Photo by Ryan Lely
Known from Day One for its eye-catching “Blue Tree” sculpture, visible to all who travel up and down Highway 121, Cornerstone Place has remained something of an enigma to Sonoma residents who viewed the enclave only at 55 miles an hour. Many of them assumed it was created largely for tourists.
Those fortunate enough to stop and explore were treated to a tranquil oasis spreading over 9 acres, where (for an admission fee) they could meander through a series of high-concept landscape installations by some of the world’s top designers and architects. In time, a couple of home-and-garden-related stores opened, followed by a café.
Now the visitor experience has been greatly enhanced with wine tasting rooms, galleries devoted to world-class art, innovative shops with one-of-a-kind treasures, expanded public areas and an eagerness to become more connected to the local community.
“Since we first opened the gardens in 2004 we’ve been on the lookout for special opportunities to enhance our collection,” said owner/founder Chris Hougie.“ As a gateway location to wine country, we want to make sure we’re creating a very special Sonoma experience for everyone who visits. This summer we’ve been able to offer free admission to the gardens, and the addition of these unique shops and local tasting rooms further enhances the Cornerstone experience, and we’re hoping everyone will join us as we celebrate how our garden is growing.”
With these changes, Cornerstone is becoming a community-oriented nexus for art, architecture and nature – including, of course, vineyards and wine.
Newly opened is a tasting room shared by seemingly odd bedfellows, Artesa Winery, a high-style Carneros winery owned by one of the world’s largest and oldest wine concerns, Codorniu of Spain, and Larson Family Winery, as the name implies, family-run by Tom and Becky Larson. The Larsons have a longterm relationship with both Codorniu and with Cornerstone, so the off-site location was a natural fit.
Architecturally in tune with the Cornerstone aesthetic of modern lines and natural materials, the tasting room is an airy space with an easy flow. The Artesa section features its Ridgeline merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc wines from the Oak Mountain Vineyard in Alexander Valley. The Larson tasting bar will primarily pour its Millerick Road Chardonnay, Cuvee Rose, Merlot Meritage and Petit Syrah as well as the Larson Pinot Noir and Pinot Noir Rose.
Nearby in the complex is Zipper, described as a “modern mercantile emporium” according to owners Elizabeth Cashour and Steven Saden. The new store, done in soft white, provides a backdrop for the wonderful mix of products exclusive to Zipper that range from Molo crafts paper and tissue screens and ottomans in black and white to graceful, handmade jewelry, a beautiful and unusual book section and a colorful and amusing selection of children’s items. Not to be missed are the child-sized Ducati motorbike and the sea-foam green Vespa, based on a limited-edition collectible model by Piaget. Both have training wheels and are powered by a 12-volt battery.
The couple, who started Zipper in Los Angeles 14 years ago, were one of the first to create a “lifestyle” kind of store. The store’s urban vibe is surprisingly at home in the natural garden setting at Cornerstone.
Cornerstone is a second location for the new fine furnishings gallery Opia Home. Nina Gerety has operated out of Tiburon for many years and specializes in rustic Chinese furnishings. The pieces are from rural areas in North China and Mongolia where they were used by farmers and ordinary people, giving them a handsome veneer and a fascinating history. Opia also features Afghanistan carpets and contemporary Chinese artwork.
Next to Opia is a former event space that was taken over by A New Leaf Gallery when they expanded in 2006. The 3,500-square-foot space incorporates two patio areas containing outdoor artwork and fountains. Owned by artists Brigitte Micmacker and John Denning, who also own Sculpturesite Gallery in San Francisco, the gallery represents over 60 sculptors and features museum-quality, abstract, non-realistic figurative and functional sculpture, from tabletop to monumental size, and “sculpture to wear” jewelry.
Translations owner Doug Aitken has focused on rough-hewn sculptural pieces of natural elements—sand- blasted stones and cast glass. The store has a collection of exotic vessels and carvings and Aitken’s penchant for combining imported Asian pieces of all types with contemporary, more abstract elements creates a distinctive blended style. Translations also carries Italian teak outdoor furnishings, a line Aitken plans on wholesaling soon.
Soon to come are two other tasting rooms. The Grange Sonoma, a collective of approximately 10 wineries, is the inspiration of John Matthew Green, who was instrumental in the design and concept for the Vintner’s Collective in Napa. Green was attracted to Cornerstone’s “connection to agriculture and vineyards.” He was influenced by the French farm collectives and will showcase the wines of small farmers, “not vanity wines” he said. The Grange will carry Tallulah Wines, Harrington, Heintz, Carica, Enkidu Wines, Mantra, Eno Wines and a few others still to be announced.
The other tasting room will be run by Roshambo, which has built its reputation on having a playful style and doing things that are out-of-the-ordinary. Founder Naomi Brilliant sees similarities in the kind of creative risk-taking that Cornerstone represents and her winery’s philosophy. Retail sales manager Steve Morval says the idea behind the wines is that “wine shouldn’t be complicated or difficult.” Roshambo will offer their RockPaperSissors line of wines, the Roshambo sauvignon blanc, rose, chardonnay, zinfandel and syrah. They will also have reserve and limited-production vineyard-designate wines.
The anchor tenant of the shopping and gallery area is Artefact Design & Salvage—owned by Dave Allen but presided over by Uma, his English bulldog. Allen travels the world and follows unknown paths to unusual and extraordinary finds. The 4,000-square-foot showroom is a visual delight, with large-scale architectural pieces sharing the space with delicate hand blown glass objects and a mesmerizing assortment of salvaged bric-a-brac. A huge pavilion offers outdoor pieces that are astounding in their size and variety and provenance. Allen thinks the businesses at Cornerstone share a vision and the independent spirit to be part of an inventive and ever-changing tapestry of creative pursuits. He believes that Cornerstone will become a favorite destination for Sonoma residents and visitors alike. “There is no other setting quite like this, its relationship to the land and the vineyards adds a dimension that can’t be equaled.”
As for the tourists, the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau relocated its south-valley office to Cornerstone a year ago to welcome visitors to the valley.
July 27, Opening Party
Cornerstone Place (formerly Cornerstone Festival Gardens) invites its neighbors, friends and visitors to a summer block party tomorrow (Friday) celebrating the opening of several new retail shops and tasting rooms. The party is from 3:30 to 9 p.m. and will feature live music, free guided interpretive garden tours and wine tasting from Artesa Winery and Larson Family Winery as well as from the soon-to-open Roshambo. Each location will also be serving tempting culinary treats by The Blue Tree Café.
If you’re going…
Cornerstone Place
23570 Hwy. 121
Sonoma, CA 95476
707.933.3010
www.cornerstoneplace.com
Open daily for self-guided tours 10-5 with free admission through September.
Private docent-led tours ($6) and lunch and tour package ($20-$23) available for groups of 10 or more.
Blue Tree Café
707.935.1681
A New Leaf gallery
707.933.1300
Artesa Winery
707.934.4087
Larson Family Winery
707.934.4090
Artefact Design & Salvage
707.933.0660
Opia Home
555.543.5432
Translations
707.938.0888
Zipper
707.996.7956
Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau
707.9961090
