Page 450 – Sonoma Magazine

Sonoma County Winery Tasting Rooms to Visit This Winter

February 2016

By Virginie Boone

Rodney Strong Vineyards in Healdsburg produces a long list of wines, from Bordeaux varietals to Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. (Photo Courtesy of Rodney Strong Vineyards)

Winter is quiet and contemplative in Sonoma, a time when grapevines go dormant and the wines from the 2015 harvest are at rest in cellars. The countryside can be beautiful, dark golden and gray, without a grape leaf in sight. It’s a fine season to stop in at wineries, which are apt to be less busy now that the tourist rush is over. Wine writer VIRGINIE BOONE recommends these wineries for wintertime visits. All are open to the public, typically from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Contact individual tasting rooms to confirm.

This time of year, don't miss the Syrah and Petite Sirah at Anaba in Sonoma, a Rhone varietal specialist. (Photo courtesy Anaba Vineyards & Winery) — This time of year, don’t miss the Syrah and Petite Sirah at Anaba in Sonoma, a Rhone varietal specialist. (Photo courtesy Anaba Vineyards & Winery)

Anaba Wines, 60 Bonneau Road, Sonoma, 707-996-4188, anabawines.com. This Rhone varietal specialist offers a fair amount of fun and educational experiences, including a “Beyond the Label” look at how Anaba wines are made. Offered Friday through Monday at 11 a.m. ($10, reservations required), the session’s topic changes each week. The Salon Tasting is another option, Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It’s a seated tasting of several wines ($30, reservations required). The Syrah and Petite Sirah are winter favorites.

Auteur Wines, 373 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-938-9211, auteurwines.com. Auteur is open by appointment only, except for Saturdays, when walkins are welcome. It produces exceptional Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from coastal areas and guides visitors through a tasting of five wines at a time ($25). The tasting room is in a cozy house off the Sonoma Plaza, where tastings take place at a communal table fit for conversation and conviviality.

Balletto Vineyards, 5700 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa, 707-568-2455, ballettovineyards.com. The Ballettos are a longtime farming family living in the heart of Russian River Valley. With more than 600 acres of wine grapes, the Balletto winery produces a diverse range of Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, many of them vineyard-designates, as well as a crisp Pinot Gris from its BurnsideRoad Vineyard, plus the occasional Zinfandel and Syrah. In addition to its acres of grapes, the winery has a regulation-size baseball field, built for the vineyard crew and lovingly referred to as the Field of Dreams.

Ceja Vineyards, 22989 Burndale Road, Sonoma, 707-255-3954, cejavineyards.com. The Ceja family offers an in-depth dive into Carneros wines at its tasting room, where a sampling of five wines ($20) from its portfolio is available Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations are recommended. Also visit the family’s Carneros Brewing Co. next door, a microbrewery founded by four Ceja brothers. Its taproom and beer garden are open daily.

Dutton-Goldfield, 3100 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol, 707-823-3887, duttongoldfield.com. A producer of cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah, as well as Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Zinfandel and a fine Pinot Blanc, Dutton-Goldfield offers visitors a taste through several of the wines at a leisurely pace. There are more specific tastings, including Wine & Cheese ($30), Beast & Pinot ($40), and a popular choice, Bright Whites & Sushi ($35). These tastings must be booked ahead online.

Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery, 10701 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-473-2909, garyfarrellwinery.com. With some of the best views in the Russian River Valley, this winery also produces some of Sonoma’s best wines, from its singlevineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, to Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Noir rosé. Take in a Terrace Tasting ($25), a hosted sampling of six single-vineyard wines enjoyed alfresco, or book the two-hour tour, tasting and lunch ($75), which concludes with a tasting of six wines on the more private Woodland Terrace.

Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards, 23555 Highway 121, Sonoma, 707-933-1917, gloriaferrer.com. Its recently renovated tasting room and vista terrace are the draws at bubbly expert Gloria Ferrer, where food and sparkling wine always go hand in hand. The daily tasting experience centers on a wine flight or glass paired with nibbles of cheese and charcuterie. Guided tours are offered three times a day, allowing visitors to learn how traditional-method sparkling wine is made, and concludes with a tasting of two sparklers and one Chardonnay or Pinot Noir still wine. Bubbles and Bites, available by reservation daily, is a private tour followed by a seated wine tasting with seasonal bites.

Gundlach Bundschu, 2000 Denmark St., Sonoma, 707-938-5277, gunbun.com. This venerable winery has a wealth of wines on hand to sample, and winter is a good time to venture into the caves for a tasting. A close look at the vineyards is also a possibility. The producer’s Sonoma Coast Gewürztraminer is a particularly fun wine to drink, along with its Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo.

Hawkes Wine, 383 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-938-7620, hawkeswine.com. Based in Alexander Valley, Hawkes maintains a casual tasting home off the Sonoma Plaza, too, inviting visitors to explore its range of wines, many of them made from estate-grown grapes. A vin gris made from Tempranillo is in short supply but well worth trying, as are the Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Also visit Hawkes at 6738 Highway 128, Healdsburg, 707-433-4295.

Iron Horse Vineyards, 9786 Ross Station Road, Sebastopol, 707-887-1507, ironhorsevineyards.com. This family- run sparkling wine producer also makes outstanding still wines. The estate-grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are noteworthy, and there is an unoaked Chardonnay for fans of a lighter style. A flight of five wines ($20) is a good way to start, with tours available at 10 a.m. daily, by appointment ($25), which also includes a tasting. Book ahead for a private truck tour through the vineyards and a private tasting with winemaker David Munksgard, offered Mondays at 10 a.m. ($50).

Jordan Winery, 1474 Alexander Valley Road, Healdsburg, 707-431-5250, jordanwinery.com. Jordan’s vast estate is beautiful year-round, but in wintertime, it’s a cozy place to hole up for a tasting with food pairing in the winery’s private library. It’s a by-appointment, seated experience that highlights Jordan Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon and the talents of in-house executive chef Todd Knoll. Lasting one hour, tastings are available Monday through Sunday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. ($30).

