Sonoma backroad hideout with serious cellar ambitions
Glen Ellen · Sonoma · Farm-to-Table / Wood-Fired · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 26, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Glen Ellen Star’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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 · California and Mediterranean
Sante is doing more with its wine list than the average hotel restaurant bothers to — 120 labels anchored in Northern California producers, 25 by-the-glass options with real range, and picks like Failla Sonoma Coast Pinot and Denner Nightshade that signal genuine curation. The steep markup at the top end is real, and the lack of any structured specials program means you're paying full freight every time — but if you order thoughtfully, there's genuinely good wine to be found here.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Proper
· Sonoma · French bistro
Bistro Ralph is exactly what a wine-country neighborhood bistro should be: unpretentious, locally rooted, and honest about what it is. We can't call out specific bottles from what's available, but the Sonoma-forward identity and relaxed room make this a solid stop for a glass or two alongside the chicken paillard or pot de crème. Come for the setting, stay for the wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · California and Mediterranean
Sunflower Caffe isn't trying to compete with the big resort wine lists down the road, and that's exactly why it works. The list is small, local, fairly priced, and built around bubbles — which, in Sonoma, is actually a smart and honest choice. If you want a deep cellar or a Burgundy rabbit hole, go elsewhere; if you want a glass of Scribe Nouveau Pinot Noir on what is presumably a lovely patio, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · California and New American
Sonoma Valley Farmhouse runs a tight, thoughtful list that punches above its size. The all-by-the-glass format and fair pricing make it easy to drink well without a game plan, and the producer selection — Bedrock, Lasseter, Talisman, Albini — reflects someone who actually cares about what ends up in your glass. If you're in Sonoma and want to drink local without getting gouged, this is a genuinely solid stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · Food Truck / New American
The Fig Rig is the kind of place that should not have a wine list this good, and that's exactly what makes it worth seeking out. Fair prices, genuine range, and a clear Rhône-forward point of view — if you're in Sonoma and skeptical of the usual tourist-trap markups, this is where we'd send you first.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · French and California
Cafe La Haye has assembled a 63-bottle list that punches well above its count — thoughtful French-California crossover, honest pricing on most of the list, and enough unusual picks (Gaudron Chenin Blanc, Pangloss White Rhone, grower Champagne from Pierre Paillard) to suggest real curation rather than default distributor choices. If you're in Sonoma and want a wine list that respects both the region and your intelligence, this is a reliable stop — with enough Wild Card energy to keep it interesting.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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