Cibo Rustico On its Way
Soon, the aroma of wood oven pizza and grilled meats will marry with the intoxicating perfumes of wine and beer emanating from a most unlikely spot: an industrial parking lot at Cleveland and Ridgway avenues, next to the 101 Freeway.
Wineyard at Santa Rosa Vintners’ Square just keeps on growing since the D’Argenzio family expanded a simple strip mall into an urban wine village two years ago.
What began as a production facility and tasting room for D’Argenzio wines now is home to equal space for Sheldon Wines, and Krutz Family Cellars, plus a brand new entry, The Hopyard, a special event and live music venue across from the tasting room featuring local microbrews poured at its bar.
Realizing that all that good wine and beer can build an appetite, the D’Argenzio family is now opening Cibo Rustico Culinary Kitchen, a restaurant that’s also a demonstration kitchen for cooking classes.
Currently, the viewable space is mostly patio, but come late March, there will be an outdoor pizza oven imported from Italy, and a grilling lounge rounded out with staple Italian dishes. Some ingredients will be plucked from an adjacent vegetable and herb garden, and everything will be put together by a local chef.
Who that talent is, co-owner and winemaker Ray D’Argenzio won’t say yet, but he teases with this: “I am presently working with a Michelin star rated chef who hopefully will be our consultant.”
Look for more special events, too. In 2010, Vintner’s Square was home to the inaugural Rootstock music culinary festival, and local wine and beer makers are invited to rent the space for their own events. Students wanting to hone their cooking skills, meanwhile, can sign up for classes, hosted by Sonoma guest chefs.
D’Argenzio has been busy signing even more leases. The co-op tasting line-up soon will include Atascadero Creek Winery, Flocchini Winery, Jazz Cellars and Santa Rosa Junior College’s Shone Farm Winery.
Details: Wineyard at Santa Rosa Vintners’ Square, 1305-A Cleveland Ave.,
Santa Rosa, 707-280-4658 or santarosavintnerssquare.com.