Kamen Estate Wines, 111B E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-938-7292, kamenwines.com. In downtown Sonoma, Kamen offers this light, bright tasting room, the perfect spot to pop in for a flight of its estate-grown wines. With an emphasis on mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, a tasting of three wines ranges from $20 to $35. Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache, Syrah and Cabernet Franc also figure into the mix. For a more rugged experience, book a vineyard tour and tasting for $80 and spend two hours in the hills above town.

Kokomo Winery, 4791 Dry Creek Road at Timber Crest Farms, Healdsburg, 707-433-0200, kokomowines.com. A producer of small-lot wines, Kokomo is open daily for $10 tastings of its wide range of red wines, including Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. For seekers of white wines, it also produces Chardonnay, Muscat Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, in addition to a late-harvest Muscat Blanc. Many of its fans, however, come for the crisp Grenache rosé.

La Crema Winery, 235 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 800-314-1762, lacrema.com. In an intimate tasting room in downtown Healdsburg, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir specialist La Crema offers a selection of tasting experiences, from its signature tasting ($10), to a Pinot Noir Appellation Tasting ($15) and Lounge Exclusive Tasting ($20), none of which require advance reservation. For a more indepth tasting, try the Nine Barrel Room Experience ($30), a look at the producer’s highest-end wines, or pair wines with cheese ($35); either way, it’s best to reserve ahead.

MacLaren Wine Co., 27 E. Napa St., Suite E, Sonoma, 707-938-7490, maclarenwine.com. A tiny, one-man operation, MacLaren produces a crisp, delightfully complex Sauvignon Blanc called Lee’s (named after winemaker Steve Law’s mom) and a slew of heady, cool-climate-inspired Syrahs from throughout the county. The tasting lounge on Vine Alley is relaxed and intimate, with Law usually on hand to pour the wines. It’s open Monday and Thursday, noon to 5 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.; and Tuesday and Wednesday, by appointment.

MacRostie Winery and Vineyards, 4605 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-473-9303, macrostiewinery.com. New to Westside Road, the MacRostie Estate House is an elegant place to enjoy elegant wines, including single-vineyard designated Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, most from Russian River Valley and with a few options from Carneros and the Sonoma Coast. Daily tastings are available on three patios and indoors, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with reservations recommended ($15-$25).

At Martinelli Winery in Windsor, an old hop barn has been turned into a warmly welcoming tasting room. (Photo courtesy of Martinelli Winery)

Martinelli Winery, 3360 River Road, Windsor, 800-346-1627, martinelliwinery. com. Once the site of an apple stand, Martinelli is still a place to procure divine Russian River Valleygrown apples, but more importantly, to taste and buy stellar Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Zinfandels. Stop in and you’re likely to run into a Martinelli family member. This multigenerational operation offers private tastings and tours, plus more casual tastes in an old, red hop barn that now serves as the tasting room.

Pangloss Cellars, 35 E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-933-8565, panglosscellars.com. Newly opened in a carefully restored 113-year-old building, Pangloss is a sister label to Repris, a winery within the Moon Mountain District. Erich Bradley of Sojourn Cellars makes the wines. The lounge features several tasting experiences, from a communal banquet seating area to a more relaxed space around the fireplace. The wines range from Anderson Valley Pinot Noir to Hamel Vineyard Zinfandel.

Paradise Ridge Winery, 4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa, 707528-9463, prwinery.com. Tucked away in the wilds of Fountaingrove, Paradise Ridge offers a range of wines to enjoy along with unparalleled views across the greater Santa Rosa Plain and beyond. There’s also an impressive outdoor sculpture garden, Marijke’s Grove. A wine and artisan cheese tasting ($25) is recommended, as is picnicking on the grounds, allowed with the purchase of a bottle of wine for every two people.

Passaggio Wines, 25 E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-934-8941, passaggiowines.com. Owned and operated by winemaker Cindy Cosco, Passaggio aims to make food-friendly wines inspired by her Italian heritage. Among the offerings are Pinot Grigio, unoaked Chardonnay, several Sauvignon Blancs, blends and a couple of interesting rosés, made from Barbera and Mourvedre. The signature red wine is Unmarked Repeat Offender Sangiovese, a nod to Cosco’s former life in law enforcement.

Patz & Hall, 21200 Eighth St. E., Sonoma, 707-265-7700, patzhall.com. The Sonoma House at Patz & Hall is an expansive home fashioned specifically for intimate tastings. The Salon Experience, for example, is a seated, by-appointment taste through six vineyard-designated Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs paired with locally sourced bites. Lasting about an hour, it is $60 per person, with a 10-person limit. The more casual Tasting Bar is set up for shorter explorations of the wines Thursday through Monday, at the top of each hour, 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. — also by reservation.

Pellegrini Wine Co., 4055 W. Olivet Road, Santa Rosa, 707-545-8680, pellegrinisonoma.com. A longtime, multigenerational-owned vineyard and winery in the heart of Russian River Valley, Pellegrini offers an outdoor tasting bar and farm-to-table garden, surrounded by beautiful, vineyards. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are specialties, produced from estate- grown grapes. Tastings and tours are by appointment Monday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Quivira Vineyards, 4900 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-431-8333, quivirawine.com. A wonderland of natural beauty in all seasons, Quivira is always alive, open for tours ($20) of its Zinfandel vineyards, beehives and biodynamic gardens, where chickens roam free. Be sure to try the winery’s sumptuous Sauvignon Blanc, balanced Zinfandels and hard-to-find Grenache.

Ravenswood Winery, 18701 Gehricke Road, Sonoma, 707-938-7292, ravenswoodwinery.com. Before there was a pursuit of balance, there was Ravenswood’s rallying cry of “No Wimpy Wines,” a philosophy it continues to hold to this day. The Zinfandel specialist offers daily tastings of its newest releases, as well as more specialized looks at rare, small-lot Zinfandel ($18) and Cabernet blends ($18). Add an artisan cheese or charcuterie plate for $17 each. A more-hands on approach is available via the Blend Your Own No Wimpy Wine experience. At $65, it’s an opportunity to create one’s own field-blend wine and take it home in a 375-ml bottle.

