Russian River Brewing Company in Windsor offers guided and self-guided tours. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
If you’ve heard of the beer Pliny the Elder, then you know Russian River Brewing Company.
What you might not know is this Sonoma County brewery was founded in 1997 by Korbel Champagne Cellars in Guerneville.
Vinnie Cilurzo was hired 40 years ago as the first brew master. He created Pliny the Elder in 1999; it remains the brewery’s most popular beer.
In 2003, Korbel decided to stick with bubbly and get out the beer business. Vinnie with wife Natalie obtained all rights to the brewery and beer names, as well as recipes. They’ve grown the business into quite an enterprise, having bought out the investors so they are now sole owners.
While the original downtown Santa Rosa facility remains open, the making of beer—and therefore tours—are in Windsor. October will mark eight years since this facility opened. The 85,000-square-feet of developed space includes beer production for what’s known as clean beers as well as sour barrel-aged beers, administrative offices, brewpub, outdoor beer garden, gift shop, tasting room/growler fills and parking.
The Cilurzos own 15 acres here, with about 4 acres of it wetlands.
About 10 percent of RRB’s beers are sours, also known as funky beer. I can pass on all of those. But there are plenty of styles to choose from, so it’s hard to imagine not finding something for everyone in your group.
A souvenir glass and beer tastings are part of the tour. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
The brewery offers guided and self-guided tours. Last month Darla, Sue and I went on the guided tour. The only real disappointment was no action was taking place—as no making of the beer or bottling/canning it.
No matter, it was still interesting. Plus, we were able to sample a few beers along the way.
Cory, our tour guide, was so full of information my head was swimming—I’m sure it wasn’t all the beer. After all, I’d had a flight with lunch before the tour even began. Seriously, he had so much information to share it was a bit overwhelming.
Trying to be as environmentally conscious as possible is one goal of the brewery’s. In 2025 the brewery made a sizable investment (actual dollar amount was not revealed) to be able to reuse the carbon dioxide released during fermentation and reuse it in the brewing process.
Cory said it’s already paying for itself, which was seconded by a Facebook post this summer from the brewery that said in one year the system captured 300 tons of carbon dioxide from fermentation, supplying the Windsor and Santa Rosa locations. The reuse means those greenhouse gas emissions are not going into the air.
Exiting the tour we walk through panels of information that are part of the self-tour. One is about the CO2 recovery. “During fermentation, the yeast eats the sugars and creates CO2 as the byproduct, which is usually bubbled into a bucket of water and then released. CO2 is later purchased for use in carbonation, packaging and pressurization. This industrial CO2 is often purchased at an inflated price and sometimes with an unreliable supply. Recovering CO2 onsite offers a smarter, more sustainable alternative.”
The brewery also recycles much of its water—at least the water used in the brewing process. This is done via an onsite wastewater treatment facility. That reclaimed water is then used for cleaning the brewery.
Non-potable water is purchased from the city of Windsor for use in toilets and landscaping at the brewery. When you see the purple pipes you will know what’s going on.
If you are in the area, the beer, food and tour will be worth your time.
Two days a year people may pick peaches at Chico State’s farm. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
I figured out the best thing I can do with 23 pounds of peaches is to just eat them. No cutting, no cooking, no canning.
OK, so while that is the best way to enjoy a peach, it’s not the only way.
But first, why are there so many peaches in the house? Because I finally made it to the u-pick peach event at the Chico State Farm.
This event has existed for about 30 years. For two days during the summer the public is invited to the farm to pick as many peaches as they want. At least I don’t think there is a limit.
I really bought more than I needed, but it was so much fun. I barely made a dent in what was available considering about 20,000 peaches were sold last year.
It’s so popular that some years they sell out. That’s why I went on the first day this year—July 28. I even skipped my usual tennis gig for peaches. It was worth it.
These aren’t free peaches. They are $3 a pound.
I realized I haven’t been around that many peach trees in my lifetime. What I didn’t expect was to see them growing in bunches, almost like a braid of peaches. I showed the picture to my mom and she had never seen such a thing either.
A sign at the farm said each acre yields between 7,000 and 9,000 pounds of peaches. About 1,500 people attend the u-pick event each year.
“All orchards are managed to provide a learning site for our instructional program and use a state-of-the-art computerized irrigation control system,” the sign said.
It would have been easy to stick to one tree because there were so many of these orbs. Instead I sauntered down the row with my cart and two boxes. One box filled with “eat these now” peaches and the other with “still need to ripen a bit” peaches. The goal was to not have to eat them every other hour.
