It takes well-honed hover and swoop maneuvers to snag a stool at Willi’s Wine Bar on a Friday night. Packed two deep and with every table inside and even those out on the heated patio filled, you would never guess this modern-style roadhouse was technically in the middle of nowhere. Way out on the north end of Santa Rosa, Willi’s Wine Bar is a local fave and it’s easy to see why: rustic charm, an inspired wine list and tasty small plates fuse with a laid-back vibe that is 100 percent Sonoma County.

I ventured out to Willi’s at the end of November, just after finishing up harvest at Pax Wine Cellars. My tasting companion and I ordered two flights of wine and then asked our bartender, Ryan, to select three small plates from the restaurant’s internationally themed menu to compliment our choices. Continue reading »

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