Roche Estate Winery, 122 W. Spain St., Sonoma, 707-935-7115, rochewinery.com. A longstanding, family-run winery, Roche runs this tasting room from a Craftsman-style house built in the 1940s and surrounded by outdoor seating. Its snack-plate menu made by the neighboring Sunflower Caffé complements the cool-climate Carneros wines, from Chardonnay to Merlot. The winery also invites visitors to picnic on its grounds, allowing them to bring their own lunch.

Rodney Strong Vineyards, 11455 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 800-678-4763, rodneystrong.com.
One of the county’s most diverse and sustainably minded producers, Rodney Strong makes a long list of wines, from Bordeaux varietals to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel. The best way to get a snapshot of the winemakers’ skills is through the Food & Wine Pairing Experience ($55), a serving of five bites created by the estate’s chef that is thoughtfully paired with five wines. Reservations recommended.

Schug Carneros Estate Winery, 602 Bonneau Road, Sonoma, 707-939-9363, ext. 202, schugwinery.com.
The legendary Walter Schug, who died late last year at age 80, was heavily involved in the creation of Joseph Phelps Winery’s Insignia Bordeauxstyle red blend, as well as many of the producer’s other wines, before opening this family outpost where he could focus on Pinot Noir. His children continue to support the dream, offering self-guided tours of the estate vineyard and daily tastings of its finely made wines, which also include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and a lateharvest Riesling, among others.

Scribe Winery, 2100 Denmark St., Sonoma, 707-939-1858, scribewinery.com. The brothers Mariani preside over a wide range of casually cultivated events at their outpost on the hill, where unusual wines such as Sylvaner, Riesling and skin-fermented Chardonnay rule. They also make an estate Carneros Pinot Noir and a Cabernet Sauvignon from a vineyard they farm on the eastern slopes of Atlas Peak in Napa Valley. Reservations are required.

Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery, 389 Fourth St. E., Sonoma, 707-933-3230, sebastiani.com. This historic winery maintains a sprawling tasting room and visitor center that’s popular with crowds, and where antique redwood tanks surround a lively tasting bar. Daily tours are offered at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. ($5), while more in-depth offerings include a Historical Vines and Wines Tour, with much of the time spent in the vineyard (daily at 11 a.m., $45). A Wine and Chocolate tasting is conducted daily, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. The cost is $10 to $20, depending on the level of wines chosen. Wine and cheese seminars are also available.

Seghesio family Vineyards in Healdsburg offers thoughtfully crafted food-and-wine pairings. (Photo courtesy Seghesio Family Vineyards)

Seghesio Family Vineyards, 700 Grove St., Healdsburg, 707-433-3579, seghesi o.com. Within strolling distance from the plaza, Seghesio is open daily for walk-in tastings. When time allows, enjoy the Founder’s Flight ($30), available on weekends by appointment. It’s a seated tasting of several wines, accompanied by artisan cheeses and house-cured salumi. On weekends through November, the Family Table ($75) is not to be missed. A brief tour and sampling of salumi is followed by a private, seated, multicourse lunch with exclusive, hard-tofind wines.

Sojourn Cellars, 141 E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-938-7212, sojourncellars.com. By reservation only, Sojourn offers a sit-down educational tasting of its stellar wines, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon — wines difficult to come by unless you’re lucky enough to be on the mailing list. Erich Bradley is both a partner and the winemaker, working with such vineyards as Durell, Campbell Ranch, Silver Eagle and Beckstoffer Vineyard Georges III.

Cyrus Chef Opening Napa Restaurant, Two Birds One Stone

February 2016

By biteclub

Chef Douglas Keane, formerly of Cyrus restaurant in Healdsburg, will open a yakitori restaurant in St. Helena in 2016. Photo: Heather Irwin.

After months of hush-hush planning, local chef-lebrity and Top Chef Masters winner Douglas Keane has finally broken his silence on plans for a collaborative St. Helena restaurant with L.A. chef Sang Yoon.

Named Two Birds One Stone, the Japanese-style yakitori grill will be housed in the newly-rehabbed Freemark Abbey Winery in the Napa Valley, owned by Jackson Family Wines. Yakitori restaurants are usually casual eateries that serve small plates of grilled meat and vegetable skewers, along with beer and wine (the term actually means “grilled chicken”). The restaurant is slated for a June 2016 opening.

Two Birds One Stone’s menu will be focused on local chicken and duck as well as highlighting local produce from Keane’s vast network of Sonoma and Napa purveyors.

“It’s going to be a high energy, casual environment with great inspired but not challenging food. A place you can stop by for a drink and a couple bites or hang for the whole night,” said Keane, who was co-owner of the two star Michelin restaurant Cyrus in Healdsburg with Nick Peyton until its closure in 2012. He retains co-ownership in Healdsburg Bar and Grill with Peyton.

Sang, who appeared with Keane on Top Chef Masters in 2013, is the owner of Father’s Office gastropub and Lukshon restaurant in Los Angeles. The two became close friends — which some jokingly called a “bromance” — during taping of the intense Bravo television competition.

The two hinted at a possible collaboration last fall at Kendall-Jackson Winery’s Heirloom Tomato Festival, when Yoon was a judge and Keane a contestant at the annual chef cook-off, but they kept the final details secret until this week. The sneak peek at their opening menu includes an impressive lineup of fowl that will be cooked on a hardwood grill, as well as beef and seafood. Master Sommelier Kevin Reilly (Cyrus, Quince) will head the wine program.

“We are both at a stage in our careers that we can pick what we want to do, so it really has to be interesting and fun. This is both,” said Keane.

The announcement of Two Birds One Stone comes exactly 18 months after Keane announced plans for an ambitious upscale rebirth of Cyrus in Alexander Valley. That project, on a parcel also owned by Jackson Family Wines, angered local residents concerned about zoning issues in the agricultural area. Keane said the project is still in play, but is keeping mum on any further details.

JFW chairman Barbara Banke has long been a supporter of Keane’s culinary projects in Sonoma County and was instrumental in helping Cyrus 2.0 move forward. But with that project in flux, Keane turned his eye toward the company’s Freemark Abbey Winery, a more than 125-year-old St. Helena institution that was overhauled during the past two years, taking the building down to its stone walls.

