Sonoma backroad hideout with serious cellar ambitions
Glen Ellen · Sonoma · Farm-to-Table / Wood-Fired · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 26, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Glen Ellen Star’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You're in a cozy wood-fired room in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it Sonoma village, and then the wine list shows up with a 1978 Kenwood Cab and a $1,350 Scarecrow on it. That's a lot of ambition for a neighborhood spot. The range is tight at 93 labels, but whoever curated this clearly has a point of view.
The list leans hard into California, which makes complete sense given where you're sitting — deep in Sonoma wine country. There's a strong regional spine built around Sonoma and Napa, with standouts like Lagier Meredith Syrah from Mt. Veeder, Occidental's Freestone-Occidental Pinot Noir from the West Sonoma Coast, and Peter Michael's 'L'Esprit des Pavots' red blend pulling serious weight. The cellar curiosities — a 1999 Chateau Montelena Estate and that 1978 Kenwood — give the list character that 99% of farm-to-table spots never bother with. What's missing is any meaningful international depth; if you want Burgundy or Barolo with your wood-fired chicken, you're out of luck.
Twenty-two by-the-glass options is genuinely impressive for a restaurant this size — that's nearly a quarter of the bottle list poured by the pour. Prices run $15 to $38 a glass, which means you can start accessible with a $15 Bedrock Old Vine Zinfandel or climb toward something more serious. The rotation doesn't appear to change often, but the range covers enough ground to keep things interesting across multiple visits.
Bedrock Wine Co. Old Vine Zinfandel California 2023 — $15/glass, $60/bottle
Bedrock is one of the best Zinfandel producers in California full stop, and getting it for $15 a glass at a restaurant is the kind of deal you toast to. This is the move if you want to drink local and drink well without thinking too hard about it.
Lagier Meredith Syrah Mount Veeder Napa Valley 2020
Most people sleeping on Mt. Veeder Syrah from Lagier Meredith are the same people ordering the obvious Napa Cab. This is a tiny-production, mountain-grown Syrah from two of California's most respected viticulturalists — it's funky, structured, and wildly underappreciated on a list with Scarecrow on it.
Scarecrow Rutherford Napa Valley 2021
At $1,350 a bottle in a casual wood-fired village restaurant, you're paying every dollar of the hype premium. This is a special-occasion bottle that deserves special-occasion service, glassware, and setting — a cozy neighborhood spot with standard stemware isn't where this wine gets to stretch its legs. Save this one for somewhere that can really do it justice.
Occidental Freestone-Occidental West Sonoma Coast 2024 Pinot Noir + Roast Chicken
West Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir has enough acidity and red-fruit tension to cut through roasted bird fat while the earthy, forest-floor notes mirror the smoke from the wood fire. It's a hyper-local pairing — both the wine and the chicken are essentially products of the same Northern California terroir.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Glen Ellen Star is punching well above its weight class for a neighborhood spot this small and this casual — the list has genuine depth, real producers, and a few bottles worth making a detour for. Just know that the markups can sting, and the magic here is finding the right mid-range bottle rather than chasing the headline names.
Sonoma Plaza / Downtown Sonoma · Sonoma · Wine Tasting with Rotating Chef-Driven Pop-Ups
Bedrock is not a wine list — it's a focused argument for why old-vine California deserves your full attention. If you're in Sonoma and you skip this, you're doing it wrong.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Healdsburg Plaza · Sonoma · Fine Dining / New American
Dry Creek Kitchen is the rare restaurant where the wine list is genuinely worth the trip on its own merits — deep, local, curated by someone with taste and access. If you're in Sonoma and you care about wine, this is a must.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Healdsburg · Sonoma · Sandwiches / Wine Bar
Troubadour is the kind of place that makes you reconsider your lunch plans — in the best possible way. If you're in Healdsburg and you care about what's in your glass, this sandwich shop deserves your full attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Healdsburg · Sonoma · Spanish tapas
Bravas is a Wild Card in the best sense: a casual, loud, share-everything tapas bar in the middle of Sonoma Wine Country that actually built a wine list with a brain. It won't blow your mind, but it will keep your glass interesting all night without emptying your wallet.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Healdsburg · Sonoma · Small Plates / New American
Chalkboard isn't trying to be a destination wine bar — it's a polished Healdsburg restaurant that takes its wine list seriously enough to stock Rochioli, Copain, and Ridge alongside Taittinger and actually price them like they want you to order a second bottle. Send a friend here and tell them to start with the Sauvignon Blanc.
Solid Range
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Healdsburg Plaza · Sonoma · Upscale farm-to-table / modern California
The Matheson has built one of the most genuinely exciting wine programs in Sonoma wine country — the Wine Wall alone is worth the trip, and the depth of the broader list shows real intention. The markups on trophy bottles are hard to ignore, but if you play the Wall smart, you'll drink far better here than almost anywhere else in Healdsburg.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
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