Tired of the ritualized sip and swirl? In Sonoma County and Napa Valley, wineries and tasting rooms are rethinking the formula.

As wine consumption evolves, so, too, does the experience around it. Increasingly, vintners are inviting guests to loosen the rules — to treat wine not as something to decode, but something to enjoy alongside whatever happens to be on the plate. The old pairings — Cabernet with steak, Pinot Noir with duck — are giving way to a more playful sensibility. Across Wine Country, tastings now feature unexpected companions: shortbread and s’mores, beignets and elaborate brunch boards.

Here are a few favorites.

Sonoma County

Cookies and Cabernet at Alexander Valley Vineyards

What started as a holiday treat at Alexander Valley Vineyards has turned into a year-round favorite. Each tasting flight arrives with five housemade shortbread cookies, thoughtfully paired with different wines from the estate.

The pairings range from classic to delightfully unexpected: think vanilla bean and sassafras shortbread with Chardonnay, or fig-pistachio with Cabernet Sauvignon. Culinary director Tim Gleadall crafts each cookie in-house, often reaching into the estate gardens for inspiration.

For those skipping alcohol, the kitchen offers a parallel experience of nonalcoholic shrubs — including fig, ginger-hibiscus and sorghum — designed with the same attention to pairing.

$30 per person. Reservations are required and can be made on Tock.

8644 Highway 128, Healdsburg, 707-433-7209, avvwine.com

Weekend Brunch Boards at Anaba Wines

At Anaba Wines, weekends are made for lingering. Guests can add a seasonal brunch board to their tasting — fried chicken and waffles, just-picked strawberries from the Watmaugh stand next door, and Carmody cheese from Bellwether Farms in Petaluma all make an appearance.

The boards change with the seasons, giving you a reason to return. The staff offers pairing suggestions for each pour, making the experience feel more like a leisurely meal than a formal tasting.

Tastings range from $45–$65; brunch boards are $48. Reservations are recommended and can be made on Tock.

62 Bonneau Road, Sonoma, 707-996-4188, anabawines.com

Bubbles and Beignets at J Vineyards & Winery

On select summer days, Sonoma Wine Country gets a taste of The Big Easy. Fresh, pillowy beignets dusted in powdered sugar are served alongside pours from J Vineyards’ sparkling library, with live music setting the mood.

Scheduled for May 17 and July 5. $60 per person. Reservations are recommended and can be made on Tock.

11447 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 707-431-5430, jwine.com

Napa Valley

Savory S’mores at V. Sattui Winery

At V. Sattui, the campfire staple is reimagined as a savory course. Marshmallows infused with flavors like cherry-thyme or aged Gouda are toasted tableside and layered with housemade crackers and cured meats such as Italian mortadella and bresaola.

Chocolatier and pastry chef Katryana Zide keeps the pairings fresh, but the spirit is always the same: familiar treats, surprising flavors. The s’mores experience is part of the tasting flights at the newly revamped Mercato del Gusto.

$20, plus tasting. Reserve a tasting on CellarPass.

1111 White Lane (at Highway 29), St. Helena, 707-963-7774, vsattui.com

Farm to Brunch at Clif Family Winery & Farm

This multicourse tasting is a love letter to the region’s farms and fields, with ingredients sourced from the estate and neighboring producers.

It starts with Clif Family’s own buttermilk-cheddar biscuits, English muffins from The Model Bakery and Mt. Tam cheese from Cowgirl Creamery. From there, the menu unfolds into seasonal dishes such as charred asparagus with sauce gribiche and fresh herbs; hash browns topped with crème fraiche, caviar and vanilla-cinnamon bacon from Journeyman Meat Co.; and egg yolk ravioli with greens and ricotta in a rich bacon jus.

$125 per person; reservations required. Seatings are at 10 a.m. daily. Vegan pairing menu or mocktail flight available on request. Reserve a tasting on Tock.

1334 Vidovich Lane, St. Helena, 707-968-0625, cliffamily.com

Bacon & Wine Experience at Priest Ranch

If you believe everything is better with bacon, this wine tasting is for you. Four cuts of pork belly, each with its own seasoning, are matched with estate wines in a tasting that leans unabashedly rich. Recent iterations have included strawberry-rhubarb bacon with Merlot and ras el hanout — glazed pork with Zinfandel.

$85 per person. Reservations are required and can be made on Tock.

