Glass Half-Full:       A Glimpse into B.R. Cohn Winery

Atop a hill along the Sonoma Highway which stretches through the Sonoma Valley lies the white 1920’s-style ranch house which is the headquarters for B.R. Cohn Winery. (Headquarters? Do wineries have headquarters? Why not? Everybody else does.)

B.R. Cohn Winery has been a family-owned business since 1984, when it was founded by Mr. Bruce Cohn. As you turn off Sonoma Highway and make your way up the drive, you are greeted by well-manicured lawns, hedges and rosebushes. And when you enter the tasting room, your first impression very well may be the mahogany tasting bar, which is well accented by the tiled floor and the marble surround of the fireplace.

In the tasting room, you may even be fortunate enough to meet Moose the Wine Dog. No, he’s not a cartoon superhero (although, if the wine industry needed one, I suppose he could take on the job); no, he’s Bruce Cohn’s dog and the winery’s mascot. He’s a yellow lab/English bulldog mix, and he loves people.

Wine and Awards

B.R. Cohn produces a very fine Cabernet Sauvignon, which has won over five gold medals; and, in 2005, B.R. Cohn Silver Label Cabernet Sauvignon received 98 points by Wine X Magazine (98 points out of 100, of course!).

B.R. Cohn Winery also offers Merlot, Pinot Noir, SyrCab (a Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon blend), Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Port, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The winery’s Zinfandel won a silver medal in 2005 and a gold medal in 2004 in the California State Fair. Their Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is also a multiple award winner, winning three medals in separate competitions in 2004 (two gold, one bronze) and receiving 98 points by Wine X Magazine in 2005.

Olive Oil

In addition to producing award-winning wines, B.R. Cohn also produces a selection of fine olive oil. The olives are picked from the 130-year-old Picholine trees that were the inspiration for the estate vineyard being named “Olive Hill”. B.R. Cohn’s olive oil has delighted the palate not only of Northern California gourmet food lovers, but has also made an impact nationally and even internationally. Be sure to sample the Sonoma Estate olive oil when visiting the tasting room.

Events

Probably the winery’s best known event is their annual Fall Music Festival & Celebrity Golf Classic. Held normally in late September or early October, the festival features a charity auction dinner, a two-day charity music festival and a one-day celebrity golf classic tourney. Headlining the music festival are the Doobie Brothers, who have kept fans groovin’ and dancin’ for more than 30 years. Also featured have been Tower of Power, Huey Lewis and the News, Los Lobos and others.

However, the winery also opens its doors for those caught in the gentle but firm grip of love. B.R. Cohn Winery offers a romantic turn-of-the-century atmosphere for the perfect wine country wedding. There is an outdoor amphitheater with a terraced lawn sloping down the hillside, which then opens up a panoramic view of the cabernet vineyards in the foreground and the Sonoma Mountains in the background. What a way to say “I do”. The winery is available for the wedding ceremony, the reception, or the rehearsal dinner – or all three.

Art

Just as a fine art gallery will often include pieces in which the subject is a bottle of wine, one would expect a fine winery to include art. As you wander about the winery, be sure to look for the sculptures of Sebastopol artist Patrick Amiot. His whimsical works are inspired by Bruce Cohn's car collection. In them, Bruce is at the wheel of a classic car and his faithful dog Moose (who loves nothing more than a ride) is at his side.

Also displayed are the works of Sonoma photographer Senta Parker. With her husband, Hugh, Senta has produced a collection of original photographs of Wine Country scenes that have been applied to canvas. Their collection includes artistically rendered wine bottles, vineyards and other Wine Country panoramas, landscapes and seascapes, and botanicals.

By Anthony Gordon