If you like the idea of an afternoon ambling down Main Street in Historic Mendocino Village tasting wine and looking seaward occasionally for a Gray Whale whale spout, then the annual whale festival on March 3 is the place to be. It’s safe — no driving necessary — and you get to taste a wide variety of wines (20 total) produced in Mendocino County.
Wineries pouring this year: Albertina Wine Cellars, Barra of Mendocino, Breggo Cellars, Claudia Springs Winery, Cole Bailey Vineyards, Elizabeth Vineyards, Esterlina Vineyards, Frey Vineyards, Germain Robin & Alambic, Giuseppe Wines & Neese Vineyard, Graziano Family of Wines, Domaine St Gregory, Handley Cellars, Husch Vineyards, McNab Ridge Winery & Cononiah Vineyard, Meyer Cellars, Milano Winery, Naughty Boy Vineyards, Oracle Oaks Winery; Lolonis Winery, Pacific Echo, Roederer, Scharffenberger, Philo Ridge Winery, Terra Savia, Sanel Valley Vineyards and Yorkville Cellars.
A fundraising event for the Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce, tasting is from noon to 4 p.m. and costs $25 per person.
Bruce Best Bet: eat a light breakfast and plan on being at Crown Hall on Ukiah Street in the Village (two blocks from Main Street) for chowder tasting at 11 (four tastes for $5 and chowder goes quickly). Four tastes is plenty and you’ll get to sample the personal chowder recipes of some of the area’s top chefs.
For other area activities (non alcholic, docent led walks and talks, family-oriented events), check out www.MendoWhale.com.
