Mendocino

Mendocino

Eagle Point Ranch Winery

Eagle Point's website seemed to be under construction at the time of this entry. We will update as soon as possible.
This small family owned winery is run by a husband and wife: Molly and Jason. It's so personal, in fact, when we arrived at their tasting room it was Molly herself that hosted us. She was very nice, but I wish she had voluntarily shared more information about the wine. It's always interesting to hear how people differentiate their wine; perhaps, she was shy. She was very attentive, however, and answered any questions we had including those involving the bizarre titles on their wine list. For example, their Pinot Noir was a " fog eater" while their Syrah came from a "Broken Leg Vineyard".
Back in the late '70s and early '80s, Eaglepoint included blocks of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, but the vineyard is now home exclusively to red-grape varieties. Continued grafting and more recent plantings have concentrated on the Rhone varieties, including Syrah and Grenache, as well as their Rhone cousin Petite Sirah. Other varieties planted on the ranch include Zinfandel, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Husch Vineyards

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.

Navarro Vineyards & Winery

We arrived on a sunny May day and it was easily over 90 degrees. We stopped by Navarro and I have to say - the grounds were gorgeous! There was a bench with a picnic table for those who wanted to lunch and wine. It overlooked gorgeous green lushy grass on a hill. The tasting room was very cozy and small but definitely very welcoming. Our pourer was friendly and gave us a great restaurant recommendation.

Londer Vineyards

Larry and Shirlee are the owners and founders of Londer Vineyards. They began their quest for vineyard property in 1997, settling in Anderson Valley in 2000 on a 53-acre rural estate about five miles north of Philo. They were embraced by the wine business farming culture in the small isolated valley and quickly became involved in all aspects of the winegrowing community.

Black Kite Cellars

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.

Toulouse Vineyards & Winery

The vision for Toulouse Vineyards is to grow the highest quality grapes using sustainable farming practices and to produce the finest Pinot Noir infused with the fun and passion of winemaking. For Vern and Maxine Boltz, it has been an exciting journey beginning as fruit growers and evolving into producers of award-winning wines. Wines! Nice, varied selection of wines with some simple to more complex flavors.

Cole Bailey Vineyards

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.

Oster Wine Cellars

Oster Wine Cellars is a small family-owned winery in California's Mendocino County. Established in 2002 by Teresa Fetzer Oster and Ken Oster. Oster specialize in Cabernet Sauvignon, producing approximately 1000 cases annually from their own estate grown, CCOF certified organic vineyards, located in Redwood Valley. From San Francisco, Oster Wine Cellars are a 2.5 hour drive north on the beautiful Redwood Hwy 101 and are available for private tastings.

Forsight Wines

Foursight Wines is located on a beautiful piece of land and it is one of those wineries that just transform you to another place. Plus the staff is incredible there. Family run and friendly dogs. Fine Pinot, yummy DRY gewurz and a wide range of wines to sample. The pours are generous, repeated and free. Hard to find at retail level, this is a must stop in the Anderson Valley.

Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery

Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery is one of the closest, if not the closest winery to the ocean in all of California. From the vineyard you can see the breaking surf and the misty silhouettes of Bodega Head and Pt. Reyes far below. The vineyard’s high elevation above the coastal fog and its proximity to the ocean provide a gentle, sunny and temperate climate that has proved to be very favorable for the slow and even ripening of Burgundian varietals.

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