Keane also is a longtime friend of renowned Kendall-Jackson culinary gardener Tucker Taylor, the former French Laundry produce whisperer. Taylor’s daily Instagram photos of his fruits and veggies have garnered him Internet celebrity of late.

“The abundance of produce that exists in Wine Country will be almost as much of the menu as poultry in certain times of the year,” Keane said. “The close ties with Tucker as a direct source will be a huge part of our menu inspiration. A lot of…the plate will be vegetables, too.”

Keane and Sang are in good company as high-end chefs throughout the country turn their attention toward American versions of izakaya, informal Japanese gastropubs that are as much about eating as drinking. Minimashi is slated to open in Napa this month, an izakaya from celebrated chef Curtis Di Fede of Oenotri. In Sonoma County, Ramen Gaijin also serves izakaya, along with ramen. Hana Japanese chef Ken Tominaga opened yakitori restaurant Pabu in San Francisco recently with Chef Michael Mina, and izakaya (pub-style) restaurants have popped up all over the Bay Area in recent years.

“To focus on Asian flavors while highlighting the abundance of product in front of us seemed like a good way to enter the market with a unique offering, and it’s a natural extension of both of our styles. We love this type of food and get excited about showing it off,” said Keane.

Keane’s affinity for Japanese cuisine was showcased at Cyrus and at Shimo, which closed in 2011. He also had a short-lived Asian-style wings restaurant at Graton Casino.

“It’s not everyday you get to work on a project in a place that I really love visiting,” said Yoon. “It’s an opportunity I felt I couldn’t pass up.”

Petaluma Painter Roberta Ahrens: The Wall is Her Canvas

February 2016

By Carole Kelleher

Whether Roberta Ahrens creates a panoramic mural or an 8-by-8-foot painted canvas, her work is never diminutive. Nature speaks to her in a loud voice, and she translates that inspiration into paintings that are lifelike yet unique. She paints cherubs on ceilings, and lilies, poppies and peonies on cracked linen, bringing vibrancy and boldness to the walls and canvases that meet her brush stroke.

Ahrens expertly transforms a painted wall into one that appears to be old wood or adobe. She can turn a ceiling into a wispy, cloud-filled sky. She created a 9-by-12-foot canvas full of flowers and covered it with a protective varnish so it could be used as a carpet under a dining room table. And when a client lamented the view of a drab utility building outside her kitchen window, Ahrens created the trompe l’oeil of a chicken coop complete with realistically rendered hens and a rooster.

While she has transformed many private homes with her decorative painting, Ahrens’ work can also be seen in public spaces, including Ferrari-Carano winery in Healdsburg and Sunflower Caffé in Sonoma. At Ferrari-Carano, she was commissioned by Rhonda Carano to paint a high-domed ceiling in the corporate villa, and murals of rolling hills

Wand rows of Italian cypress trees in the private tasting room.

“It’s tough to paint murals when you’re high up on scaffolding, because you can’t see what it is going to look like,” Ahrens said. So she uses a trick she learned early in her career: view the painting through the back end of binoculars, achieving a sense of distance.

At Sunflower Caffé, she painted six massive panels of sunflowers that cover the entire wall behind the long counter. They are hung like tapestries, not glued to the wall, so they can someday be taken down and hung elsewhere. Sunflower owner James Hahn profusely praises Ahrens’ work.

“You can express your vision to her and not only does she grasp your idea, she adds her creative expertise and gives you exactly what you wanted,” he said. “She is an amazing artist but also a savvy business professional. We’re opening another restaurant, and Roberta will definitely be on the design team.” Her work will be displayed on Sunflower’s walls during January and February, the second time she has been represented in the cafe’s ongoing, revolving art shows.

“I am a master finisher in my profession, but it has taken a while for me to think of myself as an emerging artist,” Ahrens said.

She invented her own signature painting surface, troweling several layers of white plaster onto linen canvas, letting it dry and then rolling it, causing it to crack.

“I’ve really gotten it down to perfection now,” Ahrens said of the technique. The resulting canvas is “tough and slightly thirsty.”

She works in both acrylics and watercolors. After applying the paint to the cracked canvas, she often manipulates it, using sanding and carving techniques. She then glues the canvas to a box frame or backs it with silk or other fabrics so it can be hung tapestry-style. Sometimes her work is glued directly onto the wall.

Ahrens’ paintings have been sold at several galleries and are currently shown at Bluebird Gallery in Laguna Beach and Living Green in San Francisco. She participates twice a year in art fairs at Glasshoff Sculpture Ranch in Fairfield, which she describes as a “very hush-hush event” that nevertheless draws about 3,000 art enthusiasts. She sold eight large pieces to collectors there in the past year. “It’s a new audience for me that’s turning into true success,” she said.

Another first for Ahrens was painting on a nearly 6-foot-tall fiberglass rabbit for the “We Know Jack” fundraiser for the Vacaville Museum. She painted it black and covered it with California poppies. The winning bidder was Assemblyman Jim Frazier, who placed it in his Sacramento office.

A three-series set of amaryllis and poppies can be found on allposters.com, her one allowance for mass production of her work.

“It’s not a big moneymaker for me, but to know my work is hanging nationally, or maybe globally, … makes me happy,” she said of the exposure that comes from online sales.

Ahrens describes the majority of her work as “large-scale botanicals.” She tries to capture the “architecture of nature” in her work, and her canvas itself is part of her work’s allure. Not surprisingly, real sunflowers tower in the front and back gardens of her Petaluma home, where the carefully tended blooms, strawberries and tomatoes of summer fuel her artistic soul all year long.

Although she has no formal art training, Ahrens said she was always the kid at school who could be found in the art room. She was raised in Oregon and followed her older sister, Shelley Masters, to San Francisco. An established master finisher, Masters took on her sister as an apprentice, and paved the way for her entrée to decorative painting.

Ahrens perfected her skills on the job with Evans & Brown, a San Francisco mural and wall-covering firm. She traveled nationwide, applying decorative techniques in shopping malls, hotels and corporate entryways before setting off on her own. Her work appears at the Wynn and Encore hotels in Las Vegas, the Palm Resort in Dubai, and the Four Seasons Maui.