Some peaches grow in bunches. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
The 3-acre plot has the Fay Elberta varietal. I don’t know my peach varieties. All I can say is they are good. Mom and I have been eating them like crazy. We’ve also given some away.
I also created a dessert that is somewhere in between a pie (no crust, so not a pie), a crisp (no oats, so not a crisp) and a cobbler (no biscuit like topping, so not a cobbler). I’ll have to come up with a name for it. The top resembled something similar to what our family does for an apple pie topping; a crumb crust.
Whatever it is I made, I made it twice it was soooo good and I had so many peaches. Both times others helped us consume the dessert. I’m pretty sure the recipe will find its way into the Tahoe Mountain News for my food column next July.
The nice thing about peaches is they freeze well once cut up. I don’t know how they would do baking later—but for sure they will be tasty in smoothies. We managed to eat all of ours, so none wound up in the freezer.
While not a cheap endeavor, it was great to harvest my own peaches and know that the money goes back to the ag department at Chico State.
A burger, fries and a beverage with a tiny side of history. That’s what you will get when you dine at Pick’s Roadside in Cloverdale.
The history is what got me there. The claim to fame is being the oldest drive-in in California.
Pick’s Roadside in Cloverdale tries to capture past glory. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
It’s not a drive in any more, though there are lines on the pavement where people could have parked—though not necessarily when it was a drive-in.
“It originally opened in 1923 as Reed and Bell’s Root Beer Stand, a regional franchisee of A&W Root Beer, founded by Lewis Reed and H.C. Bell. In the early 1950s, Mayo and Johnie Mae Pickard purchased the roadside stand and renamed it Pick’s Drive-In,” according to Sonoma magazine.
It reopened in January by Sonoma County-based Anidel Hospitality with a menu that includes Wagyu beef burgers and sparkling wine, as well as the new name.
While A&W root beer is not on the menu, Lost Coast root beer from Eureka is. It was deliciously sweet and a treat. Root beer floats are also available.
Three of us got the veggie burger and were not thrilled. Store-bought, so to speak, black bean burger. Nothing special, just messy.
The meat eater was satisfied with her Wagyu.
The fries and onion rings are definitely worthwhile.
Pick’s is worth stopping by if you are in the area, but you won’t be missing out if you don’t. This is unlike Gott’s Roadside in St. Helena, which I would suggest you make a point of going to. The food is better and the options more robust.
While I know things are just getting more and more expensive, $30 for a veggie burger, fries and root beer really is out of my normal price range.
Plus, I was also hoping for a bit more history instead of a blurb on the menu.
Happy hours save drinkers money and keep people going out. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere is a phrase often said with a wink and a nod to give oneself and others permission to start drinking no matter the time of day. Five o’clock being the magical hour when so many get off work.
This is also typically the start of the drinking hour or hours as the case may be.
It’s when restaurants and bars would start their happy hour pricing. Now those discounted drinks and food items might be available even earlier, often as a way to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner service.
When one combines the pandemic keeping people in their home office, remote work still being a thing and younger generations saying no to alcohol, it would be easy to assume happy hour isn’t such a jovial time for owners of bars and restaurants.
That is not the case at many locales; happy hour is still very much an integral part of many eateries’ business model.
“People are drinking less, but they are still drinking. They may be having three beers instead of five,” Luis Vastiri, manager at Calistoga Inn and Brewery, said. “We keep the promotion for our loyal guests.”
The Monday-Friday 4-6 p.m. specials also attract tourists, but Vastiri said most are local workers.
“The are definitely middle age and older. They are not young,” he said of those partaking in happy hour.
Santa Rosa’s Bird & The Bottle recently extended its happy hour to 6 p.m. for a smoother transition into dinner service. It was 3-5 p.m. seven days a week.
“It’s good to bring more people in where there is a little bit of a lower price point,” Amber Pineda, assistant general manager, said. “We have lot of great regulars here all the time, but we want to reach more people.”
She said being around the corner from Sutter Hospital is a boon, as workers from there routinely come in.
Bird & The Bottle has had a happy hour since it opened nine years ago.
Jackson’s Bar & Oven in Santa Rosa has had a happy hour since opening in 2008. General Manager Ken Goldfine said the impetus to do so remains the same today — to ensure people are in the restaurant at all times, even when it’s not a traditional hour to eat or drink.
People working remotely didn’t slow traffic to Jackson’s. Goldfine credits the nearby hotels, conventions, bridal parties and regulars with keeping happy hour happy.
While people can order off the happy hour and regular priced menus, the weekday discounts from 3-5 p.m. are only good in the bar area.
Perry’s in Novato started its happy hour a couple years after it opened four years ago.
