W hen people think of Humboldt, a lot of things come to mind – redwoods, coastal vistas, cannabis – but rarely is wine at the top of that list. The minds behind Septentrio Winery are on a mission to change that, one artisanal bottle at a time, served in a space built for community and inclusion. Tucked away behind a gate just a few blocks from the bustling Arcata Plaza is Septentrio’s tasting room, with an expansive outdoor area featuring an upscale food truck, fire pits, and a who’s who of Humboldt’s tight-knit community. As co-owner Tynel Humphreys says, “People come here to be well-fed and well-seen,” and she’s not wrong.
First – the wine. Co-owner and vintner Jared Sandifer, Humphreys’ husband, is the brilliance behind Septentrio’s winemaking. Humphreys and Sandifer source their grapes from various vineyards throughout California and Oregon for their Champagne, Burgundy, and Bordeaux-style wines, but their estate winery lies atop Fruitland Ridge in Humboldt County. The husband and wife team are a well-oiled machine, him tending to the winemaking, her tending to the community, and both promoting grapes grown in the foggy county’s unique terroir as regional contenders among the greats of Sonoma and Napa to the south. Ever the community-minded person, Humphreys isn’t shy about promoting her competition, too; she savors the success of her contemporaries just as she does her own, it’s a community effort to put Humboldt wines on the map. “Great wines are here,” she says, “They’re delicious, they’re innovative. It’s not just us, Humboldt’s other local winemakers are doing it, too.”
The wine is just one component of Septentrio’s success; if Septentrio is synonymous with anything, it’s community – community values, community growth, and community inclusion. Keeping in line with Humboldt’s progressive values, Septentrio’s resident food truck, The Nosh, features stunning and upscale serious salads, paninis, grazing boards, and small plates for sharing. The Nosh, headed by Jen McDonald and Chef Huck Perry, balances light fare with just enough richness to compliment safe consumption of Septentrio’s wines, with options for vegans and gluten-free patrons that don’t sacrifice flavor, featuring as many locally-sourced ingredients as possible. Ethical sourcing and sustainable practices are core Humboldt values; as such, even grapes tainted by ever-increasing wildfires in the region are distilled into wine used for Septentrio’s sangria to mitigate waste – and the sangria is delicious and delightful.
This thoughtful community-based approach to running their business has grown Septentrio into a central event space for patrons to feel at home and feel seen, and to feel “seen” there is to feel respected. Septentrio is a safe and welcoming space for the queer community to gather and celebrate their queerness, with drag shows that feel like family parties. Small businesses are supported with periodic pop-up markets to drive the local maker economy. Families are welcome onsite, too, because, as Humphreys says, “I’ve made an inclusive business and I can’t pick and choose what I include, so families are welcome here with their children. Inclusivity is not a pick and choose kind of thing, if you choose inclusivity, it’s for everyone.” Bands – from bluegrass, to metal, and everything in between – accompany the sounds of clinking wine glasses and laughter from guests who feel at home.
And feeling at home is at the heart of it all. There’s great food, flowing wine, and neighbors at every table. Ken Hamik, a local business owner, calls Septentrio a “third place;” you have a home, you have work, and you have your home away from home – that’s Septentrio. City Councilperson Meredith Matthews continues this thought stating, “Tynel [Humphreys] has naturally and effortlessly made this place an extension of her home; I, too, call this my home away from home” In the end, it’s not just about the wine, it’s not about the food, it’s about community. “Community is something that Humboldt County is nailing,” says Humphreys. “Collaboration through leadership is what we’re aspiring to here. I have all these things I’ve created, but this is bigger than me. My business is Humboldt County. I don’t want credit for what’s been created here, I just want to facilitate the development and advancement of inclusion in our community.”
