Fodor's Expert Review Marine Layer Wines

Sometimes a winery's name or design sensibility hints well at what's in the bottle. In the case of this winery on Healdsburg Plaza's eastern flank, both do. The name references the Sonoma Coast fog rolling off the Pacific, allowing the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes to ripen more slowly than further inland. With spare elegance, the loungelike tasting room's soft lighting, soothing white tones, and alternately gray, dark brown, and light mahogany hues also evoke the shoreline. The winemaker and owner have worked together previously; this project evolved out of a yearning to craft cool-climate, appellation-specific wines from high-pedigree sites. Marine Layer offers as an add-on seasonal mezze plates and similarly adventurous food pairings whose multilayered flavors mirror those of the wines. Appointments are recommended for flights, poured until 5, after which hosts serve wines by the glass (no reservations taken) until closing.