Quiet wine and art salon becomes Friday night party spot

[...] since Valdez Family Winery moved its tasting room to Healdsburg last summer, Vino di Amore is keeping pretty lonely company.

Considering that many fine wineries call the greater Cloverdale area home, however, and that downtown Cloverdale is emerging as an arts destination, there's good reason to detour to this bucolic town that celebrates its 1800s heritage.

The arts are alive and well in this charming Tuscan-motif salon, where local talents display their works on the lemon-curd-colored walls in the main room, in the hallways leading to the back patio, and in a private tasting room set with a faux fireplace.

For either a five for $5 reserve tasting or an eight for $8 premium tasting, we can weave custom tapestries among Sauvignon Blanc ($20), Chardonnay ($20), Sangiovese ($26), Carignane ($26), Zinfandel ($26), Merlot ($30), Malbec ($32), Cabernet Sauvignon ($30), a rare Syrah Noir ($32), Petite Sirah ($35), several blends ($15-$16), two dessert wines ($35-$36) and a tawny Port ($40).

The lounge space next to the polished wood tasting bar is nice for enjoying wines by the glass, sitting in leather arm chairs cozied up to small, low tables warmed by shade lamps.

Bubbles di Amore ($12 glass/$35 bottle) goes nicely with charcuterie (or fresh grilled hot dogs), or the Friday night preordered dinner that might feature prime rib, stuffed portobello, or lamb and polenta.