The newly built home of Steve Lacy and Debbie Thomas in Alexander Valley. A two-story window connects to a stairway down to the guest room. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
Steve Lacy and Debbie Thomas spent three decades living and raising their daughters on the San Francisco Peninsula before building their dream home on a rural, undeveloped piece of property in the Alexander Valley.
“What put us in San Mateo were our jobs,” says Thomas, “but this is more us.”
The couple, who both work in the pharmaceutical industry, purchased the land in 2008, drawn to sweeping views across Alexander Valley, and the quiet location not too far from Healdsburg and other small Wine Country towns they love to explore.
The newly built home of Steve Lacy and Debbie Thomas in Alexander Valley. A two-story window connects to a stairway down to the guest room. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)The living room at the newly built home of Steve Lacy and Debbie Thomas in Alexander Valley. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
Lacy and Thomas essentially started from scratch — only some basic infrastructure and a small olive grove at the top of the ridge existed on the property at the time. But they knew the spot would give them the balance of privacy and proximity they were looking for.
“This stretch is known for being a favorite of cyclists in the summertime, and it’s only 3 miles from the Jimtown Store,” says Lacy.
“It’s reopening soon; we’re so excited,” says Thomas.
Initially, the couple built a small prefab cottage near the olive grove, visiting the property on weekends and holidays. In 2019, the Kincade Fire burned much of the surrounding landscape, though firefighters heroically saved the prefab house.
The couple replanted the burned olive grove, though many of the trees they thought were a total loss later started to grow back. Eventually, they embarked on building a new home, working with Chris Cahill of CahillStudio, builder Robin Guilfoyle of RobinWood Construction, and interior designer Emily Mughannam, creative director of Fletcher Rhodes in Sonoma.
The newly built home of Steve Lacy and Debbie Thomas in Alexander Valley. In the primary bath, a soaking tub with a view of the olive grove. The primary bath is located in a space that bumps out from the main volume of the house. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
The project took three years, finishing in late 2023. “Our relationship to the land really evolved over the course of it. This was not an easy property to build on,” says Lacy.
The availability of lumber, steel and other big-ticket items like windows affected timing and cost — but the couple say the stretched-out timeline brought a deeper understanding of what they were looking for.
Now, they revel in the way the new home meets their needs. “I love how open and light it is; the way it takes advantage of all the views,” says Thomas.
The home is extremely energy efficient, with solar panels and backup batteries, and was built with special siding and roofing to make it as fire-resistant as possible. Landscape architect Mike Lucas of Lucas + Lucas designed a dramatic waterfall seen through a two-story window in the main living space and helped forge strong connections to the outdoors on the upper deck and downstairs pool area.
The newly built home of Steve Lacy and Debbie Thomas in Alexander Valley. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)The newly built home of Steve Lacy and Debbie Thomas in Alexander Valley. Interior designer Emily Mughannam specified two complementary kitchen spaces on the main upper level of the home — a main kitchen, right, and a separate prep space and pantry tucked in behind. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
“It gets very hot here, but when the breeze comes up, the whole house opens up and it stays cool,” says Lacy. “You get these brilliant days and the most incredible sunsets over the valley.”
The couple have settled in over the past few months, getting used to the new kitchen layout (“The kitchen outclasses the cook now,” jokes Lacy) and listening to the crickets and the neighbor’s cows at night. The property is a major wildlife corridor — deer and quail and wild turkeys, even foxes and coyotes, move easily across the landscape.
“A lot of people put fencing around the whole property, but I couldn’t see doing that here,” says Lacy. “There are deer trails here that go back and forth, and they definitely predate us, so that’s as it should be.”
The newly built home of Steve Lacy and Debbie Thomas in Alexander Valley. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
Summertime is outdoor time, watching the fingers of morning fog wander and burn off across the valley, and cooking lazy meals over the grill in the outdoor kitchen. “The fog is a whole thing here; it’s a character,” says Thomas.
The couple are planting a vegetable garden and looking ahead to hosting their younger daughter’s engagement party at the new house. But above all, they’re reveling in what has evolved over time.
“It’s isolated here, but it also feels very homey,” says Thomas.
Lacy agrees. “We knew we would like it, but now there’s the reality of it.”
There’s a reason writer Jack London planted roots in Glen Ellen — and this fall, staff and volunteers at his namesake park have come up with a fun way to remind us of the beauty of our Sonoma County backyard while getting our blood pumping.
The WILD Trail Challenge features five hikes spread across five consecutive Saturdays, beginning Sept. 7 and concluding Oct. 5. Tackle them all to be part of an admirable group that can say they’ve explored every trail in Jack London State Historic Park.
But that’s not the only brag-worthy benefit nature lovers can look forward to. Along with a history lesson and firsthand look at the sheer beauty of the park, which offers stunning views in the fall, hikers can expect a fun fitness challenge.
“The hiking routes were selected to provide participants with a gradual increase in hiking duration and difficulty level,” said Ciara Pegg, tour coordinator and visitor services associate at Jack London State Historic Park. “Each hike focuses on a different region within the park, offering unique historical and natural highlights along the way.”
Outdoor enthusiasts who sign up for the fifth and final hike of the WILD Trail Challenge at Jack London State Historic Park can look forward to a visit to the park summit. (Courtesy of Jack London State Historic Park)
The idea for the WILD Trail Challenge was proposed by Malcolm Walter, board president of Jack London Park Partners, the nonprofit organization that operates and funds the park. When he and his wife moved to Glen Ellen, they purchased the home where Jack and Charmian London lived for five years while readying Beauty Ranch, now Jack London State Historic Park, to become their permanent home.
“The Park has been our go-to place for hiking, however, we were guilty of doing the same two or three trails over and over,” Walter said. “Upon assuming the role of president, I picked up a trail map and decided I needed to hike every trail in the park.”
After considerable research, Walter mapped and trekked a handful of varying-length hikes that cover all of the park’s trails. One day, the park’s executive director, Matt Leffert, joined him on one of the trails and the idea to offer the challenge to the public took hold.
Walter will lead the first three hikes (Sept. 7, Sept. 14, Sept. 21) and park staff and volunteers will guide the others. Hiking shoes and plenty of water are a must to participate.
For anyone on the fence about being physically able to take part, Pegg says the first two hikes will provide good insight into the planned hiking pace. Several park volunteers will be on every hike. If a participant wants to turn around or shorten the jaunt, volunteers will guide them back to the parking lot.
Redwoods along a trail at Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen. (Courtesy of Jack London State Historic Park)
Outdoor enthusiasts can sign up for any number of the hikes individually or do them all. The cost for each hike is $15, or commit to all five hikes before Sept. 7 for $60. The hiking series cost does not include the park’s day use fee of $10 per vehicle.
All hikes except the third in the series (the Historic Orchard trek on Sept. 21) begin in the Ranch parking lot of Jack London State Historic Park (turn right after the entrance kiosk). The Historic Orchard hike starts at the Sonoma Developmental Center, at the main campus parking loop at Arnold Drive and Harney Street.
The 2024 WILD Trail Challenge
Hike 1: Historic Trails
Sept. 7, 9 a.m. – Noon
This hike explores the park’s trails and historic sites, including Beauty Ranch, London Lake and the Wolf House ruins. Listed as an easy to moderate hike (approximately 3.5 miles roundtrip).
Hike 2: Ancient Redwood Sept. 14, 9 a.m. – Noon
Meander through the redwoods and sunny oak woodlands of the park’s three Bridge Trails (Upper, Lower and Fallen). The hike travels to the park’s ancient redwood, also known as the Grandmother Tree. Listed as a moderate hike (approximately 5.7 miles roundtrip).
