The best of Sonoma County living
SPRING 2016
THIS SHIPMENT 2014 Water Bend Chardonnay 2014 Thermopoli 2012 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
INSIDE
2013 XYZin Reserve Zinfandel
TASTE A New Style of Chèvre
FARM TO TABLE Bread Winners
STAY & PLAY Grape Leaf Inn
HAPPENINGS Sonoma County
2014 WATER BEND CHARDONNAY
2012 ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2013 XYZIN RESERVE ZINFANDEL
The growing popularity of Rhonestyle blends is testament to the outstanding benefits of blending wines. Our 2014 vintage consists of Petite Sirah, Syrah, Viognier and Carignane. The nose has subtle earth, currants, hibiscus and white pepper. Blueberry, tamarind, plum, tart cherr y and raspberry fill the palate. The texture is fluid and moves from silky to firm. Enjoy with olives, fresh baguettes, soft cheeses, summer berries and tomatoes. 125 cases
Our winemaker feels the allure of Cabernet comes from both its strength and subtlety. There is no denying the brawn of the grape but the beauty is found in extracting just enough of that brawn to not overpower the array of fruit, mineral and floral characters inherent in the fruit. This wine has all the classic hallmarks of Alexander Valley Cabernet with rich blackberry and black current, notes of coffee, mouth-filling structure, creamy oak and fine tannins. 125 cases
Our dr y farmed, head-trained Zinfandel vines stand on the western valley floor of the Dr y Creek Valley. Dappled sunlight, moderate crop load and expert vineyard management by the family who has farmed this site for generations combines to produce fruit that displays the elegance of the Zinfandel variety. Classic Italian dishes including Ragu Bolognese, Caponata, Cioppino, Italian Sausage and Panzanella are natural partners and will enhance both the fruit and spice elements. 164 cases
Club Reorder Price: Retail Price:
Club Reorder Price: $22.50 Retail Price: $30.00
Club Reorder Price: Retail Price:
Club Reorder Price: Retail Price:
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$33.00 $44.00
$22.50 $30.00
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No . 29
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$19.50 $26.00
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In our Russian River Appellation, we heighten the varietal character of our Sauvignon Blanc through clonal selection, vigorous work in the vineyard and careful selection of ye ast st rain. Fermentation is slow and cold allowing the redolent spectrum of green fruit to remain in the finished wine. This small production bottling makes an inviting addition to summer picnic baskets and year-round oyster splurges. 2049 cases
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W I N E RY
W I N E R Y
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2014 THERMOPOLI RED BLEND
REORDER AT SHIPMENT PRICE through March 4
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geyserpeakwinery.com for complete tasting notes
| Spring 2016 |
Contents A NEW STYLE OF CHĂˆVRE IN THE WINE COUNTRY Taste
WINE SPECIALS by Geyser Peak
BREAD WINNERS Farm to Table
GRAPELEAF INN Stay & Play
HAPPENINGS Upcoming events around Sonoma County
WINEMAKER MESSAGE by Geyser Peak
Publisher Left Coast Marketing Editor Robin Gordon
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Designer Chelsea Bond Features Jenny Wright-Hailey Marcy Joyce Tanya Seibold Photos Dan Chapin Leigh Wachter Sales Left Coast Marketing P.O. Box 1001 Healdsburg, CA 95448 (707) 479-5385 LeftCoastMarketing.com
GeyserPeakWinery.com
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5 8 10 14 22 23
2016 MKT stretch limousine
Family owned since 2006 | Santa Rosa, CA | TCP 20374-A
Sonoma County’s highest-rated transportation professionals 2016 Sprinter party bus
••• 22 vehicles: sedans, Escalades, Sprinters, party buses and more ••• Friendly reservationists answer your questions ••• Courteous, knowledgeable, professional chauffeurs ••• In-house wine educator will customize your itinerary to your interests and preferences at no additional charge •••
sonomasterlinglimo.com | 707.542.5444 Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce
5-star
Taste | A New Style | Our biggest motivator for launching CHEVOO is our passion to produce delicious, unique and innovative blends that help people share food with each other, whether they’re entertaining or cooking together. We want to look back in ten years and feel that we’ve helped change the way people in the U.S. share and enjoy artisan cheese together.” — Gerard Tuck, Co-Founder
Following A
Dream
As former Melburnians Gerard and Susan Tuck can attest, courage and perseverance are the mainstays in pursuing your dreams. Especially if you’re doing it from a continent away in Australia. The nowSonoma based couple has recently seen their years of hard work and patience, along with hundreds of hours spent on food testing, ingredient sourcing and recipe development pay off in a big way through their flourishing hand-blended cheese business now located in the heart of Sonoma Valley, California. Made from the highest quality ingredients, CHEVOO (pronounced SHAY-voo) pairs local fresh goat curd (CHEV) with California extra virgin olive oil (OO) which has been infused with crushed spices, herbs, pollens, botanicals and chilies.
