Unlike most of the country and contrary to the amateur tourists’ belief, December is a lovely time to visit Sonoma Valley. The sun still shines, the frost is gone by 9am, and the leaves on the vines are bright reds and oranges against green mountains. Gone are the tourists of summer and fall, and this oenophile is free to roam at her leisure and get to know some of Sonoma’s gems, with reds on the brain just in time for Christmas!
I begin my morning on Highway 12 past downtown Sonoma to Gundlach Bundschu, who so kindly accommodated my early arrival due to a lunch reservation, infra. Cathy is a warm, friendly face who helps me fall into my rhythm here at GB, established in 1858 and currently in its fifth generation of family owners. Originally hailing from Germany, GB’s signature white is none other than their Gewurztraminer. The 2011 Riesling-style white is very bright: with a flowery, citrusy aroma and Sauvignon Blanc-esque pear/lime/fruit finish. There is even a touch of coriander (author’s admonition: this detail was told to me, not tasted). This wine pops in your mouth and is surprisingly fresh. I move on to their Chardonnay, awarded a 90 point score in Wine Enthusiast and worthy of every point. GB’s 2010 grape is not your typical full-bodied, buttery Chardonnay that is all-too commonly found in this region: it is crispy, lighter wine with a mineral-like finish. Being an enormous fan of said typical full-bodied, buttery Chardonnay, this wine surprised me with its complexity and fresh taste!
Cathy now has an important job to do, which is to guide me through the broad selection of reds on their tasting menu for the fall. Despite being somewhat particular on my choice of white wines, my preference for reds range widely (or arbitrarily as the case may be) and I am still in what I consider to be in the learning phase of figuring out what makes me love a red. As it turns out, GB’s selection makes it a bit difficult to choose, although a couple stood out for me. I start with their Pinot Noir. Always a crowd pleaser, but not always my favorite, I take my first whiff with an air of skepticism. For me, this Pinot’s strongest aromas and flavors are cherries and plums. It is light, but has a heavy undertone of earthiness whereby you can almost taste the ground from which it came. Cathy has started this four-bottle red tasting on the right track: not having much of a palate for cherry, I like the earthy finish of this wine and it is perfect for food. The next two reds I try share one of my favorite flavors in reds: tobacco. Although these next two wines share the dark characteristics of tobacco and chocolate (another plus in my book), they finish quite differently. The first is a 2010 Tempranillo, with all the rich aromas of cocoa, smoke, and tobacco leaves (I love it!). This wine is full of tannins and has a Spanish-inspired bite at the end, high in acidity that lingers on the tongue. The next is a 2010 Zinfandel. Zinfandels may be my most popular red purchase in Sonoma, and it is one of the region’s strongest grapes, informally crowned the grape of California (although it never became official!). GB’s Zin is my personal favorite. It starts out lighter: with a spicy and floral aroma and finishes with that deep tobacco flavor and, unlike the Tempranillo, a smooth, creamy finish topped with just a touch of pepper that makes this wine melt in your mouth. It is harvested from 37 year old vines!
At the perfect time, Gabe enters our conversation. Hailing from Great Falls, Virginia, Gabe knows a thing or two about Virginia grapes, just in time for my Cabernet Franc tasting. Cab Francs are a Virginia go-to grape, so I am curious to try a Californian take. Again, strong chocolate and tobacco tastes (with a hint of nutmeg: also told to me and not tasted by my own lips). This Cab Franc does California good. It is joyfully flavorful wine with a happy, enthusiastic finish. And finally, Cathy insists on my trying their popular 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a big, big red. Blackberries. Chocolate. Graphite. HUGE. When I tell them it is not my favorite, Gabe tells me to leave. I somehow redeem myself (although my strategy now escapes me). Perhaps the takeaway here is that Cabernet Sauvignons are not my go-to red. But this one has everything in it you big red drinkers love. And it is the only one that isn’t a winery exclusive, so order away!!
Plug: while I was not able to stay for the cave tour, GB does have barrel tastings inside the cave at their winery and vineyard excursions. They must be made in advance and for $20 dollars are well worth it. Hats off to Cathy and Gabe for a great kickoff to my trip this year! I will certainly see you next time! And just remember Sonoma Valley Sobriety Test #1: if you can’t say “Gundlach Bundschu Gewerztraminer” you shouldn’t be driving!