Hike 3: Historic Orchard Sept. 21, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Stroll along the blue shores of Fern Lake before reaching the park’s historic orchard. Learn the story behind the 110 acres of apple, pear, apricot, peach, cherry and plum trees planted primarily in the early 1900s. Listed as a moderate to difficult hike (approximately 5.5 miles roundtrip). Note: The hike begins at the Sonoma Developmental Center, 15000 Arnold Drive, in the main campus parking loop at Arnold Drive and Harney Street.
Hike 4: The Ridge Sept. 28, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
On this hike, gain elevation and an appreciation for the diverse habitats found within the park and explore part of the ever-growing Bay Area Ridge Trail. Listed as a moderate to difficult hike (approximately 8.5 miles roundtrip).
Hike 5: The Summit Oct. 5, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Complete the hiking series with a trek to the park summit. Listed as a difficult hike (approximately 8 miles roundtrip).
Cloverdale chef and landscape designer Josh Chandler prepares food in his outdoor kitchen. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
Josh Chandler looks down at his fingers as he playfully ticks off the various professional titles he’s held over the course of his career — house designer, builder, contractor, landscape designer, interior designer, illustrator, grapegrower, winemaker, gourmet chef, event planner, livestock rancher, beekeeper.
He looks up and grins. “I know I’m forgetting a few things.”
It might be tempting to wonder if the talented Chandler should pick a lane. Yet as he explains, “The disciplines are actually all very similar. They’re based on scale, texture and color. And if your ingredients are good and you don’t mess them up, you end up with fabulous stuff. Food, wine, arts, architecture — you can easily move from one to the other.”
Chef and landscape designer Josh Chandler prepares a summery olive chimichurri in his outdoor kitchen. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
Some people might think that’s unusual, but for Chandler, it’d be unusual not to think about experimenting with all kinds of artistic pursuits. Now in his late 50s, Chandler knew as early as high school that he wanted to explore as many creative opportunities as he could.
Raised in Napa, Chandler was just 17 years old when his father, a landscape designer and sculptor, enlisted his help to dig gardens for the future Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford. He learned through a chance conversation with the resort chef that the restaurant was in need of staff.
“Ooh, I’d like to give that a whirl,” Chandler recalls thinking. In short time, he rocketed from dishwasher to chef de partie, a job he loved. “Except I realized that working noon to midnight, there’s not a whole lot of sunlight left. I liked the outdoors, so I decided I was going to continue cooking, but for myself.”
Within two years, Chandler had started a family. At age 21, he obtained a landscape architect license and began to buy houses to fix up and sell. He briefly attended two different colleges but decided not to pursue a degree, since he was already doing creative work he loved.
“In the old days, you could do it just by doing it,” he says. “You succeeded through years of practice under an expert’s tutelage.”
Josh Chandler’s wife, Mary Beth Chandler, pours wine at an outdoor table at their Cloverdale home. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
In 1998, he and his wife, Mary Beth Chandler, bought Mendocino’s iconic Lazy Creek Vineyards and started making wine from what was the second oldest vineyard in Anderson Valley. Their small-lot Pinot Noir wines were soon cult classics, touted in The New York Times.
But within a decade, the family was ready to be a bit closer to city conveniences. They sold the winery and bought the 40-acre Cloverdale farm they now call home.
All of Chandler’s passions — design, food, farming — come together on the bucolic property, where they spend most of summer cooking outdoors and eating from the garden. The space is anchored by a 1905 Italian-style farmhouse with stunning spindle-trimmed wraparound porches, overlooking several acres of vineyards, where Chandler and his wife still indulge their passion for winemaking.
The heart of the property, the courtyard, brims with stately trellised sycamore trees, brilliantly blooming rosebushes, manicured shrubs, citrus trees in pots and a swimming pool to stave off summer heat. There are nooks and pathways, secret mini-gardens and a sculpture created by his father.
Raised beds offer a bounty of produce, from herbs to artichokes to tomatoes. Chandler grows several varieties of table grapes and fruit in a small orchard. A wood-burning pizza oven beckons next to a hulking, brick and stone fireplace flanked by more climbing roses and pockets of dappled golden sun under olive trees.
Designer Josh Chandler laid out his Cloverdale property with a series of outdoor rooms, including a an efficient plein air kitchen with pizza oven and large open-fire hearth. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
To one side is Chandler’s office, inside a stone building that was once home to the Chianti Winery, bonded in 1909. Chandler continues to work on design projects, still drawing nearly all of his plans by hand, from wineries to private homes, with the goal of creating casual indoor-outdoor spaces for an ineffable California Wine Country feel. It’s like stepping back in time to see Chandler’s hand-tinted blueprints and landscape plans scattered about the office on large tables — barely a computer in sight.
Chandler cooks from scratch each day with a focus on fresh, home-grown ingredients, working out of the compact indoor kitchen or cooking outdoors over a live fire. It’s not surprising that the chef rarely limits himself to a single type of cuisine.
“For me, food is like music,” he says. “I can’t listen to an artist’s entire LP or whatever it’s called these days. Give me variety.”
Guests often gravitate to the kitchen as Chandler cooks. But the space is really built just for the chef himself in the way he prefers to prepare food.
Cloverdale chef and landscape designer Josh Chandler prepares food in his outdoor oven. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
“Real chefs won’t walk 10 feet to get to the fridge or stove,” he explains. “You just basically turn, and whatever you need is right there. You chop your stuff, turn and cook it, turn and wash the pots, then turn and plate the food.”
Those who would like to help might be directed to bring veggie trimmings out to the compost pile, to help feed the soil that makes the gardens thrive.
Depending on whim, Chandler might craft Italian, Vietnamese or French coq au vin, often paired with his own plush Sangiovese, grown and vinified just steps away. In summer, he loves to prepare chicken under a brick, with roasted vegetables from the garden and olive oil cake made with his own olive oil (see recipes below). He also butchers his own beef and pork and cures his own salumi.
“I’ve raised pigs, I’ve done it all, from the bottom up,” he says. “But I’m not plucking any more chickens.”
Chicken Under a Brick with Olive Sorrel Chimichurri
Designer and chef Josh Chandler turns to his garden for an extra spark in this impressive summertime main course, which highlights home-grown chiles, fresh herbs, olives, garlic — even olive oil made from his own fruit.
While Chandler cooks his chicken over a wood fire, the recipe is equally adaptable to a charcoal or gas grill. The key is to have the cast-iron pan and bricks plenty hot, and to use a generous amount of olive oil so the meat doesn’t stick. You’ll want to start brining the chicken the day before.
Cloverdale chef and landscape designer Josh Chandler prepares food in his outdoor oven. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
As Chandler tells it, chicken under a brick goes back to the days of Roman soldiers in the field, who discovered if they roasted their meats under a portable clay dome, they retained their juiciness and developed extra crispy skin. Later, Italian chefs discovered using weights or bricks to expose more of the meat to the heat for even more crispness.
Chandler recommends serving the chicken alongside grilled broccolini with fresh lemon.