To help market her home-decorative painting niche, Ahrens has a permanent installation of 4-foot sample boards hanging in Peterson’s Paints store in Petaluma, displaying an array of faux finishes; a binder at the counter gives details on each technique and the colors used. While decorative painting is her mainstay, Ahrens said she is thrilled to be part of the team working on the decor of The Petaluman, a boutique hotel scheduled to open in downtown Petaluma this year. And her commissioned work continues to lead her in new directions. An architect hired her to do paintings on cracked linen, a finish his clients admire, but because they love simplicity, there were no flowers this time — just one massive piece in textured white and a second that is entirely black.

“With no imagery, you can really see the cracks,” Ahrens said. “I definitely want to dive in and explore this minimalist idea more.”

robertaahrens.com

Sunflower Caffé, 421 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-996-6645, sonomasunflower.com

Peterson’s Paints, 800 Lindberg Lane, Suite 140, Petaluma, 707-763-1901, petersonspaint.com

A Sonoma Home Founded on History and Art

February 2016

By Carole Kelleher

When Fred and Barbara White Perry purchased 4 acres that were once part of the historic Buena Vista Winery, established in 1857, they felt a huge responsibility to honor the land. Located inside the Buena Vista gate and with a view through the trees to Bartholomew Park Winery, they can imagine Agoston Haraszthy, the original owner of both wineries and vineyards, still wandering their rows of Zinfandel.

In 1996, the couple had been living for 10 years in a two story home Barbara designed on Sonoma Mountain, where they enjoyed riding their horses. They’d tired of living in the hills and were searching for flat land closer to the heart of things near Sonoma Plaza, where they could build a home with no stairs. Buena Vista’s ownership was transitioning yet again at the time, and when they heard a small piece of the estate was for sale, with vines planted by acclaimed viticulturist Anne Moller-Racke in the early 1980s, they snatched it.

Barbara, an artist and architectural designer, began rendering the plans for their new home by hand, starting out by sitting for hours in the rain, diagramming the natural flow of water on their future home site. She planned the home to the minutest detail, building an architectural model — a step usually reserved for large commercial properties. Even the home’s color palette was decided at the model phase (the exterior stucco is painted the exact color of a rock found on the property). Barbara’s blueprints were stamped with the county’s permit approval on Valentine’s Day 1997, a sign that this home they now cherish would become part of their ongoing love story.

The couple spent hours siting the home’s front door, standing on ladders and taking photos, eventually deciding on the perfect view. A 12-foot-deep veranda with pillars runs the width of the house, a subtle historical reference to Haraszthy’s original villa.

Barbara’s second design inspiration came from an old, wooden, three-gabled farmhouse on Arnold Drive. She had long admired the slowly deteriorating structure and photographed it in 1984. Their home now has three gables, just like the farmhouse did until it was bulldozed in 2001.

The farmhouse was also important to Barbara because it was one of the sparks that led to her publishing her book, “Drawing Sonoma,” which was released in late 2015 and is now in its second printing. The book is a collection of 45 of her ink and vine charcoal drawings of historic and unique properties in Sonoma Valley. The three-gabled farmhouse appears in the section titled, “Gone But Not Forgotten,” where iconic structures no longer standing are captured.

When building a home, most people consider how many heads on pillows they want to accommodate, but for Barbara and Fred, it was all about art on walls. Longtime collectors, particularly of notable Sonoma artists, their goal was to make the interior perfect for showing art. Barbara plotted all the windows so that there was room in between for canvases, and integrated lighting in the 9-foot ceilings to shine at the perfect angle to illuminate paintings. At the center of the residence is a long gallery wall with ample room for the 11 paintings that hang there.

Above the living room fireplace is a Dennis Ziemienski painting, the largest piece in their collection. They also have two Keith Wicks oils, one depicting Spain Street West and the other The Corner Store on the plaza, both purchased at Sonoma’s Plein Air Festival in 2009. There are three Brigitte McReynolds pastels, and commissioned Cynthia Hipkiss clay sculptures of Fred and Barbara riding horses while sipping sparkling wine, with a little sign that reads, “Here’s to 40 Years of Happy Trails.” The “40” is a Post-it, as Barbara updates the number on each wedding anniversary.

In the entry hall are three Jim Callahan bronze sculptures, “Golden Girl,” “Unbridled” and “Sisyphus,” a surprise gift from Fred to Barbara. He placed it on a ledge near the front door and waited until she noticed it. She was thrilled when it caught her eye a few days later.

They also buy art on their vacations, with many pieces acquired at galleries in Carmel. They see something they like, then discuss the possible purchase at dinner over a glass of wine. “We joke later about whether it was a one-glass or two glass decision,” Barbara said. Their home has a trussed roof, which means fewer weight bearing walls are required, making it open and airy. The clean lines encourage a certain ease and sense of calm. Simple, well-designed furniture seems to fade away so the art can reign. The doorways are 3 feet wide with a flat saddle for ease of movement, and the flooring throughout is 12-inch, off-white porcelain tile that has a sheen, which Barbara said makes it easy to keep pristine. She was the general contractor for the project, and the goal in the material choices she made was to keep the home low-maintenance.

Behind the 2,900-square-foot, three-bedroom home (a master suite, guest bedroom and an office for Fred, an expert in cyber security) is Barbara’s artist studio, where she paints almost every day. While the White Perrys collect other Sonoma artists, including Claudia Wager and Brennie Bracket, there are many who collect Barbara’s work. She has been painting since she was a young girl in rural Illinois, studied at the Chicago Art Institute, and was honored as Sonoma’s “Treasure Artist” in 2015.

There is a garden patio between the home and the studio, and an additional outdoor eating area off the dining room, giving two alfresco options no matter which way the wind is blowing. Three acres of vineyards completely surround the home.

Fred and Barbara are philanthropically inclined, and have held many nonprofit fundraisers on their property, often with Fred preparing all the food. They particularly enjoy contributing to Sonoma’s Pets Lifeline, where they found their adorable dog, Benny, a Jack Russell-West Highland white terrier mix. They have a long association with the Sonoma League for Historic Preservation, and are proud that their property won the League’s Preservation Award in 1999 for “new construction compatible with and sensitive to existing historic structures or sites.”