6490 Washington St., Yountville, 707-944-8200, priestranchwines.com

The post Weird and Wonderful Wine and Food Pairings in Sonoma and Napa appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

When Lindsey Blanchard and Ryan Kuhlmann met as aspiring lawyers in Minneapolis, they probably never imagined they would end up moving to a small town in California and starting a winery together. Now they have two wineries. Their newest venture in downtown Glen Ellen, Wolves Lovers + Thieves, is a celebration of sparkling wines made from unexpected grape varieties using three different production methods.

The story

Native Midwesterners Blanchard and Kuhlmann met during law school, and they might still be practicing lawyers today if it hadn’t been for a teaching job that brought them out to Sacramento. Living in California, the couple’s shared enthusiasm for wine soon deepened into something more serious.

Recognizing they had a lot to learn, they headed to Sonoma County and connected with winemaker Robert Rex at Deerfield Ranch in Kenwood. Renting space and equipment at the incubator winery, the couple found a mentor in Rex.

The married duo launched their first winery — the cheekily named Wine Snob* — in 2021. A year later, they made an experimental sparkling wine that led to their second venture: Wolves Lovers + Thieves. Opened in December 2025, the Glen Ellen tasting room showcases bubbles made using three traditional methods: ancestral, méthode champenoise and Charmat.

Blanchard and Kuhlmann make about 600 cases of sparkling wine each year.

The vibe

Wolves Lovers + Thieves sits on Arnold Drive in downtown Glen Ellen, across the street from Poppy and just around the corner from Wine Snob*. Though the brands could have shared a space, the founders wanted their distinctive sparkling wines to have their own venue and identity.

The “Wolves” tasting room has a stylish yet industrial look, with concrete floors, a steel bar and a mix of sofa and bistro table seating. A sliding glass door separates the room from the adjoining Garden Court Café. Vibrant watercolor paintings by Mexican-born local artist Maria de Los Angeles — the same images used for the Wolves Lovers + Thieves labels — adorn the walls.

On the palate

Self-described “type A” personalities, Kuhlmann and Blanchard are hands-on in the vineyard and low-intervention in the cellar. Though they’re not fans of the term “natural wine,” they try to use as little manipulation as possible when making their sparklers. The resulting wines share a bright purity, devoid of flaws or funk.

It’s bubbles only at Wolves Lovers + Thieves, but there’s a lot of variety to explore within that realm. Among the winery’s four sparklers, two are made using the Champagne method, one is a pétillant-natural made with the ancestral method and one represents the Charmat technique. Each production method expresses itself differently in the glass, and learning about the nuances is what makes a visit to this tasting room so interesting and fun.

The 2024 Raised by Wolves Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir ($36) is a lively pet-nat that’s rosy in color with a touch of cloudiness from the spent yeast left inside the bottle. It shows fresh berry flavors and an appealing citrus accent. You don’t encounter many sparkling Gewürztraminers in these parts, let alone examples made in the super-dry “brut nature” style, so don’t miss the 2022 Jealousy from Potter Valley ($72). It’s bright and floral with notes of ginger. The 2025 Incognito from Russian River ($54) is a sophisticated, intensely fruity Charmat sparkler made from Pinot Meunier — a grape normally relegated to blending status.

Tastings cost $35 per person.

Beyond the bottle

I love any excuse to wander the beautiful Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen, and there’s a compelling one coming up on April 19. The park is hosting artist Maria de Los Angeles, creator of the Wolves Lovers + Thieves wine labels, for a nature-inspired watercolor painting workshop. The full-day, immersive event ($250) includes refreshments. If birding is more your speed, join the Birds and Words walk at Jack London with guide and author Rebecca Lawton on April 12 ($20).

Wolves Lovers + Thieves, 13647 Arnold Drive, Unit 2, Glen Ellen. Open noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Walk-ins welcome, but reservations are recommended. 707-337-9523, wolvesloversthieves.com

The post At Wolves Lovers + Thieves in Glen Ellen, Nobody Puts Bubbly in a Corner appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Sonoma County is home to 60,000 acres of vineyards, and 99% of them are certified sustainable. Impressive as that is, not all local vintners share the same level of dedication to earth-friendly practices. Here are three Sonoma County wineries that go above and beyond.

Littorai Winery

Founder and winemaker Ted Lemon learned to embrace biodynamic farming during his early career in Burgundy. While some paint biodynamics with a “woo-woo” brush, pointing to practices like following lunar cycles, Lemon emphasizes the interconnectedness of soil, plants, and nature.

Instead of chemical inputs, Littorai uses compost and natural preparations on its Sebastopol ranch to stimulate soil vitality and improve plant health. The idea is to maintain ecological balance by treating the farm as an integrated whole.