Serves 4
3 pounds boneless chicken thighs
½ cup olive oil
For the brine:
½ cup salt
2⁄3cup sugar
1 1⁄4 cup mixed fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary)
6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp. chile pepper flakes
4 bay leaves
For the chimichurri:
1⁄8 tsp. Serrano chile, minced
1 tsp. red onion, minced
½ tsp. parsley, minced
1 tsp. cilantro, minced
1 tsp. fresh sorrel, minced
¾ cup mixed olives, minced
1 tsp. olive juice from the jar
1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp. carrot, finely grated
2 tsp. yellow tomatoes, minced
1⁄8 tsp. chile oil
¼ cup sherry vinegar
½ cup olive oil
In a large bowl or plastic container, combine salt, sugar, herbs, garlic, pepper flakes, and bay leaves with 1 gallon water. Add the chicken thighs. Cover and refrigerate the chicken in the brine for 24-48 hours.
Prepare your grill or fire and allow to heat to a high temperature (approximately 500 degrees with a point-and-shoot thermometer). Place a shallow, seasoned cast-iron pan on the grill or fire to heat. Generously brush 2-3 clean bricks with olive oil and allow the bricks to heat along with the pan. It’s time to cook when the fire or charcoal has turned from flames to glowing coals. If you’re using a gas grill instead, dial to the highest temperature and heat the bricks and pan for 5-10 minutes before cooking.
While the fire or grill comes to temperature, prepare the chimichurri. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and stir well to combine. Set aside.
Remove the chicken from the brine, pat dry with paper towels, then generously slather with olive oil. Place the chicken in the hot cast-iron pan; put the hot, oiled bricks on top; and cook until well crispy and brown on the outside and cooked through completely, about 6-7 minutes (cut into one thigh at the thickest part to test doneness). You may need to prepare the chicken in batches so there’s enough separation in the pan for each piece to get crispy.
Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Spoon the chimichurri on top of the chicken just before serving.
A nectarine tree from chef and landscape designer Josh Chandler’s garden. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
Olive Oil Cake with Nectarines
This elegant summer dessert was inspired by a recipe Josh Chandler found on Epicurious. He uses his own olive oil and nectarines from his trees (the recipe adapts beautifully to other types of stone fruit as well).
The lovely fan of nectarine slices on top is created by laying down slices of fruit at the bottom of the cake pan, then pouring the cake batter over top. The sugar caramelizes around the fruit as the cake cooks, and the slices come out on top when you turn the cake out of the pan.
2 large eggs
1 cup cake flour
¼ cup almond flour
½ cup brown sugar, plus additional to coat the cake pan
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. fine-grain salt
2⁄3 cup olive oil, plus additional to oil the cake pan
3 tbsp. Amaretto
2 tbsp. fresh lemon zest
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup prepared lemon curd (such as Bonne Maman) freshly whipped cream, for serving
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Chef and landscape designer Josh Chandler cuts a slice of his nectarine-topped olive oil cake. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
Using an 8-inch round cake pan, trace an outline on a piece of parchment paper, cut out and place in the bottom of the cake pan. Oil the pan generously with olive oil, then sprinkle with a heavy layer of brown sugar. Arrange the nectarine slices in a fan at the bottom of the pan, on top of the sugar.
Combine cake flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a separate small bowl, stir together the amaretto, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and set aside.
In a stand mixer, beat the eggs, brown sugar and lemon zest on high until stiff peaks form. Once the eggs are stiff, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream until fully combined. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredient mixture to the batter, then half of the lemon juice mixture. While continuing to mix at low speed, add the remainder of the dry and wet ingredients until just incorporated.
Gently pour the batter into the prepared cake pan with the fruit slices arranged on the bottom. Bake the cake in a 425 degree oven for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and cook approximately 40 additional minutes, until just cooked through. Remove from the oven, and while still hot, slather the exposed surface with a 1/4-inch layer of lemon curd, which will soak in as the cake cools.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then use a butter knife or spatula to loosen the cake and turn it out upside down onto a serving platter (so the fruit is on top). Serve with freshly whipped cream.
Clockwise from center, The Boho Bowl, gluten-free summer squash tartlets, Mochi donuts, Earl Grey polenta olive oil cakes, at The Altamont General Store in Occidental. (Beth Schlanker/Sonoma Magazine)
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or longtime Sonoma County resident, consider this your local foodie adventure guide, curated by someone who eats (and writes about) food for a living.
I’ve sorted through some of my absolute favorites for a list of tried-and-true bakeries, cafes, restaurants and dining experiences to give you the best Wine Country recommendations. (Napa has nothing on these Sonoma County spots, best bets and insider hot spots.)
Sebastopol
A&M BBQ: Real. Barbecue. Long-smoked, dry-rubbed, killer sides. Sonoma County-meets-Deep South meat and three. Expect a long line and a no-frills “when we’re out, we’re out” vibe. Brisket is a specialty. 495 S. Main St., Sebastopol, Instagram.com/ambbqllc
The Handline “Inglewood” burger features pastured beef, St. Jorge fonduta, iceberg lettuce, spicy pickle relish and thousand island on a toasted bun. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Handline: The tortillas are handmade, the oysters super fresh, the burgers are great, but I go for the veggies. Esquites (grilled corn with lime) are a summer staple. Broccolini with mushroom aioli and pickled mustard seeds is another favorite. The Roots & Shoots salad is an ever-changing lineup of seasonal veggies with sprouted lentils, arugula, basil pesto and sesame hummus. 935 Gravenstein Ave. South, Sebastopol, handline.com
Healdsburg and points north
PizzaLeah: Leah Scurto is an award-winning pizzaiolo who puts every bit of her soul into making the best pies in Sonoma County. We’re obsessed with the Old Grey Beard with mozzarella, fontina, sausage and hot honey. 9240 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 116, Windsor, pizzaleah.com
Journeyman Meat: This tiny salumeria, tasting bar and butcher shop also makes great wood-fired pizzas, burgers and, of course, charcuterie boards. It’s a dream project for Pete Seghesio, whose family is best known for their hearty red wines (also available). Hidden away off the Healdsburg square, sidling up to the tasting bar feels like a discovery. 404 Center St., Healdsburg, journeymanmeat.com
Sandwich from Troubadour in Healdsburg. (Emma K Creative)
Troubadour: When you own a bakery, why not offer great sandwiches, too? Husband-and-wife culinary phenoms Sean McGaughey and Melissa Yanc have a sandwich outpost that transforms into a top-notch French bistro called Le Diner at night. The world’s best egg salad on challah for lunch, vichyssoise with caviar for dinner. Dinner reservations required. 381 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, troubadourhbg.com
Geyserville Gun Club: This Fellini-esque watering hole is almost too absurdly wonderful to be true. Brought to life by chef Dino Bugica, it’s the flip side of his more tourist-friendly Diavola Pizzeria and Salumeria. 21025 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, geyservillegunclub.com
Santa Rosa
Mitote: Immersive eating and drinking in Sonoma County’s epicenter of Mexican culture. Food trucks circle a permanent outdoor patio (tented and enclosed) with home-style tacos, tlayuda, birria and tortas. A full bar with a focus on mezcal keeps the party going. 665 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, mitotefoodpark.com
A variety of Mexican dishes served at the Mitote Food Park in Santa Rosa. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)Kapu Bar, tiki bar and restaurant in the heart of downtown Petaluma on Keller Street. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
Petaluma