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A NEW STYLE OF CHÈVRE IN THE Artisian cheeses to share with people you really, really like! by Tanya Seibold
The journey from Down Under to Sonoma was years in the making, starting back in Melbourne where Gerard’s career in finance serendipitously evolved into working for the country’s largest cheese importer and distributor. Through his time spent within the cheese community and various trips to France to learn how classic fromage was crafted, he and his wife Susan, a teacher and avid cheese-lover, began daydreaming of a life in America where they could share their love of an Aussie food staple found in most household fridges. This style of fresh cheese marinated in a flavored oil is unique to the Australian culinary scene, and is commonly found on a cheese plate served with a crunchy baguette “We purposely chose to start our but also used as a breakfast spread on toast, a flavor booster in pastas, business in the States, specifically vegetables and salads, or as a garnish on fish and meat dishes. As it’s Northern California, as the innovation only produced in one flavor in Australia, the lack of variety within the and support from the local food product category was seen by the couple as an incredible opportunity community here is unreal. Unlike that to incorporate their love of high quality cheese, spices and infused oils of Australia or any other place we’ve to create a new food product unlike any other. been to. The American food culture Fueled by a desire to start a family business – and the pure food breeds creativity and diversity in movement alive and strong in Northern California – it was only everything – from flavor combinations natural the Bay Area was to be the destination for the couple to to packaging designs to sharing of embrace their venture into the cheese business. Gerard applied to resources. We thought there’s no the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and with his acceptance, better place to make our dream moved his wife and three small children to California. During their become reality than here.” time on campus, they sourced and tasted hundreds of spices, herbs and — Gerard Tuck, Co-Founder botanicals from across the globe searching for the perfect combination of ultra-premium varieties to incorporate You can find CHEVOO at specialty and gourmet food markets on the West Coast; soon to be nationwide. into the fresh curd, Visit their website www.chevoo.com for more information and recipes, or to find a retailer nearest you.
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California Dill Pollen & Garlic
Aleppo-Urfa Chili & Lemon
Smoked Sea Salt & Rosemary
Subtle highlights that quietly echo the rolling hills of Wine Country for a taste of Northern California. Fresh chèvre hand-blended with locally harvested dill pollen, marinated in a light garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil blend.
Velvety chèvre hand-blended with Aleppo and Urfa chili peppers, marinated in a delicate lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil blend. A sophisticated mix of heat and citrus, with a hint of old world charm.
Our most versatile flavor. A delicate chèvre hand-blended with smoked sea salt and cracked pepper, marinated in a rosemary-infused extra virgin olive oil blend.
WINE COUNTRY as well as infuse into the olive oils. Through his studies at Stanford, Gerard was introduced to The Center for Dairy Research at University Wisconsin/Madison where over multiple trips to the center, he tested and trialed various cow, sheep and goats milks looking for the optimum flavor and texture profiles. After countless iterations, a final recipe for CHEVOO was developed and with a nod of approval from their trusted foodie-friends, a new category of chèvre was born. The company launched in gourmet food shops and markets on the West Coast in September 2015 to rave reviews by cheese mongers worldwide.
Taste | A New Style |
How It’s Made
Turning to local resources and leaders within their own food categories, Gerard and Susan sought out the highest quality raw ingredients from producers based in their own backyard. The fresh goat’s milk curd is produced by the famed Cypress Grove Chèvre dairy in Arcata, just outside Eureka in Northern California. Owner Mary Keehn was more than happy to partner with the young business in a pay-it-forward attitude to help bring a new style of Continuing Gerard and Susan’s motto of helping people share food chèvre to market. Like the Tucks, Mary and wine, here are their recommendations for some stellar wine and believes in creating foods based on CHEVOO parings. As a rule of thumb, they most often recommend sustainable principles. The couple chose higher-acidity whites, dry Rosés or a New World Sparkling, Spanish to use goat’s milk (over other fresh milk) Cava, French Champagne or Italian Prosecco—all of these wine styles for the current CHEVOO blends as the will complement the three chèvre flavors well, and the effervescence from subtle salt and citrus notes found in the bubblys will cut through the oil nicely. Of course, the classic pairing this curd provide an ideal base to layer of a tart and zingy Sauvignon Blanc with a tangy goat’s cheese comes to additional flavors using herbs and spices.
