The Mariani Brothers at Scribe
In aspirational and wine terms, ** Scribe is everything you ever wanted and imagined from a winery,** that is, the maximum expression of a region like sonoma valley , located in the heart of Northern California wine country .
The interesting thing is that, at the same time, it escapes from everything that the area means and from the more than one hundred wineries that give it life.
It all depends on how you look at it, and we have decided to do it from the perception of what once was and is again thanks to the celebration of a unique terroir, the recovery on of some historic lands and the desire, and why not, the need, to find a personality of its own abandoning the drive to imitate the old world in terms of style, grapes and production methods.
Scribe is the new era of Sonoma and, no matter who it weighs, the door that opens for a new generation ion of producers, drinkers and curious gourmands.
Millennials? Yes, and with great honor. But also for that generation X that goes from stagnating in tastes and defining their preferences through the palates of their predecessors.
those who lived a time when wine was exclusively reserved for the upper echelons and the vainglory of boasting or cropping, while the glass was centrifuged to give way to tears and thus, later, attack or praise him with pomposity.
The Mariani brothers sharing a table with Matt Ahern, Scribe distributor and owner of The Wonderland Project
“For California we are a separate case. Our clients have cultivated palates, although that does not mean that they are necessarily so in the world of wine. They are people who pay a lot of attention on what you drink and eat, who produces it, the manufacturing processes on. They may not have had much contact with the world of wine yet, but they don't want to drink the same wines that their parents drank either. Which is amazing, because that's just what opens the doors for us to be creative and experiment. They sign up for everything we offer them, they trust us and the quality of our wines. It's that simple," he says. Adam Mariani, 33 years old and owner of Scribe next to his brother Andrew , 36, sipping his skin-on fermentation chardonnay.
“Let's take this wine as an example. Here we receive many people who have taken a liking to chardonnays because it is their parents' favorite grape and they are tired of hearing about this variety, but, when they try this one, they fall at its feet,” he continues.
In this winery every weekend is a party which brings together young people (creatives, artists, businessmen, designers, actors, journalists, musicians...) who come from San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York to spend the day drinking wine and enjoying a tasting menu ion devised by Kelly Mariani, Adam and Andrew's sister: unassuming, seasonal, and stocking up on produce from the garden.
A gastronomic proposal that gets rid of the usual restaurant concept and that, instead, It is prepared daily in full view of everyone in a spectacular and enviable kitchen, whose doors open onto the backyard of Scribe's ranch, his base of operations, as well as an outdoor grill where Kelly and her crew make and serve dishes like roasted pumpkin and aubergine seasoned with herbs from the garden itself; smoked chicken with togarashi; whipped feta cheese and beans ; sourdough bread from The Model Bakery or homemade tomato focaccia; Mariani almonds (from the family farm), crudités and marinated olives.
"We don't do things the traditional way, and that ranges from what we put on the plate to each one of the grapes that we harvest”, clarify the brothers. Like the Silvaner, the only one in California. Or the nouveau, that no one bothers to harvest in the vicinity.
“We are very j young to be a winery”, say Andrew and Adam. "We've only been twelve years. Our vineyards have ten of them, so now they're coming out of their infancy and into their mature years, so its style and quality will begin to be noticed in its maximum splendor in the years to come”.
Freshly cut tangerines at Scribe
They both grew up in a family of farmers of walnuts, almonds, cherries and plums. Already at university they began to experiment with grapes and then moved to Europe and worked directly with them. Andrew went to the coast of Greece, while Adam worked or in France and, later, he changed continents to settle in South Africa.
“We take a lot of pride in Sonoma and realized that by making wine we were able to encapsulate everything we loved about the region ón and livestock , that is, our roots, as well as a particular era, place, moment, vintage, farm, flavor and aroma.”
Learning that this farm was for sale, they both decided to return home. “It had been operating as a turkey farm since the 1950s, but before that it was one of the first wineries in California. It started around 1850 and went through 70 boom years until Prohibition hit. The owners were two German brothers from Rheinhessen who brought varieties such as the st. laurent, riesling, silvaner or spätburgunder”.
At that time, California had just become a state and the brothers were the first to bring their wine and wine expertise ok so far, the starting point of everything that is now. “It was a property with a lot of influence, so much so that surrounding winemakers trusted them as consultants.”
Living room at Scribe's estate
When the Marianis arrive, replanted 24 hectares with the grapes that once dominated these same lands, strongly impacted by the bay and the breeze coming from San Francisco, as well as by the volcanic soil of the mountain in which they are located, which gives the wines high acidity, freshness and energy.
“In Europe everything is authentic and honest when you visit a winery. It is history of hundreds of years that leaves you speechless, something that everyone wants to imitate when they return to California. But, if you think about it, what we have here is worth celebrating. Why do we insist on copying something that we are not? Our purpose from the beginning has been to be unique, with wines that are transparent and expressive and with a philosophy that revolves around experience. Scribe seeks to be the m maximum expression of our farm: pure, elementary, clean and direct. From the wines to the food and our farm”.
The latter is another of the main attractions of the house, a spectacular 19th century residence that serves to receive clients and which is preceded by a dirt road flanked by palm trees that can be seen from the road.
