Sonoma on the Rebound

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Researching a travel story to the region, things are looking up

Posted: Feb 15, 2012 11:00am ET

I've been spending a lot of time traveling the back roads of Sonoma County the past few weeks, working on a travel story devoted to visiting the area. Our last major Sonoma travel package was in 2007 and considering the economy during the past five years there are a surprising number of new tasting rooms, restaurants and hotels.

Not that it's been easy in Sonoma. Some excellent dining rooms didn't survive the cruel winters of 2009 and 2010, including Santi, Deuce and Mirepoix. Hotels and bed-and-breakfasts suffered through long months of too many empty rooms. Wineries that charged $25 or $30 for special tastings and tours went quiet.

But you can almost hear an audible sigh of relief right now. Things are looking up, and certainly look better than 2010 when it started raining in October and it didn't let up until June. Now Sonoma is frantic for rain. There was a nice storm over the weekend but it has been mostly dry all winter.

Tourism has rebounded, local officials say, increasing 15 percent the past year. Hotel occupancy was up more than 8 percent. Dining rooms seem busier. The wine surplus of the past few years is finally drying up, thanks in part to tiny crops in 2010 and 2011.

Most important, I hear a tone of optimism that has been absent for too many years in the voices of Sonoma. There's still a long way to go but there's a bright new bulb in the light at the end of the tunnel.

In my travels around Sonoma I've had some brilliant dishes so far: the Brussels sprouts and black pig bacon salad at Zazu, the Wolfe Ranch quail with black olive and white wine sauce at Café La Haye, the chocolate soufflé at Santé at the Sonoma Mission Inn, and just about everything at Cyrus.

I've tasted wines that have excited me: Joseph Swan Gewürztraminer Russian River Saralee's Vineyard 2010, MacRostie Pinot Noir Wildcat Vineyard 2007, Sbragia Family Vineyards Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Gino's Vineyard 2009 and Dehlinger Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Goldridge Vineyard 2007.

My research will continue in the next few weeks. What are some of your preferred restaurants and wineries to visit in Sonoma County? I've lived here 25 years but I'd hate to overlook a new spot or one of your old favorites.

Member comments 27 comment(s)

Mark Lyon — Sonoma, CA; USA — February 15, 2012 12:24pm ET

For the town Sonoma dining; I think Cafe La Haye is the best restaurant. I also think that Bartholomew Park winery is a very scenic spot for a picnic and hiking after winetasting. Finally, both Healdsburg and Sonoma have town squares; something not found in other Calif. wine country destinations.

Chris Rauber — San Jose, CA — February 15, 2012 1:05pm ET

Here are a few additional restaurants:

Graton:
Willow Wood
Under Wood

Sebastopol:
K&L Bistro

Healdburg:
Willi's Seafood
Dry Creek Kitchen
Madrona Manor

Windsor:
Mirepoix

Regan Wiese — San Diego, CA — February 15, 2012 1:30pm ET

A bit off the beaten path, but Occidental was a cool little town. We stayed at a great bed and breakfast called the Inn at Occidental. Also got to enjoy wine tasting nearby at Red Car, Dutton Goldfield, and Freeman.

Avtar Johal — Burlingame, CA — February 15, 2012 2:47pm ET

Its funny you mention the Macrostie Wildcat 2007 Pinot Noir I just bought a bottle from The Wine Stop and its one of my new favorite Pinot Noirs.

Tom & Nancy Brown — Louisville, KY - USA — February 15, 2012 3:55pm ET

Tim,

I wanted to put a plug in for the Jack London Lodge and the town of Glen Ellen. Whenever we come out to spend a week in Wine Country, we stay at JLL. It is very inexpensive, most all of the Napa and Sonoma wineries are in very close proximity and the town has a few neat places to eat.

It is a hidden treasure that we are glad we found.

Adam Lee — Santa Rosa, CA — February 15, 2012 4:10pm ET

Tim,

Dianna and I are off to Barndiva tonight for Valentine's Day (we usually try and miss it by a day one way or the other). Last meal I had there was superb.

Adam Lee
Siduri Wines

Tim Fish — Santa Rosa, CA — February 15, 2012 5:19pm ET

Excellent suggestions all. Adam, I just had the crab BLT at Barndiva for lunch. Way too good.

Lee Hodo — Santa Rosa, CA — February 15, 2012 5:47pm ET

I've recently discovered again, Steve Rose's Vineyards Inn in Kenwood. Spanish tapas and most incredients are local and organic. Inventive menu, everything has been great so far. Casual homey place too.