Kapu: This tiki-tastic adult playground isn’t just fun; it’s an island adventure complete with bamboo huts, pirate booty and terrific Mai Tais. The menu focuses on Hawaiian fare, including plate lunch faves like Spam musubi, sticky garlic chicken and mac salad. Fried noodles are perfect for soaking up deceptively delicious tropical cocktails that — if you’re not careful — will take you down like a vengeful god. 132 Keller St., Petaluma, kapubar.com
Stellina Pronto: There’s (almost) always a line at this Italian bakery and pizzeria, which is saying something in sleepy Sonoma County. Michelin-quality pastries filled with hazelnuts, cream and plenty of panache are the opener for Neapolitan-meets-New York wood-fired gourmet pizzas. Limited seating. 23 Kentucky St., Petaluma, stellinapronto.com
Street Social: With just six tables and 300 feet of dining space, Street Social is unavoidably intimate, even at its busiest. Chef Jevon Martin is a chef’s chef, and you’ll likely find other culinary giants nibbling away on dishes like Kurobuta pork riblets and chicharrones, or Meyer lemon curd with brown butter crumble. Reservations required. 29F Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, streetsocial.social
Vegan “Al Pastor” Tacos with celery root, pineapple, achiote, cilantro, onions on blue corn tortillas from Bloom Carneros in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Sonoma Valley
Bloom Carneros: There’s so much to love about this Sonoma hideaway, from its welcoming dog- and kid-friendly patio to the audacious (but delicious) wines from Kivelstadt Cellars. An elevated menu with outstanding farm-to-table dishes reflect both the season and sense of place. It’s an unpretentious way to really dive into the best of what Sonoma County has to offer, all in one spot. 22900 Broadway, Sonoma, bloomcarneros.com
Valley Swim Club: The only diving at this popular roadhouse is straight into a bowl of clams in buttery garlic noodles. This is a casual, walk-in-only sibling to Valley Bar + Bottle, with a focus on coastal seafood, plus salads, milkshakes, smash burgers and plant-based options. On the drink menu, tasty porch pounders and standout natural wines are de rigueur, including the Valley team’s own Le Lube. 18709 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, valleyswim.club
West County
Altamont General Store: Funky grab-and-go bowls or serious breakfast, lunch and dinner eats in this quiet West County hamlet are perfect for families and visitors. An outdoor patio has plenty of grass for cart wheels. An excellent selection of curated wines and artisan gifts is an added bonus. 3703 Main St., Occidental, altamontgeneralstore.com
Shakshuka — a Middle Eastern dish of poached egg, zesty tomato sauce, onions and a side of hummus and puffy pita bread — at Lightwave Coffee and Kitchen in Monte Rio. (Daniel Beck/Sonoma County Tourism)
Lightwave Coffee and Kitchen: Located by the Creekside Skatepark, this curious little cafe is a mix of smoothies, bagels, pies and Middle Eastern cuisine. Desserts are impressive. 9725 Main St., Monte Rio, lightwavecafe.square.site
Willow Wood: Though this breakfast and brunch spot has been around since 1995, it’s often overlooked in the one-stop-sign town of Graton. Try their homey-yet-impressive menus. 9020 Graton Road, Graton, willowwoodgraton.com
Coast, Highway 1
Fisherman’s Cove: There are plenty of spots to grab barbecued oysters on the coast, but this combination of tackle shop/convenience store/cafe is so Sonoma County. 1850 Bay Flat Road, Bodega Bay, fishermanscovebodegabay.com
Estero Cafe: Working directly with local farmers — often just miles away — owners Samantha and Ryan Ramey bring the best of Sonoma’s bounty to the table. Go for breakfast or brunch and try the chicken fried chicken or biscuits with country gravy and you’ll be ready for a day of wine tasting and sightseeing. 14450 Hwy. 1, Valley Ford, esterocafe.com
Petaluma artist Aaron Webb with his abstract art. (Kim Carroll/for Sonoma Magazine)
From afar, Aaron Webb’s abstract paintings lure viewers in like a blurry windowpane, or a bird’s-eye view of a hazy coastline where wave break meets open sea.
But cast a brighter light, and the paintings reveal themselves in all their blemished glory. The landscape of the canvas becomes a marred universe littered with cracks, fissures, cuts, scars, scrapes and three-dimensional ridgelines that harden like scabs. From a different vantage point, hand-scrawled words like “not alone” or “the cure” sometimes emerge from the canvas.
“I love putting Easter eggs in some of these,” says Webb, his blue eyes lighting up a smile, almost daring you to find a hidden message as he props a new work up against a basketball goal in the driveway of his east Petaluma home. “Most people have no idea, even when it’s hanging on the wall. All of a sudden, they’ll turn and see it.”
Petaluma artist Aaron Webb with his abstract art. (Kim Carroll/for Sonoma Magazine)
On this day, he’s still readjusting to daily life after a seven-month Navy deployment in the Middle East. After preparatory training and post-operation debriefs, he was gone for a total of 15 months — so long he no longer remembers the building code to his downtown Petaluma studio. The key to his studio door isn’t working, so he opens the lock using a pocketknife he always carries.
The decompression period is always a weird liminal space, he says, not unlike his paintings.
With a foot in both worlds, he’s just started a new job in human resources at a Bay Area tech company, even as he is still processing events from this latest deployment, including the deaths of two fellow sailors. On other deployments, like during the surge of 2007-2008 in Iraq, casualties were higher. Ask him what he does in the Navy, and he remains intentionally vague, alluding to “taking care of logistics” for various units.
“I’ve seen some stuff,” he says.
Webb has spent 20 years with the Navy and continues to serve in the reserves, where he was recently promoted to master chief petty officer, one of the highest ranks for an enlisted man. He still apologizes for having “the mouth of a sailor,” and his body is tattooed with ships, tillers and cannons. One of them reads, “We Have This Hope As An Anchor For The Soul.”
Petaluma artist Aaron Webb. (Kim Carroll/for Sonoma Magazine)
He’s had experiences he’ll never forget, no matter how hard he tries. One painting came to him in a wave of tears, triggered months after a friend and fellow sailor died by suicide on Christmas Day. The loss hit Webb one day while painting in his garage, as a musical algorithm landed on a Snow Patrol song his late friend had played over and over when they were in Iraq together.
He titled the work “To Feel Finality.” As the painting runs from top to bottom, it could be the journey of a life, wading through the chaos of daily battles, scratched tally marks and what looks almost like a game of hangman, until it reaches the final third — a horizontal red line giving way to a thicker black line, the metaphor complete.
Later, in his living room, Webb nods to a work in progress hanging above a couch. The moody colors could be the gloaming at the end of the day, or maybe a silent battlefield the day after a war ends, drenched in dew and dark shadows before sunrise. It’s the first thing he’s painted after returning home.
“I put it up on the wall when I get to the point where I just need it to talk to me,” he says. “Then I sit with it and see what I need to do with it.”
Petaluma artist Aaron Webb. (Kim Carroll/for Sonoma Magazine)
Moving to the garage, where Webb builds his 6-by-8-foot wooden frames, he returns to a common theme in his paintings — the lingering sense of “decay.” As he’s talking, a tiny spider emerges from beneath the canvas of a half-finished painting and crawls along the edge. He quickly swats it with his hand, leaving a rust-colored stain.
“It’s all very organic,” he says, smiling.
Rum, sea salt, dye, ink, watercolor, latex, acrylic and detritus — they all find a home in Webb’s abstract worlds.
The titles of his paintings — like “Pull Me Out From Inside” or “The Quiet Story of Their Stars” — give hints, suggesting words for the wordless, like poetic names for experimental, instrumental jazz songs. “Sick for the Sight of You” is cloaked in painted-over, awl-engraved words. Awash in waves of turmoil, “The Dead and Dreaming” borrows from a Counting Crows lyric. And “Am I All For Nothing” bleeds in black down a 6×8-foot canvas, something that came to him while watching from home as U.S. armed forces retreated from Afghanistan, culminating with the frenzied exit at the international airport in Kabul.
