There is a special sense of peacefulness in Anderson Valley that you rarely find these days in wine country. Recently, while in Northern California wine country we visited Anderson Valley, Mendocino County. Amid the valley's amazing scenery there are many wonderful wineries, with quaint towns along the route. Anderson Valley wine country is located just north of Sonoma County, about a two-and-a-half hour drive from San Francisco or Napa, and roughly 30-45 minutes from Healdsburg. Once you arrive you can let the magic of Anderson Valley wine country unfold.
Anderson Valley, Mendocino County © Spaswinefood
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| Anderson Valley, Mendocino County © Spaswinefood |
The valley is a beautiful area, with hillside vineyards and rolling hills, and most of its wineries are along, about a 15 mile stretch on Highway 128. This article is an overview of our wine travels in the Anderson Valley, which is known for its (1) organic and sustainable wineries, and (2) world class Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Alsatian-style varietal wines. I look forward to doing future posts on the magic of Anderson Valley wine country at each our winery stops.
Highway 128, Mendocino County © Spaswinefood
Welcome to Anderson Valley, Mendocino County
First observation, Anderson Valley is not as commercial as are most other wine regions in California. There are about 30 tastings rooms open to the public, and a few by reservation. Many of the wineries have picnic facilities and food for sale.
Travels along Highway 128 © Spaswinefood
The Mendocino wine region is part of the larger North Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA), one of the largest and diverse wine regions in California. In 2004 the county voted to become the first county in the United States to become GMO free. This effort was supported by the wineries in the region. It is also important to note that 25% of Mendocino County's wine production is organic, making the county the largest producer of organic wine in California. With the addition of the Anderson Valley AVA in 2017, Mendocino County is now home to 12 AVAs. The cool-climate Anderson Valley appellation is located in southwest of Mendocino County.
Anderson Valley’s four most widely planted grape varietals are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, and Riesling. Its early commercial wineries produced mainly Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Riesling. In fact, when Anderson Valley requested official recognition as an American Viticultural Area (AVA, or appellation) in 1982, these three grapes accounted for 400 of the 582 acres. Originally the valley's foggy mornings and rainy autumns made it difficult to grow red wine grapes.
Anderson Valley's Foggy Mornings © Spaswinefood
In 1970's Pinot Noir arrived in the valley with Husch 's planting the Knoll Vineyard in 1971. As Navarro Vineyards, Lazy Creek Vineyard and Greenwood Ridge Vineyard were founded they also added Pinot Noir. When French scientists developed Pinot Noir clones that ripen reliably in cool climates, especially those with hot days and cold nights, like the Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir saw an uptake. The 1980s was the beginning of America’s love affair with fine wine. The romance turned red during the 1990s, with massive plantings of red wine varieties throughout California. Pinot Noir became popular among connoisseurs of French Burgundy (Pinot Noir's geographic name). As the new Pinot Noir clones poured into Anderson Valley, sparkling wine also arrived, giving the rustic valley a new sophistication. These days Anderson Valley ranks with the top Pinot Noir regions in North America. Its superb Gewurztraminer and Riesling, led to the valley’s annual Alsatian festival. In eastern and ridge-top sites there is plenty of warmth to ripen Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
The area has two major annual wine events. Pinot Noir Festival held in May, and the International Alsace Varietals Festival in February (in recent years it has been known as a White Wine Festival).
Roederer Estate, Highway 128 © Spaswinefood
Travels along Highway 128 © Spaswinefood
Based on our Anderson Valley travels the following wineries are amongst my favorites for sparkling (Scharffenberger Cellars and Roederer Estate) and still wines (Domaine Anderson, Husch Vineyards, Navarro Vineyards and Winery, Handley Cellars, and Baxter Winery):
Sparkling Wines
As I have already noted, given Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay do well here, the Anderson Valley is an ideal place to produce sparkling wines. Louis Roederer, a French Champagne company, was quick to discover this. Given the success of methode champenoise sparkling wine houses, Anderson Valley has become a bubble paradise. Hence the following two wine sparking wines stops:
1. Scharffenberger Cellars
Scharffenberger Cellars, an Anderson Valley acquisition by Louis Roederer, was included in our wine country itinerary. Roederer’s Anderson Valley wineries (Scharffenberger Cellars and Roederer Estate) are sparkling wine producers, while Domaine Anderson specializes in still wines. Beyond finding a special sense of peacefulness in Mendocino County's Anderson Valley, Roederer has obviously discovered something unique here for producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Given that we had earlier visited Domaine Anderson and Roederer Estate, on that summer day Scharffenberger Cellars was our Anderson Valley wine country stop.
