FRESCO is driven by community. From our shared winemaking space, to our joint tasting room and wine bar, to the FRESCO wine club, it’s the fine people we work with who make it all happen.
We began our winemaking journey at Magnolia Wine Services, working with other likeminded brands in a ‘custom crush’ winery. FRESCO’s winemaker Jack Sporer founded Magnolia with his uncle Will Bucklin in early 2020. Located on 8th Street East, a few miles from the Sonoma Plaza, this little warehouse suite is now home to two dozen brands. The same folks who make FRESCO happen also assist in producing Magnolia’s other wine brands, sharing winemaking techniques and advice along the way. Whether we’re working with avant-garde natural wineries, or traditional brands farming their own organic fruit, Magnolia is a bastion for honest winemaking and regenerative farming. It makes for a fun, fulfilling, and educational environment for the many winemakers in our space. (We’re usually hiring for harvest help in the fall, so if you want to join our community, please reach out)
FRESCO is also a part of Dos’ Bar, a tasting bar and collective on the Sonoma Plaza. Specializing in natural wine from local organic vineyards, Dos’ Bar features a diverse lineup of winemaking talents. From North American Press’ project with hybrids, to Isa Wines’ delicious Sauvignon Blanc lineup, there are a ton of fun and unique wines to taste. The space sits in a remodeled, historic ‘Oddfellow’s Hall’ and is styled like a classic Californian roadhouse (just missing the dollar bills pinned to the ceiling!).
Dos’ is run by some Magnolia clients and alumni, and they do an amazing job of cultivating a space that is both historic and forward thinking. It’s somewhere you can drink a quiet glass of wine and cozy up with a book, sit for a heady tasting with a winemaker, or keep the party going after dinner on the plaza. Click HERE to schedule a tasting with FRESCO or another winemaker. If you’re in the FRESCO or Dos’ Bar wine club, there are discounts and extras, and we keep the calendar stocked with super fun events, supper clubs, parties, seminars and beyond. Visit Dos Bar at 521 Broadway Sonoma, CA 95476.
The FRESCO community is also buoyed by the folks and businesses closest to us. Winemaker Jack’s family has deep roots in Sonoma Valley. His cousins manage Oak Hill Farm, which grows the finest organic produce he’s ever eaten (he’s admittedly biased). They’re located just north of town and their farm stand is open Saturdays and Wednesdays (April thru December). Directly across the street from the family farm, Jack’s uncle Will Bucklin farms Old Hill Ranch and produces delicious, age-worthy zinfandels under the Bucklin label; check out his website for a deep dive into dry farming and the magic of field blends.
Our friends at Bedrock Wine Co are located literally next door to Magnolia. We’re very intertwined with Bedrock: Jack worked there for a harvest back in 2017, and they sell FRESCO a few tons of Regenerative Organic Certified grapes, so naturally we’re thick as thieves. They are always happy to lend their neighbors a cup of sugar (or dry ice!) and we couldn’t ask for better neighbors or farming partners. Jack’s wife, Saskia, works up the valley at Hamel, growing biodynamic Cabernet and Grenache. Buck’s Place in the El Verano neighborhood does great pizza, and has hosted parties for generations of Jack’s family. Valley Bar and Bottle, on the Sonoma plaza, sells fresh, healthy, thoughtfully sourced comfort food and was the first business to ever sell FRESCO, so they hold a special place in our hearts! There are so many cool, local businesses that we are lucky to work with, and this community-minded spirit is reciprocated all around Sonoma. We’re able to thrive because we’re a part of a shared vision of local restaurants, sourcing from local farms and selling locally made wine. We’d love to have you be a part of our community!
The FRESCO Wine club is our way of inviting you in. Club members get access to some club-only wines that don’t make it to distribution: our super small-lot pet nats, some single-barrel bottlings, and library wines. You get first dibs on parties, field trips, discounts at Dos’ Bar, and more. We’ll send you a few wines 2-3 times per year, and you can pause anytime or make changes to your shipments. Joining the club is the best way to support our mission of a regenerative future for Sonoma Valley.