We are headed to Mendocino County in a few weeks. I’ve done quite a bit of research, but I would love some winery suggestions (pinot noir) and any other suggestions (restaurants, hiking, etc.) the wine berserkers community might have.
We are also planning a day trip to southern Humboldt to visit Briceland and Avenue of the Giants. Anywhere else in that area that we should visit?
We are staying near the town of Mendocino.
I was going to put this in the Travel forum, but there are always many more responses over here.
These write-ups I did last year for Grape-Nutz.com may be of some help: Mendocino County Wine Tour - August 2017 - Part 1 Mendocino County Wine Tour - August 2017 - Part 2
The first two visits to vineyards were by appointment, though Drew has a tasting room in Philo as well. Other Anderson Valley wineries / tasting rooms that should have good Pinot Noir include Handley, Husch, Balo, and Smith-Story. Of the places I visited, Baxter, Foursight, and Drew would be my picks for Pinot Noir and Navarro and Pennyroyal Farm would be good choices as well. Witching Stick also has some nice Pinots though I think their old-vine Mendocino Ridge Zinfandels are the star there. Elke closed down not long after my visit after a long run of fine Pinots there - check out their Pinots with the blue diamond on the label if you happen to spot any at wine shops.
In Anderson Valley, I had a great lunch at Stone & Embers in Philo and heard very good reports about The Bewildered Pig though didn’t make it there. Dining at the Boonville Hotel should be a good option too. I usually try to make a stop at Anderson Valley Brewing in Boonville when I’m in the area too.
For some relatively short but interesting hikes near the Mendocino Coast, try Jug Handle State Natural Reserve and Van Damme State Park.
Keep in mind that the many roads in the area have lots of curves so getting from one place to another will take some time. Not too bad within Anderson Valley itself, but the drive from / to Mendocino will take awhile.
Wow! This is really helpful. I wish Halcón had a tasting room. Love their Pinots. We have a voucher for a tour/tasting at Pennyroyal Farm that I won from the Berserkers Day auction, so we’ll be going there. I also like the idea of Witching Stick for Zins.
I need to read through your notes more thoroughly, when I have more time later. Thanks for all of the suggestions. I’m really looking forward to this trip!
I tried attaching a downloadable copy of the Mendocino Vineyard Directory (2015), provided by the Mendocino WineGrowers Inc. but, at 4.3Mb, it is too large to post on the board.
If anyone wants a copy, PM me your email address and I will send you the file.
The write up cited above is pretty solid and comprehensive. We have been going there for 6 consecutive years, and I generally agree with the recommendations. If you can make it to Table 128 for dinner, it is really solid. Same goes for The Bewildered Pig.
My four picks for wineries with a pinot focus would be:
Witching Stick
Baxter
Drew
Phillips Hill
Those are in no particular order, and all of them mix in another varietal or three. Of additional note:
Lichen – excellent estate pinot and really wonderful vintage sparkling wines
Roederer – in case you don’t already drink their sparkling wines
Navarro, Handley, and Husch – generally awesome
Feel free to reach out to me for anything additional! AV/Mendo is one of my favorite places anywhere.
When I visited Mendocino many years ago I enjoyed the Albion River Inn Restaurant in Albion, 7 miles away from Mendocino. Not cutting edge cuisine but very fresh and well prepared with a nice ambiance and a great view.
Lots of good recommendations so far. If you have a dinner open, you might also try the Little River Inn. Very good food and an epic place to watch a sunset as you dine. The nearby Little River State Beach has a hiking trail that winds next to the Little River and is entrancing.
For Anderson Valley tastings you are well covered. Last time through I especially like Handley and Goldeneye. The latter is a more formal Napa-like tasting setting (and wines priced accordingly) if you’re in the mood for that. Not very consistent with the rest of the AV but the wines are pretty stunning. At Pennyroyal don’t skip the cheese tasting to pair with the wine tasting!
Oh, also: if you’re going to try sparklers, I recommend skipping Roederer (tasting room is a bit generic) and visiting Scharffenberger instead. Teeny tasting room, more interesting wines, and the patio/garden out front is a perfect spot for a picnic lunch.
Just spotted this article on Anderson Valley Pinot Noir by Esther Mobley of the San Francisco Chronicle - not sure whether it’s new but it looks fairly recent. Anderson Valley: Taste the Rainbow of Pinot Noir
The article linked above includes links to other wine articles on the region: “The best sparkling wine in Mendocino County”, “Destination wineries for aromatic white wines”, and “Go to the lesser known parts of Mendocino County”.
When we go there we stay in the valley. We prefer the simple and very affordable accommodations at AV Inn, but recently had a bunch of people come out and both the Boonville Hotel and The Madrones were very nice.
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