Off to lunch. The Girl and the Fig is a Sonoma staple, a quaint yellow-walled bistro-esque piece of France right in the heart of downtown Sonoma. Walking into TGATF feels like you’re walking into a mash-up of the opening scene of Bottleshock and the Napa bar scene where they bet on whether Gustavo Brambila can identify vineyard, grape, and year of bagged up wines and a corner cafe in Paris. Everyone, I mean everyone, is talking about food and wine. It is rustic; it is local; and people know their stuff (and most of them look like they know the place pretty well). It stands out as the predominant (if not only) topic of conversation while I am waiting at the bar for my table and later eavesdropping on other tables while eating at my own.
I begin with a flight of three California Viogniers, opting for a deviation from my usual Chardonnay indulgence while in wine country, which serves as a palate cleanser for me since today is the day I search for my soulmate of Sonoma reds. Viognier is nowhere near my area of expertise, nor would I claim to be an enthusiastic fan, but when learning, judgment without knowledge leads to ignorance, and I cannot continue to tout my fancy wine palate without diving right into these little light feathers of wines. Viogniers are typically floral, sweet, and dry. The first is a 2009 Ojai, from Roll Ranch (CA) This is a very matted wine: the aroma is stone-smelling with just a twinge of fruit, tastes not surprisingly like minerals but quite surprisingly like flowers, which lightens up the taste, but it finishes hard and flat. This wine intrigues me, but the taste leads me to my next option. Second is a 2011 from the Miner Family (CA) Somewhat skeptical both in general and based on my experience just moments ago, I am pleasantly surprised by this take on Viognier. More medium bodied, the nose on this has citrus and smells of sweet honeysuckle, which gives it a vibrant, tropical flavor that appeals to my obsession with Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, but has a much softer finish. I love this wine. There is hope for me yet with the Viognier! I politely beg for one more pour of this so I can finish off my flight with two more ounces of what I believe to be my favorite. The third and final Viognier offered is a 2010 Anaba from Sonoma Valley. The Anaba is a combination of the first two: it has a softer, floral aroma with a touch of fruit, leading into a big bold tasting wine that is tropical and citrusy yet subtly matted that leads into an expected easy finish given its mineral taste. I liked it and found it representative of the group I was given for my first Viognier to Viognier comparison. Stay tuned. I promise to look more into it, quite possibly in Virginia, a popular wine from the Jefferson days.
I begin with pastis-scented steamed moules, in a sauce of garlic, leek, and herbs. They are perfectly salted in a broth with just enough thickness to be eaten alone. The mussels are plump and fall right out of their shells into this flavorful bowl. They are gone in minutes, with a small oil stain on the placemat to prove it. I quietly ask for just one more slice of French bread for dipping and savor every last bite of it! I move on to my main course, the Croque Monsieur. Naturally, the big bread in this is brioche, which is drenched in butter and custard and toasted to an oily perfection. Inside, applewood smoked ham is thinly sliced and amply placed between these perfectly soaked ends after being slathered with St. Jorge cheese, a semi-soft cow's milk from Portugal, and it is absolutely ideal for sandwiches. Impatient with hunger, my first bite burns my mouth with molten cheese. Pause. Water with ice. Resume. This sandwich is not good for you. But it is French. It’s cheesy. And butter soaked brioche with the added custard makes it almost like a meat filled pastry. While TGATF have plenty of options on their menu for more complicated lunch choices, including duck confit and a flounder meuniere, but this simple sandwich took me back to the South of France in an instant, gazing at the cheesemongers in the back as I devoured this lovely Monsieur.
TGATF is worth returning to again and again, which is why people do it. Local, with that wine-country energy, you feel like you are in the heart of Sonoma and get a glimpse of what the pace and passion of life is like for the people that call this place home. Best of all, it’s affordable, which means you can try two things! A quick espresso (black), and off I go to continue my quest for the perfect Sonoma red!
