If you’ve ever walked through downtown Novato, you have no doubt noticed the historic First National Bank building at Machin and Grant avenues. The building evokes Main Street, USA, and has cried out for years to become a local gathering place. It’s the sort of space where an old-fashioned soda fountain would fit: high ceilings, big windows, clean and airy.
Winemaker Mike Kuimelis, 48, and his wife Dez, 47, had been searching for a location for the tasting room they had long envisioned, and when the bank building became vacant, after an incarnation as a children’s furniture shop, they knew they had found the perfect spot.
Mike’s father, also named Michael, immigrated from Greece when he was 12. He started a vineyard in 1978 in Geyserville, growing zinfindel and cabernet, and selling the grapes to various local labels. Mike Jr. grew up in both Novato and the East Bay. After graduating from St. Mary’s College, he served in the Peace Corps from 1991 to 1994, where he worked on agricultural projects in rural Guatemala. When he returned to California, he met Dez, who was studying Forestry at UC Berkeley. They moved to Healdsburg, and Mike began applying to medical school, while helping his parents manage the same vineyard he played in as a child. He never attended med school, but winemaking got into his blood, and in 1995, he began experimenting in his garage.
By 2000, Mike was creating award-winning wines under the Mantra label. And by 2002, he was producing 200 cases a year. The cabernet and merlot were awarded best of class and gold medals at the California State Fair wine-tasting competition last year. Mantra’s syrah received 93 points from the Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine.
The tasting room is bright and airy, furnished with a stunning walnut bar, as well as redwood and walnut tables constructed by Mike himself. There is greenery throughout, and a giant ficus tree nod to the natural beauty of our county. The entire space beckons visitors to spend time relaxing and socializing. Shuffleboard, chess sets, as well as plenty of board games are available to help break the ice with new friends, or to engage with old friends.
On Saturday, I enjoyed chilling in the space with a small group of Novatans. We tasted the zinfindel, cabernet and sparkling varietals and loved them all.
The tasting room had a soft opening Thursday night with 50-60 people attending. The grand opening will be on June 24.
The business employs one full-time worker, Hilary Kinney, who manages the tasting room, as well as several part-time workers. It is open Tuesday through Sunday; check the website (currently under reconstruction) for hours.
Art & Wine Festival
Novato police Sgt. Nick Frey estimates some 30,000 people attended this past weekend’s Art & Wine Festival. I’ve attended several years in a row, and each year this event becomes more popular. The crowd is always upbeat and the music is excellent. One standout band was Fleetwood Mask, a tribute group that captured the sound of the original band. And figuring everything is better deep-fried, my friends and I enjoyed some battered garlic fries along with the music.
Gone fishin’
Rangers at Stafford Lake Park will cast out with the kids to reel in big fish in the kids’ fishing day set for 9 to 11 a.m. Sunday, June 18. All ages and levels are welcome, and no experience is necessary. Dress in layers and wear sturdy shoes, and bring a fishing pole! Rangers will provide bait and a limited number of poles. If you are over 16, a fishing license is required. For information, send email to Adam Craig at ACraig@marincounty.org or call 415-897-0618.
Save a life
There will be a blood drive at Moylan’s Brewery & Restaurant, 15 Rowland Way, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 25. Donors receive a certificate for a large two-topping pizza from Moylan’s, and a free T-shirt from Blood Centers of the Pacific. You can make an appointment at bloodheroes.com.
![When the Rev. Cecil Williams took over leadership of Glide Memorial Church in the 1960s and began transforming it into a national powerhouse for social justice and nonprofit services, he became an early ally of Tenderloin residents who were then among the city’s most marginalized: gay men, lesbians and transgender youth. In the 1960s, San Francisco was still “a pretty conservative town” and police, supported by City Hall, regularly targeted gathering spots for LGBTQ men and women, arresting them for merely being social. As part of Williams’ mission to welcome the poor and disenfranchised into his Tenderloin congregation, he began […]](https://www.marinij.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SJM-L-WILLIAMSOBIT-0424-5.jpg?w=514 "When the Rev. Cecil Williams took over leadership of Glide Memorial Church in the 1960s and began transforming it into a national powerhouse for social justice and nonprofit services, he became an early ally of Tenderloin residents who were then among the city’s most marginalized: gay men, lesbians and transgender youth. In the 1960s, San Francisco was still “a pretty conservative town” and police, supported by City Hall, regularly targeted gathering spots for LGBTQ men and women, arresting them for merely being social. As part of Williams’ mission to welcome the poor and disenfranchised into his Tenderloin congregation, he began […]")
