Bowman Cellars featured in the East Bay Times

Alex Bowman started making wine in the garage with his dad when Bowman was still too young to drink it. But it wasn’t until 2013 when Bowman, an electrician by trade, accepted three tons of cabernet sauvignon as payment for a job and started making serious plans to open a winery.

Spurred on by his wife, Katie, the young couple turned an empty restaurant in the tiny town of Graton into a rustic-modern tasting room, which opened in February. A tasting ($15) might include a juicy, mouthwatering rosé that’s kept on tap, or a lightly-oaked, well-balanced Chardonnay that recently caught the attention of Wine Spectator. And visitors can still taste that easy-drinking 2013 cabernet that launched it all.

Need a nibble? Bowman Cellars has a commercial kitchen, so guests can order from a small menu that includes housemade potato chips with aioli, salads and truffle-cheddar grilled cheese. On busy weekends, the Bowmans serve overflow crowds on their large, sunny patio from an Airstream trailer-turned- tasting bar.

Details: Open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday-Sunday. 9010 Graton Road, Graton; www.bowmancellars.com