New Russian River Valley Estate Opens to the Public Adhering to Sonoma County Guidelines
WINDSOR, Calif. (June 16, 2020) – Bricoleur Vineyards, an exciting new family-owned winery, tasting room, and culinary showplace in the Russian River Valley, is pleased to announce it is now open to the public, offering an array of wine and culinary experiences while abiding by county regulations related to COVID-19. The beautiful 40-acre estate is conveniently located in Windsor (named number one of the Top 10 Places to Visit in California in 2020 by the San Francisco Chronicle), just minutes from the Santa Rosa Airport and popular attractions.
Family owned by Bay Area natives Mark and Elizabeth Hanson and daughter Sarah Hanson Citron, Bricoleur Vineyards is more than just Sonoma County’s newest wine country destination – thanks to its culinary emphasis, it has been approved to offer special, paired tastings that highlight fresh produce sourced from the property’s onsite garden, house-made pasta, bread and charcuterie, and award-winning, hand-crafted, sustainably farmed wines.
“We obviously had a different vision for our grand opening, but our team has adapted very well to the ‘new normal’ and we are beyond excited to finally be able to open our doors and share our beautiful estate with the public,” said CEO and founder Mark Hanson. “Opening Bricoleur has been our families dream for many years and we are ready to share that dream with our community in a safe and healthy environment.”
The perfect destination for enjoying responsible wine tourism without sacrificing any of the amenities of the wine country aesthetic, Bricoleur encompasses premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards, groves of olive trees, intimate picnic spots, magnificent gardens and vine-covered trellises, a charming stone pavilion, bocce ball courts, serene ponds for rowing or fishing, a refurbished historic milk barn and the newly completed Winery Barn. Farm-to-table pairings from the property’s own garden highlight the winery’s 12 stand-out varietals from prized vineyard sites.
With new protocols in place that can be viewed in detail here, Bricoleur Vineyards is ideal for socially distanced outdoor tastings on its spacious 40-acre estate. Until regulations change, the winery is offering several tasting experiences, all conducted outside at one of the property’s many open-air spaces with menu items that change with the season based on what is available from the estate garden. The following are the current available options:
The Essentials Picnic: $90 for two people
A wine country experience comprising a seasonal selection of sandwiches, salads, and bites hand-picked and crafted by Bricoleur’s onsite farmer, Mike Depaolo and Executive Chef Shane McAnelly. Upon arrival, guests check in with the host to receive a pre-packed picnic to enjoy at any of the estate’s many stunning outdoor spaces. In addition to a delicious fresh lunch sourced from the property’s own garden, the picnic includes two Bricoleur Tossware glasses, a chilled bottle of 2019 Rosé of Grenache and the seasonal dishes which vary, such as the items below:
- Piadini with prosciutto cotto, fontina, pickled peppers, estate greens and aioli
- Quinoa salad with local Ufunzou mushrooms and estate radish top pesto
- Estate beet salad with black truffle chevoo, estate greens and Continente Nut pistachios
- House potato chips and estate swiss chard dip
- Two chocolate chip cookies
Homegrown, $55/person
Enjoy the beauty of Bricoleur’s Russian River Valley vineyards with a flight that includes four wines from the estate paired with a seasonal dish featuring produce grown on the property.
The Local List: $75/person
This educational experience features all the Sonoma County varietals Bricoleur showcases paired with a seasonal dish featuring produce grown on the property.
Estate Spread: $35 for two people
These photogenic spreads created by executive chef Shane McAnelly and Sous Chef Evan Castro, are uniquely curated featuring house-cured meats and local cheeses accompanied by produce from the winery’s garden. Snacks include items such as the following:
- House potato chips and estate swiss chard dip
- Pimento cheese biscuits
- Spinach hummus with estate veggies and pita
- Salt roasted Continente Nut pistachios
The Classic Spread: $35 for two people includes items such as the following below:
- Prosciutto Cotto
- Pork Rillette
- Korean BBQ beef jerky
- Pennyroyal Farms Boont Corners
- Black Truffle Chevoo
- House made parmesan crackers
Bricoleur Vineyards’ public debut also marks the unveiling of the estate’s Winery Barn, designed in partnership with Ty Fiscus and Michael Guthrie & Co. The focal point of the expansive property, the Winery Barn sits just to the north of a welcoming pollarded tree courtyard overlooking the vineyards. Built using reclaimed wood, aligning with the winery’s sustainable practices, the Winery Barn has soaring 25-foot high ceilings, a 144-foot vintage hay trolly rail, and 12-foot-tall retracting glass doors affording stunning views of the surrounding vineyards, ponds and rose garden. Rustic yet refined interiors with plush, intimate seating areas for guests were already designed for social distancing well before the term was au courant.
Executive Chef Shane McAnelly leads Bricoleur’s culinary team. For the past seven years, McAnelly served as the executive chef of two popular Healdsburg restaurants, The Brass Rabbit and Chalkboard. McAnelly creates fresh, seasonal dishes inspired by the bounty of Sonoma County to highlight Bricoleur’s standout wine portfolio.
Under the direction of acclaimed winemaker Cary Gott and assistant winemaker Tom Pierson, Bricoleur produces award-winning, hand-crafted, sustainably farmed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from its estate property. Additionally, the team produces varieties from its other sustainably farmed, highly regarded vineyard, Kick Ranch in Santa Rosa, including small lots of Rosè of Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The viticulture team includes and the highly respected firms Advanced Viticulture and Atlas Vineyard Management.
Bricoleur Vineyards is now open by reservation only for groups of six or less Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located at 7394 Starr Road in Windsor, Bricoleur Vineyards can be reached by calling (707) 857-5700, emailing info@bricoleurvineyards.com or visiting www.bricoleurvineyards.com.
About Bricoleur Vineyards
Bricoleur Vineyards is a unique wine country retreat nestled in the Russian River Valley in Windsor, California, about an hour north of San Francisco. Visitors can visit the newly renovated Winery Barn to enjoy Bricoleur Vineyard’s hand-crafted, estate-grown wines or an elaborate, wine and culinary experience guided by celebrated local Executive Chef Shane McAnelly. The 40-acre estate features a number of picturesque gathering places to relax and create memorable experiences, such as a picnic in the stone pavilion overlooking the rows of Chardonnay, strolling in the rose gardens admiring the vast array of colorful and fragrant roses, playing a friendly game of bocce ball, or simply enjoying one’s family and friends while watching the ducks and native birds by one of two serene ponds Family owned by Bay Area natives Mark and Elizabeth Hanson and daughter Sarah Hanson Citron, Bricoleur Vineyards is Sonoma County’s hidden gem, dedicated to enjoying the beauty of Sonoma County while building meaningful connections and communities.
