A TASTE OF REDWOOD VALLEY

Enjoy A Genuine Northern California Wine Atmosphere

There is something truly special happening in Redwood Valley, a first class wine-producing area in northern Mendocino County, just northeast of Ukiah.  Here a small-town, old-California feel harkens to decades of wine enjoyment.  Located two hours north of San Francisco on US Highway 101, many of the folks in this friendly neighborhood have been supplying quality fruit to the venerable Mendocino Parducci and Fetzer brands, amongst others, for generations.

Nowadays, they are increasingly celebrating their own family winemaking traditions, bringing handcrafted wines to a somewhat larger audience, and with great success!  Small artisans dominate the area; there are no mega-winery projects here in the valley.  More and more, they celebrate their own winemaking along with lots of authentic hospitality, pouring the delicious fruit of dedicated labors.

With just a single day to spend at the area’s popular annual Father’s Day weekend event A Taste of Redwood Valley, our appetite was greatly enhanced to enjoy more of the outstanding wines that this picturesque area has to offer.  A few of these wineries with tasting rooms in Hopland to the south had their barns and winemaking facilities open for this event.  After one action-packed, enjoyable day, we had developed a far greater appreciation for the talent and accomplishment of the folks who make these Redwood Valley wines so special.

As far as the wines go, the standouts for Barra are the Chianti-styled Sangiovese and a flavorsome Petite Sirah, and for Braren Pauli we especially liked the medium-bodied, food-friendly Cabernet Sauvignon.  For those who enjoy a tastefully sweet wine, the Barra 2003Muscat Canelli, with only 4% residual sugar, will be a real treat.  Great with brunch or served on ripe summer fruit, its resplendent nose is also a great value at $15.25 for a 750ml bottle.

We next headed into the valley proper, and before long we arrived at Gabrielli Winery, which serves up an inspiring view from a hillside perch along with the wines.  In the cellar room, barrel samples were poured by friendly family members, and a sampling of tasty olive oils, marinades, and dressings complimented the food.  Gabrielli is definitely a great stop to remember for Italianate wines, like their Estate Sangiovese and a vineyard-designated Zinfandel from the area’s renowned Goforth property.

One of our special experiences was nearby at Giuseppe Neese Vineyards.  Here we enjoyed the epitome of traditional Cal-Italian hospitality.  Zinfandels flowed alongside an old-fashioned Italian spaghetti feed, which was accompanied by a tasty green salad so good that it brought back memories from childhood.  As our wineglasses ran dry, our charming septuagenarian pourer came to the table and made sure that we had plenty of good Zin to accompany our meal.  With best-buy Zinfandel wines for sure, the 2002 Merlot was also attractive, fruit-forward and very juicy.  Giuseppe Neese is conveniently located, but opens by appointment only until a new tasting room opens in 2006.

We next headed into the eastern part of the valley, weaving through country roads and wine country neighborhoods before finding Road D (for don’t miss it) and heading to a group of three wineries that we had heard a lot about.  Tiny Elizabeth Vineyards offered a picturesque sense of the valley’s expansive yet intimate topography, and its pretty pond was appealing as we passed it on our way in.  A friendly crowd of strangers mingled and shared stories and tips on their favorites of the area.  Guests cooed over plates filled with a plethora of taste treats, while Sauvignon Blanc impressed with its terrific value and Zinfandel with its big, rich fruit.

Back down Road D, Lolonis Winery continues one of the oldest winemaking traditions in Mendocino County.  Small ladybug appliqués were worn by attendees throughout the valley, evidence of appreciation for the Ladybug White and Red table wines. The Ladybug White Cuvee, the newest wine in Lolonis’ Mendocino roster, is a splendid blend of old-vine white grape varietals that include French Colombard, Semillon, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay.  Ladybug Red is also an old-vine red wine of great distinction and value.  Lolonis was an early pioneer of green agriculture in the 1950’s, and each year releases hundreds of thousands of ladybugs at a Wine Club event celebrating the wine, repopulating the organically grown vineyards through another harvest.

At the other end of Lolonis’ wide spectrum of offerings, the Heritage Vineyards wines explore fine winemaking as an art form.  The Eugenia late harvest Sauvignon Blanc is made in the classic style of the great wines of Sauternes and Barsac, aged entirely in oak barrels for 22 months.  The Orpheus Petite Sirah is a big wine with a gigantic following in restaurants around the country, and is one of the area’s most highly regarded wines.  Also renowned, the Petros Heritage Blend is dark, ripe, and complex, filled with rich berried fruit, chocolate and cherries, supple but with the tannic backbone expected in a wine to be cellared and enjoyed for many years to come.  A tasting room is slated for the future. In the meantime, e-mail the winery a few days ahead of your visit to make an appointment you won’t want to miss.

Though Oracle Oaks Winery has a tasting room to the south in Hopland, we had never tasted the wines.  A second Greek family has expanded its family enterprise to vineyards and a winemaking facility across the street from Lolonis, again, to great results.  The plein-air view framed by openings in a rustic barn where the wines were poured was priceless. Two brilliant vintages of the intriguing Rhone-varietal Valdiguié had guests hotly debating the merits of each.  The Wrestler Red Table Wine, as the name implies, was a good romp.  This “California Red Wine” was surprisingly fruit forward with lots of strawberry and raspberry jam.  With excellent concentration, 14.5% alcohol and at only $8, it was the value pick of the day!

To the west of Highway 101, two big names beckoned to finish our tour.  Ceágo Vinegarden, which recently opened its awesome new hospitality center on nearby Clear Lake to great acclaim, actually claims Redwood Valley as its home.  For this event, the crowd mingled in the barrel room with the illustrious Jim Fetzer, his charming daughter Katie, and all of the talented crew.  An enthusiastic crowd sampled Ceágo’s latest savory offerings based on pure, biodynamically produced fruit.

We finished with a pouring guided by another area luminary, Greg Graziano of the Graziano Family of Wines.  Greg’s family has been working with wine grapes in the area since 1918.  We know his four brands—Enotria, Graziano, Saint Gregory and Monte Volpe—from the Hopland tasting room, but finally meeting Greg was a definite treat.  He is a fine winemaker who cultivates an authentic personality from every vineyard and varietal.  We closed our day tasting a selection from his stable full of nearly 50 wines, while he recounted stories and food-pairing ideas behind each.  Greg makes too many notable Italianate and other intriguing wines to fully recount; if you don’t know his wines yet, you should!

We were sorry we didn’t get to Fife Vineyards or Frey Vineyards as planned, and by the end of the day a consistent buzz in the crowd’s conversations had us interested in Cole Bailey Vineyards as well.  With so many choices of great wines and quality hospitality, we don’t need an excuse to plan another visit to the Redwood Valley again soon.

A useful map and collection of information on the impressive artisans of the Redwood Valley is available at the A Taste of Redwood Valley website.  Don’t wait until next year to visit, but we highly recommend putting the event on your calendar for next year now!

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