Wine and Travels in Mendocino

• Wine tasting in Anderson Valley and Redwood Valley.
• Driving along the rugged Mendocino coast.
• Touring the village of Mendocino.
• Visting the Mendocino County Fair.
• Staying in the Bungalow in the Boonville Hotel.
• Visiting the Apple Farm in Philo.

Quick Tips:

Couple of good websites I used to research our trip:

• goMendo.com.
• Mendocino WineCountry.
• Mendocino.org.

Best Way To Get Around:

Though Mendocino County does run a transit system, most of the area is very rural, and service is infrequent. Your best bet is driving. If you're planning on wine tasting, consider hiring a limo.

Located centrally in Anderson Valley in the tiny village of Boonville, the Boonville Hotel is what would best be described as country luxury. Set just off of Highway 128, it houses 10 comfortable rooms in the main building and two larger suites in a separate, creek-side home. We stayed in the Bungalow, which is one of the two suites. Our room had its own private entrance, porch with chairs and a hammock (nice touch!), and an enclosed patio. The main sleeping room had a sitting area, comfortable, queen-sized down bed, and was very airy. The bathroom had an oversized clay bathtub which made it very easy for a couple to share.

Outside of both buildings sits a garden full of fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables. This is regularly harvested by the owners who, as gourmet chefs, also run a dining room in the evenings which puts out amazing meals. It is a great place to have a glass of wine, rub elbows with the locals, and unwind your day.

If you get the chance, take some time to sit in one of the outdoor chairs. Most likely you'll get a visit from the owner's cat, who we nicknamed Lavender because she smelled like the plant, which is all over the grounds. She'll paw your lap for a few minutes if you let her, before settling in for a late summer nap. You may just find yourself doing the same.

Sandwiched in the long, narrow Anderson Valley is the Anderson Valley wine-tasting area. This is definitely one of the up-and-coming wine areas in California. Known mainly for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, and White Riesling, the blend of hot summer days and cool foggy nights give the wines from this region a very distinct taste.

Being somewhat limited on time, we did speed-tasting though multiple wineries in about two hours. We visited Greenwood Ridge Vineyards, Handley Cellars, Husch Vineyards and Navarro Vineyards. Being a big Pinot Noir fan, I was extremely impressed with all of the wines I tasted. Forced to choose, however, I would tip my hat to Navarro Vineyards as the best overall.

The village of Mendocino is like coming across a quaint New England town on some back road. As you twist and turn on Highway l along a magnificent and rugged coast, you suddenly get your first view of the village set on a long bluff. Looking like a set from some old movie, you quickly realize it is indeed a living, breathing community.

Mendocino is one of those rare places where you can park all day and just explore. Full of shops, cafes, and historical sites, it is easy to lose yourself in. My wife and I found our major highlights to be walking and shopping along Main Street, eating at the locally famous Mendo Burgers, walking to the edge of the bluff to watch kayakers pass through a sinkhole in the cliff, and listening to some of the free spirits who play instruments in hopes of some spare change.