It's no secret that Northern California produces some of the best wine in the world. Whenever I'm visiting family back in the Bay Area, I want to pinch myself being only an hour away from incredible wineries. With an upcoming trip to Marin planned, Mark and I had the difficult task of selecting one winery to visit. How do you choose? We have always loved Silver Oak and usually gift a bottle for the holidays. Then, we saw that there was a four course tasting and wine pairing lunch at Silver Oak and we were sold! We also decided to also tack on a tour for good measure.
Right when we arrived, we were greeted by the iconic white water tower, which is the symbol of their winery. The water tower is a reminder of traditional watering methods, which is in stark contrast with the winery we were visiting. The Silver Oak Winery in Alexander Valley is brand new and Platinum LEED Certified, which makes them the most sustainable winery in the world. Every inch of the property, from the tasting room to the field irrigation, has been meticulously planned with sustainability driving the design.
The Silver Oak tasting room is open, modern, and minimalist with floor to ceiling windows looking out into the vineyard. Looking through those giant windows makes me feel like I am right out in the vines, almost hearing the gravel beneath my feet if I take one step through the glass. The interior building materials are a mix of cement, redwood, and oak which gives the tasting room an urban and organic feel. The building's redwood panels are from the wine tanks of a 1930's Cherokee Winery, which were then reclaimed from Robert Mondavi. The oak panels are from naturally fallen oak trees from the local area and have been repurposed to cover the winery floors and ceilings.
We started our winery tour out in the vines with wine glasses in hand. I loved learning about Silver Oaks commitment to sustainability, their current grape varietals, and Alexander Valleys terroir; it was so fascinating! We ended the tour in their culinary garden where produce, herbs, and bee-friendly flowers were blooming. When putting together the seasonal menu, the Winery Chef Dominic Orsini always looks to the garden for inspiration. Every dish is centered around their garden, with ingredients going from harvest to plate within an hour or so. I walked through the garden looking for the freshest picks, hoping to get a hint for what would be on our tasting menu! While we walked through the garden, the Chef came out with Spicy Tuna "Tots," which had a layer of raw spicy tuna on top of crispy rice, topped with fermented gochujang aioli. It was such a delicious bite and I could hardly wait for what more was to come. All tucked in and ready for lunch, we started with a Zucchini Linguini (say that 3 times fast) with pancetta, sweet corn, and white beans. I loved how the Chef spiralized a yellow zucchini and couldn't get enough of the creamy corn broth, made from boiling corn husk silk strands. This dish was paired with 2016 Russian River Valley Twomey Pinot Noir, a perfect choice! Then came a Lamb Loin which was resting on an eggplant purée. On the other side of the plate were cucumbers, olives, and tomatoes on top of a creamy and tangy tzatziki sauce. A spicy nasturtium flower and leaf garnished the pate. Our lamb was paired perfectly with a 2014 Alexander Valley Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon. Our lunch at Silver Oak Vineyard ended with a Ricotta Cheese Panna Cotta which had suspended black truffle flakes, pesto, and begonia flowers from the garden. Absolutely stunning! Our cheese course was paired with a 2013 Napa Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon. After our last course, we were invited into the Silver Oak Wine Library where we were poured a glass of 2007 Alexander Valley Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon. The tucked away Wine Library is very dark and grand! Magnum and double magnum Silver Oak bottles are displayed around the room with bottles dating back to the Great Depression. It was so special to see such an incredible collection of wine.
I can absolutely say, without a doubt, we will be back! Everything about this winery was perfection. I love how everything at Silver Oak is crafted around sustainability, local sourcing, and seasonality; from their building to their food! Those three things are very important to me, and when you pair it all with wine, it checks all my boxes!
What's your favorite Northern California winery? Do you have a go to lunch spot when you visit?
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