Though it was expensive to pay for the 9-course tasting menu at 3-Star Michelin restaurant, SingleThread, in Healdsburg, California, sometimes in life you just have to splurge. Besides dining at a 3-star Michelin isn’t only about the food and wine, it is also like getting a front-row orchestra seat at both the ballet and theater, as well as attending an art gallery.
This is because the servers seem to dance around the table in a ballet of grace as they bring new dishes and change out cutlery, plates and wine glasses. Then, in a dramatic fashion, the head server explains each dish with a fascinating description of the ingredients and their source, along with the sommelier who describes the wine pairings. Finally you get to enjoy the artistic pleasure of viewing each dish, which is always served on unique plates with exciting colors and textures. So it is worth it sometimes!
In this case, it was even more special, because Sarah Hanson Citron, COO of Bricoleur Vineyards in Sonoma County, invited me to enjoy the meal with a different glass of her wines paired with each dish. It was thrilling to taste the food and wine pairings, and listen to her story of the winery and how she developed a collaborative partnership with SingleThread through a simple action of kindness.
This story is told below in a Forbes article that I published last month, and is republished here with permission. Cheers!
A Simple Action of Kindness Creates Wine/Food Collaboration
It is the goal of many wineries to have their wine selected to be on a 3-star Michelin restaurant list, but very rarely achieved. With only 150 Michelin 3-star restaurants in the U.S. and over 11,000 wineries, this is a very challenging feat. Plus when coupled with the many imported wines featured on restaurant wine lists, the chances of achieving this are even more daunting.
But sometimes, a simple act of kindness can change everything, and that is what happened when Bricoleur Vineyards in Sonoma County, California, offered their winery as the venue for the annual Project Zin charity fundraiser to support Down syndrome organizations.
“We believe in supporting local charities and our community, and that is why we donated our winery space for Project Zin since 2021,” said Sarah Hanson Citron, COO of Bricoleur, when I met her for a recent dinner at SingleThread, paired with Bricoleur wines. She was accompanied by Bricoleur’s Associate Winemaker, Tom Pierson.
“It’s a fundraiser that was co-founded by Chef Charlie Palmer and winemaker Clay Mauritson. Clay’s son, Brady was born with Down syndrome, and so they started this event to bring together Sonoma County restaurants, top zinfandel producers, and consumers for a celebration of wine, food, and to raise funds for the Down syndrome Connection of the Bay Area,” continued Sarah.
But it was not just the act of donating their spacious winery grounds to 20 other wineries, 20 restaurants, and hundreds of consumers that spawned the collaboration with SingleThread, but another small act of kindness.
“It was a very hot day,” Sarah recalled, “and so our team started offering the chefs a small glass of our chilled Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc and our Viognier wine, to cool off. Chef Kyle from SingleThread really enjoyed our Viognier, and that sparked a conversation about adding our Viognier to the wine list.”
Experiencing the Collaboration Relationship With SingleThread
Fortunately for Sarah and Bricoleur, SingleThread Restaurant, owned and operated by Chef Kyle and Katina Connaughton, believes in working closely with local businesses in collaborative relationships.
So together the two businesses decided to collaborate on the viognier wine and created a special label that includes the name of both Bricoleur and SingleThread. The wine is now available at SingleThread Restaurant by the bottle, as a glass pour, on the tasting menu, and as a complimentary amenity in SingleThread Inn guest rooms.
“We enjoy working with local producers as much as possible,” said Chef Kyle, when he stopped by our table to say hello and gather our feedback on the Bricoleur Viognier and SingleThread course pairing. The tasting menu, which is updated seasonally, includes 9-courses, along with several wine pairing options.
The Collaborative SingleThread x Bricoleur Viognier 2023 Kick Ranch wine was paired with the fifth course, entitled Black Cod Furkkura-San. “This dish, in particular, incorporates fresh local vegetables with black cod, steamed in a clay pot. It is an excellent pairing with the Bricoleur Viognier and I also like the visual appeal of the food with the wine,” stated Chef Kyle.
