelier offers their learned approach to wine and the comedians offer their own unique, “notes of hilarity.”

The Wine Country Comedy Fest takes place at the Laugh Cellar (5755 Mountain Hawk, Santa Rosa) July 19-22, with package and individual show tickets available starting at $28. crushersofcomedy.com.

Beat the Heat, Eat, Drink and Party: How to Rock Country Summer 2018

By Shana Bull

Country Summer is coming up next weekend (June 15-17). The three-day Santa Rosa event draws country music fans from near and far — with headliners like Florida Georgia Line, Little Big Town, and Toby Keith, it’s one of the hottest happenings in Sonoma County this summer. And it can get really hot, too. Last year, temperatures reached triple digits. To help you stay cool and make the most of your festival experience — before, during and after the shows — we’ve listed a few suggestions in the gallery above. Don’t forget to pack the sunblock! 

If you are attending Country Summer, let us know which country act you are most excited to see!

Stars and Stripes Style in Sonoma

By Karen Kizer

There’s something about Americana style that evokes a sense of nostalgia. In the fashion world, it’s a trend that ebbs and flows. In the ‘90s, brands like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger brought back star spangled style with bold prints in red, white and blue. Now it’s making another return – at least according to the style gurus. Click through the above gallery for some Sonoma based finds to help you feel Betsy Ross chic. 

Will Sonoma County Soon Have One of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants?

By biteclub
The guest is greeted with an array of dishes presented on a bed of wood, moss and ferns at SingleThread Farms Restaurant in Healdsburg. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

WHAT’S MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN A MICHELIN STAR? Having the team of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants take notice of your restaurant after just 18 months.

SingleThread restaurant and farm has received the Miele One to Watch award for 2018, usually a precursor to a spot in the top 50 in subsequent years. According to organizers, the award “celebrates emerging global talent and recognizes a restaurant that is outside the main 50 Best list, with strong potential to rise up the ranking in the near future.”  The fledgling restaurant received two Michelin stars in 2018.

Husband and wife team Kyle and Katina Connaughton (he’s the chef, she’s the farmer) opened in late 2016 and is a bespoke dining experience (emphasis on “experience”) located just off the Healdsburg Square.

Focused on micro-seasonal ingredients with strong Japanese influences, the restaurant’s attention to detail, precision cooking techniques and commitment to using products from their small farm at just the moment of peak perfection has attracted the attention of both critics and serious gastronomes. The 52-seat dining room has an open kitchen that’s nearly silent during service, with at least 11 courses that are both culinary and artistic masterpieces.

Other recent winners of the One to Watch Award include restaurants in Barcelona, Sydney and Cape Town, along with San Francisco’s Saison in 2014.

“We are so proud to bring this recognition to Sonoma Wine Country and to continue to share what we love about this beautiful place with our guests,” said Kyle, who is a strong advocate for the county and recently raised more than $500,000 for Sonoma County fire survivors.

Santa Rosa Omelettes Travel Nearly 6,000 Miles to South Korea

By biteclub
Diners at the opening of Don Taylor Omelette Express in JeJu City on JeJu island in southern Korea. Santa Rosa restaurateur Don Taylor was on hand for the opening. Courtesy: Facebook
Diners at the opening of Don Taylor Omelette Express in JeJu City on JeJu island in southern Korea. Santa Rosa restaurateur Don Taylor was on hand for the opening. Courtesy: Facebook

Santa Rosa breakfast icon Don Taylor’s Omelette Express has gone international!

The local restaurateur was on hand in JeJu City, on the remote South Korean island of JeJu on May 17 to open Don Taylor’s Express. The cultural eggs-change with Santa Rosa’s “Sister City” isn’t as random as it might seem — Taylor has been a longtime ambassador bridging the 5,772 mile divide with plenty of good will, a brass Snoopy statue in 2011 and now his famous #7 Omelette (spinach, bacon, mushroom and mozzarella). Santa Rosans may recognize JeJu’s reciprocal gifts of the pudgy grandfather statues near City Hall — protectors against angry demons.

