Over a year ago, my colleague Jess Lander gave readers a preview of Enclos, a fine dining restaurant in Sonoma owned by Stone Edge Farm Vineyards & Winery. “ Can this winery bring a Michelin star to Sonoma ?” she teased.
Enclos opened in December, and my verdict is in: Yes, it absolutely will.
This is not a formal review of Enclos — a distinction that may matter less to readers and more to my editors and me. I’ve only visited one time as opposed to the customary three for reviews, but that was enough to certify that chef Brian Limoges has made good on his ambition .
There is much to find charming about Enclos, from the Victorian building in which it is housed, half a block from Sonoma’s downtown plaza, to the copper pots and dried flowers framing the kitchen — a touch that reminded me of Saison and Angler, where Limoges oversaw operations for two years. Waiting for us at our table was a note of welcome, a pen and ink illustration of two deer in a meadow of wildflowers, shaded in with colored pencil. These personalized cards are the work of Larry Nadeau, a nearly 20-year veteran of the French Laundry who now oversees the excellent service at Enclos…