One of the city's best tasting rooms is in the Dogpatch, just off the T-line, which has recently earned the nickname of "San Francisco's wine train" because of its proximity to urban wineries. At Sutton Cellars, winemaker Carl Sutton makes wines that are thoughtful and food-friendly year-round: rattlesnake rosé made from Carignane 80 percent, Grenache 20 percent, as well as Carignane, a single grape marvel that is young, unfined, and unfiltered. He also makes a popular vermouth, made from 17 botanicals, and organic cider.
Sutton began making wine in the mid '90s, and builds on traditional ideas to produce new and interesting products that are as drinkable as they are fun. And, except for the busy harvest and bottling seasons, he does all the winery's heavy-duty labor himself.
He grew up near Salinas, and his mother let him sample wines from Navarro Vineyard and Winery, where she was a prerelease member. That early experimentation gave him the ability to put flavors together, a sort of layering mechanism critical for any wine operation. And it shows in Sutton's work today: Mendocino, where Navarro is located, is one of the places he now sources grapes. He also sells mulled wine from his mom's recipe during the holiday season.
His cider is made in the Basque style: cloudy and a blend of all-organic apples that range from Gala to Gravenstein and Pink Lady from Sonoma County. The cider is tart and shows traits of the farmhouse style: no filters, sweeteners, pasteurization, or other add-ons. Fans of kombucha and sour beers will like what is in the glass with Sutton's take. The apple varieties shine through, and the instinct to reach for another sip is strong.
Sutton's Brown Label dry vermouth is made from Sonoma white grapes and featured along with Amontillado sherry and bitters in the popular Bamboo cocktail at Comstock Saloon; of the 1,000 cases of wine Sutton sells, he says roughly half is vermouth and the finished product is fruit forward with definite citrus notes. When Sutton made the dry vermouth over five years ago, the category had not seen a new addition in more than 10 years; now there are over 20 new vermouths to ponder which range from sweet to dry.
Sutton fairly points out that some folks may think they don't like vermouth or a martini but that it's probably because they haven't tried it prepared or paired in the right way. Sampling a "Sutton and soda" affirms this: It's a breezy and sippable treat that includes a grapefruit peel garnish for extra refreshment; the zest and oils further bring out the lightness and herbaceousness of the drink. This is Sutton's drink of choice when cooking for his wife at home. Sutton recommends trying the vermouth neat, in the Sunday afternoon style of la hora de vermouth in Spain, when salty snacks like fried chickpeas or potato chips are served.
Another Sutton innovation that keeps Dogpatch locals — and customers from further afield — happy is Sutton's medium weight red jug blend in branded refillable containers that are similar to beer growlers. The blend changes every few weeks and uses two to six different wines. The vessel "gives people a reason to come back."
Sutton got his start in Sonoma during a break from college and considers many in the cocktail and craft beer worlds to be his peers. They are down-to-earth and do not bring any snobbishness when it's time to taste and talk shop. Similarly, his outfit lacks the golf shirts often sold in wine country tasting rooms. Still, if you luck out, you may be able to finagle a T-shirt that reflects the urban fun that he is wearing the day I visit: "Sutton Cellars. Put some in your mouth."
His business is around the corner from Smokestack at Magnolia Brewery, where Sutton gets his supply of ice cubes for those vermouth drinks. The two go way back: Magnolia's Haight Street location has carried Sutton's red blend of wine on tap for the past eight years. Magnolia owner and beer maker Dave McClean got Sutton to supply a recipe of botanicals to use for a beer for Strong Beer Month which was a popular hit.
Sutton also crafts a 2006 La Tortuga dessert wine that has a sweet soy sauce note in the finish. He was looking for a "savory umami thing with a balance of salinity and acid" and describes the Tortuga as a 100 percent botrytis affected wine, harvested at double the normal sugar level for dry wine. Although the Tortuga is not fortified, Sutton says it is similar to Madeira or Pedro Ximenez sherry. The wine was barrel fermented for a full year and barrel aged for six and a half years. There are apricot and fig flavors from the botrytis but also a savory, salty flavor that developed over the course of aging. Sutton's creative spirit and finesse may make him a favorite of the restaurant industry, yet drink consumers of all stripes can find something to love in his bottles.
All products are available at Sutton Cellars directly (the tasting room is open 5-8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, noon-5 p.m. on weekends). Find the Sutton Cellars red wine on tap at Magnolia Brewing Company (an exclusive blend); the vermouth is available at Alembic (on tap), Bi-Rite Markets, Boxing Room, Cask, D&M, Dogpatch Saloon, Local Cellar, Rainbow Grocery, Roka Akor, Rye and Wingtip. Rich Table, Chino, Comstock, Serpentine, and Third Rail all use the vermouth in a cocktail, and look for the Sutton Cellars cider in bottles at Rainbow Grocery.
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