“We wanted to get a feel for the neighborhood and what the demand was,” Aldy Butler, manager of the Marin County restaurant, said.
The company’s other locations, which include Larkspur and two in San Francisco plus one at San Francisco International Airport, don’t have happy hours. While the goal is to be consistent across the properties, the fact the previous restaurant at the Novato location had a happy hour and customers asked for one led to the decision to do so.
It’s seven days a week from 3-7 p.m. All Perry’s offer half off wine on Wednesdays.
“Fortunately we don’t have a ton of people coming in just to have happy hour,” Butler said. They are either staying for dinner or ordering drinks and/or food not on the happy hour menu.
Many of these North Bay restaurants are finding the happy hour patrons are from the neighborhood — either they work or live nearby. Making convenience a part of the allure in addition to the discounted prices.
“Around the restaurant are many schools and offices. I think the people who work there are coming in,” Jorge Ramirez, a server at Mamita in Novato, said.
He said everyone coming in for happy hour is at least 30 years old. While soft drinks and frescas are available, Ramirez said it is the deal on alcoholic beverages that attracts people.
Village 360 in Fairfield has a more limited happy hour — Thursday and Friday, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Considering it closes at 5 p.m., the early hours work with the business model.
People go there for the pizza and alcoholic drinks. The whole idea behind it, like other places, is to attract people to the restaurant.
1933 Kitchen & Bar in Suisun City instituted happy hour less than two years ago with the goal of driving up numbers. An employee said it’s been successful, with about half those coming in seeming to be workers and the other half not employed for whatever reason. Happy hour is Monday-Friday, 2- 6 p.m.
When Frida’s Mexican Grill in Napa opened in 2007 it only had a beer and wine license. Three years later the liquor license and happy hour arrived.
During the pandemic Frida’s allowed people to order off the happy hour menu in the dining room in order to space people apart. That has continued, much to the appreciation of customers.
About 95 percent of happy hour customers are locals, according to manager Martin Aguilera. They are ordering margaritas and beer at a discount.
While most places have something non-alcoholic available at happy hour prices, they don’t move the needle much.
“We have non-alcoholic beers, and virgin margaritas and virgin pina coladas, but they aren’t great sellers,” Aguilera said.
Shadows cast a spell across the vineyard at Narrow Gate winery near Placerville. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
Wine sales are down, people are drinking less, publicly traded companies are suspending dividends, vineyards and wineries are on the market, tariffs are impacting the export market, grapes are rotting on the vine, entire vineyards are being uprooted and wineries are shutting down.
This is the state of the California wine industry, which produces more than 80 percent of the wine sold in the United States.
El Dorado County wineries are still recovering from the 2020 pandemic, smoke taint and lack of visitors following the 2021 Caldor Fire, and a double frost in 2022 that ravaged the crop. After that spring Narrow Gate Vineyards had to rehabilitate 75 percent of its vineyard.
In the first two months of this year four major California wine companies—Jackson Family Wines, Gallo, Foley Family Wines & Spirits (owner of Minden Mill Distillery in the Carson Valley) and Constellation—announced major layoffs.
The downturn isn’t supposed to begin reversing course until after 2027 or 2028, according to the 2026 State of the U.S. Wine Industry Report published by Silicon Valley Bank.
El Dorado County wine grape facts
Red Wine Grapes:
2024: 2,146 acres, 4,842 tons, $1,604 price per ton, total value $6,887,878
2023: 2,176 acres, 5,093 tons, $1,982 price per ton, total value $8,849,921
2022: 2,357 acres, 2,152 tons, $2,022 price per ton, total value $3,863,249
White Wine Grapes:
2024: 352 acres, 687 tons, $2,061 price per ton, total value $1,168,488
2023: 358 acres, 733 tons, $2,003 price per ton, total value $1,255,647
2022: 355 acres, 175 tons, $2,425 price per ton, total value $ 317,117
*All Wine Grapes
2024: 2,498 acres, 3,529 tons, $1,832 price per ton, total value $ 8,056,366
2023: 2,534 acres, 5,826 tons, $2,992 price per ton, total value $10,105,568
2022: 2,712 acres, 2,327 tons, $2,223 price per ton, total value $ 7,180,366
2021: 2,696 acres, 6,432 tons, $1,604 price per ton, total value $ 7,207,273
2020: 2,624 acres, 6,235 tons, $1,802 price per ton, total value $ 9,663,459
2019: 2,636 acres, 7,023 tons, $1,671 price per ton, total value $12,092,373
*Prior to 2022 red and white grape harvest information was combined.