The restaurant opening, however, is more than just tasty grub for the locals to enjoy. The restaurant is a training ground and financial resource for a single mothers’ home on the island. Taylor opened his first training cafe four years ago with the Dr. Im AeDuk, founder of the AeSuhWon Sisters’ Heights Center for Single Mothers and the two have become friends and collaborators over the years. 

“Four years ago, we opened a training Omelette Express at the Aesuhwon center with a goal of opening an Omelette in JeJu to benefit the center and single moms.  The grand opening on May 19th was the result of years of work and a wonderful contribution to JeJu Island,” said Taylor.

How about a cultural exchange of Korean food in Santa Rosa sometime soon, Don?  Hint, hint.

Best Sonoma Wineries to Visit This Summer

By Jean Saylor Doppenberg

Tasting room terraces are open and wineries are turning up the heat on summer fun. Special events include chef’s lunches and dinners, and oysters or pizza paired with premium wines. There’s something for everyone at the tasting rooms listed here. Most events require advance tickets and reservations, so call or check websites to learn the latest.

Bartholomew Park Winery, Sonoma: The short trek to this tasting room east of downtown Sonoma is worth the effort. The history is as thick as the stone walls of the 100-year-old building. Don’t miss the museum just off the tasting room, and ask if a private tour is possible. Tastings begin at $15 and include Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Syrah, and a changing library selection. Add $5 for a reserve upgrade to sample the Abbot’s Passage Points Unknown, a Rhône blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre grapes from a restored vineyard in Sonoma Valley. Call about the oysters and Sauvignon Blanc event, planned for June. 1000 Vineyard Lane, Sonoma, 707-9393026, bartpark.com. 

Benovia Winery, Santa Rosa: A producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Grenache, Benovia offers a 75-minute tasting ($30) by appointment only (same-day appointments may be available). Tastings take place in the Ranch House, with lovely vineyard views from the patio. Benovia is in the heart of the Russian River Valley, but a bit off the beaten track. 3339 Hartman Road, Santa Rosa, 707-921-1040, benoviawinery.com.

Claypool Cellars, Sebastopol: The “Purple Pachyderm Pinot Noir tasting room” has moved to a new location, north of Sebastopol. Les and Chaney Claypool promise a quirky wine tasting experience in more spacious digs, with an old-timey Western bordello theme, outdoor seating, and serene vineyard views. Walk-ins are welcome seven days a week for a tasting flight ($25). The Claypools produce excellent Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley fruit. 5425 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol, 707-8201263, claypoolcellars.com. 

Comstock Wines, Healdsburg: The pizza oven is back, stoked up for Saturday visitors who want to add a little pizzazz to their tasting experience. A seated pizza pairing is offered ($50) with a flight of four wines (three whites, one red), or add a whole pizza to your chosen tasting for $16. A basic tasting flight of five current release wines is $20; a private terrace tasting of six wines is $40. On the first Sunday of the month, a brunch is offered with Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir paired with seasonal bites ($50). Picnics can also be reserved here in the lovely landscaped setting. 1290 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-473-8027, comstockwines.com. 

Deerfield Ranch Winery, Kenwood: Stroll out of the sunshine and into a long walkway lined with stacked barrels and fragrant with aging wine to begin your tasting adventure 60 feet underground. Rooms in this cave, maintained at a cool 58 degrees, are furnished with comfortable sofas and easy chairs. Select five wines to enjoy ($20), including Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, a Syrah cuvée, and a Malbec cuvée. The 2014 White Rex (named for winemaker Robert Rex), is a blend of four white varietals. Also ask to try the 2006 DRX Meritage, a Bordeaux-style blend, and the 2012 Zinfandel made with grapes from 130-year-old vines. 10200 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, 707833-5215, deerfieldranch.com.

Donum Estate, Sonoma: Combine wine tasting and sculpture gazing in one visit at this exceptional property in the Carneros region. Open by reservation only, the tasting experience ($80), lasting up to two hours, spotlights Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; same-day reservations are accommodated when possible. The Donum House is the setting for tastings, nestled among the winery’s 187 acres of vineyards. World-renowned artists have contributed to the expansive sculpture garden. 24500 Ramal Road, Sonoma, 707-939-2290, thedonumestate.com. 