He’s always dabbled in art, whether playing guitar or studying fashion design, but it wasn’t until Webb stumbled on watercolors and art supplies at a base exchange a decade ago that he seriously took up abstract painting as a way to take his mind off the chaos around him. Now, everywhere he travels with the Navy, he brings a miniature studio. Some of his fellow soldiers are intrigued and ask questions, while others could care less, he says.
Artist Aaron Webb outside his Petaluma studio. (Kim Carroll/for Sonoma Magazine)
Otherwise, he usually paints at home, whenever inspiration strikes, often outside along the side of his house where the sun bakes the layers of paint, and the morning dew dries and seals it in a ghostly glow. Propping the canvas on small buckets, maybe a foot off the ground, he paints flat, occasionally tilting the work at angles for inks and dyes to run through cracks between paint layers. He learned through trial and error that rum gives liquidity to dyes and inks, and sea salt crystalizes regions with thicker texture. Instead of brushes, he uses scraping tools you might find next to cans of Bondo putty at Home Depot.
Webb was raised with two older sisters in a conservative, religious household in Beaumont, Texas, an oil town 45 minutes inland from the Gulf of Mexico. Their father was a professional photographer, and Webb would spend hours in the darkroom with him, mesmerized by images coming to life in the ethereal developer solution. In high school, he was an all-state basketball player.
His painting “Drowning in the Depths of Grace,” part of his Lost at Sea series, grapples with how “church and religion played a huge part of my life growing up, but not as much now,” and how “the concept of grace is hard for people to wrap their head around.”
Recently back from deployment, artist Aaron Webb works in the side yard of his Petaluma home. He creates texture by scraping the paint, spraying the canvas with alcohol, rubbing the surface with dirt or salt — even leaving the painting outdoors overnight so drizzle and fog can apply a final glowing coat. (Kim Carroll/for Sonoma Magazine)
In August, Webb will mount a solo show at Rena Charles Gallery in Healdsburg, where owner Rena Charles was introduced to his work through a photographer she also represents. In less than a year, Charles has sold several of his paintings. One of Webb’s paintings now hangs on the wall of a prominent New York commercial real estate office; another is headed to a bed-and-breakfast in Calistoga.
“People often ask if the marks are intentional,” Charles says. “And I share that they are, and they represent the journey that you’re on, whatever that is. And I explain how Aaron shares that it’s in that in-between space – that’s the growth and those things that you learn along the way.”
Over time, Webb has come to realize maybe he doesn’t need to inflict so much pain on the paintings, gouging them with his emotions. Standing beside an older piece, he says, “I scratched it, and it works. But if I wouldn’t have done it — it’s beautiful enough and big enough that it doesn’t need it. It still communicates what it needs to, without it.”
In 2021, he was part of a group show at the National Veterans Art Museum in Chicago. But he’s wary of being pigeonholed as “a veteran artist” who might be collected and curated only into veteran art exhibits. In his eyes, he is an artist who also happens to serve his country — not exclusively a “veteran artist.” But he can’t escape who he is and where he’s been.
Petaluma artist Aaron Webb. (Kim Carroll/for Sonoma Magazine)
He also can’t escape the mixed emotions of war. “There’s not a direct tie to a bad day or something happening in the field,” he says. “It’s more like flashes and snapshots of memories and emotions that you felt — sometimes things you didn’t even know you felt, until they come back 15 years later.”
Making art is how he makes peace with himself. “This is kind of my own therapy,” he says. “I never went through art therapy. This was my own way of working through it. I just find if I create, I’m better. I have better mental health, and I’m happier.”
Once the work is done and hanging in someone else’s living room or bedroom, it no longer matters [to him] how he made peace with it.
“It took time, but now I realize it has nothing to do with me,” he says. “It’s about them and the art and what they see and what they feel.”
In that, he finds solace — knowing he’s not the only one who seeks refuge in the space between beauty and decay.
Aaron Webb’s upcoming solo show runs Aug. 15 – Sept. 30 at Rena Charles Gallery, 439 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. aaronwebbstudio.com
The calendar may say the end of summer is drawing near, but in Northern California, we know better. Some of our best weather comes in September and October. If you haven’t penciled in that weekend getaway on the calendar yet, now’s the time — and Mendocino County is the place to do it.
To help get you started, here are six of our favorite Mendocino hotel properties, from budget to splurge.
Splurge — The Harbor House Inn
Built in 1916, this coastal property reopened in 2018 after an eight-year restoration. The Harbor House Inn features 11 guest rooms, including six in the main building, and a handful of cottages. Some rooms boast ocean vistas, while others offer garden views.
The Harbor House Inn is home to the first and only two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Mendocino County. Chef Matthew Kammerer’s tasting menus are seafood focused and hyperlocal. A majority of the produce on the menu is grown at the inn’s offsite farm; ranch hands also raise cattle, goats and chickens.
Located north of Fort Bragg, the 2,200-acre private ranch — with just 10 rooms and suites —commands a mile and a half of swoon-worthy oceanfront, expansive stretches of coastal pasture dotted with grazing cattle and acres of old-growth redwoods.
The ranch’s executive chef incorporates ingredients foraged by guests into meals. (Nik Z Photo/Inn at Newport Ranch)
Guests can soak in a hot tub atop a repurposed water tower and gaze across the Pacific, or join in a foraging tour to hunt for the likes of mushrooms, wild ginger, fiddlehead fern, waterleaf and redwood sorrel. Come dinner, executive chef Patrick Meany (formerly of Elk’s Harbor House Inn) uses the ingredients you collected to create a multicourse meal.
Formerly The Griffin House and The Greenwood Pier Inn, newcomer Sacred Rock Inn has combined both properties into one beautifully blooming perch overlooking the coastline. There are 19 accommodations in total and no two are exactly alike. Lodging choices range from a stand-alone Victorian home with four bedrooms, to suites with private decks overlooking the ocean, to pet-friendly garden cottages.
Sacred Rock Inn is home to a pair of restaurants. Greenwood Restaurant serves dinner Friday through Tuesday. Executive chef Ryan Seal prepares seasonal offerings the likes of Mexican street corn pasta and heirloom tomatoes with burrata foam. At neighboring Elk House, Ryan offers a more casual, but equally delicious menu for breakfast and lunch, also Friday through Tuesday. The Reuben Grilled Sausage Roll and the Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich are staff favorites.
Rates start at $475, including a generous minibar stocked with complimentary snacks, including cheese and crackers, nuts, chips and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Coffee, tea and assorted soft drinks are also provided.
Overlooking the bright blue Pacific, this popular bed-and-breakfast was built in 2001 from 150-year-old redwood salvaged from the nearby Big River. All 10 rooms at Brewery Gulch Inn feature ocean views and gas fireplaces. Eight have private decks, so it’s worth asking when making a reservation.
The property offers a one-of-a-kind wine hour every evening that includes a selection of appetizers — enough to be dinner for some — served to guests in bento-style “Mendo boxes” made from reclaimed wood.
Little River Inn is located two miles south of Mendocino overlooking the Pacific Ocean. (Courtesy of Little River Inn)
Budget — Little River Inn
Family-owned and operated for more than 80 years, Little River Inn features 65 guest rooms in a variety of price ranges; all boast ocean vistas and many are pet-friendly. Amenities include a spa, restaurant, nine-hole golf course and tennis courts (with ocean views). Guests can have an assortment of cocktail kits and “Buckets of Brews” delivered to their room to enjoy while taking in views of the Pacific.