He was correct about the visual appeal because the dish was presented at the table in a clay pot called a donabe, and when the lid was lifted by the server, the fish and vegetables were arranged in a kaleidoscope of colors. These were then arranged beautifully on individual plates with the creamy cod and sauce forming a white pool on the plate surrounded by green and yellow vegetables with pink edible flowers (see photo below).
Each course was served with a different Bricoleur wine sample, which was donated by the winery. Sommelier Chris McFall also joined us to discuss the pairing. “I really like this pairing of the fifth course with the cod in the donabe and the freshness of the viognier. It is springtime and summer coming together with a great linearity plus texture,” he said.
The wine did taste like summertime with notes of white peach and honeysuckle but fermented in a fresh style with crisp acidity and pleasing texture on the palate. The fruity notes were a perfect foil for the fresh, crunchy vegetables and savory cod, with the wine’s texture and acidity providing a refreshing finish to each bite. Together the food and wine elevated one another.
When asked how long the collaborative viognier would stay on the menu, Chris McFall responded, “The viognier will stay on the menu as long as we have it available. We always like to save a few bottles of our collaborations for our collection. It’s such a wonderful expression, and will be available in some capacity year-round.”
He added that in making decisions on which wines they select for their menu they generally look for local producers that are vying to make the best expression of a varietal or style from Sonoma County.
“Whenever and wherever we can, we try to shine the light towards our incredible farmers in any capacity throughout Sonoma County. For these collaboration viticulture ventures, we aim to illuminate the bounty of talented thoughtful vignerons, in a way that can be impactful and positive for all parties involved,” Chris concluded.
Bricoleur’s Philosophy About Creativity, Wine, and Food
The term, ‘bricoleur,’ borrowed from the French language, means ‘an improvisational approach to cobble things together.’ Sarah Citron explained that she and her father selected the name for the winery because that is their philosophy.
““We do really plan things out, despite the definition of Bricoleur, but we creatively adapt to what life throws at us,” said Sarah. That is how, when they launched the winery in early 2020, they adapted by offering hot food options in an outdoor setting along with their wine tastings. This allowed them to keep the business open during Covid.
“As essential workers, we all worked together during Covid in our pod, and were able to keep all of the staff employed,” she reported.
Fortunately, they had originally applied for a permit to serve food at the winery, because wine/food pairing was always part of their philosophy. Today visitors can choose from five different wine tasting and culinary experiences, ranging from classical food/wine pairings to picnics and blending seminars.
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Bricoleur has its own culinary garden, as well as two estate vineyards, totaling 63 acres of grapevines. They also purchase wine grapes from other grape growers. The estate vineyards are Kick Ranch (43 acres in the Fountaingrove District) and Bricoleur Vineyards (20 acres in the Russian River Valley). All of their vineyard acres are certified sustainable.
“In addition to Tom Pierson as our Associate Winemaker, we also have Bob Cabral and Cary Gott as Co-Head Winemakers, plus Executive Chef Todd Knoll and Rebecca Robinson as Senior Sous Chef,” Sarah explained. She also has hired Chefs Charlie Palmer and Thomas Bellec as culinary advisors.
Altogether Bricoleur produces around 10,000 cases of twelve different types of wines, ranging from Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, and more. They also craft several sparkling wines and roses. Prices range from $36 to $350.
There is a very active wine club with visitors enjoying relaxing with family and pets on the extensive grounds just outside of Windsor, California. “We are a family-oriented winery, and we welcome everyone,” stated Sarah.
As a cancer survivor and the mother of a young child, Sarah Hanson Citron focuses on family, community, and living each day to the fullest. “My great grandfather was Pietro Carlo Rossi, the winemaker at Sonoma County’s historic Italian Swiss Colony winery, so I guess the love for wine and community runs deep in my soul.”
Last year, Sarah established a ‘Sip With Purpose’ campaign that supports cancer research. For each bottle of Bricoleur Vineyards’ Isla Rose Brut Rosé (which is named after her daughter, Isla Rose Citron) sold, Bricoleur donates $5 to organizations like the American Cancer Society, V Foundation, or Cycle for Survival. To date, they have raised $102,000.