“The goal of biodynamic farming is to work with humans as sentient beings,” says Lemon, explaining that with the rapid advance of artificial intelligence, a boots-in-the-vineyard approach is more important than ever. “We have sight, touch, smell, taste, intuition, and emotion. We have an instrument that has a value that techno-utopians cannot replace or imitate.”

788 Gold Ridge Road, Sebastopol. 707-823-9586, littorai.com

Ram’s Gate Winery

Ram’s Gate’s estate vineyards in Sonoma are Regenerative Organic Certified — one of only a handful of California wineries to hold that distinction. The regenerative approach focuses on improving everything from soils and ecosystems to the well-being of farm workers and communities.

The winery forgoes synthetic inputs, uses cover crops to boost soil health and biodiversity, and integrates animals into its ecosystem through practices like sheep grazing for weed control. Last year, Ram’s Gate launched an agroforestry initiative, planting heirloom fruit trees within the vineyard rows to enhance soils, increase biodiversity, and sequester carbon.

Caine Thompson, the head of sustainability at O’Neill Vintners, Ram’s Gate’s parent company, says regenerative farming could have positive impacts around the world in promoting climate resilience.

“It is really critical that it scales beyond small properties and individual estates,” Thompson says. “Our hope is that this can be a catalyst not only in showing what can be done in a viticultural context, but in other crops.”

28700 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. 707-721-8700, ramsgatewinery.com

Ridge Vineyards

Vines at Ridge’s Lytton Springs, Geyserville, and East Bench properties are certified organic. The winery also uses regenerative, sustainable farming practices like cover cropping, composting, water conservation, and creating habitats for beneficial insects. As a member of the International Wineries for Climate Action, Ridge is working toward carbon neutrality.

“Our philosophy…has always been to work in harmony with nature to produce grapes that reflect where they are grown,” says David Gates, senior vice president of vineyard operations at Ridge. “We believe that special wines come from special places, and you must be mindful and purposeful when growing grapes and making wine from them.”

Ridge’s sustainable practices also extend to packaging — from lightweight bottles to recycled shipping materials.

Lytton Springs tasting room, 650 Lytton Springs Road, Healdsburg. 707-433-7721, ridgewine.com

Three to Try

Ram’s Gate

2023 Pinot Blanc, Ram’s Gate Estate, Carneros, $40

The winery is best known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but it’s also fun to explore its lesser-known offerings. This organic Pinot Blanc from the winery’s home ranch is fresh and flirty, combining stone fruit, citrus, and a touch of spice.

Ridge Vineyards

2023 Lytton Springs, Dry Creek Valley, $56

This is not your typical big-and-jammy Zinfandel blend. Made from organic fruit, the wine has aromas of dark fruits and woody spice. Take a sip to discover black cherry and black tea flavors, along with subtle tannins and food-friendly acidity.

Littorai

2023 Pinot Noir, The Pivot Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, $105

Littorai’s Pinot Noirs are legendary, and this wine is a prime example of why. Made from biodynamically grown fruit from a 3-acre block on the winery’s home property, it’s elegant and beautifully balanced, with black and red berry notes.

The post Three Sonoma County Wineries Leading the Way in Sustainability appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Book clubs are typically low-key affairs — conversations over snacks, perhaps a bottle of wine, in someone’s living room. In Sonoma and Napa counties, however, a growing number of restaurants, wineries and lounges are reimagining the format, turning literary gatherings into immersive, food- and wine-centered experiences.

At Songbird Parlour in Glen Ellen, that reinvention comes with an unusual twist: guests are encouraged to bring their own food. The restaurant’s quarterly cookbook club doubles as both a discussion group and a potluck.

“I’m into food, obviously, and I love building community,” said owner Lauren Kershner, who launched the Songbird Parlour Cookbook Club in early March. “So, to pull those two together was just a natural thing for me.”

Each quarter, participants prepare a dish from a selected cookbook and share it with the group. They bring their own plates and utensils, while the restaurant offers a curated list of wines for $10 a glass.

About 25 people attended the inaugural gathering, cooking from “Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking” by Bonnie Frumkin Morales. Many discovered the event through the Sonoma County Foodies Facebook page.

While cooking for self-described “foodies” might sound intimidating, Kershner emphasized that the atmosphere is intentionally relaxed.

“Let’s just get together and have no real agenda,” she said. “You don’t have to overthink it or commit a lot of resources to it. People can just show up and be themselves.”

At Dutcher Crossing Winery in Geyserville, wine is the lead character in the Sips & Stories Book Club.

The quarterly gathering pairs a featured book with themed wines and light bites for purchase. At its February kickoff, about a dozen attendees discussed “The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It,” sipping as they traded impressions. The club is open to both wine club members and the public.

