After nearly a decade away from the dining room floor, sommelier turned winemaker Patrick Cappiello is heading back into service with a 1,000-bottle wine project on the Sonoma Coast. The new spot, called Jenner Outpost and featuring an in-house Outpost Cellar, is slated to sit beside Café Aquatica in Jenner and combine a wine retail shop with picnic-style service, by-the-glass pours and curated flights. The owners say they are aiming for an August 2026 opening.
Outpost Cellar will carry 1,000 bottles and offer corkage
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Outpost Cellar is set to feature a 1,000 selection bottle list curated by Cappiello and will pour Monte Rio Cellars wines by the glass. The Chronicle reports that guests will be able to buy bottles to take to picnic tables, order by-the-glass pours and flights, or pay a corkage fee to drink bottles on an expanded deck.
Café Aquatica has long been a Highway 1 stop with a view of the Russian River estuary, and owner Rachel Kulinski has been reshaping it since she took over in October 2018 and later purchased the building outright. As The Press Democrat notes, Kulinski expanded the menu, added retail offerings and live events, and has been positioning the site for a next-stage expansion into adjacent space.
From TriBeCa Grill to Monte Rio
Cappiello built his reputation in major New York wine programs, then went on to launch Pearl & Ash and Rebelle before shifting his focus to production, a trajectory laid out on his personal site. According to PatrickCappiello.com and local tasting-room listings at Pax Wines, he moved west and began producing Monte Rio Cellars in 2018 while collaborating with established Sonoma producers.
What the list will include
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the 1,000 selection list will combine California and European producers, including names such as Littorai, Ceritas, Corison and Lioco, and will also draw from Cappiello’s personal cellar. “I bought a big portion of the Pearl & Ash wine cellar a couple years ago,” he told the Chronicle, and some of those bottles could be consigned for sale at Outpost Cellar.
The plan calls for extending Café Aquatica’s deck so it connects to Jenner Outpost and for adding more seating and picnic tables that overlook the water. The cafe’s website lists current hours and contact details for visitors. Owners say that the mix of local snacks, a deep bottle selection and outdoor seating is intended to give this quiet stretch of Highway 1 a fresh reason for lingering summer nights.