**2025 numbers not available until July.
Source: El Dorado County Crop Report
People still imbibing
While fewer people are drinking wine, they are still drinking.
Seated around a picnic table at Holly’s Hill Vineyards and Brewery were three generations of the Mangiardi family; two well below drinking age. And that’s what the adults love about this El Dorado County winery—it’s family friendly.
April Mangiardi was there with her husband, their two kids, and his parents.
The youngsters were entertaining themselves with toys provided by the winery. The adults were enjoying the relaxed atmosphere, the ability to bring their own food, and tasting an array of wines.
“I think people are more inclined to drink when there’s an event,” Mangiardi said. Bubbles and Bites is the event that brought the group out this particular Sunday.
The Folsom resident has been part of the wine club for two years after being introduced to Holly’s Hill by a friend. This was the first time for her in-laws from Pismo Beach to visit the winery.
“Here we are at 2,400 feet. You don’t have that in Paso Robles,” Heidy Mangiardi said. She was effusive about the scenery, the views and how everything is so green.
Mike and Amy Weidner of Gardnerville, Nev., with their wine purchase from Boeger winery in Placerville. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
Dave and Pat Derossier of El Dorado Hills have clearly not stopped drinking wine, as they belong to five wine clubs. In one weekend they attended wine club events at El Dorado County’s Madrona and Holly’s Hill wineries.
They like sharing winery experiences with family and friends, as well as meeting new and interesting people. Their guests at Holly’s Hill were their daughter and two of her friends.
Best friends Jennifer Grogan and Jessica Dalton were spending an early afternoon at Boeger Winery in Placerville in February.
“I grew up here in El Dorado County. Boeger to me is my happy place,” said Dalton, who now lives in Sacramento.
Both continue to drink wine for the flavor and social aspects.
Mike and Amy Weidner of Gardnerville were at Boeger on the same day to pick up their wine club allotment. They also belong to wine clubs at Lava Cap and Starfield Vineyards in the area.
“I love the people and the atmosphere,” Mike Weidner said. They come to this wine region every few months; he prefers going to events, she likes it when the wineries are quieter.
Now they are starting to enjoy this adult grape juice with their 23-year-old daughter, who with her friends are getting into wine.
Signs point the way to some of the wineries scattered throughout El Dorado County. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
EDC wineries persevere
While “pivot” was the word of the year in 2020, it is very much the word de jour for El Dorado County’s wine industry. They are looking for ways to bring people to the wineries, join their clubs, and buy bottles at restaurants and shops.
“People don’t want to go to a winery and pay $150 and taste a couple wines. They don’t value the wine that much. They are now making decisions on what they can financially do,” Teena Hildebrand said. She and husband Frank founded Narrow Gate Vineyards in 2004 in the Pleasant Valley area. “They want an experience, but it does not have to be a big dog and pony show. They love to sit on the deck, they love the sounds, the pines, the ambiance here.”
It’s not uncommon for a tasting in Napa or Sonoma counties to top $100. In El Dorado County it’s closer to $15 a person, often with the fee waived with the purchase of a bottle.
That price point is a factor when it comes to attracting people to the area. It’s still unpretentious in El Dorado County. Conversing with the owners and/or winemaker is common.
Heidy Mangiardi was thrilled to meet Holly Cooper, who with husband Tom, founded Holly’s Hill. Now the operation is run by Josh and Carrie Bendick; their daughter and son-in-law.
“I feel like we don’t sell wine, we sell an experience,” Josh Bendick said. “We want them to be part of our family. Young people are coming up for the experience.”
Still, he admits sales and wine club memberships are down.
Adding a brewery has helped bring a different crowd to Holly’s Hill. The beer taps are just behind the traditional wine tasting counter. Providing a daily food menu and allowing people to bring their own food is attractive to people.
Younger people are also paying attention to what’s in the bottle beyond taste.
“The best thing we have done is become biodynamic certified. And we are going for organic certified because not everyone understands biodynamic,” Hildebrand said. “The younger generation doesn’t just drink wine. They care if you are using Roundup.”
Winery owners know they have to do more than produce quality wine. They are making a more concerted effort to be welcoming to families even though the main activity is for adults only.
While El Dorado Winery Association still puts on the annual Passport wine festival in April, it’s now one weekend instead of two. The annual barrel tasting is no longer a region-wide event. The organization has downsized, turning its focus to keeping the website updated and providing an easy to use map, creating brochures, and placing directional signs throughout the region.
Hildebrand is the outgoing president of the association, with Liz McCartney, administrative assistant, taking over until a winery executive steps in.