James Gill — Dallas, TX — February 15, 2012 9:53pm ET

You should check out Doce Lunas on the Sonoma Highway in Kenwood. Spectacular food, run by a very nice husband & wife team; very engaging with customers.
Nice wine pairings offered. Comfy setting to dine in.
One of the very best meals we had during a week in wine country. Such an enjoyable evening that I sent them a note upon my return home.

Chrisitne Baker — Colorado — February 15, 2012 10:09pm ET

If the story is about "travel" in Sonoma County, then I think an appropriate winery to recommend is Ferrari-Carano. I know it's popularity among tourists and big parking lot may not appeal to those seeking the "off the beaten path" type of place, but the views there are picturesque and we found the 'premium' wine tasting in their downstairs area to be quite good (this was a couple years ago). Even with a lot of people there it's worth a visit in my book. I think the whole Dry Creek Valley region is so beautiful, so a drive through there should not be missed in my opinion. My visits have always been in the Fall near harvest time, with all the beautiful Fall colors, so not sure if that has overly influenced my perspective.

Back in the day I would have recommended more Sonoma wineries, but over the past 10 years Jackson Family Wines has purchased/acquired so many wonderful boutique wineries and turned most of those wines into junk. I used to love Matanzas Creek for instance, but don't like their wines anymore. Another, La Crema, is also terrible.

Tim Webb — high point nc — February 15, 2012 10:49pm ET

i recently visted benziger and cohn. both were delightful.

Russell Bevan — Sonoma Mountain — February 16, 2012 1:09am ET

Tim,

After two small vintages and the economy starting to show signs of life, grape prices are also alive and well. Pinot Noir prices for the 2012 vintage are going up by the day. Competition for superior vineyards is amazing and Econ 101 is playing out.

Russell Bevan
Bevan Cellars

Joe-janelle Becerra — Burlingame, CA — February 16, 2012 10:49am ET

We spent a couple of days in Sonoma this week. We found very few visitors in any of the tasting rooms we visited. I asked at Pedroncelli if things were slower than the normal for this time of the year. Our host said definitely yes. Maybe the rebound is in Sonoma Valley.

Joe

Steve Messinger — Santa Rosa — February 16, 2012 10:49am ET

Check out Harvest Moon Cafe in Sonoma and Scopa in Healdsburg

Alan Baker — Healdsburg, CA — February 16, 2012 11:57am ET

There is a lot of activity in Healdsburg. New spots to taste downtown with small wineries joining the larger established rooms.

Still in love with Scopa. Affronti has revamped menu, and Mateo's Cocina Latina is best new place in my opinion. Mateo put in a tap system that works very well for the whites, not crazy about red wines on tap anywhere I've tasted so far.

Alan Baker
Cartograph Wines

Eric Hall — Healdsburg, CA — February 16, 2012 12:12pm ET

Even though I'm pouring on the Healdsburg Square every day, (and yeah Scopa is Awesome!) I'm going to say:

Don't forget Geyserville, our little friend up north, the food there (Catelli's & Diavola) is darn good, and there are several tasting rooms there too!

Eric-
Roadhouse Winery

Ron Christner — New Orleans Louisiana, USA — February 16, 2012 12:39pm ET

The Fig Cafe in Glen Ellen is very good and has some very interesting wines from the area, particularly from Bennett Valley.

David Oliver — Sonoma — February 16, 2012 8:28pm ET

Ram's Gate Winery is something pretty spectacular and worth checking out and not just because I am lucky enough to work here.

We are located at the entrance to the Carneros region of Sonoma just across from Infineon Raceway. Our facility and tasting room just opened about 5 months ago. We offer an excellent hospitality experience, amazing wines from some of the best vineyards in Carneros and Sonoma County, stunning architecture and views, and excellent food pairings to complement our wines and round out the experience.

Definitely something new and exciting.

Jesse-
Assistant Winemaker Ram's Gate Winery

Claudia Katterbauer — Austria — February 17, 2012 7:02pm ET

hello

my last visit was september 2010, and i love "the girl and the fig" in sonoma. also the hotel eldorado with the restaurant is wonderful. and the sunflower winebar as neighbour is also a very good choice in sonoma.

and yes, cyrus is the best restaurant in this landscape!

