An Anderson Valley Adventure

This divine wine region, just inland from the Mendocino coast, has long been a gem. Its wines, both mostly small production and some corporately owned, remain consistently good and the local restaurants are solid as well. The two biggest issues for the region have long been the lack of accommodations and drive time from the Bay Area.

The area’s only hotel is the charming Boonville Hotel, but this small hotel can’t huge parties. There are also some lovely rooms to be found at the Madrones, which also features a great pizza place called Stone and Embers. Fortunately, a number of wineries do have a number of accommodations but not all of them are open to the public. The drive up from the Bay seems less onerous than ever given how heavily touristed neighboring areas like Healdsburg, in Sonoma County, have become.

The Basics

This stunning valley is about an hour and change north of Healdsburg on the north end of Sonoma County. It is also about 45 minutes, if you speed, from some breathtaking walks and restaurants on the Mendocino Coast. Two of my favorite places to stay on the Coast are Newport Ranch, for its complex meals and mushroom foraging, and the Brewery Gulch Inn for stunning views and cozy rooms.

If you have an Airbnb where you can cook you will want to stock up on provisions at Lemon’s Market. The sausages are stellar. The pickings for fresh food are limited around here given the area’s approximately 21,000-person population.

Reserve a dinner at the Boonville Hotel if you are not staying there. The intimate dining room and multi-course, locally sourced dinners are stunning. They might feature a roast chicken or a liberty Farms duck breast as a main. Try the turducken pizza at Stone & Embers—they put a crazy combination of chicken inside a duck which is then placed inside a turkey—on it sometimes!

The region hosts a number of great wine festivals: the top two being the Pinot Noir—at which producers in the Anderson Valley excel—and an Alsace varietal gathering. Think Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, all of which once again this tiny AVA does so well. The Alsace gathering—which is now called the White Wine Weekend—is held in the winter so it does feel like a slice of France in cooler weather.

The Wines

What astounds about this region is its mix of tiny production wineries—case production here generally hovers in the lower thousands of cases—and corporate investment. Goldeneye is the stunning property from the Duckhorn Group and Roederer the French Champagne house here has an outpost as well.

Goldeneye’s Pinot Noirs have some of the cool-climate appeal of French Burgundies while having the intensity of California, almost coastal, Pinots. Roederer is also turning out some great bubbles here. The current multi-vintage offerings of both the house rose and the brut are delicious and well-priced at slightly under $40 for each of them.

Several of my other favorite producers include Lichen for its exquisitely balanced Pinot Gris with citric and mineral flavors. This wine could pair with the best in Asian food and so much more. I also adore Witching Stick for his divine Pinot Noirs. His Fashauer Pinot is among my favorites.

One of the places I had a chance to visit for the first time recently was Gowan’s Ciders. They source local grapes for some of their products like their rosé cider which is blended with rosé wine. I particularly liked their single varietals such as Gravenstien. Another great find this trip was Paco’s Tacos: stop the man in the street and have some of the carne al pastor tacos any time you see him!

Another one of my favorite producers who I didn’t have a chance to visit this time has long been Toulouse. From the gorgeous deck to the stunning wines—and great chairs handmade from barrels—Vern Boltz can do no wrong in my book!

Overall, the Anderson Valley is a true gem of a region and offers a chance for visitors to get a look at the real deal of wine production and hospitality, before it gets over-marketed and commercialized.