Medlock Ames Tasting Room

A love of wine, sustainable agriculture and breathtaking views should draw anyone to this little haven in Northern California. Medlock Ames has been making excellent wines for more than 10 years at its completely organic and sustainable winery in the Alexander Valley, and its recently opened Tasting Room demands a visit. 

Based on a modern translation of an old farm store, it features salvaged fixtures, vintage Klondike refrigerators, Bakelite bistro tables, and 1950s Walter Gropius chairs, with an indoor-outdoor flow that highlights the beautiful scenery. In addition to wine by the bottle and by the glass, local artisan products are sold here, including fresh organic produce from the Medlock Ames Bell Mountain Ranch.

“This project is a distillation of everything we love about our ranch on Bell Mountain—the gardens and vineyards, the architecture and family-style wine dinners,” says Ames Morison, a winemaker at Medlock Ames.

Roughly an hour north of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge and within walking distance of the acclaimed Jimtown Store, the winery farms only 50 of its 400 acres, deliberately leaving the majority of land in a natural state. Innovative and traditional methods are used to farm this boutique vineyard where vegetables, olives and wildlife also flourish. The portfolio includes Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Reserve Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, a Red Bordeaux Blend, and estate-bottled olive oil.

Nestled behind the Medlock Ames Tasting Room is the Alexander Valley Bar, an incarnation of a century-old country hideout. The bar menu highlights seasonal cocktails using ingredients from the adjoining gardens, local microbrews and spirits. Both spaces overlook beautiful organic gardens and a vineyard started by 19^th century Sonoma settler Cyrus Alexander himself—one of the last still farmed by his estate. The property is organized into several communal areas including a farm-style table sheltered by 30-year-old olive trees, a meadow of native cover crops and wildflowers, a concrete fire pit for chilly afternoons, and a street-side produce stand.—Denise Shoukas

Operating hours for the tasting room are between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily; the bar opens at 5 p.m. daily.

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor and is the author of foodspring’s food forager blog.

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