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Long Grove's Broken Earth offers taste of wine country

Sisters Marsha Forsythe and Melissa Bernadette have ties to both the suburbs and California's wine country — and honor each with their new Broken Earth Winery. The wine bar and shop is located in Long Grove, where the women grew up. And the laid-back, cozy spot, which opened early this fall, serves and sells selections from their family's winery in Paso Robles.

Motif: Brick and textured paint walls create a warm, welcoming feel throughout the space, which features seating along the small bar and throughout. A second floor allows for a more secluded gathering, and an expansion earlier this month provides even more seating room and a fireplace. The bar area includes a roped-off spot for video gambling, while the retail section displays wines, chocolates, cheeses and crackers. Flat-screen TVs were tuned to sports while we were there, but the volume was off and the music was relaxing and retro.

Food: Visitors enjoying a glass of wine can snack on cheese and crackers they select themselves from the retail area. Our waitress brought us plates and a cheese board after we went for a nut-encrusted spreadable cheese with apricots and a bag of tiny crackers. We were pleased with the pairing, but a few other options — hummus, perhaps — would have been welcome. Forsythe said the spot might add pizzas down the road.

Liquid consumption: Broken Earth wines from the family winery are the focus, and on our visit we were offered three complimentary tastes before we made our selection — a smooth petite sirah we liked immensely. There are a number of ways to enjoy the wine — by the bottle or glass or even in $1.50 pours that allow beginners to taste a few different wines. There are more than 25 wines to choose from, as well as a rotating selection of five to 10 beers.

Crowd: On the Saturday night we visited, bar stools were lined with what appeared to be regulars chatting with the women behind the bar. Tables included a mix of young and older couples, while a group of friends chatted on a couch and chairs near the retail side.

Service: Our server was prompt and helpful, making suggestions and checking back to see how we liked both our samples and our final selection.

Parking: There are lots nearby.

Overall: A welcome addition to Long Grove, Broken Earth is a quiet place to chat over wine and cheese. And, if you like what you taste, you can take a bottle of cabernet home to enjoy on a night when you don't feel like venturing out.

  A 2012 chardonnay is one of many selections at Broken Earth Winery in Long Grove. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Broken Earth Winery in Long Grove features an area for video gambling. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Wine by the bottle can be enjoyed at Broken Earth Winery - or at home. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  "CV" Reserve cabernet sauvignon 2010 is among the choices at Broken Earth Winery in Long Grove. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Broken Earth Winery serves selections from its namesake California winery. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com

Broken Earth Winery

219 Robert Parker Coffin Road, Long Grove, (847) 383-5052, <a href="http://www.brokenearthwinery.com/Broken-Earth-Winery-at-Longrove">www.brokenearthwinery.com/Broken-Earth-Winery-at-Longrove</a>

<b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday, closed Monday

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