It was early in the morning and I was enjoying a double espresso at my favorite coffee house and bistro, The French Roast, which not only has great coffee drinks and pastries but also an exceptional French wine list that focuses on Rhone wines, all served by the glass.

I was thinking of catching an early show of Luis Bunuel’s Belle de Jour, the 1967 classic surrealistic film about a virgin bride who works in a high-class brothel, starring the great Catherine Deneuve. I was about to have another round of espresso when two beautiful ladies entered the room: Lacy Bottoms, manager of Chez Suave, and Heidi Starr, cult winemaker. They had just finished playing tennis and were ready for coffee and a bite to eat.

The two came over to my table and ordered a bottle of Pommery Brut Champagne with their croissants, orange juice and coffee, and asked me to stay and converse.

After the first glass of champagne and a short chat about classic foreign cinema, our conversation turned to wine. We discussed the great viticulture areas of the world and which were our favorites, at which point Bordeaux and Burgundy were mentioned.

I have always been a great fan of Spain’s Rioja, but Heidi stared me square in the eye with her dark blue eyes and said: “I think the greatest is the most diverse, where you can grow lovely pinot noir and robust cabernet sauvignon. I have studied winemaking in Bordeaux and I have worked as an assistant winemaker in Barolo. There are great wines that are grown there, no question. But when it comes to sure quality and diversity, there is nothing like Sonoma County.”

I reflected on all the great bottles of wine I have had from the various appellations within Sonoma, and I was inclined to agree with her. Lacy poured me more champagne and said, “I think the best pinot noir produced in the new world comes from the Russian River Valley, and the pinots coming from the Carneros come in a close second.”

“Lacy is right,” Heidi said. “Joseph Swan, Martinelli, Siduri and Williams Selyem are producing outstanding wines in the Russian River Valley.”

“When I think of the Dry Creek Valley, I think about all the great zinfandel and cabernet made in that area,” I said with a champagne smile.

Lacy then replied, “Nalle, Ridge and Fritz are producing excellent wine in Dry Creek.” Heidi seemed to become even more excited. “In the Alexander Valley are the very popular Silver Oak, Simi and the very underrated Alexander Valley Vineyards, which are putting the valley on the map with good wines,” she said.

The champagne at this point was already gone. As Lacy went to her black Lexus to get a couple bottles of wine, Heidi went on with the discussion of Sonoma wineries.

“I think we are just starting to see the potential of quality coming out of these appellations,” she said. “Winemakers are just scratching the surface. Green Valley, Sonoma Coast and Sonoma Mountain are all producing wonderful wines, and I think they will be making even greater wines.”

Lacy returned with two wines from Gundlach Bundschu. I grabbed my trusty wine opener out of my pocket. There was a pinot noir and a merlot, and I popped open the pinot first.

Lacy poured and gave us the info we wanted. “This pinot is from the historic Rhinefarm Vineyards in Sonoma Valley, from a sixth-generation winemaker, Jeff Bundschu, and I think it is an outstanding example of the quality of wines coming from Gundlach Bundschu,” she said. “Their estate borders the Carneros to the south, Napa and the Mayacamas Mountains to the east.”

I put my nose into glass. The perfume from the pinot filled the air – I knew from the bouquet that it was delicious.

“This wine has all the sultry qualities of an outstanding Burgundy like a Pommard, but speaks Sonoma on the palate with all the generous fruit,” Heidi said. We all nodded our heads in unison.

We set aside the pinot and tried the merlot. Like the pinot, it was from Rhinefarm Vineyard and was from the 2004 vintage. We all tasted the wine and there were smiles all around. It had red plum nuances and hints of cola, ginger, caramel and pomegranate. It was outrageously good.

Lacy said it best: “90-plus point wines, for sure.”

I thought the winery had an interesting history. As Lacy explained, it was founded in 1857 and then survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake that destroyed their offices and wine vaults. It then survived the insanity of Prohibition. A few years ago, the winery made a commitment to greater quality and cut production almost in half. The wines are world class.

We finished the wines and made it to the show, where I bought popcorn for the ladies.