Scharffenberger Cellars © Spaswinefood
Scharffenberger Cellars, located in the heart of the Anderson Valley began operation in 1981. Under the pioneering leadership of John Scharffenberger, its founder, the winery embarked on a mission to craft unparalleled California sparkling wine, which would rival the best in the world. By 1995 John was recognized as an innovator in the Anderson Valley wine region. His brand’s prestige attracted the attention of Champagne Pommery, who became a partner in 1989. Later John would sell his share of the business to pursue other avenues outside of the wine industry. After a number of changes in ownership, Scharffenberger Cellars in 2002, became a member of the Roederer Collection, under the ownership of Maison Louis Roederer.
Scharffenberger Cellars © Spaswinefood
Roederer Estate
Anderson Valley visitors find it hard to miss Roederer Estate.
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| Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley © Spaswinefood |
It was because of the uniqueness of the Anderson Valley that Louis Roederer established two sparkling wineries here, with Roederer Estate bearing its namesake.
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| Entrance to Roederer Estate © Spaswinefood |
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| Anderson Valley's Roederer Estate © Spaswinefood |
Still Wines
Amongst the wineries that offer something unique to visitors I would include:
1. Domaine Anderson
Domaine Anderson, the youngest Anderson Valley acquisition by Louis Roederer, specializes in still wines, making it distinct from Roederer’s other Anderson Valley sparkling wine wineries (Roederer Estate and Scharffenberger Cellars), which farms about half of all the valley’s vineyard acreage for its two sparkling wine productions.
I still recall a most delightful wine tasting at Domaine Anderson. After we decided on Rosé of Pinot Noir for our picnic lunch.
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| Domaine Anderson, Rose of Pinot Noir © Spaswinefood |
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| Domaine Anderson, Rosé of Pinot Noir in the Glass © Spaswinefood |
Special thanks to Domaine Anderson for loaning us wine glasses to enjoy the chilled Rosé that we purchased.
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| Toasting the Arrival of Summer, Domaine Anderson © Spaswinefood |
I loved the tartness of this food friendly Rosé wine. One reviewer described it as bursting with grapefruit and strawberries. I would agree with this description. It went well with our picnic lunch on that Summer Solstice Day. We also bought some Domaine Anderson Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines to enjoy later.
Sitting in the shade of the majestic oak tree at Domaine Anderson was the perfect way to begin our Summer wine country travels.
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| Below the Tree, Domaine Anderson © Spaswinefood |
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| In the Shade, Domaine Anderson © Spaswinefood |
It was also the perfect place to view their estate vineyard. This vineyard is a Demeter Certified Biodynamic Farm, and CCOF Certified Organic.
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| Domaine Anderson Estate Vineyard © Spaswinefood |
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| Estate Vineyard, Domaine Anderson © Spaswinefood |
Besides Domaine Anderson our stops on Highway 128 have included the historic Husch and Navarro wineries, Handley Cellars, founded by Milla Handley, one of Anderson Valley's wine pioneers, and a trailblazer for women in wine. Baxter Winery, a small premium producer of Pinot Noir, 2. Husch Vineyards
Husch Vineyards, a small, family owned winery, was founded in 1971, Husch is the oldest winery in the picturesque Anderson Valley. Under the direction of 3rd generation family members. Husch Vineyards produces 22 different wines, of which six are distributed nationally. Small lots of special wines are available exclusively at their tasting room, a converted pony barn dating back to the late 1800s.