“We’re all about fostering community and creating meaningful connections,” said Lauren Fairlee, the winery’s wine club manager and the club’s founder. “[This] felt like a natural extension of that spirit.”

Ultimately, she added, “It’s about conversation, shared experiences and building relationships in a relaxed, welcoming environment.”

In Napa, Leilani Baugh, known as Chef Leilani, has taken a similar approach at Vin En Noir, her hybrid wine lounge and bookstore, where offerings spotlight people of color and women winemakers.

Her Books and Bottles club meets on the second Saturday of each month.

Baugh, an avid reader who often unwinds with a book and a glass of wine, said the idea came easily as book clubs surged in popularity.

“We already had a wine lounge,” she said. “Creating a book club there felt like the perfect idea.”

Though she gravitates toward thrillers and romantasy — a blend of romance and fantasy — Baugh lets members shape the reading list.

“I like talking with everyone to learn their reading tastes and preferences, so the book selections reflect the group as a whole,” she said. “That means we tend to explore a mix of genres — romance, romantasy, thrillers and other page-turners that spark great conversation.”

The evenings are deliberately informal, with wine and small bites available as guests discuss characters and themes. For Baugh, the aim is less about promoting products than about creating a sense of belonging.

“What started as people gathering to talk about books over a glass of wine quickly grew into something bigger,” she said. “It’s really about creating a place where people can slow down, enjoy a good book, sip a great glass of wine, and connect with others who love being a little bookish.”

Wine Country Book Clubs

Azur Book Club: Monthly meetups at the Napa winery feature wines by the glass and bottle. Azur Winery, 1014 Clinton St., Napa. 707-812-4203, azurwines.com

Books and Bottles: The club meets every second Saturday to discuss the latest book and sip wines by people of color and women winemakers. Vin En Noir, 1001 Caymus St., Napa. 707-637-4088, vinennoir.com

Silent Book Club: Not in the mood to mingle? Each month, members of the Santa Rosa chapter meet at a local bar or restaurant to silently read in each other’s company. silentbook.club

Sips & Stories Book Club: Quarterly gatherings include book-themed wines and snacks for purchase. Dutcher Crossing Winery, 8533 Dry Creek Road, Geyserville. 707-431-2700, dutchercrossingwinery.com

Songbird Parlour Cookbook Club: Members meet quarterly at the restaurant to share dishes from a designated cookbook. Email info@songbirdparlour.com to sign up. Songbird Parlour, 14301 Arnold Drive, Suite 3, Glen Ellen. 707-343-1308, songbirdparlour.com

Sonoma Valley Regional Library Cookbook Club: Each month, members browse a selection of themed cookbooks, then prepare and share their dishes. Sonoma Valley Regional Library, 755 W. Napa St., Sonoma. 707-996-5217, sonomalibrary.org/events

The post In California Wine Country, Book Clubs Are Getting a Culinary Upgrade appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Stories abound about people who leave the corporate world to pursue life among the vines. The tale of Dutcher Crossing began that way until a wine-loving teacher convinced the original owners to help her realize a dream.

The story

Before launching Dutcher Crossing Winery in 2005, Bruce Nevins and Jim Stevens had already made their mark in the beverage world as the co-founders of Perrier North America. Turning their attention to wine, the partners purchased land in Dry Creek Valley and opened Dutcher Crossing Winery — named for a spot on the estate where Dutcher Creek and Dry Creek meet — with Kerry Damskey as founding winemaker.

Nevins and Stevens planned to run Dutcher Crossing for a decade before selling, but Debra Mathy had other ideas. Two years after the winery opened, she approached the partners at an industry event and made an offer. Her enthusiasm for the property and wines convinced them to sell early.

A Wisconsin native, Mathy fell in love with wine during a high school class trip to France. When she returned home, she told her father she wanted to own a winery someday. Mathy became a teacher but never forgot her high school dream.

Years later, when her dad was diagnosed with late-stage cancer, he encouraged her to follow her passion and offered help. Mathy’s father died a few months before the Dutcher Crossing sale was finalized.

Mathy has since expanded the winery’s estate vineyards from 35 to 75 acres and grown its portfolio from five wines to more than 30. Bordeaux and Rhone varieties are the focus of the winery’s 10,000-case annual production. Each year, Dutcher Crossing releases a wine called CFM Tribute in honor of Mathy’s father, with all proceeds supporting melanoma research.

The vibe

The drive to Dutcher Crossing is especially beautiful in late winter, when bright yellow mustard flowers bloom amid gnarled old vines that speak of Dry Creek Valley’s long and storied history.

