18 / the tasting panel / august 2009
B
onny Doon Vineyards recently expanded
its new biodynamic-themed tasting room
in downtown Santa Cruz, California, with
the addition of the Cellar Door Café, serving small
plates and a nightly, three-course dinner menu.
Founder Randall Grahm and Michelin two-star
Chef David Kinch of Manresa in neighboring Los
Gatos collaborated to develop a unique family-
style dining experience as a way to build com-
munity and to better educate consumers. Kinch
protégé Charlie Parker heads up the kitchen as
Executive Chef. Parker, who spent two years at
Manresa and was the opening chef for Ubuntu
in Napa Valley, uses only locally-grown biody-
namic and organic ingredients and posts his
daily-changing menus online at www.bonny-
doonvineyard.com. The Bonny Doon Cellar Door
Café serves small plates from noon to 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday through Sunday and dinner nightly
from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m., major holidays excepted.
— Deborah Parker Wong
Bonny Doon Goes Family-Style
The
Message
The Glass Ceiling Inspiration
G
lenn Cook at Cook Family Winery
in St. Helena and wine veteran Bob
Janis (formerly of Vintage Point) are
good friends.
"Both our wives are career women," ex-
plains Janis. "Glenn and I had a conversation
a few months back about doing something to
honor them. Glenn had made a small amount
of Sauvignon Blanc in '08. One conversation
led to another, and the result is our new ven-
ture, Glass Ceiling."
Open the foil wrap and discover the el-
egant Vino-Seal glass stopper as its modern
closure: a play on the branding.
The North Coast Sauvignon Blanc offers
up brown-sugared pineapple on the nose and
a variety of refreshingly fresh-tasting citrus
notes, from lime to orange and lemon chiffon.
Its slightly creamy texture makes it even
more appealing.
—Meridith May
Gayle Cook and Cathy Janis
inspired their husbands to
honor them with a Napa Valley
Sauvignon Blanc.