Steve Born — Montana — February 18, 2012 11:26am ET

+ 1 on the recommendations for Doce Lunas in Kenwood and The Fig Cafe in Glen Ellen.

When I'm in Kenwood visiting family and want to stay very close to the area (vs. driving into Sonoma or going over the mountains to Napa Valley) I like visiting Landmark Vineyards. They're a very short way up Adobe Canyon Road off of Hwy 12 in Kenwood.

In Glen Ellen, I have always enjoyed visiting BR Cohn and Valley of the Moon.

Shout out to Lee Hodo for the Steve Rose's Vineyards Inn in Kenwood recommendation. Have not been there before but will definitely check it out next time I'm in the area

Linda Schwartz — Fort Ross, CA — February 20, 2012 4:00pm ET

Sonoma County, with the support of the Sonoma County Vintners, is being presented as an international wine growing region and the quality of the wine produced in the county continues to reinforce its reputation. The area is now better defined with more distinctive appellations that highlight the different regions, especially within the vast Sonoma Coast AVA. On January 13, 2012, the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA was finally established. All the vineyards in this area are unified by their relative proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the elevation of the steep vineyards that float above the summer fog and slowly ripen the grapes in the cool, maritime climate. Fort Ross Vineyard will be opening the first public Tasting Room in April in this new AVA. The tasting room is conveniently located between 2 and 3 miles from the Pacific Coast Highway One on Meyers Grade Road and has views of the ocean right down to Point Reyes, of the surrounding forests and the meadows. It is less than one mile from the Pacific Coast. Guests will enter through the vineyard, pass through a Redwood forest, pass by a meadow, drive around a pond and finally arrive at the tasting room, with a better idea of the terroir after the drive in. 2012 is also the Bicentennial of the old Russian Settlement of Fort Ross on the Sonoma Coast, the site of the first grape plantings in Sonoma County. There will be celebrations at the old Fort and at the Fort Ross Vineyard with guests coming from Moscow and Washinton DC.

Joseph Trdinich — Mars, PA — February 20, 2012 10:16pm ET

Tim, our favorite places in Sonoma are mostly in Dry Creek--Wilson, Papapietro Perry, Talty, Zichichi, and Dutcher Crossing. Also had a great time meeting Ulises Valdez and his family at their tasting room in Cloverdale last October. Great wines and a great family with a wondeful immigration story.

Troy Peterson — Burbank, CA — February 22, 2012 1:01pm ET

I'm late to the party here, but we have really enjoyed dining at Madrona Manor, Zin and Ravenette in the past (all in Healdsburg). For wineries, my favorites are Mazzocco, Papapietro Perry, Donelan, Ridge.

When will the Sonoma article come out? We're headed that way in July and we'd love to have some recommendations.

Lucas Buchanan — Redwood City, CA — February 22, 2012 4:22pm ET

I would definitely recommend Limerick Lane in Healdsburg. I heard they were bought recently and I decided to check them out about a month ago while in the area. They had just finished remodeling their tasting room (which was very cool and understated) and apparently did a substantial upgrade in their cellar as well. The owners are a really fun young couple with kids but they definitely know what they are doing when it comes to wine. The Zins were fantastic (I liked the '34 old vine block series) and they had a white blend that was very unusual and great as well. There is definitely a new vibe here - the old Limerick Lane, which I was a fan of, had gone a little stale. Nice to see it come back. Definitely off the beaten path in a really neat part of Healdsburg.

Joseph S Barrera — Cazadero, CA — February 22, 2012 8:22pm ET

Linda Schwartz beat me to it. Fort Ross Winery Pinots and Chards are terrific and truly representative of the true Sonoma Coast (and the new AVA). The tasting room on Meyers Grade is going to be really special so head out to Western Sonoma and enjoy the wine the ocean views and the redwoods.

Chris Towt — Sonoma, CA — February 26, 2012 9:46am ET

Tim, I love the Hot Box Grill in Boyes Hot Springs. Although they offer great desserts, I always go to Michoacana Natural Ice Cream just down the street post dinner!

Also, I give tours by appointment of the Durell Vineyard. We're about 3 miles from Sonoma town square. More information at http://DunstanWines.com/contact-us.

Chris Towt
Dunstan | Pip | Durell Vineyard

Michael Henderson — Martinez, CA — February 27, 2012 11:09pm ET

I am pleased to hear things are improving. Let's hope we don't see $25/$30 fees for any tastings in the future!

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