Hawkes Wine, Sonoma: The Hawkes family has farmed more than 85 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay vineyards in Alexander Valley for decades. This tasting room in downtown Sonoma is a comfortable location to enjoy the fruits of their labor. A Cabernet-intensive tasting is available on weekends ($45), complete with a barrel tasting, library selections, and cheese and charcuterie. Reservations are recommended. 383 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-938-7620, hawkeswines.com. 

Iron Horse Vineyards, Sebastopol: The view overlooking the Green Valley AVA is just one of the attractions here. The outdoor tasting room is the place to savor Iron Horse’s renowned sparkling wines (served in the White House for more than 30 years), and don’t miss out on the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Tastings are by appointment, starting at $25. A daily VIP tour and tasting is $30; the winemaker truck tour on Mondays is $50. Every Sunday this summer Iron Horse offers an oyster bar from noon to 4 p.m. (reservations required), with the freshly shucked bivalves prepared grilled or on the half shell, expertly paired with bubbly and Pinot Noir. 9786 Ross Station Road, Sebastopol, 707-8871507, ironhorsevineyards.com. 

J Vineyards, Healdsburg: The Bubble Room is a light-filled, luxurious space to savor a seated tasting of still and sparkling wines with food pairings ($125) prepared by chef Carl Shelton. The J Legacy tasting in the Legacy Reserve Lounge ($35) highlights J’s small-production Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparklers. Terrace tastings are also available Fridays through Sundays ($55 with food pairings), and a tour-and-tasting option ($40) gives a behind-the-scenes peek into vineyards and the production facility. Reservations are strongly encouraged for these experiences. Walk-ins are also welcome to taste a flight of five wines ($20). Expect to sip Chardonnay, two Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs, and two sparkling wines, including the vibrant Brut Rosé. 11447 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 888-5946326, jwine.com.

Joseph Swan Winery, Forestville: “Intimate” best describes the Joseph Swan tasting room, which is also the barrel room. Rod and Linda Berglund have continued the winemaking legacy of Joseph Swan for many decades, producing sublime Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Chardonnay. As a small, family-run winery, the tasting room is open weekends only and on select holidays. Six wines are typically available to taste for $10, waived with purchase. (Large groups cannot be accommodated.) 2916 Laguna Road, Forestville, 707-573-3747, swanwinery.com.

Lambert Bridge Winery, Healdsburg: The newly renovated Barrel Room has been lushly furnished with sofas, club chairs, and a communal table for more comfortable seated tastings of five wines with food bites ($40, by appointment). Walk-in tastings include a signature flight ($30) at the redwood bar. When the weather is fine, buy a bottle to enjoy in the garden. Lambert Bridge produces Viognier, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Merlot. The Chef’s Table Series is a popular monthly lunch featuring a different local chef preparing a four-course menu paired with wine ($125). Check the website for dates and reservation information. 4085 W. Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707431-9600, lambertbridge.com.

Laurel Glen Vineyard, Glen Ellen: Sonoma Mountaingrown Cabernet Sauvignon is the hallmark of this winery owned by Bettina Sichel, a wine industry veteran. The Laurel Glen vineyard is now certified organic under the careful watch of winemaker Randall Watkins and vineyard manager Phil Coturri. Tasting options include three current releases plus a library vintage of Cabernet ($25), a library tasting of Cabernet vintages that may go as far back as 1981 ($50), and “Lunch with a Vintner” ($75), when Sichel joins visitors for lunch and tasting on Fridays (reservations required). 969 Carquinez Ave., Glen Ellen, 707-933-9877, laurelglen.com. 

MacPhail Wines, Sebastopol: If you once owned a red Radio Flyer, you’ll enjoy the nostalgia in this tasting room—a floor-to-ceiling sculpture of stacked wagons. Step up to the tasting bar made from a fallen oak tree to sample Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, sourced from fruit mostly grown near Sebastopol. Tastings range from $20 to $30; add a generously sized artisan cheese plate for $20. A seated “terroir tasting” explores the importance of soils in wine-growing, demonstrated with soil samples taken from four distinct vineyards. To watch the goings-on at The Barlow while you sip, try to snag a patio table. 6761 McKinley St. (in The Barlow), Sebastopol, 707-8248400, macphailwine.com. 