Wineries have discovered it’s more lucrative to have individual events than big group ones. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday Narrow Gate has seasonally-inspired charcuterie picnic board or box pairings. Boeger offers Stories in the Cellar three days a week. Toogood In March let people bottle their own wine, Shadow Ranch had a wine and food pairing, Skinner paired wine with soup every Saturday, and Nello Oliva hosted a release party.
While Sierra Vista Vineyards & Winery has been around since 1977, Jim Czachorowski has only owned it since 2019. So, he’s been through a few rough years.
His emphasis has been in creating ways to draw people to the Pleasant Valley property. During Covid he erected heated, private pods that would be sterilized in between guests. Those igloo shaped structures remain seasonally so people can still be outside without being cold.
“I like being new, novel and creative,” Czachorowski said while walking the property.
Comedians, a hypnotist, musicians—they are part of the lineup at Sierra Vista. Sip and stroll events are common, where food stations are set up in the vineyards, each paired with a specific wine.
Teena and Frank Hildebrand of Narrow Gate Vineyards keep adapting to the ebbs and flows of the wine business. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
From the pods and along the strolls people can enjoy the views which stretch out to the snow covered Sierra.
A large pizza oven allows people to eat and sip, with chef Jason Clevenger whipping up food for special events like surf and turf for Valentine’s Day.
Food is a big part of what Narrow Gate is all about as well. Hildebrand believes one of the pieces missing in the conversation about alcohol consumption, and wine in particular, is that wine is food. Wine is also shared cultural and familial experiences.
In 2019 she published a cookbook titled The Kitchen and the Cellar, with the second edition being released in March. Stories are woven through the 100 recipes.
Lava Cap’s Nolan Jones, who is director of national sales, says it’s important to meet people where they are—to make wine accessible in terms of ease of tasting, price points, and atmosphere.
“Younger generations want an Instragrammable experience, but they also want it to be authentic and real,” Jones said. “If you look at El Dorado County as a wine region, it offers more value where you have high quality wine at a more fair price compared to anyplace in California.”
Alcohol consumption and sales on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe are going up, exactly the opposite direction of national trends.
Wine sales were up 6 percent at Cork & More in 2025 compared to 2024. All alcohol sales increased 10 percent at Lake Tahoe Golf Course in the same time span. More adult beverages are being bought at Tahoe Blue Event Center than predicted. Booze sales at Dart Beverage Center and King’s Beverage Center are holding steady.
“We live in a unique culture. I think here alcohol is a celebratory thing,” Adam Henriques of Meyers said while having a beer on the deck at his hometown bar Divided Sky. “It’s a great community space.”
His buddy Erik Norberg, who was there with his dog Rockit, agreed, saying he enjoys the social aspect of drinking at this neighborhood bar.
Bartender Mark Kline believes mountain towns are a little different than other areas, what with a steady influx of tourists bringing in new potential partiers every weekend. Even so, Divided Sky benefits from having a strong year-round local clientele.
Krissy Love, bartender at Brooks’ Bar & Deck, echoes Kline’s perspective of those on vacation help keep the taps flowing. Locals tend to come out for happy hour for discounted food and drinks. In summer, this bar acts as the 19th hole.
Friends toast with all alcoholic drinks at Brooks’ Bar in Stateline. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
Tahoe perspectives
Lake Tahoe Golf Course’s clubhouse restaurant is open year-round even when snow covers the course. Indoor golf simulators and snowmobiling are the sports activities this time of year.
“We have a younger crowd. It seems they come to Tahoe to drink. Maybe when they are at home, they don’t drink as much,” Kevin Sommerfield, general manager of the facility, said.
Bachelor parties also help with increased alcohol sales figures. Groups are known to drive alcohol consumption.
“Alcohol sales at the Tahoe Blue Event Center have been higher than budgeted by a couple percentage points,” spokesman Bill O’Malley said.
Sherri Hopper, a clerk at King’s Beverage Center, said, “Nothing much has changed in the alcohol world. Bars are less popular because it’s so expensive to go into a bar.”
She said it helps being located next to a drinking hole because her experience is when they are done spending money at the bar, they go to King’s for a bottle to take home.
Cork & More, which turns 50 this summer, has long had one of the best wine selections on the South Shore. Sales are boosted with tastings and a monthly wine club. While the club is mostly locals, out-of-towners also participate.
“I think people come up here and they are with friends, and they just want to enjoy nice wines,” Karla Brennan said. She and husband Jeff have owned the shop for nearly 10 years.
She credits the wine manager’s expertise for the rise in wine sales—even in Dry January. Still, she acknowledges younger people are not buying wine, calling it a “generational thing.”
