Page 476 – Sonoma Magazine

Hit the Refresh Button

September 2014

By Virginie Boone

Combine sweet and dry white wine from California, eau de vie that’s double-distilled into a fortified wine, and a garden’s worth of botanicals and voilà, a refreshing aperitif is born.

Jardesca California Aperitiva is the creation of Sonoma-based entrepreneurs Marshall Dawson and Roger Morrison, who looked to create a drink people could enjoy before dinner that would be less in-your-face than hard liquor yet more complex than wine. With Jardesca, they aim to “Americanize” the aperitif.

Fresh and bright, the concoction is intended to be enjoyed on ice. The coolness lifts its delightful aromas of peppermint, orange blossom and cardamom, with a taste of fresh-squeezed grapefruit and stone fruit not far behind.

Add a dash of orange, lemon or lime, or a few jiggers of mineral water or sparkling wine, garnish with a sprig of basil or mint, and Jardesca blossoms into a before-dinner drink for any time of the year.

Knowing that Sonoma is the ideal place to forage for ingredients, Dawson and Morrison tapped mixologist Duggan McDonnell and wine industry veteran Marcus Seiden to help figure out the ultimate blend.

The aperitif, which sells for approximately $30 for a 750 ml bottle, is produced at Sonoma Valley Custom Wines, run by Michael Sebastiani and Steve and Mike Sangiacomo; the eau de vie is custom-made for Jardesca by Essential Spirits Alambic Distillery in Mountain View.

Bacon Potato Chips Selling on Ebay?

September 2014

By biteclub

It’s time once again for the Lay’s potato chip flavor challenge.

Last year millions gave suggestions for new flavors on their website, with Chicken and Waffles, Sriracha and Cheesy Garlic Bread going into production (garlic bread won).

This year, from a pool of more than 12 million contestants (including me, with lasagna flavor), they picked (prepare to be disappointed) Mango Salsa, Cappuccino, Cheesy Bacon Mac and Cheese and the only salvageable one, Wasabi Ginger.

As you might guess, local grocery stores have Cappuccino by the truckload. Finding Mango Salsa is also fairly easy. Ginger wasabi is scarce, but doesn’t hold a candle to the Bacon Mac which is so rare that folks are actually selling them on Ebay for $11 (plus $5.95 for shipping).

Look for whatever you can find at Target, Lucky’s and Safeway.

Shuffles Magical Ice Cream, La Perla coming

September 2014

By biteclub

Local magician John-Paul Scirica, who’s worked on cruise chips, for celebrities and learned his craft here in Santa Rosa is opening an ice cream and magic experience in the former Seven nightclub.

Shuffles Magical Ice Cream Shoppe will be a family-friendly spot to grab a scoop or two, sundaes, shakes, smoothies, and other frozen treats with a side of fun. He plans to entertain folks both table-side or at the shop’s magic counter. Shuffle’s stage will host a weekly Saturday morning magic show, monthly dinner magic show, and provide a backdrop for private events, such as birthdays, company parties, and all types of private events.They’ll kick things off at 528 Seventh St., Santa Rosa on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 10:00 am vwith a ribbon cutting strolling magicians, mini-magic shows, balloon animal twisters, face painters, and jugglers performing until 2p.m.. The first 200 customers through the door will receive a scratcher to win prizes and discounts, including free ice cream for a year for two lucky attendees. Presto!

Also in the brickyard center, La Perla Peruvian restaurant is slated to open in the former California Thai. Not much info yet on the owners or opening date, but we’ll let you know.

Cyrus 2.0?

September 2014

By biteclub

Chef Douglas Keane of Cyrus is considering opening a new Cyrus in Alexander Valley.

There’s lots of buzz in Alexander Valley this morning about rumors that Chef Douglas Keane may be planning Cyrus 2.0 somewhere in the vineyards with the support of Jackson Family Wines (hint: Barbara Banke).

According to an email sent to members of the Alexander Valley Winegrowers Association, locals and potential neighbors of the new project have been contacted by Keane and his business partner, Nick Peyton, to discuss the top secret plan.

