Town of Glen Ellen

In the rustic village of Glen Ellen, made famous by dashing author Jack London who built his dream home here, a pastoral quality still permeates the town and its surrounding vineyards and farms. Interwoven in and among the historic landmarks are a surprising number of fine restaurants and appealing cafes, most with a view to the creek or a lovely outdoor setting, where you’ll often spot sports figures, novelists or film industry icons that make this their home-away-from-home.

A glimpse into the area’s storied past can be found at the Jack London State Historic Park, where you can experience the same scenes that inspired London to write about his beloved Valley of the Moon, and follow the winding trails to the original stone walls of his Wolf House and vistas of the Beauty Ranch.

In the 1870's, Joshua Chauvet planted grapes in Glen Ellen and that vineyard still yields some of the finest zinfandel wines in Sonoma. Entwined with its history are the newest sustainable techniques in wine, spearheaded by the Benziger and Coturri families. The biodynamic methods are showcased at the Benziger property, just uphill from the town, and at their Imagery winery. The wines have been named among the great biodynamic wines by Food and Wine magazine and scored a 92 by the Wine Spectator.

The Mediterranean climate of the area has been celebrated in best sellers like “The Sonoma Diet,” and in books by M.F.K. Fisher, who was acknowledged as the greatest writer on food and culture in America. Fisher chose Glen Ellen as her final home, living on the Bouverie Ranch. At the turn of the century, the golden warm days brought sun seekers escaping the fog-bound Bay Area who “took the waters” at Morton’s Warm Springs, and today families are still diving and splashing at Morton’s spring-fed pools.

The natural bounty of produce and wine has captivated innovators in wine country cuisine like Sondra Bernstein, who began her foodie empire in Glen Ellen—which now includes the girl & the fig restaurant in Sonoma and the fig café and winebar in Glen Ellen, a friendly dinner spot that is a favorite with locals and visitors for its fresh ingredients and no-corkage policy.

Local produce is plentiful, with old-fashioned farm stands bursting with artisanal produce like ripe, red strawberries and seasonal vegetables. At the Red Barn Store, set in a rustic 100-year-old dairy barn at Oak Hill Farm, you can find herbs, salad greens, heirloom vegetables and field-grown fruits and flowers that are sustainably grown and picked daily. Oak Hill also has a year-round store in San Francisco’s Ferry Building.

Glen Ellen is intersected by the picturesque routes of Arnold Drive and Highway 12, both sprinkled liberally with legendary wineries and new, boutique tasting rooms. B.R. Cohn, owned by Doobie Bros. manager, Bruce Cohn offers awesome wines, smooth olive oils, a celebrity charity golf classic, and an annual music festival where you’ll see stars as diverse as Willie Nelson and Taj Mahal up close. Nearby, the cellars of Arrowood Winery offer exceptional wines, highly rated by Robert Parker, including rich Cabernets from the famed Monte Rosso vineyard, elegant Chardonnays, sensuous Syrahs and summery Rose wines.

For a chance to sample small-production wines that don’t make it outside of California, be adventurous. You can blend your own wine at Mayo or test your palate for pairing wine and food at the beautifully designed Audelssa, and amble down the road to Eric Ross, a boutique producer whose wines are achieving near-cult status.

A picnic is the perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon in wine country. In the middle of town is the Glen Ellen Market, a treasure trove of locally grown fare, plus a mouth-watering selection of freshly prepared foods to go. Just down the lane is Jack London Village, a charming assortment of shops and restaurants housed in an old mill. Opt for a scrumptious alfresco meal from Olive & Vine on one of the terraces that overlook the Sonoma Creek and its soothing waters. Inside the enclave is renowned cheesemonger, Raymond, and at Wine Country Chocolates you can indulge in your own personal chocolate tasting, an indulgent finale to a fun-filled day.

As the setting sun turns the sky into a Remington canvas, you may look across the valley and echo Jack London’s thoughts:

"The grapes on a score of rolling hills are red with autumn flame. Across Sonoma Mountain wisps of sea fog are stealing. The afternoon sun smolders in the drowsy sky. I have everything to make me glad I am alive. I am filled with dreams and mysteries. I am all sun and air and sparkle. I am vitalized, organic."