Martha Stoumen, a darling of the natural wine space, will open the doors to her first tasting room on Oct. 9, in an intimate new space on Center Street in downtown Healdsburg.
Earlier this summer, her eponymous wine label was acquired by The Overshine Collective, yet she remains the guiding force behind the brand, retaining equity and creative control over her wines.
Since launching Martha Stoumen Wines in 2014, the Sebastopol native has achieved remarkable success — even without a tasting room to lure in customers.
Over the past decade, her exuberant wines have cultivated a fervent following, pushing her beyond the benchmarks of her 7- to 10-year business plan. Even so, having her own tasting room felt out of reach.
But that all changed this summer when Stoumen joined The Overshine Collective, a sextet of wine brands led by founding partner and investor David Drummond.
Comprising Martha Stoumen Wines, Idlewild Wines, BloodRoot Wines, Reeve Wines, Overshine Wine Co. and Comunità Wines, the collective benefits from centralized business functions, while each winemaker retains creative control of their individual brands.
Yet the most exciting boon for Stoumen is the chance to open her own tasting room, which she considers “an amazing opportunity.”
“I’m really excited to have this huge container for creativity,” said Stoumen. “I receive feedback from people online or from those who attend our pop-ups. But I’m looking forward to inviting them in so I can see their faces and what they’re really into.”
The heart of the community
Although she was raised in Sebastopol, Stoumen admits she hasn’t spent much time in Healdsburg. Coming from a small town herself, she was unsure how the community would respond to the opening of another tasting room in the downtown area.
“People have actually been really positive and warm,” said Stoumen. “They stop by the space and say it looks great — even from their cars as they drive by! I think they realize I’m not an outsider coming in; this is clearly a home-grown effort.”
A collaboration between The Strand Design in Mill Valley, local artisans and tradespeople, family and staff, Stoumen’s new tasting room exemplifies community.
Team member Alyssa Julian played a key role in laying out Stoumen’s vision, while hospitality manager Michael Richardson did the majority of the build-out. Even Stoumen’s parents lent a hand, with her father, Morris, fabricating custom curtain rods and her mother, Laurie, lending her landscaping expertise to the native-plant parklet.
When the parklet “mysteriously” moved inches down Center Street one night, Stoumen’s brother offered to drive his backhoe to Healdsburg and push it back into place.
“That’s my family,” said Stoumen. “It’s been so wonderful to have them here.”
Stoumen’s vision
When envisioning her new tasting room, Stoumen drew on her own life experience, where sensory details are at the heart of her craft.
“I thought about the experiential side of drinking wine — not the taste or smell — but the textures, the lighting, the sound of the room,” she said. “So we used a lot of cork and burlap to dampen the acoustics, and natural, warm tones to make people feel sexy and relaxed.”
Stoumen, who spent years abroad working harvest, also yearned to create an environment where guests feel transported — whether to a European café or a place that she calls “intangibly familiar.”
“I love spaces that feel both comfortable and familiar, even though you’ve never been there,” she said. “It’s something you can’t really put your finger on. I know that’s hard to create, but it’s something I’ve kept in mind.”
Ambition achieved, the tasting room is undeniably inviting, with cozy seating areas grounded by redwood trim, burlap and cork paneling. The copper tabletops, which gleam like new pennies, will develop a patina over time, yet it’s a detail Stoumen embraces.
In the family
On a recent September morning, Stoumen’s father, Morris, was studiously aligning the tasting room’s curtain rods, a laser-beam level circling the room like a red thread bracelet.
“This is a huge opportunity for Martha,” said Morris. “These last 11 years have been a big climb for her, but I know she’s going to do well here.”
Stoumen’s dad called her “very independent,” but she insisted they’re a lot alike.
“I channel a lot of what my dad taught me through this business, which means problem-solving is exciting,” she said. “If it’s raining, get out there and put on a raincoat. Keep your eye on the fact you’re doing a great job.”
Martha Stoumen Wines
Martha Stoumen Wines will officially open on Thursday, Oct. 9, with wines offered by the glass, flight, and bottle.
Ready-to-serve food items will also be available, with a menu that changes regularly.
“In the beginning, we’ll offer a little bit of ‘choose your own adventure’ to see what people gravitate towards,” said Stoumen. “We want to see what the community wants and needs. That’s most important.”
If you go
- Martha Stoumen Wines: 325 Center St., Healdsburg; (707) 473-8266, marthastoumen.com.
- Hours: Noon-8 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday-Thursday; noon-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
- Walk-ins welcome, with reservations available on Tock soon.