Wine Pairings with CHEVOO
mind - and is always a winner- but as CHEVOO is so delicately blended and marinated with herbs and spices, the customary sharpness of a traditional chèvre is pleasantly tempered. So if choosing to pair CHEVOO with Sauvignon Blanc, avoid the austere grapefruit and vegetal-focused bottlings and look for a wine that’s fleshier with ripe orchard fruit notes or even a light Fumé Blanc with just a hint of oak to allow the wonderful infused flavors in the CHEVOO to shine through. For specific cheese to varietal pairings: the California Dill Pollen & Garlic is delightful served alongside bright, light-to-medium bodied reds such as Pinot Noir, Grenache and Burgundy as their tart-fruit notes help accentuate the subtle herbal flavors from the dill pollen in the goat curd. Aromatic and slightly off-dry whites (Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Moscato) or rounded whites (Chardonnay, Chablis, Viognier, Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc) all balance the minimal heat and earthiness of the chili and citrus-forward notes found in the Aleppo-Urfa Chili & Lemon blend. The Smoked Sea Salt & Rosemary calls for bolder reds such as Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah and Zinfandel to best playoff the heartier pine notes from the rosemary-infused olive oil.
The olive oil used in all three CHEVOO blends is from California Olive Ranch in Chico, CA. Their mill, located about an hour and a half north of Sacramento, crushes the Arbequina olives using only mechanical methods. Unlike the typical industry high-heat or solvent methods, this labor intensive process to extract the oil protects the inherently spicy aromatics and peppery palate notes found within this olive variety. The Tuck’s choice to use a certified extra virgin olive oil to enhance the bold chilies, piquant lemons and zesty garlic which macerate in the oil over a 4-6 week period, is yet another marker of their commitment to use only the best ingredients they can find. Once the infused oil is ready, the goat curd is first blended by hand with a select combination of spices and herbs in small batches. Those curds are then paired to a specific oil and jarred to marinate—further enhancing the combined flavors of the curd, oil, and spices.
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WINE SPECIALS QUANTITIES LIMITED
2014 GEWĂœRZTRAMINER
Purchase 6 or more bottles of any of the selected wines and receive the following discounts
Our passion for producing aromatic white wines is reflected in this beautiful small production Gewurztraminer. One of the lesser-known Noble Grape varieties and amongst the rarest of modern wine grapes (fewer than 20,000 acres worldwide) Gewurztraminer is heady with floral and spice aromatics and the palate is a carnival of fruit, spice and flowers. Made completely dry in style we celebrate the elegance and refinement of this grape and highlight the almost unbelievable aromatics without masking the flavor with sweetness. Enjoy this wine slightly chilled and pair with dishes including citrus or spice.Â
Retail: $22.00 Special Price: $15.40 - 30% discount
2013 WATER BEND CHARDONNAY Our Water Bend Chardonnay takes its name from both the wide bend in the Russian River where our primary vineyard source is located as well as from the use of water bent barrels in the fermentation and aging process. Water bending barrels allows for an exquisite extraction of oak flavor that integrates early into the wine and contributes a soft, rounded texture to the palate. Bright acidity from the fruit brings this textural element into balance and the abundant fruit, floral, and creamy elements add layers of complexity.
Retail: $26.00 Special Price: $15.60 - 40% discount
To order:
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geyserpeakwinery.com | 866-255-9463
2011 ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON The Alexander Valley produces Cabernet Sauvignon that is deliciously fruit-forward and juicy while still retaining the elegance and sophistication for which the varietal has won international acclaim. In our unique climate we are fortunate to have numerous types of soil and exposures that allow us to accentuate the uniqueness of each vineyard site and optimize blending components within the same varietal. For this wine we favor the central region of the valley with its volcanic-influenced soils and rolling hills that offer both eastern and western exposures highlighting both the fruit and mineral characters of the varietal.
Retail: $44.00 Special Price: $30.80 - 30% discount
2006 ATLAS PEAK WINERY CLARET The Claret is a traditionally inspired Bordeaux style blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec, 15% Petit Verdot, 14% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc that showcases the power, structure, and elegance of these varietals. The 2006 vintage is vibrant with taut tannins, a perfumed bouquet, impressive density, compelling earth and spice notes, and a core of red and black fruit. Solid viticulture practices implemented by our growers ensured fruit of high quality and optimal maturity.
