I love how intimate and low-key Sonoma can be. Napa has big wines and striking architecture. Sonoma, at it's best, is more like a lovely afternoon in a friend's living room. Stephen's parents are visiting, so we're spending a few all too brief days soaking up the sun and the terroir in our favorite of the wine-growing enclaves.
We've said it often enough, but it remains true; Stephen and I aren't sure we'd see as much of our parents if we'd moved to, oh, Iowa. Filial affection has powerful attraction, but well-balanced, cool-climate pinot noir sings its own siren song. On this trip, we took them to a particular favorite destination, the Mayo Family Winery Reserve Room.
We first had Mayo wine in their tasting room on the square in Sonoma. Although we had little interest in the wine country tchotskes sold there, we were impressed by the intimate connection between the winemakers and their wine. Their careful blending and attention to detail make for fascinating wines and intelligent people who honestly care about what they're pouring.
Up the truly picturesque highway in Kenwood, the Reserve Room offers tastings of seven wines paired with small bites of food that go beyond slivers of cheese or chocolate served standing at a bar. The room is simple but bright, with tables and chairs and a frequently changing menu that chef Billy Oliver designs to showcase both seasonal produce and Mayo wines. Even though the pairings are serious, the atmosphere certainly isn't. You explore how wines compliment or contrast with foods, while sipping, laughing, and eating with your fingers. On our recent trip, the chef and Mayo's president Jeffery Mayo served us; they both wore shorts. Sonoma casual intimacy at its best.
The first treat on our three-bite plate was Tomato-Basil Hummus "Mayo Style" served in a phyllo cup and paired with their Laurel Hill Vineyard Chardonnay. Next was an unusual Sturgeon Reuben. It consisted of house-smoked sturgeon, celery root and arugula slaw, Brie cheese, and papaya vinaigrette piled on triangles of pumpernickel bread. The richness of the fish and cheese and bright papaya were brilliantly matched with an off dry Gewurztraminer. Last in this round came a Smoked Duck Tostada on a crispy blue corn tortilla with micro greens and strawberry salsa. It captured the bright fruit and earthy undertones of their Darien Vineyard Pinot Noir beautifully.
The next round of tasting began with a nontraditional preparation of Coq au Vin Kabob. Made of wine-marinated chicken thighs threaded onto skewers with baby zucchini and served with fig and almond puree. The intensity of these simple flavors, when paired with the D'Ambrosia Vineyard Syrah, became a favorite of the afternoon. We moved on to an equally unusual Beef Bourguignon. It was a thin slice of rare, chilled tenderloin wrapped around a piece of roasted portobello, tied with green garlic and resting in a puddle of red wine reduction. The pairing with a Napa River Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon was a case of a complementary, rather than contrasting, match. The beef and mushroom, and even the garlic, had almost a twin aroma to the wine. Last was a Smoked Pork Loin BBQ Sandwich, served on a biscuit with chowchow relish and chunky red pepper ketchup. The wine was an intense, purple Russian River Valley Petit Sirah that was charmingly tamed by the strong flavors and rich textures in the sandwich.
We finished with Late Harvest Gewurztraminer and Apricot-Stilton Honeycomb Brioche, which consisted of slightly sweet, crunch toasts, piled with cheese and dried apricot slivers, and drizzled with 50-year old balsamic vinegar. It had classic sweet and salty flavors that kept the wine from tasting syrupy and brought out its lily and jasmine perfume.
We left with our bodies relaxed and our palates awakened, full of new ideas about pairing wine and food at home, all for just $25 a person. It's a very Sonoma experience.
Mayo Family Winery Reserve Room
9200 Sonoma Highway - Kenwood - Sonoma Valley
707-833-5504 - Open Thurs to Mon, 10:30am - 6:30pm
Reservations are not required, but recommended during peak season.
Sounds like you had a fantastic weekend--I cannot believe all those high quality mini-courses and bites came so reasonably--I really need to get out to Sonoma before I leave!
Karen and I want to go there the next time we visit. Oh my God, that's better than anything I've eaten since December. The pictures along with your written visual was sooo good I could almost taste it. At $25.00 each we could go once a day for the entire time I am there.
Seriously Mom, it is so fun there. I love eating tiny bites of things.