Husch Vineyards © Spaswinefood
Their vineyards include some of the earliest varietal plantings on the valley floor. In 1967 Tony and Gretchen Husch bought the 60-acre Nunn ranch between Philo and Navarro on Highway 128. The land was well known for growing apples and grains. They soon planted eight acres of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Gewurztraminer grapes on the cool slopes of the property. The plantings sweep down towards the pristine Navarro River. The first official crush was in the fall of 1971.
Husch Vineyards © Spaswinefood
In 1979, Hugo Oswald Jr. bought the 6,000 cases of Husch Winery wines from the Husch family. The Oswald family had been growing pears in the Santa Clara Valley, but when the area expanded they sold the land and headed for the southern tip of Mendocino County. Today Husch Vineyards remains owned and operated by the 3rd generation of the Oswald family, Zac Robinson and Amanda Robinson Holstine. Winemaking is under the direction of Brad Holstine (Amanda's husband). Al White who is in charge of all viticulture operations, has been with Husch since 1974. Through the years Husch has modernized and expanded, but it has never lost its initial rustic charm, or its reputation for great wines.
Husch Vineyards © Spaswinefood
We had read about its historic tasting room before our visit. Historic Tasting Room, Husch Vineyards © Spaswinefood
Husch Vineyards, Tasting Room © Spaswinefood
Tasting Room, Husch Vineyards © Spaswinefood
After exploring a little we headed into the tasting room.
Husch Vineyards Wines © Spaswinefood
We so enjoyed tasting at Hutch Vineyards that it was not difficult to select a case of wines to be shipped to our home address.
Wine Tasting, Husch Vineyards © Spaswinefood
3. Navarro Vineyards and Winery
Navarro Vineyards and Winery, an Anderson Valley's iconic winery, has pioneered wine making in the area. Their wines represent a diversity of what Mendocino County has to offer.Navarro Vineyards & Winery, Anderson Valley © Spaswinefood
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| Navarro Vineyards & Winery © Spaswinefood |
As we entered the gates the estate vineyard came into view. Before continuing onto the tasting room I paused for awhile taking in the vineyard views. Navarro uses sustainable practices in their farming and winemaking processes.
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| Navarro Estate Vineyard © Spaswinefood |
I would highly recommend a tasting room experience here. We enjoyed the wide range of wines available for tasting. Naturally we bought some wines to take with us.
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| Navarro Vineyards & Winery © Spaswinefood |
4. Handley Cellars
Handley Cellars, a small, family-owned winery, was founded in 1982. It is located six miles northwest of Philo, California, on Highway 128. As you arrive at the property you will see a refurbished ranch house, barn, and the original water tower.
Handley Cellars, Anderson Valley © Spaswinefood
Historic Handley Cellars © Spaswinefood
Milla Handley, one of Anderson Valley's wine pioneers founded Handley Cellars. Handley was, not only a visionary for the remote and rural Anderson Valley, which she helped put on the map, but also she was a trailblazer for women in wine. In 1975, Handley became one of the first University of California at Davis female graduates in fermentation science. In 1982, she became the first woman winemaker in the United States to establish a namesake winery. Milla Handley is known for producing balanced wines that possess distinctive varietal characteristics, reflecting the soil and climate in which they were grown. The current winemaker, Randy Schock, carries on this wine making tradition. Milla’s daughter Lulu now runs Handley Cellars, with the help of her husband Scott Handley and their son.
Handley Cellars © Spaswinefood
Their CCOF Certified Organic Estate Vineyards (59 acres) has been certified since 2005. They are located at the northwest end of the Anderson Valley on the original Guntly Ranch. Their wines include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Alsatian/aromatic varietals.
Exploring Anderson Valley White Wines, Handley Cellars © Spaswinefood
Exploring Anderson Valley Red Wines, Handley Cellars © Spaswinefood
We enjoyed our Handley Cellars wine tasting in their courtyard area.
Handley Cellars © Spaswinefood
Leaving Handley Cellars I stopped to take in those vineyard views.
Taking in the Views, Handley Cellars © Spaswinefood
Baxter Winery
Baxter Winery, a small premium producer of Pinot Noir, is located on Anderson Valley coastal ridge top. They produce 2000 cases of single vineyard wines (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and some hard-to-find varieties). Baxter Winery produces world-class wines that consistently gain excellent reviews.