Fun fact: Actor James Dean stayed at Little River Inn while filming East of Eden; there’s a room named after him.
Located in the heart of the village of Mendocino, the MacCallum House features 19 rooms spread across cottages, suites, a converted barn, stand-alone home and a historic mansion.
The New England-style, Victorian mansion was built in 1882 as a wedding present for Daisy (Kelly) MacCallum. An early member of the American Rose Society, many of the roses she planted at the turn of the century still bloom in the gardens today.
More than a dozen rooms have private hot tubs. With the exception of the main historic house, dogs are welcome in all rooms and on the property’s restaurant porch.
Did we miss one of your favorite properties? Let us know in the comments below. Thinking of heading to Napa Valley instead? We’ve got you covered with six favorites.
Le Diner at Troubadour in Healdsburg. (Emma K Creative)
The Paris Olympics may be over, but you can still get a taste of France in Sonoma County.
Like tasty forest mushrooms, French restaurants and bakeries are popping up everywhere, embracing the zest for good food, good wine and good butter that defines Gallic cuisine.
Certainly, French techniques and a flair for local ingredients are at the heart of Wine Country’s unique style of cooking, but classic white-tablecloth French restaurants have been few and far between in these parts since the 1980s.
But a new generation of Francophiles have embraced the time-honored flavors of the birthplace of modern cuisine as well as a wave of French newcomers to the region, who bring with them the traditions and authentic recipes of their homeland.
Vive la cuisine française!
Scroll on below for some of our favorite spots to say bonjour to French fare throughout the county, and click through the above gallery to get a peek of the restaurants.
From left, Nas Salamati, his wife Najine Shariat and daughter Soraya Salamati, 11, pulls loaves from the oven for display before opening for business at Goguette Bread in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Goguette Bread
Long-fermented loaves are the bread and butter of this family-run French boulangerie, sold still warm if you time your pickup right (preorders are recommended). The expanded footprint of the bakery means even more to love, including creamy French custard ice cream (try their espresso + ice cream affogato), sandwiches and buttery cookies. Open 1:30-9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
A locals’ longtime (45 years and counting) go-to for Old World French cuisine. You’ll find well-established white-tablecloth-standards, including Coq au Vin, Chateaubriand, frog legs and garlicky escargots on the enduring menu. The Railroad Square staple was recently featured on KQED’s “Check, Please! Bay Area.” Open 5-9 p.m. daily for dinner.
Escargots, from left, Boursin butter, lemon & pepper / black truffle butter / buffalo / garlic butter, parsley, Pernod from Augie’s French on Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Augie’s French
Paying homage to Auguste Escoffier, the father of modern French cuisine, restaurateurs Mark and Terri Stark’s classic French bistro serves classic-yet-approachable fare with dishes like steak frites and mussels, escargots, Salade Lyonnaise and steak tartare. Chef Quincey Sanders, formerly of Portland’s Le Pigeon, heads the kitchen, and we can say that the tender, homey Beef cheek Bourguignon could make a grown man cry.Open daily.
Doing double duty as bakery and cafe, this French-owned carb-loading destination is ground zero for flaky croissants, kouign-amann and sweet pastries for breakfast (or lunch), along with hearty sandwiches, quiche and salads after 10:30 a.m. Pascaline also serves a bistro-style dinner from 5:30-9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with offerings such as boeuf bourguignon, veal viennoise and mushroom farrotto, plus a wine list with selections from France to Wine Country.
Paris Brest and a creamy canele at Sarmentine Bakery in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Sarmentine
French expat Alexandra Zandvliet turned a pandemic pop-up into a multi-location patisserie zeitgeist. The original, popular shop in Santa Rosa expanded to The Barlow in Sebastopol in 2023, taking over the former Red Bird Bakery location. Just last month, Sarmentine opened its third location in Petaluma. Don’t miss the baguettes, chocolate tarts, cream-filled Mille-feuille and seasonal cakes like bûche de Noël. Plus, lunch sandwiches, cheeses, terrines and other French goodies.
52 Mission Circle, Suite 112, Santa Rosa; 6760 McKinley St., Suite 150, Sebastopol; 840 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, 707-623-9595, sarmentine.com
Brigitte Bistro
Chef/owner Nick Ronan’s bistro-style cooking is the real deal. Raised between Paris and the south of France, he has created a menu that is a reflection of the food he loves best — beef bourguignon and duck confit, cheese souffle, onion soup gratinée, tableside beef tartare and the requisite steak frites (desserts are also stunning). But it’s Ronan’s bear-hug style of welcoming everyone like family, encouraging evening singalongs at the dining room’s baby grand piano, that really defines his restaurant. For Ronan, Brigitte Bistro isn’t a Michelin quest, but a neighborhood gathering spot for a relaxed meal in the French tradition of feeding family and friends with love and passion.
Charcuterie board with housemade assorted pates, French-style ham, cornichons and bread from Maison Porcella in Windsor. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Maison Porcella
Initially focused on French-style charcuterie, cheeses and wines, this husband-and-wife-owned wine bar has expanded to include lunch and weekly dinners. The croque-monsieur is why you’re here, and it’s well worth the 15-minute wait. Lunch is served Tuesday through Saturday and dinner is served Tuesday through Friday. Intimate and charming.
This Healdsburg bakery has been a favorite for sourdough baguettes, croissants and their addictive French onion soup since 1973 (the bakery was built in 1923, next to the current location). Deep dish quiche always impresses, with ham, bacon, mushrooms, cheese and a few veggies just for good measure. A go-to for great cakes, as well. Open Saturday through Monday for breakfast and lunch.
On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the bakery becomes an al fresco dinner cafe, allowing chef Jorge Flores to spread his culinary wings. An alum of Healdsburg’s Scopa and Campo Fina restaurants, he’s spent time in some top-notch kitchens and has the chops to create crowd-pleasers like chicken paillard and a dreamy braised short rib with rosemary polenta. Reservations recommended, open 4 to 8 p.m.
Petite Escargot, served in a Limoges tea cup with creamy garlic velouté, is a single perfect bite from Troubadour Bread and Bistro in Healdsburg. (Emma K. Creative)
Troubadour
This daytime boulangerie and gourmet sandwich shop magically transforms into Sonoma County’s tip-topiest French cafe Wednesday through Sunday evenings. Limited seating offers an intimate six-course dining experience from chef Sean McGaughery, who MacGyvers the tiny kitchen into a Michelin-noted force of nature. The menu features seasonal, locally sourced dishes like duck a l’orange, Wagyu steak tartare, and petite escargot served in a Limoges tea cup. Requires a prepaid reservation, so plan ahead.
This butter-yellow cafe is impossible to miss and a favorite of bicyclists for pastries and coffee. Classic croissants, brioche and breads, the hard-to-find Paris-Brest (a doughnut-shaped éclair), sandwiches, quiche and the required French onion soup are on the menu. Open every day except Wednesday.
At Chateau St. Jean, a statue of Jean, the winery’s namesake, stands in the main courtyard near a fountain. (Chateau St. Jean)
Kenwood may be best known in summer for its annual Fourth of July races, but the small town has a mix of fine dining and classic tasting rooms — Landmark, Kenwood Vineyards — plus launching-off points for great hikes.
Scroll on below to read what to do and where to eat, sip and shop in Kenwood.
What to Do
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
The short, shady waterfall trail is a great bet on a summer afternoon; more exposed ridgetop hikes are stunning but best in the early morning or late in the day. 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, 707-833-5712, sugarloafpark.org
The waterfall and creek at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park in Kenwood.