Retail: $55.00 Special Price: $30.00 - 45% discount
2012 XYZIN RESERVE ZINFANDEL XYZin celebrates the connections among vineyard, grower, varietal and winemaker. We endeavor to bring the flavor and spirit of the beloved Zinfandel grape to our wines by working with family growers, old vine sources, heritage clones and traditional winemaking techniques. Zinfandel occupies a unique and very special place in California’s wine history. XYZin keeps that pioneering spirit alive through thoughtful winemaking and longterm relationships with our family grower partners.
Double Gold Medal Winner—2015 Sonoma County Harvest Fair Retail: $30.00 Special Price: $21.00 - 30% discount
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The art of making by Genny Wright-Hailey
Most people
would agree that the aromas and tastes of freshbaked bread belong at the top of any comfort food list. Golden, crispy crusts, soft chewy interiors, the warm yeasty smell, and special ingredients like nuts, seeds, dried fruits and hearty grains that add intriguing textures and flavors. Whether paired with a steaming cup of coffee or an aromatic glass of wine, bread can be a perfect partner. Sonoma County is blessed with many seriously good bakeries. The everpopular food meccas of Healdsburg and Sonoma are each home to an award-winning French bakery that have much in common, yet retain a unique place in their respective towns. Both bakeries are located in historic properties, are family-owned and operated, have integrated themselves as popular local hang-outs, and give back to their communities. Both use ages-old methods, top quality local ingredients, and traditional stone hearth ovens. European techniques, handed down through several generations, define their consistent, award-winning products. Each has slowly evolved from a small storefront offering a retail bakery and café, to larger operations with wholesale delivery to restaurants and markets, plus catering for events. And both should be on your mustgo-to list when visiting wine country.
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Sense of Place Just as wine grapes have certain characteristics that reflect their appellations, each of these bakeries has developed a unique sense of place defined by their “don’t miss” creations. COSTEAUX makes an addictive Cinnamon Walnut breakfast bread. It’s used in the café for their amazing French toast and sold by the loaf. Colorful French macarons are also very popular. The Princess Cake – white chiffon filled with Bavarian custard, raspberry conserve and whipped cream, then enrobed in marzipan – is a big seller. For Spring: Look for Panettone sized for two, with fresh orange and lemon peel, walnuts, and slivered almonds, as well as hot cross buns. BASQUE is best known for their individually hand-formed sourdough loaves, morning buns that sell out every day, and the famous Beehive Cake – a sweet cake with loads of vanilla custard, caramel and honey almond praline – which is made to order, but also available by the slice at the café. For Spring: Shamrock, bunny and egg-shaped cookies, as well as Irish Soda bread and Panettone with dried fruits and nuts.
Farm to Table | Bread Winners |
g artisanal breads
Costeaux French Bakery, Healdsburg Costeaux began in 1923 as The French American Bakery, Healdsburg’s first bakery, next door to the current location in the former old Cerri-Maggenti market. After several different names and owners, the bakery was purchased by Jean and Anne Costeaux in 1972. Originally from Reims, France, the Costeaux family passed on their art of bread baking to Karl Seppi, who purchased the bakery in 1981 with his wife, Nancy. Their son, William, joined the family business in 2004 and is the current manager. “We want people to come in, relax, and linger,” said Will Seppi, “and employees are encouraged to build relationships with regular guests.” This spirit of community may be why Costeaux was voted one of the best places to work in the North Bay (North Bay Business Journal.) In 2005, Will Seppi was honored by the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce with the Spirit of Sonoma Award. This is a business that not only donates their wares to many local fundraisers, but has done so in “big” ways: Working with the Windsor High School culinary program and Windsor Certified Farmer’s Market, Costeaux achieved the Guinness World Record for the largest pumpkin pie, weighing over 418 pounds. And to celebrate Healdsburg’s 150-year sesquicentennial in 2007, the bakery created a five-tier birthday cake for more than 3,000 participants to enjoy in the downtown plaza.
Basque Boulangerie, Sonoma Originally opened in 1956 as the Sonoma French Bakery by a Basque family from the southwest region of France, this small but always-busy bakery and café is located right on Sonoma’s historic square, in what was originally the Sebastiani Theater building. The current owners operate Basque Boulangerie with the same old-world European traditions inspired by the founders. Over the years, “The Basque” has become a gathering place for regulars and visitors to enjoy breakfast, lunch, fresh-ground organic coffee or a glass of local wine and nibbles, offering some of the best prices in town. The bakery is also very involved with the community via event sponsorships and donating bread to schools, senior groups, organizations that help military families, fire departments and many other local fundraising efforts, such as crab feeds.