Mark Kline, bartender at Divided Sky in Meyers, pours a beer. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
What the numbers say
In the nearly 90 years Gallup has asked people in the United States about their alcohol consumption, 2025 was the year with the fewest number of affirmative responses at 54 percent.
The percentage of alcohol consumers was 58 in 2024 and 62 in 2023, according to Gallup. Young adults and women are leading the movement.
Health concerns—physical and mental—are a big reason people are just saying no. More studies are coming out about the short- and long-term dangers of alcohol.
When people say yes to alcohol, beer is the No. 1 choice (38 percent), then liquor (30 percent), followed by wine (29 percent),
Pollsters don’t believe marijuana is being substituted for alcohol because those usage numbers have been consistent the last four years.
While that might be true for the country as a whole, those in the Golden State have a name for people choosing pot over alcohol—California Sober, or Cali Sober.
Bo Young Northcut, a sommelier for Caesars and former general manager for Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen in Stateline, believes people younger than 30 are choosing marijuana over alcohol.
Even so, she doesn’t believe the bottom line of area food and beverage establishments is being affected much.
“We don’t have young people. We have close to or after retirement. Those people are not changing their lifestyles, they are not going to cannabis,” Northcut said.
She also pointed out how an older demographic usually has a more stable financial situation, so the spend on a bottle or couple cocktails isn’t as impactful as it might be to others.
None of the Stateline casinos responded to inquiries, but plenty of people are gambling with one hand and drinking with the other.
Brooks’ Bar at Edgewood Tahoe has plenty of alcohol choices. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
Looking for alternatives
While alcohol purchases continue at a good clip locally, non-alcoholic drink consumption is growing as well. N/A beers as they are known, as well as mocktails, usually cost as much as the leaded varieties because of the work involved on the manufacturing end to remove the alcohol.
One week in December non-alcoholic beers were the No. 1 seller at Divided Sky, something that had never happened before.
Brooks’ sells some N/A beers—with older, male golfers requesting them the most.
Lake Tahoe Golf Course is planning to increase its N/A beer selection, as it only has one available now.
“The first year we were open, we didn’t carry non-alcoholic beer, but have started in the last two years. We have a variety of N/A options from Athletic and an N/A seltzer from Golden State,” the event center’s O’Malley said. “N/A sales make up less than 1 percent of food and beverage revenue. So, although it is an option for guests coming to events, it is not a popular option and alcohol sales are higher than projected.”
Beer is the only N/A option at King’s liquor store, with several choices available because this is something customers have asked for.
“We have trouble keeping them on the shelves,” Nate Riffle, owner the Hangar brewery said of N/A beers. “The liquid has improved over the years—it actually tastes like a beer now—so I’m sure that has helped. There is also the pendulum effect of the sober crowd. We see customers that go back and forth between dry spells and drinking. A few long-term sober folks grab those all the time.”
Spotswoode winery’s vineyards are near the base of the Mayacamas Mountains in Napa Valley. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
Compare a farmers market tomato to one bought at the grocery store. One is delicious and one not so much. Then delve into the health benefits. What was sprayed on an organic crop? What was put on the mass produced product?
How our food—and beverages—are farmed matters. It matters to the soil, to the actual plants, to the waterways getting runoff from the field, to the air blowing whatever product is used. It matters to the pollinators, animals living in the ground, flying through, and walking among the fields.
Whatever is happening on the ground is going to affect everyone who consumes the product from that acreage, as well as those working to bring the product to consumers.
Aron Weinkauf, vineyard manager and winemaker at Spottswoode, talks about sustainability in the vineyard. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
We all should care about what we are putting in our bodies.
Besides the grocery store, where are the food and beverages you are consuming coming from?
I’ll admit I don’t spend much time thinking about the farming practices of the wine I drink. After a visit Feb. 27 to Spottswoode winery in St. Helena, I hope I begin to care as much about the contents of a wine bottle as I do about other products I consume.
“Our commitment to the health of our natural environment runs very deep. It started with founding winemaker Tony Soter’s desire to farm organically when he took over management of our vineyard in 1985 (he came on in 1982 to make our first vintage), and it has never stopped. We are now certified organic, biodynamic, and regenerative organic,” CEO Beth Novak said in a profile I wrote about her for the North Bay Business Journal.
“We are solar powered, we are building a native heritage herd of Navajo Churro sheep, we are building resilience into our system. How does this translate to the bottle? Our wines are authentic representations of both time (vintage) and place (our estate). The life we have built in the vineyard, and in those with which we work (for the Sauvignon Blanc and Lyndenhurst) ensure that our wines are alive, show freshness and vitality, are true to time and place.”
