A BLONDE VINTAGE

When I was around 19, I remember driving through the valley with my parents on our way home from Napa. It was gorgeous and we made several stops along the way to enjoy the views and taste wine at the handful of wineries that dotted the landscape. Historically, the first Anderson Valley vineyards appeared in the 1970s, but it was the arrival of legendary French champagne maker Louis Roederer (in the early 80s) that really established the region. Since then, dozens of wineries have set up shop, specializing in wines that thrive in the area’s very distinctive soil. I hope you enjoy this Travel Guide to the Anderson Valley Wine Country!

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WHAT IS THE ANDERSON VALLEY LIKE?

Interestingly, and not unlike a lot of the AVA’s we have in the Willamette Valley, the Anderson Valley is a narrow strip, just 25 miles long, tucked between coastal redwoods and inland oaks. Down its center flows the Navarro River, which passes through Boonville and two smaller towns, Philo and Navarro, on its way to meeting the Pacific Ocean. In the summer and during our visit, fog descends upon the valley in the morning, and burns off by early afternoon where temperatures can reach 100 degrees. However, in the evening, it cools to a temperate 40-50 degrees.

Plan to bring your own picnic along to enjoy at any of the wineries outside of Philo, or to enjoy at one of the wineries you plan to visit. Currently, wineries are very open to you bringing your own picnic.

WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITE WINERIES?

This is such a tough question, because we loved them all! We did plenty of research before our trip to decide exactly what wineries we want to visit and spend time at. The below list are our absolute favorites!

Goldeneye Winery – Owned by a larger family of wineries, Goldeneye has a yummy selection of wines at their finger tips. We loved everything from the Pinots to their Brut Rosè. My favorite tho? Their single vineyard selection Pinot Noirs, where every single one was better than the last!

Roederer Estate – If you like bubbles, this is a must-visit! We started our day here and it did not disappoint!

Domaine Anderson – Organic and biodynamic still wines which are incredible and delicious. However, easily the gem of the whole experience was Brian! He was so educated and informative about the wines and the Anderson Valley. We learned a lot from him in a very short period of time! A really enjoyable visit!

Lula Cellars – The wines are delicious and complex, especially their 2018 Pinot Noir Reserve. The vineyard views are simply gorgeous and the individuals working were personable and warm. I would not hesitate to come back here.

Twomey – The newest tasting room in the Silver Oak portfolio, this little gem is run by tasting room manager Jessica, who is one of the sweetest and most personable individuals (she is also a Dutchie like me!). We thoroughly enjoyed our time tasting the wines, which were all delicious, and chatting with her and her wonderful husband. We cannot wait to reconnect with them!

Seebass Vineyards – A family-owned winery producing some of the best wines in the valley!

Toulouse – A simply stunning property, with gorgeous views and delicious wines sustainably grown and produced.

WHERE DID YOU EAT WHILE VISITING WINE COUNTRY?

We planned ahead and brought our own picnic to enjoy at one of the wineries we visited during the day. We sat vineyard side while munching on the lunch items we picked up at the Harvest Market at Mendosa’s.

If you do not want to picnic at a winery, plan to drive to Hendy Woods State Park. The park is eight miles northwest of Boonville, a half-mile south of Highway 128 on Philo-Greenwood Road. It’s the perfect location to have a picnic and is conveniently location.

You could also pick up picnic items at any of the locations below:

– In Boonville. Boonville General Store

– In Philo. Lemon’s Market & Deli

– In Mendocino. Mendocino Market and Deli

If you’d like to sit down somewhere, consider enjoying one of these stand outs! We decided to stay late one evening and get dinner before heading back to Mendocino, and boy are we glad we did!

Wickson – While in the Valley every single person we asked about where to have dinner said to go to Wickson! We LOVED this little stop for dinner on the way home, best meal we had in a long time, make sure to order the Salmon rolls and chicken for two! We sat outside, and both our meal and service was impeccable.

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