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The Need to Knead While bakeries do much of their retail business with the breakfast and lunch crowd, the real action takes place after the sun goes down. This is when the term, “early rising” refers not only to yeast, but to the dedicated people who show up for work when the rest of the town is still snuggled in bed. Everything comes out of the ovens as close as possible to delivery time to ensure the freshest possible products. Passion and skill motivate these nocturnal workers. The crew moves fast and in sync, starting with mixing, then resting and cutting the dough and shaping by hand in age-old traditional methods, proofing, and eventually baking in a hearth oven. (The Basque’s ovens came from France 20 years ago, along with a technician who assembled the ovens on site, inside the building.) Everything from baguettes to batards and pull-aparts; rolls, muffins, buns, croissants, and seasonal specialties, come to life at night and permeate the air with their heady aromas.
Real Eggs. Real Butter. Real Good. In addition to hands-on methods, ingredients are a key to consistently high quality breads and pastries. Costeaux uses only fresh whole eggs
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(about 1,000 dozen per week) from a local provider, Clover Stornetta; never egg substitutes. Their natural yeast starters (dating back several generations) are almost all non-GMO, and there are no added preservatives or shelf stabilizers. A new production facility has all LED lighting and their own wastewater treatment. Basque Boulangerie also uses Clover Stornetta for milk, eggs and butter, a well-guarded 30-year-old “starter” natural yeast, as well as Zoe’s Meats in Petaluma for their sandwich meats, a small local grower for produce, and non-GMO unbleached flour. “These ingredients cost a little more,” says one of Basque’s family owners, Sunny Bajwa, “but it’s worth the investment to give a clean product.”
Rising Accolades This commitment to quality ingredients has garnered numerous awards for both bakeries. Besides winning the Sweepstakes Awards at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, Basque’s pastry chef has been featured on the Food Network for her famous Beehive Cake and has won awards for Chocolate Truffle Gateau and Frangipane tarts. Costeaux has also won top accolades at the Harvest Fair, taking home Best of Show for both French and Specialty breads. In their first year of ownership, the Seppis won the only gold medal given for bread at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Armloads of medals and ribbons continue to accumulate each year for both bakeries, symbols of appreciation from their communities.
Can you take the
heat? V
isit us at the OXBOW PUBLIC MARKET for your own taste of the seductive Ancho León.
EXOTIC. HANDCRAFTED. SPICY. ANCHO LEON. A ncho León is an ancho chile-
infused aged Brandy. In truth, it is made similarly to other NVD favorites: Brandy Cordial and the Grand California. Ancho León starts its life as a 3yr aged Brandy, we then re-age the Brandy in used Bourbon barrels for 6 months so that it takes on those delightful Bourbon notes. We then add many, many, many ancho chiles to infuse for a fortnight so that the Brandy has adequate time to fully absorb the complex flavor of the ancho chiles.
T
he result is a unique, medium-spicy, slightly sweet liqueur of extraordinary charm and depth. We highly recommend that you try Ancho León in all of your standard repertoire of libations to give them a certain je ne sais quoi. Also, try your hand at creating your own bespoke libations that will delight your taste buds as much as your guests at your next cocktail soirée.
Visit us!
Tasting Bar & Shop at The Oxbow 610 First Street #8 Napa, CA 94559 (707) 226-9269
Victorian Luxury Bed and breakfast offers modern comforts alongside century old style by Marcy Joyce
As you make your way toward the grounds of the Grape Leaf Inn, thoughts of everyday life fade away. Its Victorian elegance and lush evergreens beckon through the white picket fence. Set in an historic Healdsburg neighborhood that maintains its original street lamps, the integrity of the inn’s Queen Anne style has been preserved through every loving restoration it has undergone over the years. A step through the door into the cherry-warm, wood-floored parlor with its colored-glass front bay window gives the sense that the building has enchanting stories to tell of yesteryear. The transitional modern décor gently pulls attention to the present as wine country getaway plans unfold in this home away from home. Grape Leaf Inn prides itself on its attentive service and has been recognized for this as an award-winning bed and breakfast. Ask concierge Jessica Anderson, who has plenty of suggestions for those who visit without a set itinerary. “We get out and build community with wineries, restaurants and spas,” Anderson said. “It’s a lot of fun getting to know everybody and then the things we recommend, we have experienced. We like to try everything in order to give the best information on what visitors should do,” noting that advice from the staff depends on what the guest hopes to experience while visiting. The bed and breakfast is located just four block from the Healdsburg Plaza, and minutes from more than 100 wineries, the Russian River, Lake Sonoma, Armstrong Woods Redwood Reserve, and the rugged Sonoma Coast.
