It’s a waste to try wine without eating.
Sure, a jammy Zinfandel is delicious swirling in a glass, but it’ll taste like a damp woolen blanket with chicken in a sheetspan.
Kivelstadt Cellars & Winegarten is an experience unlike a tasting room, a mix-and-match tasting experience that not only pairs wines with food, but perfectly complements the chef-driven menus of Sonoma Winery’s casual restaurant and wine garden. provide.
Like a brewery where you can sit with kids, friends and dogs (there’s a Fido-exclusive menu) and savor the latest releases with comfort foods like earthy mushroom cubano, fish tacos, and light tuna poke salad Think of it as something From experimental red wines made with carbonation (more on that later), to highly drinkable white Rhone blends, to the region’s most underrated (and nearly extinct) wines. No high pressure sales until a juicy charbono with one of the Only wines with impact. grapes.
A sprawling wine garden tucked away just south of the town of Sonoma is a seasonal destination, with seasonal dishes that speak to the region’s bounty without feeling precious.
Jennifer McMurry, former chef of Dillon Beach Coastal Kitchen and Viola Restaurant, has taken over the kitchen and enlivens the menu with her prodigious flair for both savory and sweet dishes.
She took over the restaurant in May after a three-month closure for renovations and the departure of chef Oskar Bendek, who had started as a chef in the tasting room and restaurant. Bendeck now runs a catering business called Wine She Country She Collective.
The expansive wine garden offers outdoor seating under umbrellas and a covered patio, perfect for brunch or an afternoon snack. The “hidden gem” is definitely a good fit for this secret Sonoma County experience where kids can roam and dogs have their own menu.
You can find fish tacos with delicious local halibut, fried chicken with whipped ricotta cheese, or a jar of s’mores ($12) with freshly baked graham crackers, chocolate cream and toasted meringue. There are recommended wine pairings for each item if desired. The glass menu is $9-$14 (local beers and non-alcoholic drinks are also available).
Whether it’s a Family Secret Sauvignon Blanc, a red Rhone blend, or a sparkling wine served fresh, these playful wines are worth exploring. Owner Jordan Kibelstadt has teamed up with winemaker Sam Baron to create wines that are serious enough to impress pinky wine bullies, yet playful enough for pool parties. .
The carbonated wines of the Kivelstadt Winery’s experimental department are ultralight, low-tannin, low-alcohol wines.Carbonation is a winemaking process in which whole bunches of grapes are covered with carbon dioxide and kept at a low temperature before vinification. . It is finished by pressing in a barrel. All you really need to understand is that these bright, fruity wines are the equivalent of light saisons and stouts.
For brunch, lunch, or an afternoon break from serious wine tasting, go to this place where no one cares if you drink orange wine with your burger.
According to the tasting menu, “We are all about meeting you on your wine journey”.
best bet
McMurry’s menu is seasonal, so ingredients like corn and tomatoes could be off the list quickly. Don’t worry. You can always try new things.
Sushi grade tuna, $24: Each dish at Kivelstadt is a small work of art, especially the ruby tuna served atop a fresh avocado puree. Kewpie mayo dots add a creamy element to the deep flavor of the soy sauce and sesame vinaigrette.
Elote, $14: The smoked corn is a revelation, accented by a tart lime vinaigrette and a slightly spicy jalapeno aioli. This is his one of the best versions of this street food I have ever eaten.
Watermelon and Tomato Salad $16: A fresh bite of juicy watermelon is no match for a honey and Viognier vinaigrette, but the sweet and sour combination is amazing.
Mushroom Cubano, $18: This is the Cubano we’ve been looking for, with a twist. Smoked cremini mushrooms take the place of meat, accented by spicy pickles, cabbage, jack cheese and mustard his aioli. He’s a hearty, messy handful of airy, toasted focaccia sandwiched between two chunky slices, but perfectly balanced, not too much bread, not too much filling. increase. Just right.
Caramel, Corn, Blackberry, $15: A refreshing dessert based on a creamy corn panna cotta topped with fresh figs, blackberry curds, almond nougat and small nibbles of caramel corn.
Tasting Flight (I love the Off the Beaten Pass Flight) $35: These flights consist of 4 injections. $20 for side-by-side varietal tastings, $30 for vertical tastings of Father’s Watch Rhone Blends. For a quick bite, you can sample the abbreviated share-and-pair menu. You can also combine tastings with items from the full menu.
Kivelstadt Cellars & Winegarten is located at 22900 Broadway in Sonoma and is open Sunday and Monday from 11am to 4pm and Thursday to Saturday from 11am to 6pm. Call 707-938-7001 or visit kivelstadtcellars.com.
