FUN February

My motto for 2026!

Goodbye Dry January - Hello FUN February

Mushroom Foray '26

Since 2008 we have hosted a Mushroom Foray.

This year for the 1st time we offered an additional special opportunity, 'Stay & Foray'. 

Our mushroom foray has always been a one day event and this year the 'Stay & Foray' included 2 night stay at the Inn with a Friday evening Winemaker Dinner. What an opportunity!

We also offered the individual day event.

Mat preps a 4 course Dinner and Barb does a dessert to all be paired with very limited PMV wines from our cellar.  

Friday evening Inn the small group of guests got to enjoy the fireplace and a more intimate dinner with Winemaker, Mycologist and Winemakers wife. :)

First course Kale and white bean soup. Our favorite Salad from Restaurant Hazel 'little gem Caesar' for the 2nd. Third course Mat's riff on 'Mosaic Mushroom Toast'. A beautifully rich and wonderful dish that pairs incredible with Pinot. Nightengale sourdough batard toast with a layer of tripe cream Brie topped with sauteed mushrooms with madera cream, shallots.

Main course, filet au poivre with pocini mashed potatoes.

          

Magnums - 2015 Bohemian for the Mosaic Mushroom dish.

2015 Ruxton Pinot & 2015 Syrah for the Filet au poivre with mushrooms and porcini mash potatoes.

Dessert with are one and only shiner of late harvest Viognier.

            

It was great to have guests staying right there, no rush for the dinner services as we all enjoyed the dishes. We sat down about 6:30 and final course at 9pm. It was so perfect!

Saturday morning we get the fire and coffee going while mulling about until 11am when the troops arrive for the day Foray.

22 ready and willing participants raring to go. Water and bags in hand. And off they go while we stay back to prepare the lunch.

We give the group a window to return and within 30 minutes somebody comes back. This year we had a large array of mushrooms, mostly hedgehogs and black trumpets foraged.

David talks about all things mushroom while reviewing the display found.

Hedgehogs

                              David our local mycology specialist and guide.

A large Hedgehog

Lunch is served, beet salad, duck stew, cookies and 2 double magnums.

2013 TNT Pinot Noir and 2013 Horseshoe Bend Pinot

             

We had not hosted our foray since 2019 or 2020 due to reasons that were out of our control. We were a little out of practice and might have lost some momentum. But the 6 guests that joined for the 'stay' raved about the experience. As well the one day foray joiners stayed till the bitter end, soaking up the happiness and camaraderie. Such a joy to hear the laughs, see the hugs, the new friendships created and all around FUN!

My cup was filled! Thank you. Same time next year!

                                              

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2026

Us celebrating the New Year is getting through the Holiday Season and the 1st weekend until we close for our Annual break. YAY!

A week in flip flops is a great way to start the new year. Sunshine, seafood and sleep!

And back to the grind which I know is much better for us than many!

We always are open for the 1st long weekend of the year when many Bay area and beyond people visit Sonoma. Crab season currently starts after the 1st of the year. Everyone anticipates the announcement. This year crazy storms delayed the forecasted start for a few additional days.

We do our 1st event the weekend after Martin Luther King weekend.

The annual Crab Dinner, a Nothern Cal tradition.

We've done this event for at least 12 years and this being our 14th January in Graton, it could be our 14th?? We've got this dialed in and our wine family knows it. Reservations fill up quickly and the wait list does also.

Four courses of Crab!

Three wines for crab pairing picked from experience. Muscat is absolutely amazing with cold crab or in this case crab salad with Meyer lemon.

Crab cakes served with a roasted red sauce. My pick was Rose' to pair but I remember that the group chose all three wines evenly. Muscat, Rose' and Sonoma Coast Pinot. Pinot won by maybe one point and muscat one less but that's always subjective. I think I saw hands go up for more than one vote. :)

With food and wine pairings, you have to consider the sauce. Sauce and preparation style change everything for what wine will go best with. Add more lemon and the wine will change. Add hot sauce and bingo, the wine will change.

Mat's long standing favorite prep for crab is roasted and flavor packed. The crab tossed in an olive oil base loaded with garlic, chili flakes, fennel and thyme. And, Oh So Good! With Nightengale baguette

to soak up the crab bits and sauce.

Always a big hit!

You can do this at home, recipe on the web site under recipe tab.

We start with fresh live crab, steep it so it will not be over cooked and dry when roasted.

Pinot perfection for this dish.

We picked our most delicate Pinot from Sonoma Coast 2023 vintage. This wine is going out in our Spring Wine Club, this group got a sneak peak and were not dissapointed!

And to complete a dinner loaded with flavor and richness, just a little sweet treat. Full bellies, big smiles and ready for sleep.

We have had glorious weather to close January and begin FUN February. Coastal hike with crystal clear skies and 70 degree with no chill in the air. Makes winter easy.

And February is a jam packed month of FUN....

Mushroom Foray

Super Bowl

Valentines Day