The farmhouse-style tasting room features vaulted ceilings and leather wingback chairs arranged by a crackling fireplace. Large windows frame views of the estate vineyards carpeting the hillsides. Because Mathy is an avid cyclist, bicycles feature prominently in the artwork. A replica of the penny-farthing bicycle her father gave her — also pictured on Dutcher Crossing’s labels — sits alongside the tasting bar.

Outside, vineyard-facing tables sit in a covered breezeway, beneath a pergola, on a paved patio and alongside a pétanque court. Wine Country doesn’t get much prettier than this.

On the palate

Winemaker Nick Briggs, who took over from Damskey as head winemaker in 2017, has an affinity for small-lot wines and single-vineyard bottlings. He uses vessels ranging from concrete tanks to large wooden vats to make more than two dozen wines.

The 2023 Kupferschmid White ($46) from Dry Creek Valley, an unconventional blend of Chardonnay, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, is an aromatic pleaser with notes of peaches and apples. The 2019 Pritchett Peaks Vineyard Rockpile Zinfandel ($53) has a mouthwatering aroma of black cherries with a touch of oak, along with red-fruit flavors. The 2021 Cut Root Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($61) is a medium-bodied wine with a silky texture and bright, red-berry flavor.

Experiences include bar tastings at $20 per person and outdoor seated tastings with an optional charcuterie board ($40-$65). Picknickers can reserve a spot under the pergola ($50 per table), and pétanque players command the court for $90 per group, including bottle service.

Beyond the bottle

Lots of wineries these days are working to cultivate a community-friendly vibe. Dutcher Crossing is leaning into that trend with a wine-friendly book club. Held quarterly, “Sips & Stories” pairs a featured reading selection with wines and snacks. The kick-off event, set for Feb. 26 from 5-7 p.m., highlights “The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It.” It’s free for wine club members; for everyone else, wines by the glass and snacks will be available for purchase.

Dutcher Crossing is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday. 8533 Dry Creek Road, Geyserville. 707-431-2700, dutchercrossingwinery.com

Tina Caputo is a wine, food, and travel journalist who contributes to Sonoma magazine, SevenFifty Daily, Visit California, Northern California Public Media, KQED, and more. Follow her on Bluesky at @winebroad.bsky.social, view her website at tinacaputo.com, and email her story ideas at tina@caputocontent.com.

The post Dutcher Crossing Showcases Sonoma County Wines With Front-Row Vineyard Views appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Despite its postcard splendor, the best of Wine Country can feel curiously out of reach for the people who call it home.

In the warm, sun-drenched months, tasting rooms swell with visitors and fees climb to the price of a decent bottle. Come winter, however, the tempo slows — and those in the know understand that the quiet season is when the region is most generous.

Now through March 15, Sonoma Sips, an annual promotion organized by the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau and Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers, offers $15 tastings at more than 50 wineries throughout Sonoma Valley.

How it works

The premise of Sonoma Sips is simple. No tickets are required and most wineries do not require reservations, though calling ahead is encouraged. Upon arrival at a participating tasting room, guests mention Sonoma Sips and a host will outline the featured experience. Whether a curated flight or a wine-and-food pairing, the price is fixed at $15.

A complete and regularly updated list of participating wineries is available at sonomavalley.com/food-wine/wine/sonoma-sips.

Best bets

With over 50 wineries to choose from — a big increase from the 16 that participated last year — choosing one or a handful to visit can be daunting. Here are some top picks to help break the decision lock.

Calling chocoholics and art aficionados

Imagery Estate Winery: The Glen Ellen winery offers a trio of wines paired with chocolate, along with a self-guided tour of its art gallery. $10 for nondrinkers and complimentary for wine club members. No reservations required. 14335 Highway 12, Glen Ellen, 707-935-3000, imagerywinery.com

For dog lovers

Larson Family Winery: Bring your pup to this family- and dog-friendly Sonoma winery for a tasting of three estate wines: Pinot Grigio, rosé of Pinot Noir and its bestselling “Three Lab Cab” Cabernet Sauvignon. 23355 Millerick Road, Sonoma, 707-938-3031, larsonfamilywinery.com

A free tasting

Meadowcroft Wines: During Sonoma Sips, Meadowcroft offers a complimentary wine tasting flight of three pre-selected wines. That’s right, completely free. Guests who want to explore more of the winery’s offerings can upgrade to a $25 tasting for a full flight of wines of their choice. 23574 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-934-4090, meadowcroftwines.com