History is everywhere at Spottswoode; the estate was established in 1882. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
Spottswoode became the first winery in Napa Valley to be certified organic in 1992. No synthetic chemicals, pesticides or fertilizers have been used since 1985.
The ways in which the winery is working to almost be one with Mother Nature are impressive. The list of certifications and affiliations is online.
The setting is so relaxed. It’s hard to believe one is in the heart of the Napa Valley because it’s so quiet. Such are the advantages of being in a residential neighborhood and not right on Highway 29.
History is present at the get-go with a large stone structure from the late 1800s. What is now the tasting room and offices is across the driveway is also from two centuries ago.
From the parking lot, looking out past the vines which belong to Duckhorn, is Fir Hill. Here the scar of the 2020 Glass Fire is a stark reminder of the fragility of life, farming, and people’s livelihoods.
The fire ravaged 67,000 acres in Napa and Sonoma counties, and destroyed more than 1,500 structures. It skirted the Spottswoode property and buildings.
Walking through the estate vineyard with winemaker and vineyard manager Aron Weinkauf was illuminating. For starters, it is an incredible rarity for one person to have both titles. The passion he has for farming “the right way” oozes from every bone in his body.
The wealth of information he espouses in a short amount of time is like taking a master’s class in how to farm for the greater good.
Spottswoode focuses on Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
It’s not surprising he says the farming aspect of his job is more difficult than the winemaking. On this particular day a crew is out pruning a bit. The whiplash of weather—cold and rainy to sunny and warm—isn’t something a vineyard manager can control, but it is something he and his team have to manage.
Early bud break is a concern. Late frosts are a concern. Blistering heat at harvest, smoke, wildfires—they are all eventual issues to contend with.
The rule of averages seems to have gone by the wayside and now it’s having to approach one season at a time with a great deal of flexibility, agility and nimbleness.
Weinkauf, who grew up in the Washoe Valley of Nevada between Reno and Carson City, has been at Spottswoode for 20 years. His sparkling eyes and smile reveal a man who loves his job.
Spottswoode’s attention to the land comes through in the bottle. With focusing on two varietals—Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon—and their commitment to farming “the right way,” they deliver a high-end product that is worth savoring, while at the same time applauding.
The pizza industry isn’t quite the canary of the restaurant industry, but fractures in it are pointing to a shaky economy.
According to data from the USDA, pizza is the most popular food in the United States, with individuals consuming more than 23 pounds of it every year.
Even so, national chains, North Bay groups and independent pizzerias are feeling the impact of declining sales because of consumers curtailing their spending habits and choosing healthier options, as well as the added expense of ingredients and employee costs.
According to market research company IBIS World, revenue at pizza restaurants has been falling at a compound annual growth rate of 2.9 percent for the past five years. In 2025, revenues were expected to be $49.5 billion.
“Pizza restaurants have suffered revenue declines due to growing competition and some economic volatility over the past five years,” IBIS World reports. “Pizza is a mainstay in many U.S. households, but other restaurants have begun selling it, and various at-home options exist (like) frozen pizza. Further, rising health consciousness among Americans has lowered demand for pizzas.”
Not that long ago pizza was about the only restaurant food one could get delivered. DoorDash and Uber Eats have changed the delivery landscape, which in turn cuts into pizza sales.
Skipolini’s has been making pizzas since 1974. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
Tracking spending habits
While people are obviously still eating pizza, they might be ordering a medium instead of a large, or not getting a side or beverage.
The Chandi Hospitality Group operates 17 Mountain Mike’s—eight in Sonoma County, three in Humboldt County, and two each in Napa, Marin and Mendocino counties.
“People are watching their spending. I have seen that customers in the North Bay for our locations are looking for value—good deals, lunch specials, and combo offers,” Bhupinder “Sonu” Singh Chandi said. Chandi is founder-president-CEO of the restaurant group. “Delivery platforms are doing OK compared to other channels because of promotions, but margins are tighter. With rising costs, people want more value when they eat out.”
Mary’s Pizza Shack, with its 10 locations in Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties, is also cognizant of people not parting with their money as freely as they once did.
“We are noticing an easing of sales in general at our Sonoma County restaurants. Not specifically pizza, but overall sales of pastas, sandwiches, salads,” Cullen “Cully” Williamson, owner of Mary’s Pizza Shack, said. “When people don’t know what the future will hold, you automatically start cutting back where you can. So maybe they eat out less often or when they do go out to a restaurant, they don’t buy a glass of wine, or they share a salad.”
