Corner 103
Lloyd Davis pours five wines seated, one on one, with a bite of food against every glass. He came to this corner of the Sonoma Plaza from a New York hedge fund by way of rescuing Viansa out of bankruptcy.1
Why go
Davis moved to Sonoma in 2008, took Viansa Winery out of bankruptcy, sold it in 2013 and opened this room in April 2015.1 His stated aim was to break down what he calls the walls of intimidation, and the format follows from it: no bar, no standing, every tasting seated and hosted.1 Ron Goss makes the wine from 12 vineyards across the county, and the Corner Cuvee blends four of those sites.1 In January 2025 a PG&E transfer switch failed in a vault outside the entryway at two in the morning, blew the front windows out and set the doorway alight.2
Order this / avoid
- Order: the Corner Cuvee, the house blend off four sites.1
- Avoid: planning a quick stand-up taste on your way somewhere. Everything here is seated and paired.1
What locals & experts say
- 10Best, published by USA Today, on the 2020 award: its editors
cited the tasting room's approachability as its most appealing quality,
as Sonoma Magazine reported it. The shortlist came from a panel of experts and the ranking came from a public vote.1 - Lloyd Davis, on why:
From the beginning, my vision has been to break down the walls of intimidation about wine and celebrating the finer things in life. All of our tastings are seated and one-on-one to give my guests a more intimate experience.
1
Good to know
- The fire is the thing to check before you go. Sonoma Valley Fire District Chief Stephen Akre called the January 2025 explosion unusual and PG&E would not name a cause. Davis's damage was a burned window frame, smashed glass, and water and smoke inside. Call before you drive.2
- It shares a building with The Red Grape and the Hola Vida Collective, and the fire district tarped the furniture rather than let the sprinklers ruin it.2
Verdict
could-visit — Book it for the format Lloyd Davis built: seated, one on one, five wines with a bite against each, on a corner of the Sonoma Plaza. He came out of a New York hedge fund, took Viansa out of bankruptcy in 2008, sold it in 2013 and opened this in April 2015. USA Today's 10Best readers put it first in the country in 2020, off a shortlist an expert panel drew, which is worth exactly what a popular vote is worth. It sits here rather than higher because a PG&E transfer switch blew the front windows out in January 2025 and nothing I read confirms the door is open again.