Biteclub reached Keane this morning, who said,”I am very excited about the prospect of keeping Cyrus in Sonoma. As a resident of Alexander Valley I hope to continue to have a positive line of communication with my neighbors in AV and the County.
Nick Peyton and I have been dreaming about the possible reopening of Cyrus for a while. Hopefully our dream will come true.”

As you may remember, Keane operated the Michelin-starred Cyrus at the Les Mars Hotel until 2012, when a dispute between himself and the owners resulted in the closure of the restaurant — and much disappointment for Sonoma County’s dining scene.

~~What’s buzzing through the grapevine is that~~ ~~the “big names” wanted Keane to stay in Sonoma County rather than lose him to Napa or beyond.~~ According to the email: “To keep Cyrus in Sonoma, JFW (Jackson Family Wines) will give him the property for this use, absolutely free of JFW management or pressure on his operations and wine selections.”

Keane agrees, “I hope I get to keep Cyrus here! It belongs in Sonoma County!”

We agree.
+++++++++++++++++

Here is a copy of the letter sent to AVW Membership on Sept. 2, 2014.

Dear AVW Membership,

Over the course of the last few weeks, Alexander Valley resident and acclaimed chef, Douglas Keane has reached out to the association to share his extraordinary vision to create a world class restaurant in our valley and to earn our support of his restaurant, “Cyrus”. Below are the details Mr. Keane has shared with us. Please take a moment to read the information below and please share your comments or questions with Jan Gianni in our office. info@alexandervalley.org

·         Doug is planning to build his fine dining “CYRUS” restaurant on a small parcel owned by Jackson Family Wines(JFW), just past the Jimtown store on opposite side of HWY 128.

·         To keep Cyrus in Sonoma, JFW will give him the property for this use, absolutely free of JFW management or pressure on his operations and wine selections.

·         The property is not planted and has 3-4 old structures, including the old blacksmith’s shop which JFW plans to move to its original historic site immediately west on 128 and repurpose.

·         Cyrus will not have a presence on HWY 128, blending in with well-planned landscape design and minimum signage at the Stonestreet entrance.

·         Guests will enter through the Stonestreet entrance and JFW has agreed to the removal of 40-60 vines to provide access.

·         Cyrus will serve 36-48 guests five nights a week for forty-nine weeks a year with 3-4 seating’s between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. to accommodate a maximum of 12 guests/seating.

·         The restaurant will have no bar seating with a full liquor license as an amenity, exclusively for dinner guests with reservations booked and sold up to 6 months in advance.

·         Lunch service, 1-2 per month, may add in the future but not to more than 36-48 guests per lunch.

·         Doug is willing to encumber the parcel with a restriction on max cover to 48 in perpetuity to eliminate an increased use in the event the property or business is sold.

·         Parking will be provided for 39 cars (15 employees, 24 guest slots).

·         Doug plans to file his application with the county in the next 30 days. JFW will file an application concurrently for removal/repurposing of blacksmith’s shop as a tasting room or other use.

The AVW are in no place to either offer or deny support at this time, until we hear from you. Will the addition of CYRUS restaurant drive our mission to increase awareness of and appreciation for, the unique qualities of Alexander Valley and our extraordinary wines?

We value your opinion and will continue to strive to represent you as best we can. Thank you.

What rituals of harvest capture the season for you?

September 2014

By Sonoma Magazine Staff

Vintners rushing head-on through two-plus sleep-deprived months of the grape harvest are bound to come up with some traditions and even superstitions. So we asked four of them:

Ondine Chattan, director of winemaking for Geyser Peak Winery in Healdsburg, believes that fermenting grapes need some loving care. “Somewhere along the way I took to ‘petting’ the tanks to help coax them through the challenging days,” she said. “Generally this is just a few seconds of a circular ‘pet,’ with a pat at the end, but it has become a subconscious reflex and one that others on my team have adopted as well.”

***

Honore Comfort, executive director of the Sonoma County Vintners Association, said there are a lot of dusty cars and trucks during harvest. Chalk it up to superstition. “Winemakers won’t wash them because of the superstition that if they wash their car, then it will rain,” she said. “I’m not sure anyone actually believes this, but at the same time, no one really wants to risk finding out.”

