Scribe Winery - Not Just for Millennials!

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Scribe in the Carneros region, and I will most definitely go back… though I had expected a completely different experience! I’d wanted to visit Scribe for years, ever since I met one of the two winemaking brothers, Andrew Mariani, at a hipster garden party. (A little aside: the party was hosted at Cristina and Lee Hudson’s residence nestled in the Carneros. Cristina had gathered a group of friends for a little pop-up sale featuring her artist friends who presented their bespoke fashion, perfumes, and jewelry. It would have made a fabulous magazine spread and Andrew Mariani fit right into the hipster crowd of invited guests.) I am not sure if I had already heard of Scribe at the time, but when I met Andrew, and he introduced himself, I was a bit taken in by his piercing blue eyes - I have to admit. Besides being young, handsome, and charming, the book lover/writer in me really was intrigued by the name of the winery, Scribe. I stored it into my mental rolodex and decided to add it to my Carneros itinerary someday.

Unfortunately, every time I tried to make a reservation, they were full… or having an event…or couldn’t accommodate my party size. I eventually gave up trying to get an appointment and moved on with my life (admittedly I didn’t really pursue it, and that was my own fault. To get an appointment there, you really need to care, and not give up easily). Luckily, my friend Kristi really wanted to make it to Scribe and she was relentless! After multiple calls and phone tag (they do not have an online system to make reservations) she finally secured a reservation for a tasting and food pairing. We both had envisioned a private, bespoke experience, aimed at the intellectual wine enthusiast, perhaps with a guided wine tasting, led by a serious wine geek educating us on the hallowed winemaking process. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Our visit was completely the opposite of that.

First of all, it was packed, but not overcrowded. This was on a gorgeous Thursday, around 1pm, in June. I believe it was Juneteenth, actually - whatever that holiday might be (they have Google for that). There were small groups of 4-8 on the large back patio, a large group inside the residence in the living room, and a few couples and foursomes on the front patio. The vibe is laid back and relaxed. The wine pairing is affordable though we all agreed the pours could have been a little more generous. There was no hard sell - in fact, there was very little, to almost zero, interaction with the staff. We did try to show interest and ask about the varietals and terroir etc., and the answers were knowledgable and friendly, but they just didn’t seem to have enough time to talk to us. Which was fine - we were happy enough talking to each other on such a gorgeous day, sipping the estate pinot and grazing on our herbed charcuterie and organic garden-to-table salad. It kind of felt like a secret tapas restaurant on a fabulous hacienda in Spain. No wonder it is a winery the millennials are flocking to en masse.

The location itself is like no other in the valley. Originally producing wine in the late 1800’s, the winery was shut down during prohibition became a turkey farm at some point, when Andrew Mariani purchased the property, in the early 2000’s. Besides being attracted by the prime vineyard acreage in the prestigious Carneros appellation, the shabby but majestic hacienda had the raw potential to be a gorgeous event space. Now the hacienda has been cleaned up and restored, but has an intentional shabby chic vibe, with a stunning wrap around terrace and expansive patio. This is where wine tastings for the public are held, by reservation only. The hacienda is perched on a knoll at the end of a long palm tree lined driveway. It could easily be the set for a Hollywood production of a movie set on a Cuban sugarcane plantation. Our group was seated on the large back patio, which is lovely and just off the gorgeous instagram-worthy open kitchen that would make Alice Waters proud (or even jealous). As I mentioned, this is a young, mostly hipster crowd. Almost every table had a group in their mid 20’s to early 30’s (we hear its a favored destination for celebrating a 21st birthday). I did a little walk around, and inside the residence are several rooms, to accommodate even more tastings.

The “living room” was occupied by a large group of 15 or more - another group of milennials (or perhaps even Gen Z) having fun. There is also a gorgeous sitting room with a fireplace and comfy couches for a group of 8-10, just off a beautiful wood clad dining room, that could easily seat parties during colder days if the patio is closed. The stunner, and where I would like to sit next time, is the front porch. While the back patio is a buzz of activity, the front porch is peaceful, romantic, and has an incredible view of the sugar cane….I mean vineyards. I imagine a few engagements have taken place in that very spot.

I highly recommend Scribe for the approachable wines, gorgeous setting, and affordability. Its basically a “you-can’t go wrong” pick. Just make sure you have your goatee groomed and your cute torn jeans ready so you can hang with the millennials. Tattoos optional.