Small and casual

Cline Family Cellars: Taste four classic varietals from different Sonoma County regions in a standing tasting. A two-bottle purchase waives the $15 tasting fee. Best for individuals and small groups of up to four people. Reservations and walk-ins welcome. 24737 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-940-4044, clinecellars.com

Right on the Plaza

Corner 103: Guests can choose five award-winning, limited-production estate wines to taste at this Sonoma Plaza tasting room. 103 W. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-931-6141, corner103.com

For music buffs and locals

B.R. Cohn Winery: Stroll the beautiful property and learn about the winery’s musical heritage while sipping on three estate wines. (Fun fact: B.R. Cohn Winery was founded in 1984 by Bruce Cohn, former manager of The Doobie Brothers.) On select weekends during Sonoma Sips, the winery offers a “Local Love Tasting” featuring two complimentary tastings for Sonoma and Napa residents (ID required to prove local residency). Learn more and reserve on Tock. 15000 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen, 707-938-4064, brcohn.com

A history lesson in a wine barrel

Dane Cellars: Taste wines in a more than 100-year-old, 14,000-gallon redwood wine tank while learning the history of California’s wine industry with winemaker and self-proclaimed cellar rat Bart Hansen. 14300 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-529-5856, danecellars.com

Drink in the views

St. Francis Winery & Vineyards: Guided by the estate’s wine educators, taste five pre-selected wines against a backdrop of mountain vistas and sweeping vineyard views. 100 Pythian Road, Santa Rosa, 707-833-0242, stfranciswinery.com

‘I prefer cider’

Pomme: Visit the county’s only cider bar and bottle shop for a tasting of three ciders from small-batch producers. Plus, souped-up hot dogs and a large selection of tinned fish are available. 531 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-343-7155, pommecidershop.com

Bonus perk for eco-friendly commuters

Sonoma Adventures: The bicycle rental and tour service offers 20% off rentals and tours during Sonoma Sips. A local tour guide leads winery tours that include lunch. Use the code “Sonomasips” at checkout online or mention Sonoma Sips when reserving by phone. 1254 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-938-2080, sonoma-adventures.com

The post Sonoma Sips Is Back With $15 Wine Tasting Specials appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

The blushing bubbles of a sparkling rosé are enough to make any bubbly buff swoon. So, what is it about this elegant pink drink that makes it so special?

Believe it or not, the bubbles in sparkling wine were initially considered a nuisance in the Champagne region of northeast France, where the first wines were pale pink with nary a bubble in sight.

Produced primarily from Pinot Noir, the wines often struggled to finish fermentation under cool autumn temperatures unbeknownst to vintners who bottled them anyway. In the spring, the warmer temperatures awakened the dormant yeast, producing carbon dioxide and an effervescence winemakers found infuriating.

Eventually, sparkles were embraced and methods improved, thanks especially to Madame Clicquot Ponsardin. Prior to Clicquot, sparkling rosé was often produced by crushing red grapes (like Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris), then allowing the juice to macerate on the skins until the desired color was achieved. Without modern winemaking techniques, the resulting wines were cloudy, inconsistent, and unstable.

Clicquot saw a better way. Utilizing a riddling rack (a device she pioneered), she was able to produce consistently clear red and white wines, which she blended together with precision — a method still in use by most Champagne producers.

While French Champagne rosé must be produced with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, or a combination, California winemakers have the freedom to use any grapes they choose. That means local sparkling rosés vary wildly in flavor. With fruity notes of watermelon, strawberry, and raspberry, and floral aromas like rose petals, they truly offer something for everyone. Whether you’re celebrating the season of love with your partner, your mom, or your best friends, these delicious sparklers will help you do Valentine’s Day right.

Three to Try

Chandon (NV) Brut Rosé, California, $27

This sparkling rosé from Chandon winemaker Pauline Lhote is a blend of 57% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, and 3% Pinot Meunier. Produced using méthode champenoise — a lengthy process that involves a second fermentation in the bottle — the wine offers notes of strawberries, red cherries, and pomegranate, with raspberry tart on the finish. chandon.com

Breathless (NV) Rosé, Sonoma County, $29

Winemaker Penny Gadd-Coster is the talent behind Breathless’ sparkling wines, winning the Healdsburg-based brand countless gold medals. A blend of 83% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay, and 6% Pinot Meunier, this sparkling rosé is buoyant on the palate, with flavors of pear and apple enveloped in a fine creamy mousse. breathlesswines.com

SEPPI (NV) Brut Rosé, California, $32

Founded by Kelsey Phelps, Healdsburg’s SEPPI is named in honor of her celebrated winemaker grandfather, Joseph Phelps, who inspired her passion for wine. Produced in méthode champenoise with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this sparkling rosé offers aromas of strawberry, raspberry, and a touch of citrus blossom, followed by cranberry, strawberry, and a hint of tart crab apple on the juicy finish. drinkseppi.com

The post Celebrate the Season of Love With Wine Country’s Best Sparkling Rosés appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Lots of local vintners live on their vineyard estates, but it’s not often they invite you into their homes. At Halleck Vineyard in Sebastopol, co-founder Ross Halleck’s hilltop home doubles as the winery’s tasting room.

