The Le Vin Estate Winery & Vineyards, on hillside terraces, rise up 1550 to 1900 feet above sea level, in the prestigious and beautiful Yorkville Highlands appellation of southern-most Mendocino County near the Sonoma County line.
Esterlina Vineyards is a family-owned, California boutique winery located near the Mendocino coast, nestled in the highlands above Philo. Esterlina is totally off the beaten path, and we must of driven up and down HWY 128 at least 3 times before we found the right street to turn off. But when we made the windy drive up the hill, it was all worth it. What a spectacular view of the valley from up there! This winery was a sweet recommendation from a friend. I suggest making reservations before you come, especially since it is off the main highway and a bit hidden to find. This place is dog friendly, with outdoor seating and a beautiful view of the valley. It's casual, welcoming, and the best part, not stuffy!
Husch Vineyards is a small, family owned and operated winery. It is the oldest winery in the Anderson Valley appellation, located in Mendocino County (Northern California) just 2 1/2 hours north of San Francisco. The tasting room is in a hobbit cottage straight out of the Shire. Worth stopping just to see it.
People were friendly. The wines were very earthy and herby, almost gamey. Definitely distinctive.
The tasting is free, which is rare even in Anderson Valley, so you have nothing to lose but a little bit of time and room in your stomach for something else.
A benchmark Anderson Valley vineyard, Breggo Cellars acquired the Savoy Vineyard in April 2011.
Planted by Richard Savoy in 1991, the vineyard is located very close to the
valley’s mid-point, just west of the town of Philo. Breggo continues to
sell fruit from Savoy to many of the highly esteemed wineries that helped build the vineyard’s
reputation, including Littorai and Radio Coteau, as well as to some newcomers like Kutch,
Auteur, and Peay.
The grounds are gorgeous, as is the tasting room. Very elegant and spacious. Our wine Diva was Linda, who was one of the most informative and fun wine pros we had met. She schooled us in such a fun and creative way we almost didn't want to leave!
This tasting room is definitely a head turner, a beautifully crafted building designed by the owner/winemakers' father. The setting is so gorgeous, you'll wish they had lodging accommodations, Wow! and you haven't even stepped a foot inside. The tasting here is free though small. We tried about 5 wines (2 desserts) and ended up buying two bottles: a sauvignon blanc and merlot (double gold winner). Their bottles are beautifully designed with dragons as well as their wine glasses.
Tastings may be appointment only [not sure if they even do that] and it may only be possible to taste during one of the Redwood Valley events so call them before trying to go by. If you are going to be in the area you might want to see if you can do a tasting and/or try their wines if you see them at a tasting
Fetzer Vineyards was founded in 1968 in beautiful Mendocino County by Barney and Kathleen Fetzer. One of the first California wineries to branch out into serious Chardonnay production, Fetzer remains committed to sustainability and environmentally conscious wine production. Dennis Martin oversees all wine-making at Fetzer and is assisted by Charlie Gilmore and Michael Chupp, who are in charge of white wine making and red wine making respectively.
Cole Bailey Vineyards is located in Redwood Valley, a beautiful undiscovered town in Mendocino County, situated 50 miles directly north of Healdsburg. The proprietors, Jennifer and Bob Anderson, named the winery after their son, Cole Bailey Anderson, who was born in 1998 during the week that they planted their first hillside vineyard.
Black Kite Cellars is dedicated to reaching the pinnacle of what Pinot Noir can be-a marvelously aromatic and flavorful wine. Jeff Gaffner, Black Kite Cellars winemaker is committed to quality and this is reflected in the limited number of cases released.
The winery is named for the beautiful but endangered Black Shouldered Kite that is native to the Anderson Valley. These incredible hawks can frequently be seen circling the skies over Black Kite Cellars.