It is seeing them and knowing that paradise awaits here, with some gardens where you run into couples organizing impromptu picnics with Rosé de pinot noir, groups of friends opening some of the boxes of bottles that they will take home or snacking on the dishes designed to accompany each sip.
fresh asparagus
Other businesses, like **Sonoma Broadway Farms, a self-sufficient farm,** are also able to admire what they do at Scribe Vineyards. “We have too many tasting rooms around here,” admits Preston Raisin, the farm's owner.
“The guys at Scribe have been able to make the most of what they have, of their gardens, their food and their labels,” he says. "Before wine came to Sonoma, farming here was a million-dollar business, and that's what projects like ours are trying to bring back."
Preston does this by planting different varieties of vegetables, such as radishes, kale, bimi or onions. “We also use all the crops that we discard as compost and fertilizer, we have 48 solar panels, we use our own water and produce enough electricity for the entire farm” , he finishes telling proudly.
To take a walk through Sonoma in high season – from June to October – is to be involved in a succession of that invasion of tasting rooms, or tasting rooms , mentioned by Raisin, designed to receive groups and offer guided tastings.
A kind of wine amusement park that strips the region of the charm offered by visiting each winery, delve into its history and meet the people behind each bottle, turning each experience into something distant and cold, with wines worth tasting... but in spaces that fail to dazzle.
Chickens at Sonoma Broadway Farms
“They open more and more (there are around 30 in the center) and it can give the feeling that there is not enough diversity, enough local business, when there are actually plenty of small family businesses. I first came here over twenty years ago and at that time you were going straight to the vineyards to taste the wines and not sitting in a boutique store to do it. I guess it's a big draw for the public and an alternative to being able to walk around and drink without worrying about driving to the vineyards. So there is a place and a time for everything." Sondra Bernstein, owner of The Girl & The Fig restaurant, one of the most traditional establishments in the area –in the heart of the central square of Sonoma, the birthplace of the state of California, as well as its wine industry– and gastronomic point of reference for its steak tartare, its mussels, a simple but impressive fig salad and a sole bathed in a decadent sauce of butter and capers.
"My clients would kill me if I took it off the menu," she confesses, proving that it is very difficult to change the status quo of the visitor profile that they are used to. Do not forget that this is a small community, in which the "full" sign is hung on weekends, which is the basis of their income.
Come Monday, when everyone packs up and leaves, this is once again a quiet place. This means that there are many small businesses, restaurants, and shops that cannot stray from the norm or risk it all to experimentation.
A cow by the side of the road
Some succeed and maintain quality, such as Bronstein's restaurant, a must in the area. While others prefer to embark on an adventure, such as the Hanson of Sonoma Distillery, founded by brothers Brandon and Darren Hanson.
"When we started we had no experience in the world of distillates, but we knew we wanted to do something different", they say inside the facilities where they produce its organic vodka made from grapes. Something never seen around here.
“Many opposed the idea, but we decided to go all out when we realized that grapes worked better than any other grain” Darren admits. “Napa and Sonoma have some of the best grapes in the world , which gives our product character and makes it more interesting for drinkers looking for something different,” he continues.
Young people who, like the Mariani, looks to the history of Sonoma for a way to create its own, motivating new generations to realize that there is life beyond the past. Everything lies in keeping it very present to be inspired by it and give it a new energy.
the hanson family
WHERE TO SLEEP
Hotel Eldorado _(405 First Street West) _: Right in the middle of the Sonoma town square, so ask for one of the rooms with a view. Simple, comfortable and elegant. Take advantage of its pool in summer and its brunch at El Dorado Kitchen.
Swiss Hotel _(18 West Spain Street) _: This mythical hotel has been in the hands of the same Swiss-Italian family since the 1920s. Its decoration may be too kitsch for some, but their bar (through Spritz) is a must see.
MacArthur Place _(29 East McArthur Street) _: A spectacular and refined mid-4,000-acre estate with 64 rooms, spa, and pool.
The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa _(1325 Broadway At Leveroni & Napa Roads) _: If absolute relaxation is what you're looking for, here's the solution.
Dry Martini made with Hanson of Sonoma vodka
**WHERE TO EAT (AND DRINK)**
Scribe Winery _(2100 Denmark Street) _: Spending the day at his estate sipping wine and eating delicacies from his own orchard is a walk through the roof. You will not have left and you will already be thinking of coming back.
Hanson of Sonoma _(22985 Burndale Road) _: family owned distillery specializing in vodka org nico made from grapes. Try one of their habanero-infused vodka cocktails accompanied by a caviar tasting.
The Central Mill _(11 Central Avenue) _: essential and the favorite restaurant of the Mariani brothers. Chilaquiles, toast, enchiladas, tacos...
El Molino Central: the favorite restaurant of the Mariani brothers
The Girl & The Fig _(1528 Frankford Avenue) _: seasonal, fresh, vegetable-heavy cuisine. The typical Californian bistro and, of course, the locals favourite.
Frenchies _(521 Broadway) _: Groceries to set up your own picnic with a careful gourmet selection of local products, wine and craft beers.
Tips Roadside _(8445 Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood) _: Southern comfort food and the evolution of the Tri Tip Trolley food truck. Their beignets are a vice from another planet and its wine list, exceptional.
***** _This report was published in **number 132 of Condé Nast Traveler Magazine (October)**. Subscribe to the printed edition (11 printed issues and a digital version for €24.75, by calling 902 53 55 57 or from our website). The October issue of Condé Nast Traveler is available in its digital version to enjoy on your preferred device. _
Shed at Sonoma Broadway Farms