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Stay & Play | Grape Leaf Inn |
“Taste preferences play a big part in where we send people,� said Anderson. Built in 1900 by a local contractor, what is now Grape Leaf Inn represents a typical turn-of-thecentury middle class home in Healdsburg. The home was originally built for blacksmith August Lund, a Swedish immigrant who purchased the property in 1894. After the home was built, Lund subdivided the remainder of the lot and in 1903 contracted for the building of three identical Queen Anne cottages to the south. By 1907, Lund sold these, as well as his original home and the blacksmith business. It was 1981 when the home became Grape Leaf Inn and under the ownership of Terry and Karen Sweet, the attic space was converted into four more bedrooms and bathrooms that now feature imported European skylight windows. Today, Grape Leaf Inn has 12 romantic rooms named after grape varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay Rose, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel and the Chardonnay Suite. Most rooms have king-size beds dressed in fine pressed linens, and are furnished with timeless antiques blended with updated casual contemporary pieces. A Victorian addition was seamlessly added in 2001 and holds a stateof-the-art kitchen, dining room, lobby, and five new guest rooms. The property continues to undergo a gradual interior design makeover, incorporating more modern yet classic transitional styles coupled with refinished antiques. Permits have been pulled to add a swimming pool in the back, which is festooned with Japanese maple and climbing jasmine. Plans for the summer include a new separate cottage with private entrance and an indoor/outdoor shower. A new selfserve coffee bar is being added in the dining area. During the warmer months, guests can enjoy their breakfast outside on the porch, also a perfect place to unwind after a day of wine touring.
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Guest rooms are appointed with modern conveniences such as TV, DVD and wireless internet service. Guests receive a complimentary bottle of Sonoma County wine in room upon arrival. Several suites have fireplaces, and most of the marble-counter bathrooms offer two-person spa tubs and showers. One room has a two-person steam shower and Japanese-style soaking tub. To welcome newly checked-in guests, Wilson wines are served during a reception that takes place from 5 to 6 p.m. The cookies served in the parlor are a Grape Leaf Inn specialty and secret recipe.
Ask about the hidden door
behind the antique check-in desk that opens to a downward staircase leading to a Prohibitionera speakeasy and wine cellar. This fun feature was added in the 1990s by retired attorney Richard Rosenberg and his wife Kae who owned Grape Leaf Inn prior to Wilson Artisan Wineries’ acquisition of the property in 2013. Cocktails crafted by an in-house mixologist are served in the speakeasy from 4 to 6 p.m. But guests are always welcome to go down at any time to enjoy the space. Anderson said that, “We have a true mixologist who belongs in some bar in the city. Everything is a piece of art in a glass and she has created a lot of her own recipes.”
These recipes include celebratory concoctions for various occasions like weddings. Oftentimes during peak wedding season, the whole place is rented out to the family of the bride or groom. “We get a lot of people who stay here for business as well,” says Jessica. Whatever brings you to Grape Leaf Inn, a two-course gourmet “traditional and homey” breakfast awaits in the morning starting at 9 a.m. The breakfast menu is seasonal and ingredients are sourced locally. One morning the “Healdsburg Joe” Italian sausage sautéed with spinach and served with poached eggs might be served. Or perhaps cinnamon walnut French toast using bread For more information or to make a reservation, visit www.grapeleafinn.com.
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from Costeaux bakery around the corner. Other offerings include vegan scrambles and seasonal frittatas. Dietary restrictions and food allergies can be accommodated and catered to. Breakfast in bed is an option for those staying in the Pinot Noir suite and the cottage.
“We really tailor to everyone’s needs,” Anderson said. “If they need to go early we can prepare a breakfast that they can take to go.” Not only is the food sourced locally, but also the soap, shampoo and conditioner. Grape Leaf Inn makes every effort to do everything that can be done to make staying there a unique-to-Healdsburg experience. Wine country events that take place throughout the year keep the staff busy. Gift certificates and other
special deals become available on occasions like Valentine’s Day. The influx of guests especially picks up in March and April but there are wine events year-round such as Passport weekends, Winter WINEland in January and the Healdsburg Jazz Festival in June. How far in advance one needs to make reservations depends on the event taking place.
