Life is good along
West Sonoma County’s “Pinot Trail”
Award-winning pinot noirs. Beautiful byways.
Great places to eat. Those are some of the things
that are quietly making west Sonoma County an
Epicurean lifestylist’s paradise.
In fact, we’ve dubbed West County “the Pinot
Trail.” That’s because as you drive this area’s
scenic routes, you’ll come across some of this
country’s best makers of pinot noir (and
sparkling wine who use pinot noir and pinot blanc).
They’re located within minutes of restaurants
and destinations that have a distinctly different
charm and flavor from Wine Country sites further
east.
Let’s explore!
Pinot Vista and Sebastopol: Your Base for
Exploring the Pinot Trail
Surrounded by acres and acres of pinot noir
and pinot blanc vines, and only a five-minute
drive from Sebastopol’s bustling and sophisticated
cultural scene, Pinot Vista is the perfect base
from which to enjoy life along the Pinot Trail.
West Sonoma’s Pinot Noirs (and Sparkling Wine)
“At their best, Sonoma Coast pinot
noirs display loads of lovely ripe cherry
fruit without the powerful extract and huge
ripeness of Pinots from warmer regions.
The soft but evident tannins provide gentle
textural contrast and structure to support
the juicy fruit. Our recommended wines also
have palate cleansing acidity and balance,
which are additional characteristics people
appreciate in well-made pinot noir.”
—San Francisco Chronicle, July 13, 2006
The wineries below are located in the west
county and each of them makes a pinot noir (or
uses pinot noir to make sparkling wine). Some of
these wineries are so small you have to make
private arrangements to visit them. Others are
more accessible to the public. We’ve provided
contact information so that you can get in touch
with them.
(Generally speaking, wineries designated
“Closed to public” are boutique wineries that
are too small to maintain regularly operating
tasting rooms. However, you can try arranging
private tastings with the winery owners by using
the contact information supplied in their web
sites.)
Good Eating Along the Pinot Trail
West County’s agricultural abundance
is quickly becoming world-famous. Prize-winning
cheeses, lush varieties of old-fashioned apples
and other deciduous fruits, free-range beef
and poultry, vegetables from rich alluvial soils
and some of the best wines on earth are all
located within minutes of one another.
Local
restaurants take complete advantage of West
County’s embarrassment of culinary riches. Here
are a few of them:
In Sebastopol:
101 Main Bistro & Wine Bar
French restaurant
101a S. Main St.
707-829-3212
Review:
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/07.17.97/dining-9729.html
Bistro V
Showcases Sonoma County organic farmers,
fishermen, winemakers, beekeepers, dairies,
cheese makers and mushroom growers, using only
the freshest ingredients.
2295 Gravenstein Hwy. S
707-823-1262
www.bistro-v.com
Review: www.northbaybiz.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3735&Itemid=120
K & L Bistro
119 So. Main Street
707-823-6614
Review: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/12/21/NB152972.DTL
Screamin’ Mimis
All-natural ice cream and sorbet
6902 Sebastopol Avenue
707-823-5902
Village Bakery
Organic, European-style hearth breads, pastries, desserts
7225 Healdsburg Avenue
707-829-8101
In Graton
These two small places have earned a
regional reputation for very good food in an
out-of-the-way location.
Underwood Bar and Bistro
9113 Graton Road
707-823-7023
Willow Wood Market Café
9020 Graton Road
707-823-0233
In Forestville
Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant
7871 River Road
707-887-3300
www.farmhouseinn.com
Review:
http://www.forkandbottle.com/restaurants/sonoma/farmhouse_inn.htm
Mosaic Restaurant and Wine Bar
Hwy 116
707-887-7503
See a New York Times write-up mentioning the Mosaic, as well as Forestville:
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/06/30/realestate/30havens.html
In Freestone
Wildflour Bread
140 Bohemian Hwy
707-874-2938
www.wildflourbread.com
Not a restaurant, but a great stop in Freestone:
Osmosis The Enzyme Bath Spa
209 Bohemian Hwy,
707-823-8231
In Occidental
Bistro des Copains
3782 Bohemian Way 707-874-2408
www.bistrodescopains.com
Union Hotel
Family Dining, Pizzeria, Café, Saloon
3731 Main Street
707-874-3444
www.unionhotel.com
In Jenner
River’s End
11048 Highway One
707-865-2484
In Bodega Bay
Tides Wharf and Restaurant
800 Highway One
707-875-2751
www.innatthetides.com/tideswharf.html
Appellations: One Great Way to Tell a
Wine's Pedigree
Napa Wineries
Sonoma Wineries
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