Pat Townsley, who opened Creekside Pizza & Taproom in San Anselmo in 2017, is witnessing a slowdown in the number of people coming through his doors, while those who do come are spending less.
“Average spend per guest is down and gratuities are also down. Summer was slow by 23 percent versus 2024, and we have an amazing summer-long downtown weekend concert and street festival,” Townsley said.
Using the week before Christmas as an example, sales were off 30 percent compared to 2024 at the Marin County restaurant.
“We have also seen a drop in our daytime business. We had a significant 60-plus crowd from noon to 3 p.m. and that has dropped by at least 50 percent,” Townsley said. “They may be the most frugal, perhaps on fixed incomes, and don’t want to ‘treat’ themselves to extra spending.”
Happy hour at Creekside, which is every day of the year, was down 40 percent the last half of 2025 compared to the previous year.
Creekside has the other burden of being a tap room as part of its business model. Alcohol sales are trending downward, as is the case throughout the adult beverage industry. People at the Marin pie shop are ordering healthier drinks or fewer glasses of wine or beer.
“Once trendy and hip and cool, craft beer is now on the far end of the product lifecycle. It has peaked and leveled off as noted by consolidation in the industry and many, many brewery closures. The market became saturated around 2022,” Townsley told the Journal.
Belal Eid, owner of Seniore’s Pizza in Fairfield, notices regulars coming in less frequently. When they do arrive they want a deal or the most value for their buck.
Seniore’s has 11 locations, with all but one in the Bay Area.
La Prima Pizza, which has had locations in Calistoga and St. Helena for about 25 years, has felt the biggest drop in business with the lack of tourists in the Napa Valley. Locals are keeping them afloat.
Beer and pizza–always a good combination. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
Economic realities
Net profits are taking a hit as expenses rise and shop owners are reluctant to pass along all of the increases to customers.
In 2025, Chandi Hospitality Group experiences packaging costs rising 6 to 8 percent, pepperoni up 10 to 15 percent, and sauce prices more by 4 to 6 percent. Cheese, wheat and all meats cost more today than even a year ago.
“These rising input costs continue to put pressure on overall margins,” Chandi said. “Some of our stores are doing well in keeping revenue as in the past year, overall we have seen that our traffic is down (in 2025) when we compare to (2024).”
This Mountain Mike’s group did not have any major price increases on 2025, but adjustments were made to account for the $20 minimum wage franchises were mandated to pay in California starting in 2024.
Mary’s Pizza Shack points to more than ingredient prices soaring. It’s all business expenses—from energy bills to liability insurance.
“The increase in labor expenses is not just wages, but also the payroll taxes and workers compensation insurance. Health insurance increases are approximately 10 percent or more a year,” Williamson said. “2025 has been a challenge for us because when expenses go up and sales go down, it makes it hard to earn a profit.”
Still, he is confident with the pizza company establishing a loyal customer basis during the last 66 years that “we’ll get through this tough time.”
Eid at the Seniore’s Pizza in Fairfield said his profit margin continues to shrink because he’s caught between rising prices and customers not willing to absorb all of his added costs. Aldo Nunez, who manages the La Prima Pizza restaurants for his parents, echoed that sentiment.
Even though Eid is not obligated to pay workers $20 an hour, the labor market is such that workers will go where the higher paycheck is so he says he is “stuck paying the higher minimum wage costs big corporations are paying.”
Townsley at Creekside acknowledges being in Marin County is a bonus because economic downturns are less severe in a more affluent community. Even so, it’s not all rosy.
“Too many beer options, expensive ingredients, shipping/logistics, a decrease in demand equals decline-failure in industry,” he said.
Myriad issues are beyond most owners’ control, as Townsley highlights topics not always top of mind for the consumer.
“There are always going to be production challenges that impact pricing from freezing crops raising the cost of limes temporarily, to a levee break in the Central Valley that halts ag trucks from shipping within the state,” Townsley said. “Everything is connected. Regardless if we are sourcing locally, there is a global supply chain thread that ripples through all industries. No business or industry is an island.”
He is also contending with higher alcohol charges, with some distributors adding a 10 percent increase for all inventory. Keg prices are up about $10 per barrel, while some breweries are charging delivery fees or increasing minimum order quantities.
“At Creekside, we haven’t changed prices in years. We have a consistent following and can generally weather the ups and downs by throttling labor and supply purchases; those two are our biggest costs,” Townsley said.
While he is not subject to the $20 minimum wage for fast food franchise, the California minimum wage went up Jan. 1 to $16.90 from $16.50. That 40 cents increase alone is expected to cost Creekside $25,000 in 2026.
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It’s my favorite brewery Denise. Love the porter.