Martinelli Winery & Vineyards, Windsor: The converted hop barn along River Road is an icon, as is the family’s legendary Jackass Hill vineyard, with a 60-degree slope that makes it the steepest non-terraced hillside vineyard in Sonoma County. The Martinellis have been farming this area for more than 100 years. Inside the tasting room, a walk-in tasting is offered, or make a reservation for a seated, 90-minute collector’s flight of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Zinfandel with local cheeses ($75). The “Baler Bar” tasting ($40) includes a cheese plate and a tour. A vineyard terrace tasting and picnic lunch can also be arranged. 3360 River Road, Windsor, 707-525-0570, martinelliwinery.com.

Meadowcroft Wines, Sonoma: A producer of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc, this winery was founded by winemaker Tom Meadowcroft. Grapes are sourced from Sonoma County vineyards, including the Carneros region, and also from Napa’s Mount Veeder AVA. A basic walking tasting offers a choice between classic or reserve wines, with four to five current release wines ($15 to $20). A seated reserve wine tasting with food bites ($30), a Pinot Noir vineyard tour and tasting ($40), and a blending seminar ($70) are also offered with advance reservations. Bring Dad for a special Father’s Day BBQ on June 17, taking place in the Sunset Test Kitchen at Cornerstone (call for details). 23574 Arnold Drive (at Cornerstone Sonoma), Sonoma, 707-934-4090, meadowcroftwines.com. 

Red Car Winery, Sebastopol: Named for the old trolley cars that rumbled through Los Angeles many decades ago, Red Car makes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah from grapes sourced from cool Sonoma Coast vineyards. The one-hour seated signature tasting is $20; a one-hour reserve Pinot Noir experience for $40 includes five single-vineyard Pinot Noirs. Private group tastings for seven or more can also be arranged. Reservations are recommended, but walk-ins are accommodated when space is available. Ask about their Father’s Day (June 17) event, when dads taste for free. 8400 Graton Road, Sebastopol, 707-829-8500, redcarwine.com.

Thumbprint Cellars, Healdsburg: This small producer of artisan wines, founded by winemaker Scott Lindstrom-Dake, makes many varietals. Taste three wines for $10, or six wines for $20. Food-and-wine flights are also available, with cheese and charcuterie plates for an extra charge. Thumbprint makes Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, and several red blends; whites include Chardonnay, Viognier, and a sparkling brut. A Spirits line was also recently launched. Three “Books and Wine Evenings” are scheduled in May and June, featuring authors reading from their books (advance tickets required). 102 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-433-2393, thumbprintcellars.com.

Trione Vineyards & Winery, Geyserville: Enjoy a little bocce with your wine and cheese? Trione offers this fun tasting ($55, reserved at least two days in advance), or an educational tour and tasting experience ($45), also by appointment. A vineyard lunch experience ($90) includes a private tour and farm-to-table picnic lunch in the vineyards near the tasting room. On June 16, the winery hosts a special Food + Wine dinner, beginning with a wine reception in the tasting room and followed by a communal dining table feast ($100). Several generations of Triones have been making wine for decades, including a red called Henry’s Blend. 19550 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, 707814-8100, trionewinery.com. 

Williamson Wines, Healdsburg: One of the few places still offering no-cost wine tasting paired with small bites is only steps off the Plaza. Williamson produces more than 40 varietals and blends, ranging from Malbec, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc to Chardonnay, Viognier, and Roussanne. Reservations are not required for the complimentary tasting, but more indepth tastings are available: $60 for Rhône-style wines paired with food, and $125 for a tasting lunch with the winemaker. These experiences take place at Williamson’s “Eighteen” tasting room, located nearby at 18 Matheson St. 134 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-433-1500, williamsonwines.com.

5 Favorite Things at BottleRock 2018

By Jess Poshepny Vallery
BottleRock Music Festival 2018, Napa Valley

BottleRock Napa Valley brought people into the area from all over the world. It was another stellar year with incredible shows. But the music wasn’t the only thing that made the festival great – click through the above gallery for five favorite things at this year’s BottleRock. 

If you didn’t get your tickets in time this year, sign up for the Bottle Rock mailing list to be notified when 2019 tickets go on sale.