Founding owner Hank Wetzel and his sister Katie Wetzel Murphy, owner and brand ambassador, enjoy the fruits of their labor.
The Alexander Valley Vineyards tasting room is small but welcoming, with at least one canine greeter on hand most times (ours was Hattie, a friendly mini-Aussie doodle). “We’re dog-friendly if your dog is friendly,” says Pedro Zendejas, our host. In addition to its established tasting options (which expand in the spring and summer to include vineyard hikes), AVV has picnic tables available for guests who want to bring their own food, buy a glass or a bottle and stay a while. Cave tours are also available.
After the decadence of the holiday season, we were looking for something less “more” to enjoy. That is: sometimes, simplicity rules the day. Especially if “simplicity” is defined by five delightful little bite-sized treats. The Wine and Cookie pairing at Alexander Valley Vineyards is everything a good wine pairing should be. It keeps attention squarely on the wines while demonstrating how a well-chosen accompaniment can redefine what you’re tasting. 
It’s also not so much that you need to set aside an entire afternoon (or schedule a nap afterward). This could be a fun stop midway through a day of tastings, or for a quick meetup with friends.
Cookies elevate the wine
Created by AVV Culinary Director and Chef Tim Gleadall, the cookies are delicious on their own, but when sampled with sips of designated wines, they become something more. It’s their role to elevate the wines, enhancing aroma and flavor notes without stealing the show.
Each is a buttery shortbread with different spice and seasoning profiles. “We decided on shortbread because the butter content balances the acidity of wine, and the lower sugar content keeps tannins in balance,” says Zendejas.
Standouts include a vanilla bean and sassafras cookie paired with a 2022 sauvignon blanc and an orange filbert buckwheat cardamom morsel accompanying the 2020 Alexander School Reserve Old Vine Zinfandel.
The sauv blanc pairing, which opens the experience, sets the bar high. The cookie’s rich buttery-ness helps showcase the wine’s tropical notes. The wine is aged 100% in stainless steel, so it’s crisp with nice minerality and a lingering finish; the cookie dances around the edges, with sassafras lifting both the nose and palate. An off-menu 2021 chardonnay, offered as a fun counterpoint, plays with the vanilla, enhancing the wine’s buttery and oaky elements.
On the other end of the tasting, we finish with an earthy, spicy Old Vine Zinfandel, expertly paired with a cookie that brings citrus fruit, nuttiness and earthy elements to the fore. Cardamom, an Indian spice that’s finding its moment, adds an interesting finish and brings out the wine’s beautiful depth.
‘Screamed for an intense red’
In between these two delectable choices, we’re treated to three other tasty treats. A ginger hibiscus macadamia cookie teams with a 2021 pinot noir. The ginger spice and macadamia nuttiness compliment the wine’s silky texture and subtle floral notes.
Fig and pistachio shortbread “screamed out for an intense red,” says Zendejas. Enter the 2019 cabernet sauvignon, hearty and beautifully balanced, offering cherry, plum and cassis.
Next up, a 2021 Wine Club Reserve (60% malbec, 30% merlot, 10% petite verdot) and a chocolate mocha shortbread. This cookie itself is tannic—almost bitter (as good dark chocolate often is)—but comes to life when tasted with the big, lush wine. Ripe berries, plum and chocolate explode on the palate. Another off-menu wine, the 2018 Salvation Late Harvest Zinfandel, brings all the sweetness while balancing velvety texture and cocoa nib astringency.
As we taste, we chat with Zendejas about AVV’s rich history and winemaker Kevin Hall’s artistry. Taken as a whole, this tasting experience is both informative and fun. The only downside is that the cookies aren’t available for separate purchase. Otherwise, this would be my new favorite at-home excuse for an afternoon treat.
Did You Know?
Cyrus Alexander and his immediate family are buried in a small plot on AVV property, just a short walk uphill from the tasting room. Many areas of Sonoma County and prominent landmarks bear his name, including the valley and AVA where it’s located.
Alexander Valley Vineyards
8644 Highway 128
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-433-7209
Avvwine.com
Hours: Walk-ins welcome; groups of seven or more should call in advance. Tasting Room is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cookie & Wine Pairing: $30 per person, $15 for wine club members Enjoy five cookies paired with five top wines. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance.
Wine Tasting: Estate or Reserve: Daily, no reservation needed for groups of 6 or less. $15; reserve tasting is $25 per person. Enjoy four wines at the tasting room bar.
Wine and Cheese Pairings: $40 per person, $30 for wine club members. Sample four local artisan cheeses paired with four favorite wines. 48-hour notice required.
Complimentary cave tour: Noon and 2:30 p.m. daily. Tour the 25,000-square-foot underground wine cave.
