Anderson Valley Wine Trail - Mendocino

Winery Descriptions, Driving directions, Tasting Room Hours

Yorkville Cellars
This is one of the few organic wineries in California. You will find these organic wines to be very tasty. This winery is located in the Yorkville Highlands Viticultural Area just about 17 miles from the Highway 101 turnoff at Cloverdale. Look for mile marker 40.4. and turn into the winery on the right side as you head toward Mendocino. It’s about a mile past the Yorkville Market. Yorkville Cellars not only produces the familiar wines of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc, but they also make some very interesting lesser know varieties. These include Semillon, Rose de Franc, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. They also make a special blend of wine called Richard The Lion-Heart. It is a wine made in the tradition of Bordeaux blends, in this instance a blend of five different grape varieties. You will find it to be unique and good tasting. The Sauvignon Blanc is excellent and very fruity.

The tasting room is open 11 to 5 p.m. except in winter. (707) 894-9177,
e-mail: yvcellars@pacific.net, Yorkville Cellars

Maple Creek Winery
This interesting and small winery was purchased recently by Tom Rodrigues and
Linda Stutz. Tom, who is a respected artist from the Bay Area, decided to put his creative abilities into making wine. The wines here have their own unique characteristics. You must taste the Symphony wine and the Goddess of the Nectar wine. Both of these wines are made from a grape that is a hybrid of Muscat and Grenache Gris. The Nectar of the Goddess is a late harvest variety of the Symphony grape. It is an outstanding dessert wine. Once you taste it, chances are you will end up buying a bottle or two. Tom has put his art skills to work on his wine labels. Each wine variety has a unique label designed by Tom. You will definitely enjoy your visit here. Maple Creek is about four and a half miles west of Yorkville Cellars at mile marker 36.1. Turn right into the road leading up to the winery and tasting room.

The tasting room is open 10 to 5 p.m. daily. (707) 895-3001,
E-mail: linda@maplecreekwine.com, Maple Creek

Breggo Cellars
Breggo Cellars is the first winery past the town of Boonville. You will spot it on the right side of the road, a yellow building with the white farm fence. Breggo’s first vintage was in 2005. It did not take long for Breggo’s reputation to grow. Word spread quickly about the quality of the wine and within a few months much of their wine was sold out. We enjoyed all their wines but the Sauvignon Blanc and the Pinot Grigio are absolutely outstanding.

Tasting room is open daily 11 to 5 pm
(707) 895-9589, e-mail: doug@breggo.com Breggo Cellars

Schraffenberger Cellars
Scharffenberger was founded in 1981 and then later became Pacific Echo Vineyards. In 2004 the winery was purchased by Maisons Marques & Domaines, and they decided to return the name Scharffenberger in honor of the original founded John Scharffenberger. A $3 tasting fee includes the tasting of three different sparkling wines, two Chardonnays, and a Pinot Noir. All the wines are excellent. The tasting room is delightful with a wonderful gallery of photography and paintings. There is also a picnic area. Schraffenberger Cellars is about two miles from Breggo.

The tasting room is open 11 to 5 p.m. daily.
(707) 895-2957, e-mail: info@scharffenbergercellars.com, Schraffenberger Cellars

The Town of Boonville

We recommend you stop at the Boonville General Store to buy a lunch for picnic at either Navarro Vineyards or Greenwood Ridge. The store is on the right side of the road as you go west on Highway 128. It is located directly across the street from the Boonville Hotel. They make absolutely delicious organic deli delights. Next to the Boonville General Store is the Mendocino Specialty Vineyards. This is a tasting room that serves as a wine tasting room for three small wineries from the Anderson Valley. Should you decide to taste here, Claudia Springs Winery has three good Zinfandels to taste. If you are a Pinot Noir lover, you can compare Pinots here from each of the three wineries.

Navarro Vineyards
Drive past the town of Philo, and in 4.5 miles you will come to Navarro Vineyards. Watch closely for the signs marking the winery’s entrance. This winery has become a very popular spot because of recent positive press. It can be a very busy spot. The whites are all excellent. Our favorites are the Pinot Gris, the Gewürztraminer, and the Chenin Blanc. The Pinot Noir choices are all good and reasonably priced. Be sure to sign up for the newsletter while you visit. The newsletter is excellent; with useful information about current wine releases, and ordering information. The setting behind the tasting room is beautiful and an ideal spot for a picnic lunch. With a glass of Chenin Blanc and your deli sandwich you just can’t ask for much more.

