An Anderson Valley Adventure, Part 2: Why Going Wine Tasting is Good for More than Just Drinking

Ferrington Vineyard

After having blogged about the Anderson Valley AVA last week, I was even more anxious to visit than I had been previously. I have known for quite some time now that I prefer the wines of that region to almost any others in the state of California, but despite the rave reviews I have often heard, I had never been to Mendocino at all. Less than twenty-four hours after the trip, I am already trying to plot my return.

Highway-128 may be one of the best arguments there is in the debate between California and New York. Beginning two hours North of San Francisco, just off of the sunburned hills of Route 101, this winding road is not for the faint of heart, but adventurous drivers will reap worthwhile rewards in the form of stunning scenery. Between the lush redwood forests, vineyards, rivers, and lakes, there is no shortage of opportunities to entertain yourself simply by looking out the window during the drive, which is useful since you won't have cell phone service for most of it. All of this leads to some very lovely photos, but equally importantly to a greater understanding of that region's wines. 

State Route 128

When we checked out of our hotel in the town of Mendocino and prepared to head south, away from the coast, the chilly air was damp enough to instantly render my hair straightener's recent hard work irrelevant. When we stopped at the first winery about twenty miles inland, a sweater was still very necessary, yet by the end of our fourth and last stop (only six miles further from the coast), it seemed I couldn't get the car's air conditioning cold enough. Experiencing this firsthand helped me deepen my understanding of what I had previously read about what makes the Anderson Valley unique--the cooling effects of the fog rolling off the Pacific Ocean (so thick early in the day that we couldn't see a bridge as we drove across it), and the intensity of the diurnal swing (the difference between the daytime heat that aids in sugar development and the cool nights that help the grapes to maintain acidity). Later, when looking at a detailed map of the region, the names of the vineyards I had seen on the wine labels ceased to be meaningless, arbitrary words--suddenly, they were valuable sources of information that I could use to predict my enjoyment of Anderson Valley wines. 

Wiley Vineyard

The wines made with fruit from the Wiley Vineyard had tended to be my favorite throughout the day, and a quick glance at the map revealed that this northerly vineyard is the closest to the ocean, and therefore the coolest. The wines tended to be light in body, low in alcohol, and marked by mouthwatering acidity. The wines of the Savoy Vineyard, quite a bit further inland, leaned more toward a bigger, bolder style, with darker fruit. After having driven through the area and feeling the temperature change, both with the direction of travel and the time of day, it was very clear to me how weather (among many other factors) had played a part in the development of the wines I had sampled.

If you're interested in learning more about the wines you enjoy, visiting the region where they are made can be an invaluable (and enjoyable!) tool. Even if you are not tasting wine, just being aware of the area's conditions during the growing season can help you understand and recall the specifics of a particular vintage. If you were in Northern California in the summer of 2008, you'll remember the forest fires that plagued wine growing areas and left many grapes tainted by smoke, producing a unique crop of wines with an aroma not dissimilar to a Fourth of July barbecue. If you visited Germany and nearly froze to death in the winter of 2010, you'll likely never forget the record-breaking cold that produced some of the most highly acidic (and delicious) rieslings in recent history. You can read all you want about wine, but of course nothing compares to getting out there and experiencing it for yourself.

For the record, the highlights of my tasting experience included:

2010 Navarro Vineyards Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, $19.50
light and earthy with soft red fruit and spice

2007 Navarro Vineyards Anderson Valley Late Harvest Riesling, $29 (375ml)
apricot, honey, and pineapple, with remarkably balanced acidity

2010 Breggo Cellars Ferrington Vineyard Gewürztraminer, $25
exotic aromas of rose petals, spice, and lychee; crisp, refreshing, and bone dry.

2010 Phillips Hill Ridley Vineyard Chardonnay, $30
clean nose (no oak or malolactic) with ripe apple and citrus. Round, pleasant mouthfeel.

2009 Phillips Hill Wiley Vineyard Pinot Noir, $38
cola, cocoa, cherry, vanilla, and baking spice.

Did I mention these wines are crazy affordable??

An Anderson Valley Adventure

Map of the Anderson Valley

The Anderson Valley is an AVA within an AVA within an AVA. If that sounds confusing, imagine you've been handed a large, gift-wrapped box with a card attached that reads 'North Coast AVA.' "How delightful," you say, "I thoroughly enjoy the wines from several of the six grape-growing regions north of San Francisco, like Sonoma and the Napa Valley." Excitedly, you tear open the box, only to find a smaller box inside! This one bears a note with the words 'Mendocino AVA.' Knowing this is one of California's most diverse growing regions, your curiosity as to what lies within is piqued. Of course, you are not surprised when you open that box to find yet another within. This one is labeled 'Anderson Valley AVA,' and you breathe a sigh of relief. By now you're pretty certain that there is a bottle of wine inside (and if there isn't, the person who gave it to you is kind of a jerk). Based on what you've heard about the Anderson Valley, you feel confident that the cooling influence of Pacific fog rolling in from the coast will have helped to produce a nuanced wine that is low in alcohol and high in acidity, whether it is red, white, rosé or sparkling.

Fog rolling in over the Anderson Valley

The wines of the picturesque Anderson Valley often bear a striking resemblance to those from Alsace--the region that France finally seems to have declared permanent victory over in the perpetual game of Red Rover it has been playing with Germany for centuries. Like their Alsatian counterparts, the reds are primarily light-bodied, earthy Pinot Noirs, while whites like Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Blanc stun with precision and aromatics. In fact, this region is so enamored with the wines of that region in northeastern France that each February, the International Alsace Varietals Festival is held there. 

Cabot Vineyards (based in Humboldt County) makes a great example of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. The 2010 vintage is soft and earthy, with notes of spice, red cherry, and strawberry. Served alongside the Domaine Allimant-Laugner Pinot Noir from Alsace in a flight, it is interesting to compare the differences and similarities. Other notable producers in the area include Navarro Vineyards, Handley Cellars, Goldeneye Winery, Londer Vineyards, and Philo Ridge Vineyards, Roederer Estate (known for sparkling wine). 

More fog rolling in over the Anderson Valley

Located just over two hours north of San Francisco and encompassing the towns of Boonville, Philo and Navarro, the Anderson Valley is unique in its geography in that the vineyards cut laterally through a coastal mountain range, rather than lying between ridges. Combined with the cooling effects of the nearby Pacific Ocean, this produces a wide diurnal range, meaning that temperatures are radically different between daytime and night. Warm daytime temperatures enable the grapes to slowly reach physiological ripeness without the sugar levels going through the roof, while cool nights--sometimes up to 50 degrees cooler--allow the fruit to maintain its acidity. This type of climate helps to create a wonderfully balanced end product.

If you plan to visit the Anderson Valley, you may want to brush up on your Boontling. What's that you say? Your high school didn't offer Boontling as a language option? Whatever, I'm sure Spanish will be really useful. If you want to impress the locals in Boonville, you'll have to speak to them in the esoteric, English-based language invented by residents of this 700-person town in the late 19th century. Drawing also on Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Pomo Indian, and Spanish, the language is spoken nowhere else in the world, which is a shame because its 1000-plus words are extremely colorful and creative in nature. To get you started, the most important word you need to know is 'frati'--Boontling for wine, of course. But don't get can-kicky and throw a wheeler if you pike to Boont and the locals want to shark because you're a brightlighter.* They're a pretty insular community. But they make some damn good wine.

A little bit of Boontling poetry

*Translation: Don't get angry and throw a fit if you travel to Boonville and the locals want to fight because you're an outsider.