An eclectic family of wines, and now small bites.
February 7, 2020 – Sonoma, CA – A once small tasting room located in downtown Glen Ellen is now set to open their new location Kivelstadt Cellars Wine Garden & Eatery in the former Schellville Grill location on April 18, 2020, in an effort to revitalize a Sonoma staple. Kivelstadt Cellars is known for leading a new generation of California winemaking style making light and fresh wines from organic grapes made for the everyday person. What began as an idea to expand the tasting room space and experience to include small paired bites, has now flourished to incorporate a wine garden and eatery where guests can enjoy beautiful outside seating along with a handful of menu options for dine-in or take-out brunch and lunch. Seeing both a location rich with local history, and a lack of casual and comfortable dining options in the Sonoma Valley, Owner Jordan Kivelstadt knew it was time for something new.
“One of Kivelstadt Cellars’ core values,” says Kivelstadt, “is preserving the rich history of California through the wines we make and vineyards we work with. This project represents a chance to pay tribute to the history of a location that has meant so much to so many in Sonoma Valley. Even more exciting is the chance to bring in a chef who grew up in Sonoma and brings the same passion and perspective to his cuisine that we bring to our wine. We’re looking forward to sharing a meal and glass of wine with locals and visitors alike for many years to come.”
Kivelstadt brought on Chef Matt Tucker, a born and raised Sonoman who has been climbing the culinary ladder for the last 12 years. Through hard work and perseverance Chef Tucker found success at a young age and is known for working at many notable restaurants, such as Napa Valley’s La Toque. From landing his first Sous Chef position at the young age of 22, to an Executive Chef for the winery trio Pangloss, Texture, and Repris at 25, Chef Tucker has always had ambitions to make a significant contribution to the culinary excellence of Sonoma Valley.
Resting on the northeast side of the intersection Hwy 12 and 121 in Carneros, the Schellville Grill property holds decades of valuable history that Kivelstadt saw as a unique opportunity. During the 80’s and 90’s Sonoma locals knew this space as Ford’s Cafe, owned by William Ford Cook, a beloved diner cooking up hearty and comforting meals for many. Since 2002, The Schellville Grill, owned by Matthew Nagan, specialized in California Barbecue and was featured in The Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Now, Kivelstadt Cellars Wine Bar & Eatery will feature on-tap selections of wine, craft beer, kombucha, and cold brew coffee, brunch and lunch service, seated tastings, multi-course food and wine pairings, and educational seminars on wines from around the world in a casual, pretense-free environment.
About Kivelstadt Cellars
Owner, Jordan Kivelstadt, trained as an engineer at Tufts University before moving on to management consulting, eventually left his benefits and secure paycheck to explore what else the world had to offer. In 2006, Jordan began his career in the wine industry as a production manager for The Donum Estate. With the founding Kivelstadt Cellars in 2007, Kivelstadt realized his passion for challenging the status quo of conventional California wines – both through his unique winemaking style and commitment to sustainability. Over the last twelve years, Kivelstadt has pioneered the movement towards alternative packaging through both wine-on-tap and canned wine, advocating their use as the best way to limit the carbon footprint of the wine industry. Since opening their Glen Ellen tasting room in 2015, Kivelstadt Cellars has offered customers the option to ditch the bottle and opt instead for eco-friendly refillable wine growlers.