See & Do | Great Heights |
Tour bus after tour bus pull into the
Sonoma Canopy Tours parking lot off of Bohemian Highway to unload enthusiastic passengers. One by one they climb out and line up at a desk in the alcove of a wooden hut-like building gripping travel brochures and “things to do” magazines. Off to the side, restrooms labeled “last chance for the next 2.5 hours” sit a few yards away. Reservations are required for this forest zipline excursion, and behind the desk is receptionist Bailee Barr who has been expecting all who have shown up. Some have done this before—others are newbies. Once checked in, everyone is shuttled uphill in a covered pickup truck to the welcome center and zipline course. From here, guides familiarize everyone with their safety equipment, techniques and protocol before they soar a couple hundred feet in the air from one treetop to another at speeds of up to 25 mph and distances up to 800-feet. “It’s scary enough to be fun but not too scary to be enjoyable,” explains Bailee, as she checks people in. “It’s a good way to get outdoors and experience something new.” “It’s not often that you get to look down on redwoods,” said guide Moshe Zrihen, working with fellow guide Joey Ballard. Breathtaking, panoramic views of not only fog-laced redwoods near and far await on this exhilarating eco-educational adventure but also madrones with red berries and peeling bark, douglas firs and bay laurels. There are seven ziplines, two sky bridges, a ladder of wood steps spiraling around a tree and an 80-foot drop via rappel at the end of the course.
ZIPLINING
THROUGH THE
by Marcy Joyce
To get started, Moshe and Joey assist each person in the group with their helmets and seat and chest harnesses with metal clips, explaining that a rope at the end of the line slows you down to avoid crashing into the other tree. The friction of the rope itself helps stop you, said Moshe. Guides also give break signals as one approaches the end of the zipline. Moshe goes across on the first run after reminding everyone what to do after reaching the other tree. Joey makes conversation with each adventurer before sending them off. As a woman prepares to zip over the deep ravine, Joey asks her if she’s nervous. “I’m nervous,” she said. “I believe you,” Joey humors, as he calmly and gently instructs her on how to position herself and hold on. As she glides forward, the zipline sounds like a car backing up in reverse. To further put nervous first-timers at ease, Joey makes Tarzan and “Swiss family treehouse” references and later treats the group to a human beatbox performance. One woman commented on feeling a sense of vertigo at first, but also excitement and anticipation. First-timers start to get the hang of it, no pun intended, after two or three times. “This is what the birds see. This tree is moving a little bit. You can feel it,” said Beverly, a Rohnert Park resident who has ziplined with Sonoma Canopy Tours previously when she invited a group of 14 people for her fiancé’s 50th birthday. “And if you look over there,” Moshe points from atop a tree during the course, “you see the white tree of Gondor for Lord of the Rings fans. It’s a white tree with no brush on it. Over that ridge over there is the Bohemian Grove where the top .01 percent, the presidents, prime ministers, oil company owners, captains of industry meet and talk about where they want the world to go. Apparently every president since the 1920s. Some of us (guides) have seen helicopters drop people off. So that’s kind of cool.” To ensure maximum safety, guides initially undergo a rigorous 40 hours of training by a third party followed by a written test and ongoing monthly training. “Our guests appreciate that safety is top of mind,” said Marketing Director Debbie Klein. “For our liability and your safety, don’t touch the shiny stuff. The guides handle all of that. All you have to do is look around and enjoy.”
REDWOODS Sometimes people stop too soon and need to pull themselves to the ledge on the second tree using a hand-over-hand technique. “She’s a lightweight,” said one zipliner about another. “You should’ve had some In N’ Out before you came,” Moshe jokes. Sonoma Canopy Tours opened in the summer of 2010 as part of Alliance Redwood Conference Grounds, which has been providing environmental education programs to public and private schools since the 1980s. Klein explains that business manager Bruce Wohlert was inspired after ziplining on a full, sold-out canopy tour in Puerto Vallarta. “He said, ‘Well this is very popular and we have trees’,” Klein said. “And we’ve done very well,” she adds. During “outdoor education” programs, fifth and sixth graders learn, among other things, that coastal redwoods only grow in certain places in the world. Adults can likewise re-capture their childlike wonderment of experiencing nature as education on forest growth and the history of the area is similarly available to them. That said, tours are customizable; the guides ascertain how much information people want while on course.
See & Do | Great Heights |
What Sonoma Canopy Tours adventurers see as they traverse is the second growth after the 1906 earthquake, according to Klein. The previous growth was used to rebuild damaged structures in San Francisco, she said. Groups often make reservations for bachelor and wedding parties, retirement parties, milestone birthdays, corporate events and “just because.” For corporate weekday team-building events (32 people maximum), meeting areas and lunch are provided. Groups are taken up every 20 minutes so people don’t have to wait too long to take their turn. And then there are the “bucket listers.” Klein tells of Dorothea, a 92-year-old woman who ziplined at Sonoma Canopy Tours with two of her nieces who were in their 70s. “The two nieces were scared to death, but Dorothea had the best time,” says Klein. “She was going to jump out of a plane the following year. This was a bit too tame for her.” Wine tasting enthusiasts take note: Sobriety is a requirement for this adventure. So plan to visit tasting rooms after your zipline adventure. It will give you something to talk about between pours. You can get your photo taken in mid-zip and helmet camera rentals are available for those wishing to capture the experience in a video and perhaps share with friends on Facebook. Price varies depending on the day of the week and age of the person. Those over 59 receive a senior rate. Hours of operation also vary depending on the season although tours run rain or shine.