***

Michael Browne, co-founder and executive winemaker of Sebastopol’s Kosta Browne Winery, said sometimes the staff wagers which intern will be the first to lose it. “One time one of our interns started eating bugs on the sorting line,” he said. “I assume he was just trying to get a reaction to break up the mundane activity. He did, however, have a strange look in his eyes when he started consumption.”

***

James Hall isn’t the superstitious sort, except on the first day of crush. “It’s a moment of high anxiety for me,” said the winemaker and co-owner of Patz & Hall winery in Sonoma. “I worry the press won’t run properly, the grapes will arrive late. … I’m on pins and needles. Many wineries toast the first day of harvest with sparkling wine; I can’t do it until the second day, when I know everything works.”

***

Gaijin, Part 2

August 2014

By biteclub

I mentioned the new ramen pop-up, Ramen Gaijin, recently but hadn’t actually experienced it first-hand yet. However..last Monday, I got access to the kitchen, where Chefs Moishe Hahn-Schuman and Matthew Williams were prepping for that evening’s sold-out dinner.

It’s a whirlwind, with trays of buckwheat noodles, pork belly and miso in the hours leading up to the first seating at 5:30p.m. Suffice to say, I was totally wowed at the results. We absolutely loved the donburi ($11, chicken thigh with a 6-minute egg, burnt kale, salmon roe), heirloom tomato salad with creamy tofu and shiso ($9) that was so of the moment in this late August heat, and both the vegetarian and Shoyu ramens.

I won’t claim to be any kind of ramen expert, but nearby slurpers seemed totally sold. With ramen, it’s all about the broth, and chefs often guard their recipes closely. What I can say is the Shoyu ramen is a heartier and meatier (dashi as the base, layered with chicken broth, ham hocks and a dose of pork belly fat) topped with a host of Japanese ingredients like toasted rye noodles, pork belly, bambo, leeks, woodear mushrooms and wakame. Miso ramen is a lighter, brighter, tangier flavor.

Leave room for dessert, though. Though they change up weekly, we were fairly swooning over a blackberry sorbet with yuzu curd, coconut and sesame granola and blackberries.

The next popup is Sept. 8 at Woodfour.

Test Your Mettle

August 2014

By Virginie Boone

One of the first grower and vintner responsible for the first appellation of Napa Valley grapes, Randy Dunn, holds his harvest of cabernet grapes in Angwin. (photo by Conner Jay)

For those who think they want to be a winemaker, Round Pond Winery in Rutherford offers a taste of what it’s like before any career commitment is made.

The Rutherford winery’s “A Day in the Life” experience is a pampered version of a shift during harvest. It begins with a hearty breakfast at 9 a.m. — hours after those actually harvesting hit the vineyards — and a meeting with winemaker Muiris Griffin and vineyard manager Chris Pedemonte.

After two hours of picking and sorting grapes, participants are involved in pressing, punching down and pumping over the fruit as it makes its way toward becoming wine. There’s a bit of lab work, too.

Time in the cellar also includes barrel tasting and blending, with Griffin giving insight on what he looks for when putting together a final wine. Before lunch, there’s a tour of the winery’s estate olive mill and an in-depth look at how olive oil is produced.

The second half of the day focuses on enjoying the fruits of many labors during a sumptuous alfresco lunch served with Round Pond wines. Many of the ingredients are sourced from the winery’s organic gardens and olive mill.

The 2014 “A Day in the Life” is scheduled for Oct. 18. Reservations are required, and there is space for only 20. Contact the winery at 888-302-2575 or concierge@roundpond.com. The cost is $200 for club members, $250 for non-members.

That’s The Point – Stornetta Lands

August 2014

By Sonoma Magazine Staff

San Francisco photographer Chris Gill shoots the waves at the Point Arena-Stornetta public lands. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat)

The wide-open bluffs and distant horizon provoke a sense of vast possibility. The chiseled cliffs and sculpted chunks of rock battered by the surf below connect us to an ancient land mass transformed by forces that continue to reshape these shores.

