Rootstock Wine Bar: Wine Tips for 2017

Summer is coming. That may not sound as ominous as winter, but here in breezy Northern California the number of wine options can sometimes leave non-sommeliers in a state of paralysis by analysis.

In steps Will Sundquist, wine director for Rootstock Wine Bar. A Los Gatos institution for six years running in Los Gatos, the celebrated wine bar and restaurant expanded operations a little less than a year ago to the bustling Vallco Shopping Mall in Cupertino. On a hot summer day, Sundquist recommends a rosé for the “perfect marriage of white and red” to avoid anything overly sweet.

“I’m searching for the best producers in Napa and Sonoma,” he says, “and I’m also looking for some of our best producers in our backyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains.”

Rootstock has plenty of competition, as the public’s palate has elevated while prices for quality wine have dropped, but a top-flight wine club, comfortable outdoor seating and a selection of addictive flatbreads keeps ’em coming.