Wineries: 40 and Counting
You may think “Sonoma” or “Napa” when you think of touring wineries. But Mendocino County has nearly 40 wineries on three different tour routes.
If you’re coming to the coast from the north, you can visit the Redwood Valley and Ukiah area wineries. From the South, you’ll be driving through the Anderson Valley.
In the Anderson Valley, my favorite is Navarro Vineyards in Philo. A nice tasting room. Beautiful deck overlooking vineyards, which is a great place for a picnic (Be sure to stop in Boonville for picnic food).
The county has two fine sparkling wine producers: Scharffenberger Cellars (formerly Pacific Echo) and Roederer Estates, both in Philo.
Yorkville Cellars offers some fine, interesting red wines, and has a nice little deck with chairs and picnic benches overlooking their vineyard and also a picnic spot under some big oaks. Picnic food is available in Yorkville, a wide spot in the road along Highway 128, just before you get to Yorkville Cellars.Another great winery is Pacific Star, an organic winery. They also have a spectacular location on the coast about 15 miles north of Fort Bragg — a great spot for a picnic if you want to watch for whales or crashing surf.
Mendocino County is home to more than a third of all certified organic vineyard acreage in California. Here are a few of the Coastal and in-route organic wineries.
Black Kite Cellars (Navarro)
Breggo Cellars (Boonville)
Brutocao Cellars & Vineyard (Philo)
Christine Woods Vineyards (Philo)
Claudia Springs Winery (Philo)
Duncan Peak Vineyards (Hopland)
Eagle Point Ranch Winery (Philo)
Edmeades Winery (Philo)
Greenwood Ridge Vineyards (Philo)
Handley Cellars (Philo)
Harmonique Wine (Albion)
Husch Vineyards (Philo)
Lazy Creek Winery (Philo)
Le Vin Vineyards & Winery (Yorkville)
Londer Vineyards (Philo)
Maple Creek Winery (Yorkville)
Meyer Family Cellars (Yorkville)
Pacific Star Winery (Fort Bragg)
Philo Ridge Vineyards (Philo)
Rayes Hill Winery (Philo)
Roederer Estate (Philo)
Scharffenberger Cellars (Philo)
Toulouse Vineyards & Winery (Philo)
Yorkville Cellars (Yorkville)
For more information about wineries, their locations and weblinks, check out the website of the Mendocino Winegrowers Alliance.
