Montage Healdsburg Pours Sonoma Into New Cocktails

HEALDSBURG, CA — Montage Healdsburg transformed carrot juice into a refined vodka sour while developing one of 23 cocktails for the new beverage program rooted in Northern California.

The resort introduced the drinks, including seven nonalcoholic choices, across Scout Field Bar, Hudson Springs Bar and Grill, and Hazel Hill.

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Food and Beverage Manager Cailee Shosky said California Poppies took the longest to perfect because the team wanted the cocktail to capture the brilliant orange color of California's state flower without tasting like juice.

"Through a careful process, we developed a version that feels fresh, layered, and still very refined," Shosky said.

California Poppies combines acidified carrot juice and dill in a savory variation of a vodka sour. The resort recommends pairing the cocktail with pasta dishes and richer meats.

The program also uses fresh herbs, vineyard grapes, citrus, florals, and coastal notes to evoke Sonoma County.

"Wine tells the story of the vineyard, but our cocktail program allows us to tell a larger story rooted in place," Shosky said.

"We can incorporate locally sourced or house-made ingredients inspired by what's growing around us. A cocktail lets us weave together multiple layers of Sonoma's landscape into a single experience."

The menu incorporates advanced techniques and equipment, including a Spinzall centrifuge that clarifies two of the resort's 26 house-made syrups.

Bartenders also use WonderFoam, an egg-free foam alternative derived from tree bark, to add texture to drinks such as the Cyrus Sour, which features local florals and Earl Grey tea.

Shosky said home bartenders can improve their drinks by treating cocktails like food.

"They need different seasonings in order to reach their full potential," Shosky said. "The power of saline in cocktails, for example, is the equivalent of salt in food."

The menu's PCH Martini arrives freezer-cold in a narrow, V-shaped glass designed to maintain its temperature by exposing less liquid surface area than a traditional wide-brim glass.

Other alcoholic selections include Smoky Rosa, which reimagines the classic mezcal accompaniment sal de gusano with freeze-dried strawberries, dried orange peel, pink salt, and dark chocolate.

"S'more to Drink" offers a new take on the espresso martini inspired by Montage's fireside s'more traditions.

"Karl the Fog" nearly missed the menu because its striking blue color and higher price gave the team pause.

"We wondered if Karl the Fog might feel a little too bold for the menu," Shosky said. "Ultimately, though, we felt there should be room for something with a playful personality, but still built with intention and balance."

The spirit-free Disappearing Coastline combines verjus, house-made nonalcoholic vermouth, and saline to produce mineral depth and soft fruit flavors inspired by the meeting of land and sea.

Another spirit-free drink, Tepache, repurposes pineapple skins left from the Sunproof cocktail to create a lightly fermented, effervescent beverage.

Bartenders also turn rosé that has remained open too long into syrup for Wild Roses, a large-format floral punch served over crushed ice and finished with the resort's estate-grown Surveyor Rosé.

"We see real value in working with nearby growers and limiting transportation when we can," Shosky said. "It is one practical way to reduce our footprint while continuing to support the community."

General Manager Steve Janicek said the resort designed the drinks to complement the kitchen's dishes and flavor profiles.

"Ultimately, the menu explores what it means to create exceptional cocktails in Wine Country," Janicek said.

Shosky said the program offers guests another way to experience the region without competing with its wines.

The resort serves the cocktails poolside at Hudson Springs, with dinner at Hazel Hill, and beside the fire at Scout Field Bar.

Read a Q&A with Cailee Shosky, food and beverage manager at Montage Healdsburg, explaining the new tastes of Healdsburg.

Related: Q&A With Montage Healdsburg: Mixing Sonoma Into Every Glass