The Secret Inside Medlock Ames

One of the most interesting things about Sonoma is a winery is usually more than a winery. Medlock Ames takes this concept even further.

The story of Medlock Ames itself is not that unusual. Ames Morrison and Chris Medlock James met while they were both students at Tulane University. Organic farming and sustainability were important factors and, in 1998, they settled in Sonoma and got into the business of winemaking.

Of course, no one grows grapes and produces wine overnight. It wasn’t until 2010 that the full Medlock Ames Winery was open. This stone structure immediately garnered buzz for what was inside as well as out. Medlock Ames grows a lot more than grapes on the 335 acres at Bell Mountain. They grow produce and herbs as well, using their principles of organic farming. These crops are used in the tasting room as well as the treats that come out of the pizza oven on the patio.

Medlock and Ames put as much thought into the food as the wine. A flight (complimentary for wine club members and $20 for others) may include fresh vegetables from their garden, some local cheese, or salami that was produced by a neighbor. The wines tend to be fruit forward, with a sauvignon blanc you will never forget. They also make a rose that pairs with just about everything they serve.

For those who want to do their own pairing at home, you will find a selection of their organic produce for sale in the tasting room along with the wine, but that’s not the only thing that will surprise you here. There’s also a secret bar. The Alexander Bar is hidden in speak easy form behind a tasting room wall. It opens in the evening, and cocktails are handcrafted here, also using their fresh-grown ingredients, as well as artisan spirits and local brews. It’s just one more unexpected treat at Medlock Ames in the Alexander Valley.

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