Trione-Annadel State Park
Kenwood has two lesser-traveled park access points, popular with trail runners and mountain bikers — one on Schultz Road and one with a parking lot on Lawndale Road. Trails lead uphill toward the Ledson Marsh. 707-539-3911, parks.ca.gov
Where to Eat
VJB Cellars
Hit the sunny courtyard for a casual panini or woodfired pizza and a glass of Nebbiolo, then shop the Italian marketplace or pick up handcrafted chocolates from the Wine Truffle Boutique. 60 Shaw Ave., 707-833-2300, vjbcellars.com
Golden Bear Station
Joshua Smookler and Heidy He closed Sonoma’s highly regarded Animo to open this spot, which has elevated woodfired pizzas and housemade pastas plus Asian-accented entrées, such as a tonkatsu-style pork chop with dashi broth. 8445 Sonoma Hwy., 707-282-9148, goldenbearstation.com
Pork Chop Tonkatsu-style with sweet onion dash broth from the Golden Bear Station on Highway 12 in Kenwood. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Salt & Stone
A broad menu of salads, seafood and steaks, and a lovely outdoor vineyard setting with shade umbrellas and a bubbling fishpond and fountain. The indoor bar scene is one of the best around, too. 9900 Sonoma Hwy., 707-833-6326, saltstonekenwood.com
Where to Taste
Amapola Creek Winery
The newest tasting room in town, Amapola Creek was founded by industry icon Richard Arrowood and is now headed up by Brion Wise of B. Wise Vineyards. Guests taste from a lineup of serious high-end Rhone blends and Cabs from Moon Mountain. The tasting room shares a building with Muscardini Cellars, which offers a terrific weekend afternoon live-music series. 9380 Sonoma Hwy., 707-938-3783, amapolacreek.com
Vaughn Duffy Wines
Winemaker Matt Duffy and his wife Sara Vaughn started this small label 15 years ago, and last year, in true David vs. Goliath style, their 2021 Pinot Noir was named best in show at The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge. Though the couple source fruit from around the county, their super friendly tasting room is in Kenwood. 8910 Sonoma Hwy., 707-282-9156, vaughnduffywines.com
At Chateau St. Jean in Kenwood, a statue of Jean, the winery’s namesake, stands in the main courtyard near a fountain. (Chateau St. Jean)
Chateau St. Jean
This is the grand, classic Sonoma Valley tasting experience, with a hundred-year-old French-inspired estate home, formal rose gardens and excellent wines, including the signature Cinq Cépages Bordeaux-style blend, which put the winery on the map 30 years ago. 8555 Sonoma Hwy., 707-257-5784, chateaustjean.com
Where to Shop
Mayacamas Home
Interior designer Shawn Hall worked on wineries and hotels for decades, but now she’s turned her vision to this new boutique in a small shopping center along Highway 12, with a worldly selection of ceramics, tableware and upcycled household goods. 9255 Sonoma Hwy., shawnehalldesigns.com
Swede’s Feeds
Treats for your pups and chickens, plus plants, garden tools and colorful recycled tin garden decor at this longtime locals spot. Beloved for the giant dinosaur sculpture that lurks along the highway. 9140 Sonoma Hwy., 707-833-5050, swedesfeeds.com
To appeal to impromptu palates, Kunde Family Winery created The Daily Tour & Tasting. At $25 per person, offered seven days a week at 11 a.m., it includes a tour of Kunde’s 32,000 square foot cave and a peek at its 5,000 aging barrels. The tour is followed by a tasting of six wines only available at the winery or for wine club members’ consumption. The wines are paired with a cheese and charcuterie board.
The Sonoma tasting room talk these days is all about offering visitors “elevated experiences:” personalized service, food pairings, barrel tastings, vineyard hikes, live music and special bottles pulled from the cellar.
Yet it doesn’t get any more elevated than sampling wine from terraces perched above valley floors, treetops, buildings and vineyards, where bird’s eye views allow you to drink in the area’s natural beauty and soul-soothing vibe.
This is only theory, yet one broadly embraced: Wines taste remarkably better and more interesting at higher elevations, where the air is fresh and the views invigorating. We first eat with our eyes, and these Sonoma wineries have eye-popping views that make the vino go down so very easily.
Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery
South Africa natives Linda and Lester Schwartz took the high-risk/high-reward route in planting Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinotage grapes on their chilly, wind-whipped property near Jenner, in what is now the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA. Their vineyard blocks are just 3 miles from the Pacific Ocean, thought by many to be too cold to properly ripen wine grapes. They’ve proven naysayers wrong.
The tasting room expanded operations to five days a week (Friday through Tuesday), with wine flights and food pairings ($85). The views are of the vineyards, of course, but also the ocean in the distance, sometimes swirling fog and always forests and meadows.
Scents of salt air and forest floor fill the air and often appear in the wines (made by Jeff Pisoni), which are precise, high-acid and age-worthy. The wines aren’t robust, but rather lean and elegant. And if you think you won’t like South African-grown Pinotage — a cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsault — the Fort Ross version might change your mind.
The Fort Ross Winery and Vineyard, owned by Lester and Linda Schwartz, overlooks the Pacific Ocean and the rolling timber strewn hills of northwestern Sonoma County on Meyers Grade. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat)
Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery
Come for winemaker Theresa Heredia’s remarkable, cool-climate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast — many from single vineyards — and stay for the relaxing atmosphere of the outdoor terrace as you enjoy the Elevation Tasting ($55), accompanied by cheeses, nuts and dried fruits.
The winery sits atop a ridge overlooking the Russian River, on Westside Road between Healdsburg and Forestville, and the view is of a vast expanse of redwoods, firs, oaks and madrones. Indoor tastings are almost as visually rewarding, with floor-to-ceiling windows affording a similar view as the terrace, and with a mix of tables, banquettes and comfy couches to sit on while you savor.
Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery in Healdsburg sits atop a ridge overlooking the Russian River, on Westside Road between Healdsburg and Forestville, and the view from the terrace is of a vast expanse of redwoods, firs, oaks and madrones. (Gary Farrell Vineyards Winery)
Hanzell Vineyards
Ambassador to Italy James D. Zellerbach founded this winery in 1953, entertaining the then-wild notion that Chardonnay and Pinot Noir could be successfully grown and vinified into elegant, Burgundy-style wines on hillsides high above the town of Sonoma. Zellerbach’s vision proved 20/20, as Hanzell (now owned by the publicity-shy de Brye family) is widely admired for its lean, crisp, age-worthy wines that resemble white and red Burgundy wines.
The Hanzell Tasting Experience ($90) takes place overlooking the Ambassador’s 1953 vineyard block — certified organic — on one of Hanzell’s outdoor platforms. On clear days, San Francisco Bay can be seen from the 900-foot-elevation estate; on the ground, sheep, pigs and chickens roam the sustainably farmed property.
It’s all bubble, bubble, no toil or trouble at this iconic Sebastopol sparkling-wine-centric winery. It has an east-facing view of its vineyards and, on clear days, all the way to the Mayacamas mountain range and Mt. St. Helena. Fog seeps into this Green Valley of Russian River Valley site morning and evening, refreshing the grapes, yet the days can be gloriously sunny for sipping Champagne-quality bubblies and taking in the visuals.
