VJB Vineyards & Cellars

Kenwood is not a large place. So how VJB Vineyards & Cellars could elude me for more than a year (I live not too far down the road and drive through with some frequency) will forever be a mystery. Luckily, I know about it now—and you can bet I’ll be visiting often.
More than just a winery tasting room, VJB presents itself as a full Italian piazza—a city square or gathering place—replete with art, food, entertainment and, of course, delicious wine. The founding Belmonte family (Vittorio, Maria and their son, Henry) has created a spot that’s welcoming for locals and visitors alike. But it took some time.

VJB was founded 10 years ago and, for most of its history, it occupied a cozy, 900-square-foot tasting room nearby its present location. “But Henry’s vision was always to have a piazza, a gathering place to enjoy food, wine and company,” says Lindsay Evans, director of hospitality and marketing. The piazza opened in April 2012.

When you arrive at VJB, you don’t walk into a typical wine tasting room. Instead, you enter through a large courtyard with umbrella tables, surrounded by a variety of food vendors, including Red Rooster Pizza (wood-fired), a gelato and ice cream shop, and Kenwood Pasta Company, where fresh pasta is made daily. When we arrived, a chef at the pizza ovens shouted a friendly greeting and directed us to the winery.

Again, food is given priority. We entered La Cucina, a small Italian deli/grocery, where you’ll find imported goodies (sodas, chocolates, pastas, vinegars and oils) and can order charcuterie or fresh salads and paninis to eat outside; you walk through the deli to get to the tasting room. This food-centric emphasis made more sense when I learned the Belmontes founded (and later sold) the recently closed—and much missed—Caffe Portofino in Santa Rosa. Maria’s home recipe sauces are available by the jar in the deli, and you can often find her behind the counter managing the lunch rush. “The family has dual passions—food and wine,” agrees Evans. “They fuse the two here.”

Also accessible from the courtyard is a barrel room that serves as a second tasting bar for overflow crowds and some private events. A small gift shop was under construction on the day we visited but should be open by the time you read this.

Soak it in

The tasting room itself is classically styled, warm and welcoming. And though it faces Highway 12 and isn’t far from the roadway, the room is peaceful. When we visited, U.S. women’s soccer was broadcasting silently on a large TV (Abby Wambach scores!), which I personally love. Local artist Fred R. Parker’s work adorns the walls, with more artists to be added soon. Large picture windows, imported from Italy, keep the room bright and sunny.

From when we arrived at VJB at about 11 a.m. to this point in our tour, the piazza has filled. A bicycle tour group has stopped for lunch, and the previously quiet courtyard is coming to life. There’s something comfortable and nostalgic about watching the scene unfold—like a favorite movie replayed in real life. On weekends, the Sonoma Tenors wander the tables, serenading guests, adding to the ambiance.

All work and no play…

We head back downstairs, ready to explore VJB wines, and are greeted with another surprise: like its bigger-on-the-inside appearance, the VJB wine catalog is rife with traditional Italian and California varietals. It would take some time to work our way through.

First we tried the 2011 Prosecco, which is made in Italy by a family friend of the Belmontes, who then labels it as VJB to ease its import. It was crisp, light and extra dry. The 2012 Aleatico Rosé (peachy, rose petals) and 2012 Tocai Friulano (“summer in a glass”) rounded out a perfect starting trio.

I have a star in my notes next to the 2011 Estate Sangiovese, a lighter red with herbal undertones, cherry and cinnamon. It’s a top seller for the winery along with the 2011 Barbera, which was fuller bodied (juicy, dark berries). Both are made from 100 percent of their respective fruit.

Back to the Italian side for the 2009 Estate Montepulciano, an “Earth-driven, Old World style” wine (savory with white pepper on the finish), which is sourced from 2.8 acres (of only 8 acres in all of Sonoma County). “This one is special for us,” says our tasting guide, Bianca. Finally, the winery’s flagship 2009 Dante, a “reverse super Tuscan” that’s 85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 15 percent Sangiovese. A standout, it was meaty and lush, the perfect accompaniment for a hearty Italian meal.

After all that “work,” we decided to stay for lunch. An arugula and prosciutto pizza and some antipasta salad hit just the right note, with a bit more “summer in a glass.” Sitting under the umbrellas, we watched multiple generations sharing a meal, heard as much Italian spoken as English, and watched as locals greeted each other warmly and visitors quickly became family. All I can say is “Wow!”