Menus From Mendocino County, Summer • Fall 2004
By Deb Dawson

"WINE TOUR"

MY DAY began as I arrived to stroll through the lovely MacCallum House gardens, the good smells of breakfast sliding off the plates and drifting down from the sunny decks; people are eating and clearly enjoying themselves.

Then I see the limo; it's a real S T R E T C H all right, with Arthur, our Brooklyn-accented driver, downright dapper with his cap and big smile. And well, well, look at this interior, all leather, a long bench running fore and aft between the end seats, facing a gleaming bar with glasses reflected in its starry mirror. There are six of us, then eight, and we start getting acquainted: two young honeymooners from Ohio, (we knew it from the glow on them); a couple from Reno (they love it there, after living in Sacramento) and a couple from the East Bay (he's an avid fisherman and they are having an anniversary). Then there's me, along for the fun and intending to write about it for you, and my great friend Betty Barber, whose birthday needs celebrating. And off we go, on the WINE TOUR.

After a few tastes, I KNOW why they are making Pinot Noir in the Anderson Valley! And I know some other things, which I'll leave for you to discover when you take the tour; for instance, why DO they plant roses at the end of the vines?

I find out that you can get excellent seafood in Reno, because of the clubs, and that the weather is also excellent; property values are reasonable and there's no state income tax. Sounds good to me…I also get a vicarious tour of the yummy things everyone had for breakfast in the various Inns: lovely stuffed French toast with cream cheese and peaches, for example. Why don't I ever go to Mendocino for a holiday?

With Italian opera in the background, I have to wonder: Are the lights and shadows in the redwoods along 128 always so dramatic? Maybe I've just never seen it by looking straight out sideways; it's like experiencing it for the first time.

Our first stop is at HUSCH VINEYARDS tasting room, an old granary made from Old Growth Redwood and lovingly restored. HUSCH is family-owned, famous for their Gewurztraminer, but also making Pinot Noir, some Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. They are at the cool edge of the valley, with a second vineyard in Ukiah to grow the grapes which need more heat.

After a few tastes, I KNOW why they are making Pinot Noir in the Anderson Valley! And I know some other things, which I'll leave for you to discover when you take the tour; for instance, why DO they plant roses at the end of the vines? And what is the meaning of percentage of malolactic? At HUSCH, not only is the scent of honeysuckle filling the air, but the roses are lavender.

We're definitely awake now, and feeling frisky. As we pull into the next stop, GREENWOOD RIDGE, I wonder how many times my breath has been taken away by the line of poplars which lead the eye into the vineyards as you come over the hill above GREENWOOD RIDGE and NAVARRO VINEYARDS, and how many times have I been too busy to stop.

From now on, no more rushing by, now that I know you can stop to lunch on GREENWOOD RIDGE'S octagonal picnic deck (made from one redwood tree) overlooking their cool blue pond, and try some more lovely Pinots as well. Established for 23 years, they have a vineyard on Greenwood Ridge at 1400 ft, which is enough above the fog to grow Cabernet. They produce estate bottled Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and White Reisling, and host the California Wine Tasting Championships every year in July.

We are delighted by our picnic lunch, panini with Round Man's smoked bacon and avocado, among other treats, delivered by the ebullient Arthur and eaten pondside. Then we're back into our limo for a quick commute next door to NAVARRO VINEYARDS.

NAVARRO VINEYARDS' wines can only be bought at the winery, through their pre-release tasting program, or at selected restaurants. It's a family-operated winery founded in 1973, and since the viticultural climate is similar to Northern France, they specialize in many of the same grape varieties; Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling. They also have an outdoor picnic deck with a stunning vineyard view, which you're welcome to share with your dog while you taste something wonderful from the wine bar and eat your lunch.

We are feeling more satisfied by the moment as we turn around and head back for our last stop, at ROEDERER cellars, making premier sparkling wines, and at 550 acres, the largest winery in the valley. ROEDERER crouches on the hillside like a giant elegant cat, not missing a thing on the road below, definitely the queen of the valley. Owned by an old French Champagne Maison, their style is unmistakable, crisp and smooth, considered by many the best sparkling wine in California. Every year, French wine makers join the Anderson Valley winemakers (also French) to choose the juice for L'Ermitage Vintage Brut, the top of their impressive line. ROEDERER'S Extra Dry is served with dessert in the White House, and can only be bought there or at the winery. Do you know that the same wine tastes different when aged in a Magnum? After our complete tour of the winery, that's only one of the fascinating things we had learned.

By now we are very happy for Arthur's steady hand and his instincts as a sheepdog. Of course we have to open that bottle of Roederer's bubbly we were too sleepy to drink this morning, especially to go with the cheese course! The word "pampered" is on everyone's lips; what a perfect day!