Baxter Winery © Spaswinefood
After reading the below description from their website I just had to visit:
" Phillip Baxter studied winemaking at UC Davis before spending a six month internship at a winery in Burgundy, France. There he contributed to wines from 33 different vineyards from village to grand cru wines, ranging from Pommard to Gevrey-Chambertin. This experience heavily influenced Phillip’s approach to winemaking - he learnt traditional methods that he continues to use to this day.
Another shaping influence in Phillip’s career is his veteran winemaker father, who he worked alongside for many years and who originally inspired him to enter the winemaking field.
Baxter wines are truly made by Phillip’s own hand, with traditional French cellar techniques such as: a five day cold soak; slow wild yeast fermentation; punchdowns done by hand; a gentle basket press and an extra long aging regime with minimal intervention. We age our wines in 100% neutral French oak barrels to ensure the vineyard and fruit is the focus, not the oak. Our fruit is always hand-harvested and often fermented partial whole-cluster. The craftsmanship and quality shows through in the finished wines.
Phillip met his English wife, Claire, during his university days when they were both studying for a year abroad at the University of Grenoble, France. Their’s is a long winding love story, starting in Grenoble and culminating in their marriage in the Napa Valley in 2010 when Claire subsequently joined the business. They live on the rural ridge top at Baxter Winery and have two young children. Claire works from the winery office running the business alongside Phillip, as well as overseeing the wine club and tasting room, which were her early initiatives. "
When we visited their tasting room we were introduced to their white and red wines.
Wine Tasting, Baxter Winery © Spaswinefood Baxter Winery © Spaswinefood
Baxter Winery © Spaswinefood
Our winery stops were spread over two visits to the valley.
More on Anderson Valley Wine Country
Besides discovering wine country you will enjoy exploring the quaint towns in/around Anderson Valley. A Travel and Leisure article suggests wineries to visit in Anderson Valley and things to do in Elk. They note: On a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find the tiny town of Elk, California, home to just about 275 residents. This string of houses and hotels straddling the Pacific Coast Highway is often overlooked by travelers en route to Mendocino. But Elk, which lies close to the wineries of Anderson Valley, is making a name for itself in the food and wine world.
Meanwhile, during a Mendocino visit, over diner at the Trillium Restaurant, while John enjoyed a glass of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, I had a glass of Roederer Estate Brut. It is good to see local restaurants offering a good selection of Anderson Valley wines.
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| Trillium Restaurant, Mendocino © Spaswinefood |
With the arrival of wineries with a connection to French Champagne houses like Roederer, and others Anderson Valley wine country has come into its own.
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| Mendocino County © Spaswinefood |
After visiting one or two wineries producing still wines, perhaps a visit to one of the Roederer owned sparkling wine wineries, then your day in wine country would be complete. For further ideas on Anderson Valley wineries to visit see Wine Country Getaways.
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Toulouse Vineyards & Winery, Anderson Valley © Spaswinefood
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As you travel along Highway 128 from Boonville onwards you will enjoy visiting world class wineries on the route. I still remember those earlier days driving through the laid back town of Boonville however, in recent years with the the arrival of tasting rooms and restaurants the pace has picked up. Still the pace of life in Anderson Valley is amazingly peaceful.
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| Boonville, Mendocino County © Spaswinefood |
For a most relaxing visit to California wine country then Anderson Valley is an absolute must. There you can let the magic of Anderson Valley wine country unfold. Visiting about three wineries is perfect for day trip. Do a wine tasting at one winery, picnic and a tasting at another, and conclude with wine tasting at another. This allows a more relaxed pace for wine tasting, and time for your designated driver to relax. Of course tours are another option. I invite you to join me in my California wine country explorations at Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon and at Spaswinefood on Bluesky and Facebook.
CHEERS!
Vignettes from Anderson Valley Wine Country Travels
Mendocino County, California
© Spaswinefood
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Anderson Valley's Roederer Estate © Spaswinefood
Husch Vineyards © Spaswinefood |
Mendocino County Wine Country © Spaswinefood