As their home is just a stroll away from Buena Vista’s stone press house, built by Haraszthy in 1863, it’s indeed quite an accomplishment.

Pliny the Younger – Live updates from the big beer release in Santa Rosa

February 2016

By Annika Toernqvist

Pliny the Younger line – fans waiting in line for the famous beer release

Pliny the Younger, Russian River Brewing Co.’s super-hoppy triple India pale ale is coming to town. Its 12th-annual release is expected to bring thousands of self-proclaimed beer geeks — and their money — to downtown Santa Rosa beginning Friday February 2nd. Curious about the whole thing? Don’t want to stand in line? Follow the live updates here:

Mysteries of Jack London

February 2016

By Meg McConahey

The couple enjoy a sunny day at their Beauty Ranch, a portion of which became the state park.

The allure of Jack London lies not only with his rakish persona and literary accomplishments, but also the mysteries he left behind.

Why did his magnificent four-level,15,000-square-foot dream house burn right before London and his wife, Charmian, were scheduled to move in? Was it accident or arson?

“As far as the house burning down, Jack and Charmian at various times were convinced it was arson,” said London biographer Jay Williams. “That’s a perfectly natural reaction to a calamity of untold proportions.”

And London, who sparred with neighbors – specifically, he fought Joshua Chauvet in court over water rights – had his enemies, various of whom have come under suspicion over the years.

A team of 10 fire forensics experts combed over the Wolf House ruins for four days in 1995 to settle the debate once and for all. Examining burn patterns and reviewing design and construction documents, witness statements and historical records, plus digital recreation of the house, they concluded that the fire was probably caused by linseed oil-soaked rags left by wood finishers who were known to have worked in the structure that day. They said arson couldn’t be completely ruled out, but it was unlikely.

Sonoman Jonah Raskin, author of “The Radical Jack London” and several long essays on the writer, including an in-depth look at the fire that destroyed London’s mansion, has a theory.

Raskin said his No. 1 suspect is “Jack London’s double,” a man who had been impersonating London, using his name to sign checks and get women to go out with him, pretending to be the reporter. The identity thief was doing everything possible to make London’s life miserable, and burning his new house would be part of a pattern, according to Raskin.

Did London, who reportedly suffered from depression, chronic pain and a slew of other health problems, die of natural causes, or did he commit suicide? Or could he have been done in by an accidental overdose of morphine?

London’s death has also prompted continuing speculation, including intimations stirred by early biographer Irving Stone, that he took a deliberate overdose of morphine. Biographer Earle Labor, one of the world’s leading Jack London scholars, has suggested that London may have suffered from bipolar disorder, a chronic depression he called “the long sickness,” before his move to the Valley of the Moon in 1905. Charmian also wrote of London’s mood swings.

But Labor believes London died of natural causes. The official report was renal failure. A consensus of medical and pharmaceutical experts who examined his symptoms concluded he likely died of heart or kidney disease that resulted in a stroke or heart attack. London had used an ointment containing mercury to treat a tropical disease he picked up in the South Seas, which could lead to kidney failure.

London didn’t behave like a man planning his own death. In fact, he had plans to see his daughters within a few days.

Biographer Williams thinks London may have died of an accidental overdose of morphine, which he had been taking for severe pain. Raskin believes any number of things could have contributed to his death.

“It does seem that Jack London was not interested in living a long life,” Raskin said. “Anybody who lived in the way he lived was not aiming to grow old gracefully.”

Zydeco Music Sensation in Sonoma

February 2016

By Sonoma Magazine Staff

Close your eyes and you’d think you were in a bar on a Louisiana bayou. The dance hall is packed. The band plays zydeco, which melds French and Caribbean music styles, with accordions and washboards front and center. Dancers fill the floor, quickstepping and stomping. Beer flows, and the high-energy beat surges through everyone.

But you’re not in Louisiana. You’re in Sonoma, where a zydeco craze has taken hold.

Zydeco became a fixture in the Bay Area when black Creoles migrated from Louisiana to find work in the shipbuilding industry during World War II. With the Creoles came their music, and zydeco found a new home, gaining popularity in the 1970s and ’80s.

For 25 years, Sonoma-based Gator Beat — now Gator Nation — played zydeco, regularly selling out Little Switzerland (now Rossi’s 1906) and building a scene based on music, dancing and fun. Sonoma is also a popular stop for other zydeco bands, including the Tri-Tip Trio, featuring members of the Zydeco Flames.

Robert O’Maoilriain, known as the singer Sonoma Satchmo and owner of the Sonoma Speakeasy and American Music Hall, incorporates pop covers into his zydecoinfluenced performances, known as “swamp pop.” His bar in downtown Sonoma fills up by 8 p.m. for free, nightly live zydeco and Southern blues. Another local act, T-Luke & the Tight Suits, fronted by Lucas Dominigue (son of Gator Beat founder Richie Domingue), sells out venues with energetic, colorful performances.

“People can really connect to zydeco. The beat is accessible and upbeat, and the lyrics are relatable,” O’Maoilriain said. “It’s a timeless sound.”

And it remains as timely as ever, even in Wine Country.

Rossi’s 1906, 401 Grove St., Sonoma, 707-343-0044, rossis1906.com

Sonoma Speakeasy and American Music Hall, 452 First St. E., Sonoma, 707-996-1364, sonomaspeakeasyandamericanmusichall.com

Pliny the Younger: What You Need to Know

February 2016

By Christi Warren

Beer enthusiasts from around the world line up for the annual debut of Russian River Brewing Company’s Pliny the Younger. (John Burgess)

It’s either the best of times or the worst of times, but either way, it is time. Pliny the Younger, Russian River Brewing Co.’s super-hoppy triple India pale ale is almost here. Its 12th-annual release is expected to bring thousands of self-proclaimed beer geeks — and their money — to downtown Santa Rosa beginning Friday. Here’s everything you need to know about what Beer Advocate has anointed the world’s top-rated IPA.

What’s the big deal?