As outstanding as the sparkling wines are (still Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, too), tastings ($35) are casual, non-fussy and staged from a redwood barn-style building (spitting tasted wines down the hill to stay sober is not only OK, but encouraged). Seated tastings in a gazebo are offered on weekends from May 25 to Sept. 1 ($85).
For sweeping views of Sonoma Valley and San Francisco Bay, make the drive to Kamen Estate’s 1,200-foot-elevation vineyard in the Moon Mountain District. (Kamen Estate Wines)
Kamen Estate Wines
Winery owner and screenwriter Robert Kamen (“The Karate Kid,” “Transporter”) has a tasting room in downtown Sonoma. But for a breathtaking view and a breath of fresh air, make the drive (with a reservation, of course) to his 1,200-foot-elevation vineyard in the Moon Mountain District.
Sweeping views of Sonoma Valley and San Francisco Bay at the Sky Deck experience ($150) are accompanied by Kamen’s top-tier Sauvignon Blancs, Bordeaux-style reds and Syrahs, paired with cheeses. A tour of the certified organic vineyard before the private tasting sets the tone for enjoying the wines. The address and directions for the Sky Deck experience are provided at the time reservations are made.
Sonoma tasting room: 111B East Napa St., Sonoma, 707-938-7292, kamenwines.com
Kunde Family Winery
Seated tastings in the Kinneybrook Room and on the large, well-spaced patio are a treat at this revered Sonoma Valley winery, operated by the Kundes for more than a century (vines were first planted on the now-1,850-acre ranch in 1879).
Fourth- and fifth-generation family members continue to sustainably farm the land and produce the wide range of wines on the menu. The most mesmerizing way to gauge their commitment is to enjoy the two-hour Mountain Top Tasting ($100), which includes reserve-tier and tasting room-exclusive wines matched with cheeses and charcuterie.
The experience begins with a walk through a demonstration vineyard, continues with a motor coach ride through the estate vineyards and hits its peak at the tasting deck, at 1,400 feet. On a quiet morning, one can almost hear an acorn drop on the valley floor below or a conversation between cyclists pedaling on Highway 12. By midmorning, the hustle and bustle of harvest can be seen and heard, yet it’s easy to tune out the sound and bask in the wines and grand views of Sonoma Valley.
The Scion House at Robert Young Estate Winery, built in 2018 atop a hillside, offers panoramic views of Alexander Valley. (Robert Young Estate Winery)
Robert Young Estate Winery
In 1935, Robert Young — at 16 — inherited his family’s ranch and eventually began replacing prune-plum trees with wine grapes. In 1963, Robert cultivated Cabernet Sauvignon and followed that with Chardonnay a few years later. His son, Fred, and his siblings founded Robert Young Estate Winery in 1997. Over time, the family modernized the tasting experience, from pouring the wines in an old barn to welcoming guests to the Scion House, built in 2018 atop a hillside, 800 feet above the valley floor with panoramic views of Alexander Valley.
The tasting menu includes $40-$70 options, with cheese and charcuterie boards available. The Vineyard Experience ($125), which includes a locally-sourced lunch (for an extra $25), is held under an ancient oak tree at the Bob’s Burnpile Block – Bob being founder Robert Young. Guests can see what Bob saw back in the day.
5102 Red Winery Road, Geyserville, 707-431-4811, ryew.com
View from the terrace at Sbragia Family Vineyards in Geyserville. (Sbragia Family Vineyards)
Sbragia Family Vineyards
From its site just below Lake Sonoma, the Sbragia tasting room has fantastic views of Dry Creek Valley, from the north looking down the valley. Visitors can see terraced hillside vineyards of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah grown in rust-colored soils and framed by oak and fir trees, and the occasional decorative palms planted on vintners’ properties.
Sonoma native Ed Sbragia, who made Napa Valley’s Beringer Vineyards one of America’s finest producers of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, established this winery with his family in 2006. Now, he and winemaker son Adam make Cabernet and Chardonnay, as well as classic Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel, the latter grape planted by Ed’s father, Gino, in the 1950s. Take a seat on the terrace, take in the scenery and taste the wines with cheeses and charcuterie ($25-$30).
9990 Dry Creek Road, Geyserville, 707-473-2992, sbragia.com
Mountain Excursion tasting at Stonestreet Estate Vineyards in Healdsburg. (Stonestreet Estate Vineyards)A Ranch Rover travels through the Rockfall Vineyard at Stonestreet Estate Vineyards in Healdsburg. (Stonestreet Estate Vineyards)
Stonestreet Estate Vineyards
Most tastings at this Alexander Valley winery take place at the visitor center on the valley floor, at the junction of Alexander Valley Road and Highway 128. There, guests sample wines made from the 5,500-acre Stonestreet Mountain Estate on Black Mountain, with vines planted at elevations of 400 to 2,400 feet.
The only way to experience the estate’s remarkable views of Alexander Valley and beyond, grapevines growing in myriad soil types and exposures, and occasional wildlife sightings is to take the Stonestreet Mountain Excursion. The price is as lofty as the elevation of the estate — at $200 per person, plus add-ons like a $60 lunch and a $150 caviar and Blanc de Blanc pairing for two. Yet the experience is unrivaled for those who truly want to learn, see and taste the impact mountain viticulture has on wine styles, complexity and age-ability.
The three-hour, privately guided driving tour and tasting shows off the many Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard blocks, with evocative names such as Cougar Ridge, Bear Point, Rockfall and Monolith, that are the backbone of some of Jackson Family Wines’ finest bottlings.
Plant-based dishes from Goatlandia Kitchen in Sebastopol. (Courtesy of Andie Thornton)
After more than a year of anticipation, Goatlandia founder Deborah Blum’s plant-based kitchen and restaurant in Sebastopol has finally opened to the public.
Located in the former Bar B Que Smokehouse Bistro (611 Laguna Parkway), Blum and her team have been cooking and catering out of the kitchen for months. They officially began dinner service in mid-July.
“Our goal is to create a welcoming space where people can enjoy delicious, healthy food while knowing that every bite supports a healthy community as well as animals in need,” said Blum in an opening announcement.
Plant-based dishes from Goatlandia Kitchen in Sebastopol. (Photo: Andie Thornton)
The wide-ranging Goatlandia Kitchen menu includes small bites, salads, plant-based cheeses and dip boards, entrees and sweets. Call us intrigued by dishes like fried arancini with spicy tomato sauce ($15), mushroom ceviche with leche de tigre ($13), esquite salad with charred corn, heirloom tomatoes and chili lime dressing ($18), a Mediterranean Board with cashew cream, beet hummus, muhammara and fresh naan ($22), crispy rice cakes with greens and miso butter ($24), a polenta bowl with sauteed ratatouille ($22) and carrot cake with cream cheese filling ($13). Many dishes are gluten-free and all are vegan; picky kids can have buttered pasta, hummus and fruit.
Prior to her nonprofit work, Blum was a professional chef who turned her cooking efforts to plant-based meals to promote vegan cuisine, animal welfare and healthy eating. In 2016, she began a catering kitchen for the nonprofit to supplement traditional fundraising.
“What started as a revenue source for us became advocacy,” Blum said after taking over the Sebastopol kitchen in 2022. “I love the notion of changing a meat-based barbecue restaurant into a compassionate kitchen.”
The seasonal menu is driven by locally sourced produce from FEED Sonoma and Little Saint Farm.
Indoor and outdoor dining on their dog-friendly patio is available from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 4 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Wine and beer are available.
All proceeds from the kitchen support Goatlandia’s farm animal rescue work, community outreach and education. More information at goatlandia.org/goatlandiakitchen.