The tasting room is open 10 to 6 p.m. in the summer and 10 to 5 p.m. in the winter. (800) 537-9463, e-mail: sales@navarrowine.com, Navarro Vineyards

Greenwood Ridge Vineyards
Greenwood Ridge is located immediately next door to Navarro. The tasting room is spacious and provides stunning views of vineyards. The vineyards you see from the tasting room do not actually belong to Greenwood Ridge; their vineyards are located nearby on a mountain ridge top free from the coastal fog and in a much warmer climate than the Anderson Valley floor. The climate on the ridge top is so different that the mountain ridges in this area have been recently designated an AVA. It is called the Mendocino Ridge AVA. It is the first non-continuous AVA. The Merlot, Zinfandel, and Cabernet are produced from these vineyards. To produce their fine Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the winery purchases grapes from growers in the Anderson Valley. Both of these wines require the cooler climates found in the Anderson Valley. This winery also is an excellent choice for a picnic. We recommend a glass of the White Riesling to go with your lunch.

The tasting room is open 10 to 6 p.m. in the summer and 10 to 5 p.m. in the winter
707-895-2002, e-mail: everybody@greenwoodridge.com, Greenwood Ridge

Lazy Creek Vineyards
Just a short hop down from Greenwood Ridge is Lazy Creek. Look carefully for the very small Lazy Creek Winery sign on the north side of Highway 128. If the gate is open, the tasting room is open. Drive through the gate and up a very lazy road through the oak woodland groves. When you least expect it, you will see the vineyards and know you are on the right course. Mary Beth and Josh Chandler are the recent owners of this winery which is the second oldest in the Anderson Valley. The winery produces 2500 cases a year. They produce a very good Chardonnay, a dry Gewurztraminer, and two Pinot Noirs. One of the Pinots, they call their red table wine. It’s excellent and can hold its own against many a more expensive Pinot Noir. The Chardonnay is different than most, and the tasting notes emphatically indicated “no wood, no butter.” Josh does just about all the jobs around the winery. He will usually greet you and take you to the tasting room. It is not often that you can taste wine and chat with the winemaker.

If the gate is open, the tasting room is open. Or, call for an appointment
(707)- 895-3623, e-mail: chandler@lazycreek.com, Lazy Creek

Roederer Estate
If you like sparkling wines (Champagne) don’t miss Roederer Estate. The sparkling wines at Roederer are made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes grown on the Roederer Estate. From its beginning in 1981, the Roederer Estate has produced award-winning wines and is recognized as making some of the very best sparkling wine in the world. Besides great sparkling wines, the tasting room is a real treat. It is luxurious and has a stunning view of the Anderson Valley. A charge of $3.00 is assessed if you want to taste, but it is well worth it.

The tasting room is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
(707) 895 2288, e-mail: info@roederer-estate.com, Roederer

Husch Vineyards
Husch is almost directly across from Roederer. Husch is the first winery to produce wines in the Anderson Valley, crushing its first crop of grapes in 1971. The winery focuses on Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, and Chardonnay. The tasting room is in a small quaint and rustic hut. Picnic tables sit up on the hill surrounded by vineyards. The Pinot Noir is excellent and so are the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. These are good valued wines. The wines have a very limited distribution, so if you find something you like, you had better stock up at the winery.

The Tasting Room is open daily 10 to 6 p.m. in the summer and 10 to 5 p.m. in the winter (800) 55-Husch, e-mail: tastingroom@huschvineyards.com, Husch

Handley Cellars
You will find Handley Cellars on the north side of the highway. Handley is a small family owned winery that began making wine in 1982. The winemaker is Milla Handley, one of the first women winemakers. Handley makes an array of delicious wines from the Anderson Valley and from another vineyard they own in the Dry Creek area of the Russian River Wine Region. The Pinot Noir is very nice and a little more robust than its nearby neighbors, Navarro and Greenwood Ridge. The Gewurztraminer is also an excellent choice.The Handley tasting room is decorated with unusual pieces of international folk art. They have a very lovely patio area with picnic tables that look over the adjacent vineyards. This is a good choice for a picnic lunch.

The tasting room is open 11 to 6 p.m. in the summer and 11 to 5 p.m. in the winter.
(800) 733-3151, e-mail: info@handleycellars.com, Handley

While in Mendocino

Before heading back on Highway 128 and the wineries, you will want to bring along some deli items for a picnic lunch. The Mendocino Market and Deli at 45051 Ukiah St in Mendocino is your best bet. They have sandwiches, cheeses,and gourmet items for take-out. On the way back, try a few of the wineries you missed on the way in.