Pliny the Younger is arguably the most sought-after beer in the nation, and it’s only available for a limited time: two weeks in February at Russian River’s taproom in downtown Santa Rosa, plus a limited number of other locations, mostly in California. The beer is only available on draft, never in a bottle, and is only served in 10-ounce glasses. Last year, one group of guys from Los Angeles camped out from 5:30 p.m. Thursday on to make sure they were the first to taste the freshly tapped 10.25 percent brew. Those dudes excluded, most people, especially that first weekend, can expect up to 12-hour waits. Standing in line has rules, though. No smoking, no blocking other businesses, no tents, no open containers.

What does it taste like?

According to the Russian River website: “Pliny the Younger is considered a ‘triple’ IPA, simply meaning that it is higher in alcohol and has tons of hops. The alcohol should finish at about 10.25 percent, although it is remarkably dry for the amount of malt used in the recipe. It is loaded with hop flavors, bitterness and aromatics. The hops used in this year’s recipe are of excellent quality: Simcoe, Warrior, Chinook, Centennial, Amarillo and Tomahawk.”

So, there you have it.

OK, when can I get it?

It’s all happening starting at 11 a.m. Friday, and during Russian River’s business hours every day after that for two weeks, ending Feb. 18.

Any tips to avoid the lines?

Natalie Cilurzo, who owns the brewpub with her brewmaster husband Vinnie, said that for the best shot at a short wait, the time to come is midweek during the evening. “But a lot of people want to experience the line because that’s where the event is,” she said. “It’s just a beer release that’s turned into an event on the street. A lot of people want to wait in a line; they want to tell their friends that they waited eight hours in line in the rain.”

What happens once I get inside?

For customers who wish to brave the notoriously long lines and typically crummy winter weather, Russian River has imposed a limit of three Youngers and three hours inside the pub, per person. They keep of track of this with three-tabbed wristbands — not, disappointingly, with chalk marks like meter maids. (Tabs are removed as Youngers are poured.) Some 15,000 customers will get a taste during the two-week release at the Fourth Street pub. The new limits, set in place last year, meant that for the most recent Pliny release, the brewpub only ran out of the beer once that Natalie Cilurzo could remember — a significant improvement over years past.

What if I’m not willing to wait that long?

No worries. Pliny the Younger’s close relation, Pliny the Elder, is available year-round — bottled or on tap.

You can reach Staff Writer Christi Warren at 521-5205 or christi. warren@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @SeaWarren.

Sonoma Chocolate: Locals do it best

February 2016

By biteclub

In Sonoma chocolate is a thing. Like wine, beer and food, we’ve got a special talent for mixing cocoa, sugar and milk. Here are some of our favorite Sonoma chocolatiers…

New: Eye Candy Chocolatiers: Chocolate is Dr. Sonja Schluter’s happy place. The Sonoma ophthalmologist spends her days working with patients facing serious vision problems, primarily glaucoma. So her off-time passion for making beautiful chocolate truffles has become an outlet of beauty, precision and, of course, deliciousness.

But after 20 years practice (and giving most of her chocolate creations to friends), she’s finally opened a tiny retail shop at Sebastopol’s Gravenstein Station called Eye Candy.

Jewel-like truffles of every size and shape line the case, with flavors like passionfruit, guava, Earl Grey tea, chai coconut and cinnamon cardamom, making decisions difficult. What we love is the bitterness balancing act. Schulter uses a chocolate that’s between 54-64 percent cacao (milk chocolate has as little as 10% and extra-dark is around 80%), easing up on some of the intense bitterness of other dark chocolates.

Each of the truffles is made in the shop, with a mix of precision and creativity. “It fits my personality,” said Schluter, who has culinary training from the Ecole Chocolat in Vancouver and Callebaut Academy in Chicago. Crediting her mom, Tamara Suslov, M.D. (who founded the Eye Center in Sebastopol) for her tenacity and inspiration, Sonja brings her two worlds of chocolate and ophthamology together by donating a portion of her candy proceeds to the Glaucoma Research Foundation.

“Its a beautiful balancing act,” she said. 6761 Sebastopol Ave, Sebastopol. Open Monday through Saturday from 11a.m. to 4p.m.

CLOSED Cocoa Planet: Someone just answered your prayers. Rich, creamy, dark chocolate with “pearls” of flavor (mint, mandarin orange, vanilla espresso, salted caramel, deep dark truffle. Turns out you can get incredible flavor without all the sugar and just 96 calories per disk. This is a Chocolate Revolution! Available at Oliver’s Market, 461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa, (707) 284-3530 or at cocoaplanet.com.

CLOSED Recherche de Plaisir: For more than 20 years Sonoma County native Lucy Gustafson has been giving away chocolates confections by the dozens of dozens for appreciative friends and family. After making more than 500 truffles for Christmas a few years ago, Gustafson decided to enroll herself in the Ecole Chocolat’s professional chocolatier program and make her part-time passion a full-time calling.

Her popular Recherche du Plaisir, a Parisian-style confiserie (aka a sweet shop) in Santa Rosa (3401 Cleveland Ave., Suite 9, 843-3551) features truffles (white chocolate with ginger cinnamon and honey; milk chocolate with peppermint; Calvados infused dark chocolate ganache among them), butter caramels, French style macarons and an ever-growing number of other goodies. This is Sonoma chocolate at its best!

Sonoma Chocolatiers: Chocolatier David Gambill of Sonoma Chocolatiers is the guy behind some of the county’s most unusual truffles: Garlic, cheddar white truffle and rosemary goat cheese. In his Sebstopol sweets laboratory, he frets over each hand-made flavor. But rest assured, there are plenty of more approachable combinations including rose, lavender, Chambord, cherry kirsch, coconut almond, jasmine green tee and orange cardamom caramels. Sonoma Chocolatiers, 6988 McKinley Street, Sebastopol, (707) 829-1181.

Firefly Chocolates: Bean-to-bar chocolate made in Windsor. Small batch, artisan, dark chocolate made by Jonas Ketterle. Available at Community Market.

Sjaaks: Vegan, organic chocolates made in Sonoma County.

