Pangloss Cellars Tasting Room in Sonoma Square
35 East Napa Street, Sonoma CA 95476
Website: http://www.panglosscellars.com/
Pangloss Cellars is located in the center of Sonoma Square on the corner of East Napa Street and 1st Street East. This is one of my favorite latest finds. I had never heard of the winery before stumbling upon it while acting as a tour guide for my mother-and-law and my husband’s aunt who were visiting Sonoma for the first time. They wanted to do a little window shopping while my husband and I opted to try a tasting room. I can’t even recall which tasting room I was actually looking for at the time. I am so happy we encountered Pangloss.
Pangloss tasting bar in downtown Sonoma
As we walked into the tasting room it felt a like stepping into a different society. My impression of the tasting room is that it’s a combination of a scholarly lounge with a modern, chic flair. The name Pangloss came from literary figure Dr. Pangloss who was an eternal optimist in French novelist Voltaire’s Candide. The focal point of the room is a large, square tasting bar surrounded by bar chairs, with a giant vine in the center, and a wall of wine bottles lined up from ceiling to floor behind it. The front of the room where we entered is mostly windows looking out toward the square. There are areas in front of the windows and around the sides of the bar with comfy leather or upholstered furniture. The walls to the left side of the room are all stone.
Pangloss Cellars wine bar
On the right side of the room is a large picture of what looks like an 18th century literary figure. The rest of the room is framed by wood beams and modest chandeliers that add to the warm, social atmosphere. The room was hopping with people when we stopped in, but it wasn’t overly packed. We were able to find a couple seats up at the corner of the bar.
In the same spirit as the character that the winery is named after, the owners’ philosophy is “optimism is the best approach to life”. They want to share the best of Sonoma with their patrons. The winery is fairly recent, producing their first vintage in 2010. Their wines are small production of about 4,000 cases that are sourced from all over Sonoma. Guests are encouraged to come in and make themselves comfortable while they experience one of three tasting experiences. The first option is a traditional tasting flight at the bar. The other options are relaxing with a glass or flight and some small plates in the lounge, or to reserve a private, immersive tasting in the cellar. Since my husband and I were just swinging by to try something new and didn’t have a lot of time, we did a tasting flight at the bar. Our flight of wines included a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, couple of Zinfandels, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a red blend. I very much enjoyed all of the singe varietal wines. I found the 2013 Pinot Noir to have warm spices of cinnamon and cardamom and an extremely silky texture. The Zinfandels were really robust and would pair well with grilled meats.
We left excited by the fact that we stumbled upon the tasting room and brought home a few bottles with us. In my opinion, the owners have succeeded in fulfilling their core values of being “welcoming, authentic, optimistic and unpretentious”. This is a place worth seeking out.