For more information, visit www.sonomacanopytours.com or call 1-888-494-7868.
Happenings | Spring 2016 |
February
March
April
Museum Mondays for Little Ones 2/1/16 – 9/26/16 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Santa Rosa 707-579-4452 schultzmuseum.org
Valley of the Moon Program IV – Three Beethoven Cello Sonatas 3/5/16 – 3 p.m. Rohnert Park 866-955-6040 gmc.sonoma.edu
Occidental Fool’s Day Parade 4/2/16 – 1 p.m. Occidental 707-874-9392 occidentalcenterforthearts.org
Chinese New Year Celebration 2/20/16 – 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Santa Rosa recacenter.org
Sonoma County Bluegrass & Folk Festival 3/12/16 - All Day Sebastopol 707-479-5529 socofoso.com
Rohnert Park Farmer’s Market Year-round – 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Rohnert Park 415-999-5635 communityfarmersmarket.com
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California’s Artisan Cheese Festival 3/18/16 – 3/20/16 - All Day Petaluma 707-837-1928 artisancheesefestival.com
Bodega Bay Fisherman’s Festival 4/9/16 – 4/10/16 – All Day Bodega Bay 707-875-3866 bbfishfest.org Sebastopol Apple Blossom Festival 4/16/16 – All Day Sebastopol 707-823-3032 sebabf@sebastopol.org
Masters of Illusion 3/21/16 – 7:30 p.m. Santa Rosa 707-546-3600 wellsfargercenterarts.org
Petaluma Spring Antique Faire 4/24/16 – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Petaluma 707-762-9348 petalumadowntown.com
Sonoma International Film Festival 3/30/16 – 4/3/16 – All Day Sonoma 707-206-4480 sonomafilmfest.org
Human Race 2016 5/7/16 – 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Santa Rosa 707-573-3399 x 103 volunteernow.org
WINEMAKER MESSAGE
F
ebruary is an inspirational month. For society in general it is a month for displays of affection both grand and subtle. In the winery it is a time of blending – both early stage blending for the new vintage and fine-tune blending for the previous vintage wines. In the vineyard it is the time of reawakening; when mustard flower cover crops bloom and grapevine buds start to swell revealing the first signs of an end to dormancy. We considered these trademarks of the season in selecting the wines for this shipment and hope that in so doing we bring you a bit closer to the winery as well.
The 2014 Thermopoli is a Rhone-inspired blend that is rich and textural– perfect for the still-cold weather or for pairing with a hearty winter meal. The multiple varieties and the art of blending are a timely nod to the work that is taking place right now in the cellar on the 2015 vintage. Our 2012 Alexander Valley Cabernet is, somewhat similarly, a nod to the later stage blending that is also now taking place – a more mature, longer-cellared wine that has rested in barrel over two vintages and reflects the depth and structure attained through long-term cellaring and multiple stage blending. The 2013 Reserve XYZ in Zinfandel is a salute to the romance of the season. What better varietal than Zinfandel to connote romance – with its jam flavors, heady spice, voluptuous mouthfeel and fragrant aromas redolent of cherries and chocolate. It is a Valentine in a bottle.
Finally, the 2014 Water Bend represents a glimpse of the spring to come – a hint of the end of winter and the promise of spring. With lively acidity, a delicate floral palate and perfumed aromas it will brighten up even the dreariest of overcast winter days. With thoughts of affection we want to recognize the invaluable role that you, our valued club members, play in our winery story. Your membership and loyalty allows us to produce our specialty wines, to expand our winemaking horizons and pursue the purity of the winemaking process. Your adventurous spirit in embracing unusual varietals permits us to craft small, winery-only lots that in turn reflect the essence of our historic and pioneering brand. We have an exceptional club in all of you and we are sincerely appreciative of the enthusiasm and warmth you bring to our winery. Some of you visit us frequently, others have been to the winery just once, but all of your patronage is a reflection of your values and wine-loving philosophy. We look forward to your next visit.
Ondine Chattan, Winemaker
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