Scribe winery has been whispering my name for the past two years. It began sometime in 2010, when I saw a photo in 7x7 of the Sonoma estate’s long palm-lined main drive and beautiful hacienda. The images looked timeless, as if they could have been taken in 1950s Havana or 1920s Cape Town. This was definitely not the Sonoma I knew. I stored these dreamy pictures somewhere in the back of my head and each time I heard about a new Scribe dinner series, wine party, or chef partnership, I added fodder to my already utopian vision of the winery.
Recently, I became friends with Nora Sibley Denker, a member of the Scribe staff, who invited me to visit the winery at the upcoming pick-up party. These parties are events the winery throws for members of its Viticultural Society. As a member you receive four shipments of wine a year, which can either be sent to your home or personally picked up at one of these gatherings. The perk of coming to the property is getting to enjoy the winery grounds, in addition to having a lovely meal, a bar serving Scribe’s most recent release, and the afternoon to spend with whomever you choose to bring along. This particular pick-up party offered up a lazy day filled with rosé, fish stew from the Marshall Store, and a sunny hillside for any other picnicking activities that struck my fancy. How could I resist?
When pulling up to the property, I am immediately taken by how beautiful the land is. The long driveway leads straight to Scribe’s dilapidated hacienda, the same one I’d seen photographed so many times before. The crumbling landmark is currently abandoned, on the verge of collapsing, and in the process of renovation. We are ushered past the building and directed up the hill, where the festivities are in full swing.
I’ve brought along Eleanor (my hound) and Eli (my fiancé), and as the three of us stroll through Scribe’s vegetable gardens, I am immediately impressed by how truly relaxed and familial the event feels. Groups of all ages are walking with blankets and picnic baskets as if headed to Dolores Park on a sunny afternoon.
When arriving at the top of the hill, I see why Scribe has chosen this spot for its temporary cellar. The hillside has a spectacular view of the valley below and plenty of space for a leisurely affair. The grounds are filled with laughter and lively conversation. Kids are shrieking with delight, dogs are roaming the grounds, and people are enjoying friends, new and old. With a smile on my face, I grab my first of many glasses of wine and join a group of friends I am surprised to find lounging in the sun.
Not long after my arrival, Scribe founder Andrew Mariani taps me on the shoulder and offers to take me on a stroll around the property to show me the land as he experiences it day in and day out. He and his brother Adam (with whom he runs the winery) grew up in a farming family in the Santa Clara Valley. Andrew and Adam see themselves as scribes of this land, and the winery is the result of their labor. One of their primary goals is to help revive the property, while making sure not to overpower nature’s patterns in the process. This goal is embodied in what they call “Forever Wild Farming,” which works to integrate their harvest into the existing ecosystem of the land.
Together with winemakers Kristof Anderson and Andrew Avellar, the Mariani brothers have chosen to ban the use of chemicals on the property, and instead solely participate in natural methods of vinification. The team works to increase the biodiversity of their land by encouraging natural species to thrive alongside the vines. Andrew reiterates that the outcome of these choices includes wines that are faithful representations of their origins and a sustainable model that enriches rather than depletes the land.
As our conversation continues, I learn from Andrew that when first purchasing the property, the Scribe team reconstructed the history of the vineyard from county records, old lithographs, and artifacts found on the land. In doing so, they uncovered a past well worth retelling. In 1858, the son of a famous German champagne producer named Emil Dresel purchased the land and started a vineyard with cuttings he had smuggled into the country on his maiden voyage in 1849. Amongst these plants were the first Riesling and Sylvaner varieties imported to the United States. His brother Julius joined him in 1869 and the outspoken duo were known to be fervent abolitionists, aggressive gamblers, occasional outlaws, and viticultural pioneers. Flamboyant behavior aside, the vineyard was a great success and in 1904, under the watch of Julius’ son Carl, Dresel wines received first place in both the red and white wine categories at the World’s Fair.
After years of success, the winery crumbled in 1920 with the enactment of Prohibition. The family burned the Dresel Wine Co. bond in protest but the hacienda continued to serve up tasty beverages and rowdy good times. With the help of the San Francisco police force, the property served as a byline for bootleggers to transport their goods, as well as a password-protected speakeasy. On a dark night one need only whisper, “Julius sent me” at the building’s back entrance. Inside, you’d find a maze of whiskey, music, wine, and for the right price, a young lady to show you up stairs, where the hacienda ran an altogether different business.
Standing on the grounds that day, it’s clear to me that Scribe’s events are an extension of all those nights of revelry — albeit, legal and less rowdy — that have taken place on this land. There’s something about this place that is just begging to be celebrated. It has an energy that makes grown men feel comfortable swinging from rope swings in trees. It is a place where you can’t help but lose track of time and delight in the fact that you’ve done so.
In the midst of my enjoyment, I catch sight of Nora, who I have to thank for my invite. I hug her and tell her what a great time I’m having and how awesome these parties really are. She laughs and urges me to come back again to experience the uniqueness of each of Scribe’s gatherings. Each season brings a different meal and wine. And at some events, they’ll find themselves dancing late into the night, while at others, people naturally scurry home when the sun reminds them to do so. I’m not sure if I’ve just had too much of the Kool-Aid (er…vino), but at this point in my visit, Scribe’s “everything goes back to the land” principle is making more sense than I care to admit. I find my way back to Eli and Eleanor, where I close out the evening bundled up fireside with those I love the most.
If great wine and good times are right up your alley, visit Scribewinery.com to join its wine club. Scribe does a nice job of offering a variety of membership options and detailing the perks that come with each, including free wine tastings, discounts on bottles, and first access to new releases, along with a slew of other perks.
