Fourteen months ago, Chris and Lindsey Wanner opened the second Bay Area location of their West Coast Wine • Cheese shop, nestling into the 700-square-foot space at 31 Sunnyside Ave. that was the former home of the Weathered Nest vintage home accessories space adjacent to Kitchen Sunnyside restaurant in downtown Mill Valley.

As the moniker suggests, the Wanners leave no doubt about the wines they spotlight. “I’m kind of a homer, for sure – it’s all about California, Oregon and Washington,” Chris Wanner says of their Pinot Noir-heavy bottle list of approximately 330 wines. “That’s where my expertise lies, and I really love repping these brands and telling the stories of these winemakers and vineyard owners. And I see us as not being just a place that sells wine, but a space that builds community around our wine and around those stories.”

To that end, the couple have hosted dozens of tastings and winemaker events, always with the same goal: highlight great wine and winemakers and build community. They’re doing so again throughout early 2020, starting Feb. 26 with Hourglass Winery from Calistoga, featuring Hourglass National Sales Manager Michael Cooperman. 

“Under the guidance of winemaker Tony Biagi, Hourglass continues to refine its estate wines to new heights of craft and expression,” Wanner says. “They continually strive to farm mindfully, and produce terroir-driven wines of the highest character. Also, their caves at the Blue Line Estate property are an absolute must-visit when in Calistoga (the picture at bottom left of the above collage is from the inside of those caves, while the pic at bottom right is of the entrance of the caves).

“I’ve enjoyed a couple of very memorable Blue Line Estate visits in the past, but after hanging out with Michael Cooperman this week, I couldn’t be more excited to finally get him into our wine bars!” Wanner adds. “I’m looking forward to introducing you to him and to the Hourglass wines. I hope to share a glass with you next week!”

Picture

On March 11, the shop hosts its regular Wine Club Pick-Up Party. Two Club Options to choose from, quarterly pick-up parties with complimentary flights for members, with discounts on all bar tabs, and deeper discounts on retail wines.  Two weeks later, the shop’s favorite guest bartender and regular Jaclyn Strife (at left) pops in to get behind the bar for another shift. Happy Hour specials will go until 8pm.

On April 1, the Wanners welcome Ian Brand of I. Brand Winery in Carmel Valley for a tasting. The SF Chronicle‘s Winemaker of the Year, the most in-demand winemaker on the Central Coast, Brand will be sharing wines from his three labels La Marea, Le P’tit Paysan, and I. Brand & Family.

One week later, on April 8, West Coast Wine • Cheese celebrates the release of its second vintage of OVO Rosé from Vogelzang Vineyards in Santa Barbara. “Same winemaker, new vineyard source, and a small amount of Syrah added to the Grenache to add a touch of depth and complexity,” Wanner says.

The 411: Over the next two months, West Coast Wine • Cheese shop hosts a number of tastings and events at its space at 31 Sunnyside Ave. in downtown Mill Valley. MORE INFO.

​​Want to know what’s happening around town? Click here to subscribe to the Enjoy Mill Valley Blog by Email!