Septentrio Winery - Safely Serving a Sense of Normalcy
At this point, it isn’t news to anyone that COVID-19 has been a real bitch, especially for local businesses. And as a consumer, I have been desperate for a sense of normalcy (also wine. I mean, unprecedented times call for unprecedented coping mechanisms, am I right?) As I sip my glass of pinot noir and listen to the hum of people reuniting, the clink of glassware, and the chatter of busy service staff, I realize that in previous years, I have taken for granted the ability to drink in public. Because of their ability to think quickly and reimagine their operations, over the past year, Septentrio Winery and Tasting Room has been my place of choice to experience a sense of safe connection to our community, to feel somewhat normal on a date night, and to fuel my new-found day-drinking habit.
Having only opened their tasting room about six months before Shelter in Place took effect, owners Tynel Humphreys and Jared Sandifer, saw the need for a quick and early pivot in order to adapt their service to the new challenges and regulations accompanying the spread of the virus.
Tynel and Jared began as wine lovers - Tynel having studied wine in Croatia, and Jared having a naturally discerning palate. For fun, they began helping Tynel’s mother, a talented at-home winemaker in Napa, where Jared quickly discovered his passion for winemaking and dove in headfirst, learning from mentors who encouraged his natural talent. Their first official vintage was in 2012 and from there, production continued to increase.
From the beginning, it was always their intention to open a tasting room in Arcata. The dream was to create a space to bring the community together, recognizing that as Tynel said, “wine is a connector.” When they found the perfect space on C St., they again dove in headfirst and spent two years renovating, making sure that it was as close to their vision as possible before opening in August, 2019 in conjunction with the Hatchet House Throwing Club across the street.
Business was good in those six months. The tasting room was full on a regular basis with guests lounging on the couches, lined up along the bar for tastings, laughing and gathered around the fire pit; the space vibrant and filled with community connecting in all of the usual, beautiful ways. When the Shelter in Place orders were released, Septentrio shut off the lights and locked the doors indefinitely - all of us unsure of how long it would last.
As restrictions lifted, and they watched as other businesses reopened and crafted protocols for the ever-changing landscape; they knew that they were going to need to pivot quickly, and they found another opportunity to dive in headfirst. Tynel began delivering wine to doorsteps from Orick to Hydesville, offering curbside pickup, and used social media to regularly update consumers about how and when they could easily access delicious wine all while Jared diligently stayed the course of regular production.
As restrictions lifted even more, they began offering outdoor seating in their beautifully stylized patio, expanded the courtyard to increase space between tables, placed hand sanitizer on each table, replaced the self-service water station with water service, created single-use menus, and enacted policies requiring the staff to sanitize tables and chairs after each seating, and for guests to wear masks at any time that they are not at their table with their own group. Tynel said, “it’s our job to try to make our guests feel normal, but it’s my duty as an owner to make sure my staff and clients feel safe.”
Though the terrain of the past year was tumultuous and difficult to navigate, Septentrio Winery carved out its niche and has been successful in not only surviving, but growing and thriving. Today the tasting room is buzzing with the excitement of guests gathering in safe capacities, again circling the campfires, bringing their own blankets to stay cozy in the Humboldt Spring nights, and now again able to enjoy the tables and comfortable seating inside the tasting room as well.
Septentrio has partnered with Pat Knittle from Wrangletown Cider and Northstory Wines in acquiring a new production facility and barrel room in what Tynel called the “beautiful winery that Robert Goodman built,” in the old Iron Works building on I St. They are now arranging for private barrel tastings for groups of 6 or more people in compliance with the current county guidelines for indoor gatherings and working with a variety of local caterers, and restaurateurs to create pop-up dinners for these private groups.
They have also begun a new partnership with Casandra Kelly who is now the Executive Chef of the on-site food truck, The Nosh at Septentrio Winery. The food truck offers small bites like Fries, Oysters, Almonds and Olives, as well as other items like a variety of salads, Lamb Sliders, Barbacoa Cauliflower Tacos, and rotating entree specials like Fried Chicken and Steaks. All of which pair wonderfully with the vast variety of wines created by Septentrio.
Jared’s winemaking style covers the bases of well-rounded blends like the Retrograde and Borealis series, to excellent representations of 100% varietals like the refreshing Gewurztraminer, light and elegant Humboldt County Pinot Noir, robust Petite Sirahs and many, many more options. And if wine isn’t your game, they also offer sangria that can be purchased by the pitcher (talk about some excellent day-drinking options!)
Tynel and Jared’s goal in beginning Septentrio Winery has always been to bring people together - to offer a space for guests to gather and connect, and to create opportunities for other businesses in the community to collaborate. The past year has made connection difficult to do, but they stayed firm in their intentions. And now as many of us are looking to reconnect with friends and loved ones, Septentrio Winery is there to assist. Whether you gather at the tasting room, or in a private small group in the Barrel Room, the gorgeous aesthetic, professional staff, and phenomenal wines make it easy to relax and begin to feel a bit like our normal selves again. Afterall, “wine is a connector,” and there is nothing that we all need more than to feel connected to one another and to our community.
A version of this article was published in the Humboldt Insider Magazine in 2021