My next stop, highly recommended by wine sources near to and far from Sonoma, is the Muscadini Cellars and Ty Caton Vineyard tasting room on Sonoma Highway. Many of the grapes here come from the infamous Monterosa Vineyard up the street. These two Sonoma Valley forces are parting ways at the end of the year due to increased size, but both deliver on big flavored reds. I skip the one white tasting on the menu, a 2010 MC Pinot Grigio, since this tasting menu has nothing to do with reds and I want little to do with Pinot Grigio. I start out first with Ty’s 2010 Big Red. This blend is an even split of Syrah and Merlot with a smidgen of Petit Syrah. It is lighter than many of the heavy hitters described infra., but has strong berry aromas with a long finish. I like it. I don’t love it, but it is a good launch pad. Next up is a 2010 Barbera, one of my favorite grapes. Most recently a 2012 Gold Medal Winner in the LA International Wine Competition, this Barbera is strong. It’s fruity and bold, with a crisp finish that lingers with a unique spice. The big taste comes from rasberries and a tinge of coffee. Next up is Muscardini’s 2009 Madrone Ridge Zinfandel. Another strong Zin from California, this wine lightens it up with small tannins and the slightest pepper flavor. Spicy, this wine is perfect for the holidays! I move on to The Barracks, a 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon that is quite powerful. Only 60 cases were produced this year, which is up from the 45 of the 2009. 100% Cab, this is what Muscardini and Ty do best. Big, full-bodied, full flavored, and long-finishing. Next up is the 2010 Racnhino Salina Claret. Claret is one of my favorite wines, hailing from Bordeaux. It is dry, very dark, and heavy. Finally, the big winner: the 2010 Estate Tytanium. This 2010 follows in the footsteps of four straight years of award-winning barrels, including being voted the “Best of the Best vie Red Blends in California” by the Quarterly Review of Wines. Tytanium is HUGE and covers all the big bases of grapes: Syrah, Petit Syrah, Cabernet, Malbec and just a touch (1%) of Merlot. At $80/bottle, Tytanium can be a bit steep, especially given the less expensive reds offered by Muscardini and Ty. It is well-worth the taste, but you can easily take home worthy wines by these two at $50.
Thanks to a secret Livermore National Laboratory insider, I discover that my favorite California Pinot Noir maker now has a tasting room right on Sonoma Highway. Getting his start in a small tasting room at Tenuta Vineyards in Livermore Valley, Csaba Szakal is a one-man show producing a big time selection at En Garde. The 2008 Pinot Noir is my favorite. Having “accidentally” opened bottles of the ’08 at home, I was in desperate need of replenishment so Czaba’s tasting room in Sonoma was a more-than-pleasant surprise! Jen cheerfully welcomed me into their very own tasting room, and, after a bit of gushing, we dove right in to this great Russian River Valley winemaker’s best. Csaba does not disappoint. It is wines like those under the subtle En Garde label that make wine country worth visiting. While I remain committed to pursuing great reds, I did not have to go far to find my top one – and cheers to Jen for taking the time to talk with me; she is a great stop on your Sonoma Valley experience!
MR takes me out for a great birthday dinner in Santa Rosa. Mom of a 14-month old with a baby on the way, she stepped it up for me on my big day after relaxing pedicures to a great dinner at Monti’s Rotisserie in Santa Rosa. Monti’s is classic and cozy, and we nuzzle up to the fire to catch up without the boys and indulge in some pregnant-lady safe bleu cheese and gossip. To kick things off, I order a glass of my (our) favorite Brut Rose from J vineyards. It’s time to celebrate! Melissa orders a fresh baby lettuces salad with walnuts, apple slices, and yes, pasteurized, baby-ok’d bleu cheese. I opt for a great alternative to a Caesar salad: hearts of romaine with Parmesan dressing. The salad is great because the dressing is lighter than a normal Caesar and lacks the hint of anchovies that is all too common in this classic salad’s dressing. Fresher than fresh crutons and ground black pepper make this a perfectly flavored and weighted salad. For dinner, Melissa has a beautiful roasted chicken over cannellini beans and spinach, cooked rotisserie style with not a drop too little of moisture inside its crispy skin. I opt for the tuna tartare – mixed with avocado and cucumber with homemade crostinis. The menu has a lot to offer at Monti’s – there is one of everything and made with the best ingredients California can find without getting into the stylish details of being grass-fed, home-grown, or too sustainable for East Coast city folk to digest. Combined with an intimate bar and festive Christmas decorations (ornaments made to look like chile ristras!), Monti’s was a perfect place to settle into my next year of life with one of my best friends in the world.
As many of you know, this is not my first, nor will it be my last, trip to California wine country. It is truly one of my favorite places in the country to visit, and I am so lucky to have such wonderful and welcoming friends to guide me on my way. MR and DR (and baby K!), thank you for another beautiful weekend and I can’t wait for my next trip there!
Cheers!
