Romantic spots for sipping cocktails

A rum cocktail at Nick's Cove, Marshall.

By VIRGINIE BOONE
FOR THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

People have mixed feelings about going out on Valentine’s Day. It can be awkward, expensive, ridiculous, crowded, an amateur hour for love, a subject that should not be taken so lightly. On the other hand, if you’re with the right person, who cares? Here’s where to go whenever you feel like having a date night.

Bergamot Alley Bar & Wine Merchants: A classy new wine bar just off the Healdsburg Square, Bergamot Alley was just given the go-ahead to open last fall, after the owners’ original request was denied when they were wrongfully construed to be a tasting room. Open since January, and until 2 a.m. nightly, Bergamot is both a quiet wine bar focused on European wines (Mediterranean, especially) that are otherwise hard to find, and a small retail shop for those same wines. Recent bar bottles included a Greek red blend of xinomavro, syrah and merlot and an Italian chardonnay. Beer and small bites are served, too, amid the lofty brick-lined interior and long tables.
328 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 433-8720.

Bottega: Chef Michael Chiarello’s powerhouse Italian joint in restaurant-heavy Yountville, Bottega sets just the right mood for romance, its lighting dark and moody and its exterior nicely appointed with fireplaces and cozy snuggling spots. Eat from the bar menu for lighter fare like truffle-parmiggiano fries and pesce crudo or sit and linger over black garlic spaghetti and Liberty duck three ways. The bold selection of wines (including some from Chiarello Family Vineyards) and cocktails will keep the ambiance flowing.
6525 Washington St., Yountville, 495-1050, www.botteganapavalley.com.

Christy’s on the Square: An elegant option in downtown Santa Rosa, Christy’s has tapas, desserts and yes, a full-blown bar, including a complete menu of martinis, from the Cable Car Martini (two types of rum, triple sec, lemon juice, cinnamon sugar and orange twist) to the Mango Metropolitan (vodka, PAMA liquor, orange juice), in addition to Champagne cocktails, beer and wine. But for Valentine’s, it might be best to hone in on the Ultimat Tease, a mix of Ultimat Vodka, fresh lemon and apple juice with shaved ginger root. Live piano, jazz and acoustic music round out the smooth ambience.
96 Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa, 528-8565, www.christysonthesquare.com.

Estate:  Sondra Bernstein has so many great restaurants in and around the town of Sonoma it’s hard to keep track. But Estate, her Italian-inspired gem in the wonderful Victorian home once known as The General’s Daughter, is her most romantic spot of them all. It comes down to the antique artisanal grappa bar, where the adventurous can sample a flight of three grappas or sip any number of other cocktails. Tuesday nights are devoted to Negroni and Nibbles, a special offering of $6 Negroni cocktails with antipasti from the chef. The food is classically local and seasonal and, in some cases, house-cured. Sit by a fireplace or, weather permitting, outside, and let love bloom.
400 West Spain St., Sonoma, 933-3663, www.estate-sonoma.com.

The Mendocino Hotel: In the heart of the picture-perfect, sea-swept town of Mendocino, the lovingly maintained, historic Mendocino Hotel makes for the ideal out-of-town getaway. Whether you choose to stay for the night or not, plan to wile away some time at the romantic antique bar where locally made beer is on tap and wines can be had by the glass. With its views out to the sea and, if you’re lucky, of the whales that like to migrate by around this time, an Irish Coffee or two might be exactly what you’ll want to order.
45080 Main St., Mendocino, 937-0511, www.mendocinohotel.com.

Nick’s Cove: Another waterside retreat, Nick’s Cove on Tomales Bay remains a worthy destination for eating and drinking and just getting away. And for those with partners who simply won’t ever put away their phone, an added bonus: There’s no cell coverage here. The wine list is robust and full of fun as well as hard-to-acquire wines (Sine Qua Non, Peter Michael, Shafer Hillside Select), but Nick’s is fully committed to cocktails as well. The Sazerac is always worth ordering (rye, absinthe, bitters and simple syrup) or try a Hot and Foggy with Tuaca Vanilla Citrus Liqueur, Hangar One Spiced Pear Vodka, clove and orange. For those in the mood, there’s an oyster bar, too.
23240 Highway 1, Marshall, (415) 663-1033, www.nickscove.com.

Virginie Boone is a freelance wine writer based in SonomaCounty. She can be reached at virginieboone@yahoo.com.