The story

Before venturing into the wine business, Ross Halleck founded a marketing and brand agency specializing in technology and wine. With offices in Silicon Valley and Sebastopol, Halleck’s unconventional client roster included tech giants such as HP and Apple, as well as big-name wineries like Kendall-Jackson and Iron Horse Vineyards. Eventually, the lure of Sonoma Wine Country became too much to resist, and Halleck moved to western Sebastopol with his future wife, Jennifer.

Instead of hiring landscapers to install a lawn on their hilltop property, the wine-loving couple planted Pinot Noir. They didn’t actually intend to start a winery — at most, they thought they might sell the grapes as a college fund for their yet-to-be-born children.

It took the vineyard, planted in 1993, six years to produce a commercial crop. They managed to sell the fruit to a local winemaker for blending, and as a courtesy, he gave them a couple of cases of the pre-blended Pinot. Ross and Jennifer’s sons happened to attend the same elementary school as rock star winemaker Greg La Follette’s children, so one night at a school event, they gave him a bottle of their wine and asked for his opinion. La Follette called the next morning and asked if he could buy the grapes for a vineyard-designated wine under his new label, Tandem. They were officially in the wine business.

Now making wine under their own label, the Hallecks supplement their estate Pinot Noir with fruit sourced from Sonoma County growers. The winery makes about 2,000 cases per year — mainly Pinot Noirs, along with a few whites.

Ross and Jennifer are no longer married, but they still run the winery together. She handles everything from fruit sourcing to wine production, while he heads up marketing and hosts visitor tastings. Both consult with Halleck Vineyard winemaker Rick Davis on final wine blends.

The vibe

This is the kind of place you don’t stumble across by accident — unless you happen to be lost in the Sebastopol hills. When you arrive at the estate, walk around the back of the house to the deck, with its views of the forest and rolling hills. Along with serving as a winery tasting room, this is Ross Halleck’s home. Visitors take seats around a farmhouse table just off the kitchen or out on the deck. All tastings are communal — meaning, parties are seated together around a single table. The idea is to encourage conversation and connection between groups. If you feel like reaching out to someone via U.S. mail, they’ll even send a Halleck postcard for you — stamp included.

On the palate

Well-balanced and seamless, Halleck’s wines hail from vineyards in the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast and Sonoma Mountain appellations. The 2021 Hillside Cuvee Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($59) is a medium-bodied homage to bright red cherries, berries and spice. The 2022 Three Sons Cuvee Pinot Noir ($59) from Russian River Valley has an alluring spiced plum aroma, with some darker fruits and earthy hints on the palate. I was surprised to find a Gewürztraminer in the lineup, and it turned out to be a highlight. The 2024 Calandrelli Vineyard Dry Gewürztraminer from the Russian River Valley ($54) is bone-dry yet juicy — crisp and floral, with green apple and tropical fruit flavors.

Tastings cost $70 per person for a flight of six wines. Each is paired with a small bite.

Beyond the bottle

Have you ever had the feeling while visiting a winery that you just don’t want to go home? At Halleck, you don’t have to. Visitors can book a stay at the winery’s Airbnb — a cozy, outdoor-centric cabin set below Halleck Vineyard. The cedar Wine Lodge includes a wood-burning Finnish sauna — yes, please! — a deck overlooking the forest with a hot and cold plunge pool, and a fire pit with vineyard views. Rates average $415 per night.

Open with tastings at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Reservations required. Halleck Vineyard, 3785 Burnside Road, Sebastopol. 707-892-1234, halleckvineyard.com

Tina Caputo is a wine, food, and travel journalist who contributes to Sonoma magazine, SevenFifty Daily, Visit California, Northern California Public Media, KQED, and more. Follow her on Bluesky at @winebroad.bsky.social, view her website at tinacaputo.com, and email her story ideas at tina@caputocontent.com.

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There’s a good chance you’ve seen bottles of the California appellation Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red at local markets for well under 20 bucks. But there’s a more artisanal side to this 47-year-old Geyserville-based winery, showcased at Marietta’s first-ever tasting room in downtown Healdsburg.

