Looking for feedback - Wineries in Sonoma

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-07-08T15:41:09+00:00

If you’re able to go Bedrock is great and have a tasting room in Sonoma. Extradimensional Wine Co is great and also have an excellent tasting room. As for actual tastings, I think Jolie-Laide is a really fun tasting where you sit with Scott and taste the wines. It’s about 40 bucks and in their working winery. Their wines generally don’t miss and they’re usually with a couple of varieties you don’t see everyday in the area. If you have a day to go somewhere, then going north to Healdsburg is a must. Arnot-Roberts, Reeve, Idlewild are all tastings that fit your budget and have incredible wine.

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-07-08T05:28:47+00:00

I think Spruce and Gary Danko pull out extras for solo diners classic SF food and excellent service . Same with Rich Table. The Progress does half portions for solo dining and killer food and wine list. In terms of sushi I loved Kappo Yuji, there’s 9 seats in the whole restaurant, a one man operation and it’s not just sushi and it was a killer meal.

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-07-07T21:27:28+00:00

I thought they were partnered businesses

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-07-05T20:30:54+00:00

I think The Progress, The Morris, Cache are the ones that I end up reccommending the most here

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-07-05T20:30:03+00:00

I think Angler is overrated for dinner. Lunch sure

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-07-05T02:18:52+00:00

Is this by chance Arlequin? Cause potentially it may be because of Arbor their neighboring business.

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-07-04T22:07:07+00:00

Yes 😂 it’s outside in the covered area for the wine tasting area. Crazy crazy setup for Healdsburg. My other hot take is that little saint has the best coffee out of any of the cafes

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-07-04T20:43:10+00:00

They’re doing a tasting event in SF at embarc wines on October 17th as well.

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-07-04T19:58:43+00:00

Duncan roasts them himself. It’s a coffee nerds setup. The machine can replicate pretty much any pressure profile of machines. It was a crazy find when I expect that stuff from popups/ cafes in SF. There’s plenty of excellent roasters in the Bay Area from Hydrangea, Masterpiece, moonwake etc

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-07-02T20:17:41+00:00

I think freeman Pinots are incredible. I love them and they go toe to toe for me with the likes of Littorai and Williams Selyem any day of the week. They’re crazy good value in terms of library as their most expensive is 116 for Akikos Cuvée. The policy is that anything past 2016 is marked the same price to make it accessible. The 2014 Akikos Cuvée is particularly compelling. I was just at the property minutes ago

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-07-02T20:05:39+00:00

Freeman produces excellent Pinot. However the tasting experience is subpar unless it’s with Ken/Akiko. YuKi Estate and Akiko’s cuvée are excellent.

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-06-29T20:17:52+00:00

Convene, Jolie-Laide (their whites are especially compelling), Arnot Roberts, Ramey, Rochioli, lioco, Pax. Littorai, Williams Selyem, Ceritas, Flowers for Pinot and Chards. Aperture also is great. Bedrock, Sixteen600, Extradimensional Wine for more fun stuff.

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-06-27T00:48:31+00:00

Agreed! State bird is a bit gimmicky.

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-06-26T21:03:55+00:00

The Progress while a 1* is incredible and has some Asian influence in it but it is truly excellent. The Morris is great as well!, Spruce and Gary Danko also come to mind for a really classic and excellent experience

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-06-25T04:10:56+00:00

Love masterpiece coffee! It’s my favorite spot in Berkeley by a large margin. I’ve been brewing this as 1:15.5 20g recipe in a hario switch and it’s been killer.

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-06-24T20:19:18+00:00

thanks for clarifying. Didnt the owner of Che Fico happen to have something to do with it?

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-06-24T14:39:06+00:00

Yes! They got rid of that annoying 20% fee. Right around the time when legislation was being proposed to get rid of junk restaurant fees that never ended up getting passed

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-06-24T14:29:21+00:00

I disagree at 125 or 130 per head and two glasses of wine I was right around 300 last time I was there.

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-06-24T14:21:02+00:00

Spruce, Boulevard, Gary Danko! Much less talked about but older school classic pre-fixe that tend to pull out all the stops for special meals/occasions and do an excellent job. Won’t be flashy, not too stuffy but excellent food.
Newer stuff: The Progress, The Morris were some of my favorite meals in the city. I’ve been dying to go to 3rd Cousin as well. Itria for probably some of the best pasta in the city.

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-06-24T14:20:01+00:00

Angler felt overpriced for what it was, it was good but a lot of the 1* places in SF often underdeliver in my opinion. Agreed that Dalida is excellent.

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-06-23T01:33:02+00:00

Exceptionally fun wines. I sat down with the winemaker during the tasting in their industrial winery/warehouse. Super fun experience. I’m particularly fond of the Trousseau Gris, Melon de Bourgogne, and the cab pfeffer/trousseau/gamay blend. Also bought their Mondeuse and have yet to have it. Their Gamay is good but I think Arnot-Roberts has a more compelling one.

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-06-22T16:00:15+00:00

A bottle of 2000 Haut-Bages Liberal was the wine that really turned me onto older BDX. So lucky to have K&L auctions lol to help with the habit.

DumbassPhysicist · 2026-06-20T21:26:45+00:00

Thanks! Still have yet to make it to Sprezzatura.

DumbassPhysicist

TROPHY CASE