Wine Country Chocolates: Chocolate with a local flavor, this Sonoma chocolateria fills their truffles with Cabernet, Zinfandel, Port and champagne. Not into wine? How about the Elvis, a peanut butter truffle with banana ganache or a boysenberry gananche with blackberry honey? Tasting rooms at 14301 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 966-1010 and on the Sonoma Plaza, 414 First St. East, Sonoma.

Patisserie Angelica: We’ll let you decide whether the creamy, decadent Better Than Sex Hot Fudge Sauce at this Sebastopol bakery actually is. What we can say is that loading it on top of ice cream or eating it right into the jar is a heaping helping of deliciousness. 6821 Laguna Park Way, Sebastopol, 827-7998, open Friday and Saturday from 10am to 5pm.

Chocolate Cow: Lots of truffles, fudge and other chocolate treats, some made in-house. 452 First St., E. Sonoma, 935-3564.

In Napa, there are a number of high-end chocolatiers as well. We especially love…

Woodhouse Chocolate: 1367 Main St, St Helena, (707) 963-8413
Kollar Chocolates: 6525 Washington St., Yountville, 738-6750.
La Foret: 3261 Browns Valley Rd., Napa, 255-1787

Best and Worst Valentine Chocolate Smackdown

February 2016

By biteclub

Russell Stover Private Reserve Fine Assorted Chocolates

You forgot about Valentine’s Day? Strike one.

Then you tried to salvage it by buying your sweetie a heart-shaped box of chocolates from a store that also sells hairspray and antifreeze: Strike two.

Before you strike out, let us step in and give a hand when it comes to last-minute chocolate buying at, say Target, CVS, or really anywhere besides a chocolate shop. Not all chocolate is created equal, and when you’re spending less than $15 for a half-pound or more, chances are it’s a game of roulette as to whether its even palatable.

We’ve done the legwork by tasting seven different brands of Valentine chocolates ranging from $6.99 to $14.99 available at most large retailers.

They’re the names you know: Ghiradelli, Whitman’s, Lindt, Godiva, Hershey’s. Nothing fancy or artisan, just mass-produced chocolates that many Valentines are destined to receive this year. Among them are a few surprising standouts, completely uninspired standbys and horrifying stinkers we wouldn’t even foist on our boss.

So in this admittedly unscientific tasting of Valentine chocolate samplers, we’ve done the difficult and calorically dangerous work for you (mostly in bed, watching romantic movies). Benchmarks included whether or not there was a map of the chocolates (so to avoid the dreaded nougat), sweetness, calorie-to-worth-it ratio, consistency, packaging, appearance and whether we’d feel special getting one of these boxes.

Here are the results…

Want to read about great LOCAL chocolatiers? Me too. So click here for their stories.

Lindt Classic Assorted Chocolates, $9.99, 10 pieces

Lindt Classic Assorted Chocolates Valentine Chocolates

Our inner 12-year-old loved the pretty pink box, but was disappointed at the paltry packaging to chocolate ratio. If you’re a fan of Lindt’s truffles, you’ll be familiar with the sweet, creamy chocolate flavor.
Map: Yes
Calories for the Whole Box: 766
Fave Flavors: White chocolate, hazelnut, dark raspberry cream truffles
Love-O-Meter: He so gets me. Is there a ring inside somewhere? Cause the answer is yes.

Ghiradelli Sweet Hearts Premium Chocolate Assortment, $9.99, 12 pieces

Classy packaging and artisan-looking truffles neatly packed inside. They look and taste more expensive than they are, and the chocolate is not overly sweet or grainy, like other inexpensive chocolate brands.
Map: Yes
Calories for the Whole Box: 685
Fave Flavors: Chocolate hazelnut cream with toffee bits
Love-O-Meter: I’m worth it.

Russel Stover Private Reserve, $12.99, 16 pieces

This saucy heart with satin and black lace was surprisingly tasty, though heavy on the fruit creams. With a whopping 16 pieces, however, it was an impressive spread of chocolate with white, milk and dark chocolate.
Map: Yes
Calories for the Whole Box: 1,103
Fave Flavors: Raspberry caramel, honey caramel, lemon souffle
Love-O-Meter: Let’s eat these together. In bed.

Ferrero Collection, $6.99, 10 pieces

If you’re a fan of these chocolate hazelnut truffles with crunchy wafers, you’ll be stoked on this petite box. We tend to be big on white chocolate and coconut, so the Raffaello bon bons are a big fave. Interestingly, each of the flavors is made in a different country: Germany, Poland or Canada.
Map: Yes
Calories for the Box: 600
Fave Flavors: Rondnoir, Raffaello
Love-O-Meter: Kiss me, Romeo!

Godiva Assorted Chocolates, $12.99, 15 pieces

This was the biggest bummer of the lot, since I expected some pretty decent chocolate from Godiva. First off, it was impossible to tell which chocolate was what, though the flavors include milk, dark and white chocolate ganache, strawberry cheesecake and creme brulee. I’m not a gambler when it comes to mystery chocolates, but the two I did taste were overly sweet while still somehow tasteless.
Map: No
Calories for the Whole Box: 950
Fave Flavors: None
Love-O-Meter: Let’s melt these down and paint each other with chocolate.

Hershey’s Pot of Gold Premium Collection, $6.99, 13 pieces

Pretty box designed by Academy of Art University students. But who puts 13 pieces of candy in a box? Unlucky, for sure, because I was loathe to taste even one of these mystery “assorted” chocolates. The one I did was grainy, unpleasant, and fake tasting. It went back half-eaten.
Map: No
Calories for the Whole Box: 650
Fave Flavors: None
Love-O-Meter: Are you trying to break up with me?

Whitman’s Sampler, $12.99, 26 pieces

Oh, Whitman’s. From previous experience, my expectations were well managed, but even then I was disappointed. I mean, “I need to spit this out” disappointed. Only vaguely chocolate tasting, grainy, ridiculously sweet. Plus, the box was a disaster when I opened it, with several chocolates out of place. I don’t feel special.
Map: Yes
Calories for the Whole Box: 1,733
Fave Flavors: None
Love-O-Meter: I hate you, too.