The story

Marietta Cellars got its start in 1978, when Chris Bilbro founded the Dry Creek Valley winery and named it for his favorite aunt. Initially buying fruit from local growers, he built a reputation for making solid, affordable wines with integrity — including Marietta’s famous $19 red. Bilbro’s sons, Scot, Jake and Sam, grew up in the family business, so it was no surprise that all three found careers in the wine world. In 2012, Scot and Jake bought Marietta Cellars from their dad, and Sam founded Idlewild Wines. Now, as Marietta’s sole owner and winemaker, Scot Bilbro is adding exciting new dimensions to the business.

Farming 200 acres of vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, the winery makes about 35,000 cases per year, with small-lot wines reserved for the tasting room. Wines feature an intriguing array of varieties, including Zinfandel, Riesling and Trousseau.

The vibe

Scot Bilbro and his wife, Lisa Steinkamp, opened the tasting room in late October just off the Healdsburg Plaza. The site was formerly a police station — the old holding cell is now Marietta’s bathroom — and, more recently, the tasting room for Roadhouse Winery.

Steinkamp is an architectural designer and it shows in the bright, contemporary space. (One of her sketches hangs on the wall and her lovely watercolor paintings appear on Marietta’s wine labels.) All of the design choices are thoughtful and intentional, from the French marble hutch behind the bar to the wooden branch sculpture that hangs from the ceiling. Even the spittoons are custom-made by a local ceramicist — a former Buddhist monk.

Seating includes a velvet banquette with marble-topped tables and a couple of bar seats. There’s also a sweet patio out front, with tables set under some leafy trees. The winery doesn’t currently offer food, but you can order from Acorn Café and have it brought over (Marietta shares a back door with the restaurant). Wines are available by the flight, glass and bottle, so visitors are welcome to stick around and relax. If you’re a dog person, as I am, you’ll enjoy meeting the couple’s bouncy pup, Harry.

On the palate

Although Marietta has some higher-production wines in distribution across the country, you won’t find them here. This is a chance to taste Bilbro’s small-lot wines, which he describes as both personal and emotional.

The tasting room offers two different flights for $35 each. The Place sampling features single-estate wines made in a more traditional style. The Presence tasting highlights Marietta’s “Etta” series of playful, esoteric wines. All selections are made with neutral oak, which highlights the purity of the fruit and adds texture.

The Etta 2023 Gris ($42) immediately hooked me with its pale, coppery color. A blend of Grenache and Trousseau, the wine has peachy hints and a nice balance of acidity and body. I loved the Nadi 2022 Wirz Vineyard Dry Riesling from Cienega Valley ($38) for its golden color, stone-fruit aroma and racy energy. The 2022 Gibson Block Red from McDowell Valley ($58) is made from Syrah vines planted in 1918, along with Grenache, Petite Sirah and Alicante. Its deep color, structure and dark fruit flavors call out for a pan-seared steak.

Beyond the bottle

To keep the laid-back, artsy vibe going, catch a movie at the new True West Film Center. The three-screen theater showcases “art house” flicks and new releases, offering big, comfy seats and — in true Healdsburg fashion — a sommelier-designed selection of wines from the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River valleys. Moviegoers can also preorder food from Acorn Café, El Milagro, Journeyman Meat Co., Lo & Behold and Troubadour.

Marietta Cellars is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. 250 Center St., Healdsburg. 707-433-2747, mariettacellars.com

Tina Caputo is a wine, food, and travel journalist who contributes to Sonoma magazine, SevenFifty Daily, Visit California, Northern California Public Media, KQED, and more. Follow her on Bluesky at @winebroad.bsky.social, view her website at tinacaputo.com, and email her story ideas at tina@caputocontent.com.

The post Marietta Cellars Opens Its First Tasting Room After 47 Years appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

A modern home on 10 secluded acres in Guerneville is currently listed for sale. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom dwelling set among redwoods is seeking $1,295,000.

The interior of the 1,700-square-foot home, built in 1992, reiterates the woodsy surround through stained-wood millwork. Generous windows — including bifold patio doors — provide lots of light and allow forest views to take center stage. 

The wraparound deck is a spacious perch among the trees. Seating, dining and a spa offer a pleasing means of soaking it all in.

Sunny grounds include raised vegetable beds, fruit trees, a small barn, chicken coop and dry sauna. The garage is outfitted with Wi-Fi, and the property has an EV charging station and RV hookup. A metal roof offers fire mitigation.

For more information on the property at 17970 Duncan Road in Guerneville, contact listing agent Pat Patricelli, 415-516-0875, Vanguard Properties, redwoodescape.com

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