PAGE 8 — WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11, 2009 CLOVERDALE REVEILLE • CLOVERDALE, CALIFORNIA Why Cloverdale and how did this town come into being? Napa/Sonoma Wine Review in Shirley has been introducing and Clear Lake. He chose this the spring of 1981, I logged barely The region took an aristocratic air when Charles Crocker guests to affordable Sonoma northernmost tip of Sonoma Continued from a dozen wineries north of Santa delights there on Canyon Road County for a new town along the Rosa. Now there are nearly a made Cloverdale the last northern stop on the Central for eight years. Julie also noted old trail between Lake County page 1 hundred. The goal that day, that the room opened in 1987, but and the Pacific coast and between however, was not to visit the new it appears brand new and a San Francisco and Ukiah on the I always had a soft spot in my properties but to see how the Pacific Line, possibly he wanted a hunting lodge nearby masterful blend of wood hues and north-south axis. Visitors saw heart and palate for Souverain original family and co-op winer- colors. Shirley works the bar like many more sheep grazing on the because my old wine guru and ies had evolved in a totally and wanted to return home in style in his own rail car. the very best bartenders must slopes north and south of town mentor Leon Adams took me different market. Unlike those have done in Virginia City when than they saw grapevines. And there early in our friendship. Lee early days, winebibbers no longer the silver strike hit back in the the region took an aristocratic air Stewart launched the winery by have to be coaxed to drink late nineteenth century. Planning when Charles Crocker made harvesting his grapes from an “domestic” wine; now they just to have a couple of sips, my Cloverdale the last northern stop estate on nearby Howell Moun- clamor for both the reserve day got turned around when on the Central Pacific Line, tain. His daughter suggested the bottlings and the new case and Shirley pried out of me in less possibly he wanted a hunting name, deriving it from the French barrel-lots of wine that are than five minutes what I really lodge nearby and wanted to word, sovereign. But I suddenly auctioned off annually. wanted to taste. return home in style in his own awoke from my reverie once I When I mentioned the visit private rail car. Rail connections looked closely at the sign at the Century-old Zinfandel vines in more than 40 years ago, she to Larkspur and a ferry to down- entrance. A titan of the movie Alexander Valley poured the 2006 Dry Creek Valley town San Francisco will return to world bought the property in As we drove through the wavy Zin, the result of the mother Cloverdale within a few years. 2006 and after a short period hills of Alexander Valley, I clone. I lifted a toast to John Sr. Lest you wonder if Cloverdale under the name of Rosso & remembered the first time I When she heard Washington as is too sleepy, that question was Bianco, it is being revived and ventured up there, in about 1976 my home state, she poured a answered on a very hot day in expanded to become the flagship while living in San Francisco. A Merlot from the Bench Vineyards late May this year. I was in town location for the Francis Ford columnist for the Bay Guardian in 2006, darker than most Wash- to consult with the managers of Coppola Winery, complete with surprised his readers back then by ington prize merlots, with several the Cloverdale Reveille, Val and many other ways to amuse you in insisting that the best zinfandel spices and black cherries at their Neena Hanchett. Almost exactly style. released that year was not from ripest. The 2005 Sangiovese was 28 years earlier, Val was the Nearly 35 years ago Coppola the hills east of Sacramento. No, also tasty, lots of plums and all partner in a new wine tabloid bought the heart of the historic he taunted us; it came from the those berries that also highlight called the Napa-Sonoma Review. Gustav Niebaum property, and Alexander Valley. In May, as we the zinfandels, but it also had a Little did we know that it would his 1880 winery that would passed by this spring, familiar background aftertaste of cloves. be an early journal of the coming- become known as Inglenook, in names from three decades ago — That made me think Thanksgiv- out party for California wine, but Rutherford in the Napa Valley. Jordan, Robert Young, Alexander ing, but this wine is only for those specifically for Sonoma County. Several of Coppola’s high-end red Valley Vineyards and Field Stone, of you who dive first for the There are pubs and a brewery for wines are still made there on the I remembered how I I loved the drumstick and the dark meat. amusement, but those who get up Rubicon Estate. But this new topography of the area, much as But she saved the coup de grace early to tour the county will Sonoma winery will be aimed at the Italian families did who came for last, something I never appreciate how quiet and peace- the people seeking both leisure here in the early years of the 20th suspected because 35 years ago ful the town is in the evening. and beauty of foliage and vines, Century. The hills are feminine in Near Trentadue, and its lovely the varietal on the label was still a Then the last day in town I the ones who come out ahead in form and dressed in fall colors, Mary Stuart in her “32” wines, is a place that is the question mark for the Pedroncel- stepped out of the office into the the new U.S. economy of the they will be splendid. product of a second generation of lis. What a lovely surprise it was blinding sun and an explosion of coming teen years. Greg and I ate We turned up the winding lane front yard at Vintage Towers vinifera-grape growers whose to drink the 2007 Estate Russian sound and color out in the old lunch here in the ’70s along with to the winery launched by the families have been farming in the River Valley Pinot Noir. Having main drag, which was cordoned other members of his family, but Demostene family in 1973 and area for three generation of local experienced and wrote about off for entertainment on Heri- we could not do so that day which I had not visited for 33 • farmers. We’re no longer young Oregon pinots back when they tage/Spring Festival weekend. because the restaurant is being years. The patriarch, Leo Demos- pups; we are of Medicare and exploded in the ’80s, there is a The community organizers were extensively remodeled. For the tene, and his wife, Rose, bought Vines at Sausal Vineyards Geritol age. But John and Jim standard by which the American inspired creatively and they moment, a temporary tasting the property in 1956 and Pedroncelli can tell you in version of Burgundian wine booked one of the hottest bands room is housed in a former ripped out most of the 15 minutes the history of should taste. But in this case, I put and ensemble entertainment passageway while the new tasting old fruit orchards in favor California wine — the crop that standard aside. This is a groups in the country, Portland’s complex is built in the remodel of of wine grapes, which he that became an industry, slightly denser brand of pinot, March Fourth Marching Band. It Davis’s East Wing. Will Coppola eventually sold to bulk quite awhile after they much more like the legendary is difficult to describe for you the prove to be the Godfather, in the wineries for more than a took over the Dry Creek Mirassou California pinots that three rings of humor, daredevil best sense, that provides Sonoma decade while he planned Valley vineyard on a the breakthrough generation — stunts and synchronized march- County more visibility? Or will it his own winery. The hillside west of the Maya- aka baby-boomers, cut their teeth ing music — blues and jazz just be a baby-boomers road try- family’s roots were camas mountains from on in the ’60s and ’70s. Not only standards, that comes with this out of Fame? Everyone is waiting already deep. Leo’s their father, John Pedron- were there in the taste my favorite circus. The brass section, the to see and you get almost the father, Manuele Demos- celli Sr. John the elder raspberries from Puget Sound but guitars, the drums, the saxo- same number of opinions, mostly tene, first farmed in the bragged to me and Leon cherries, more berries of every phones, they lay down a sheet of along the line of: “don’t ever valley around 1900. 30-some years ago that he stripe, and a similar hint of cloves music while stilt walkers prance underestimate Coppola.” Indeed, Leo’s maternal grand- had done two things right back there someplace. So, this is out to the center of the crowd and also remember that his father, Abele Ferrari, in his life, besides his the wine I suggest for you to drawn around and they perform Robert Duvall character in moved to Healdsburg in family, and he was right. serve by the twos and threes with in choreography with the cos- Apocalypse Now loves the smell 1905 to work for the He had the vision to buy that gargantuan Thanksgiving tumed dancing girls and move of napalm in the morning.