This is Stornetta Lands at Point Arena, a place of such spectacular beauty and abundant wildlife that it was proclaimed part of the California Coastal National Monument in March. The piece of land, on a remote stretch of the southern Mendocino Coast, is now poised for high-profile discovery after a decade of luring locals seeking refuge and recreation.

Seabirds skim the water and curious seals poke their heads above the waves, beckoning visitors to descend the cliffs onto terraced rock that reaches into the ocean. Inlets, caves and tunnels carved into the stone make for mesmerizing interplay of rock and water.

The former Stornetta ranch land provides the first mainland toehold for the expansive national monument, a collection of more than 20,000 sea stacks, islands and reefs. The Bureau of Land Management operates the 1,665-acre property, which is undeveloped except for cow trails, portable toilets and new signage. Planning is underway for permanent trails, additional parking and bicycle routes.

Abutting Manchester Beach and the Point Arena Lighthouse, the site is easily accessible from Highway 1, with parking along Lighthouse Road on the north and at Point Arena City Hall on the south.

It’s an easy stop, “even if you only have 15 minutes,” said Merita Whatley, gift shop manager at the lighthouse. “You’re going to see this amazing scenery.”

707-468-4000, blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ukiah/stornetta.html

Kids Rule – Children’s Museum of Sonoma County

August 2014

By Sonoma Magazine Staff

Kids set their own game rules at the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County, a colorful new addition to the playscape.

Young visitors are free to invent their own games and activities, so they “can really make it their own,” Rohnert Park teacher Lori Stark said during a recent visit. “It leaves a lot of room for creativity.”

Built to inspire creative fun and imaginative discovery, the museum in Santa Rosa offers engaging activities for little ones, including water play, fort building, art studio, marble run construction set, play market, even a boulder-studded “Russian River” filled with fish to net and set in a flowering landscape.

Water tables with hand pumps, tubing, water runs and sluice gates invite youngsters to learn about the forces that generate hydroelectric power.

The outdoor garden features interactive stations illustrating the life cycle of the butterfly, which introduces children to solar power and crank mechanics, with colorful wings for them to wear and a kid-sized chrysalis to duck into.

Initially existing as a collection of mobile exhibits, the museum opened at its permanent location in March. A second phase is under construction and will house a Science and Imagination Gallery and TOTtopia, for toddlers. Colored viewing bubbles set into the wall allow visitors to see what’s to come, generating excitement in advance.

The museum is open daily except for Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Admission is $7 for nonmembers, and free for members and those under 12 months.

1835 West Steele Lane, Santa Rosa,
707-546-4069, cmosc.org

Caught on Film – Vintage: Napa Valley 2012

August 2014

By Crissi Langwell

Napa Valley winemakers Marisa Taylor, left, Kimberlee Nicholls and Elizabeth Vianna star in a PBS documentary about the challenging harvest of 2012. (photo courtesy Terlato Wines)

Harvest every year is a months-long adrenaline rush for winemakers, a Vita-Mix blend of blood, sweat, sleepless nights, carb-heavy meals, buckets of beer and a lot of what-could-go-wrongs.

In 2012, the yields were of incredibly high quality and also voluminous, amplifying the high-wire act of turning grapes into wine. Three Napa Valley winemakers share their endurance feats in “Vintage: Napa Valley 2012,” a six-part documentary airing this season nationally on PBS television stations.

“For people who don’t have the opportunity to come to Wine Country, it brings harvest to life,” said Marisa Taylor, winemaker for Rutherford Hill Winery in Rutherford, of the series. “They get to see what goes on in the winery, that it’s not all glamorous. It’s a lot of physical work.”

The three protagonists — Taylor, Kimberlee Nicholls of Markham Vineyards in St. Helena and Elizabeth Vianna of Chimney Rock winery in Napa — were recruited separately, but just happen to be longtime friends.

The episodes shift among each of their stories, showing Vianna at her first pick of the season, while Nicholls is still sampling grapes at several of her source vineyards to determine when to harvest. In the second episode, the action picks up when 150 tons of grapes arrive at Markham, 30 more than expected.

“It became less about us and more about the crew getting recognition they never get,” Vianna said. “Now that I look at it, it’s a treasure to have. It captures harvest.”

Check local listings or vintagetvseries.com for air dates.