A State of Wine

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THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA can be felt in the vital California wine country——in the fabled tradition of winemaking, the enduring energy of passionate and zealous winemakers and their spiritual quest to enlighten visitors about the significant choices to be made before a cork is pulled at the dinner table. During crush, late at night, a weary and dazed winemaker could well answer his cell phone: “Hello, Chardonnay here,” aware that the farmer’s footprint remains in every bottle.

The California wine regions embody everything that is wonderful about the state, like putting on a comfy pair of slippers and a favorite robe and enjoying the bouquet of a fruity Paso Robles zinfandel. California vines grow in the noble valleys of Mendocino and fabled Napa and Sonoma counties, the central California coast, anchored by Edna Valley, and in the Santa Barbara wine region (which is fed up with anyone who walks sideways and loathes Merlot).

Meanwhile, down south in Temecula Valley, where the youngest California grape producers live, the “Big T” is moving forward, hosting 21 wineries (with more vines on the horizon) and fervently trying to prove they have a hallowed place within the elite world of fine winemaking.

Wineries included in this compendium are mostly family-owned and are among the best of the best, ranging from elaborate and showy to mom-and-pop earthy. Many offer festive year-round events and winery tours. Some wineries charge a tasting fee (usually around $5); most offer a wine club complete with newsletter and enlightening tasting notes.

But the spirit of the California wine country can be summed up in an ancient recipe for happiness: “wine, bread, cheese and thou.” Cheers.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Mendocino has some 50 wineries in three clusters: Redwood Valley/Ukiah; Hopland in the Russian River area; and Anderson Valley. Book a limo and set aside three days for a touch of laid-back Mendocino magnetism. Along Highway 101 from Hopland to Redwood Valley, tasters can easily pop into the Milano Family Winery, Fetzer Vineyards, Brutocao Cellars, Mc-Nab Ridge Winery, McDowell Valley Vineyards, Domaine Saint Gregory, Jepson Vineyards, Parducci Wine Cellars and Redwood Valley Cellars.

Wineries to experience: If sparkling wine tickles your fancy, Philo-based Scharffenberger Cellars (800-824-7754; atlasofwineries.com) and Roederer Estate (707-895-2288; roedererestate.net) produce some of California’s finest bubbly.

Where to stay: Family-owned Little River Inn, 2 miles south of Mendocino, overlooking the stunning Mendocino coast, offers a celebrated restaurant and wine list, golf course and wine tours (888-466-5683; littleriverinn.com).

NAPA VALLEY

Travelers driving Highway 29 and the old Silverado Trail——negotiating the 35-mile-long, 7-mile-wide valley——can embrace a precious catch of blue-ribbon wines. The valley has three distinct grape-growing regions: the cool Carneros region at the southern end of the valley; the central valley, known for Cabernet Sauvignon; and the warmer northern area, producing Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and zinfandel.

Wineries to experience: Top of the list should be Del Dotto Vineyards, which claims its Sonoma Coast vineyard is the number-one Pinot vineyard in America. Producing only reds, the vineyard offers 60-plus minutes of wine tasting, thieved from select new barrels in candlelit underground caves (dug in 1885 by Chinese laborers). By appointment only (707-256-3332; deldottovineyards.com).

Visitors step around vats, hoses and machinery at the Chase Family Cellars in St. Helena for an up-close look at 60 acres of planted vines and hard-working fifth-generation farmers growing fine zinfandel berries from historic 1903 rootstocks. Look for a chain-link fence and a mailbox on the left. Contact Pam Simpson for an appointment (707-963-1284; chasecellars.com).

Flashy Jessup Cellars in north Yountville produces very approachable reds, a vintage port and a flagship Cabernet Sauvignon. Private tasting is available in a VIP room (707-944-8523; jessupcellars.com).

Where to stay: La Residence, an intimate inn hidden in 2 acres of gardens, north of Napa off Highway 29, is a 25-room private estate with an original home built by a riverboat captain in 1870. Rooms feature working fireplaces, down-filled duvets and rare antiques. Rates include full breakfast, evening wine tasting with various vintners and an elaborate gourmet spread (707-253-0337; laresidence.com).

PASO ROBLES

Paso Robles is exploding at its viticultural seams with more than 100 wineries and a vibrant cast of innovative, avantgarde winemakers. Laced with back-country roads, rolling hills, underground cellars and dozens of microclimates——including one similar to the Bordeaux region of France——Paso is as endearing as a sip of Paso Reserve Syrah.

Wineries to experience: Robert Hall’s spectacular underground caverns, the largest in Central California, are stacked to the ceiling with barrels of full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Rhône varietals, earning 128 impressive recognitions since 2002. The 21-acre resort-style winery features garden-like grounds with large fountains, an amphitheater and picnic area——a perfect setting for a glass of ruby-red Syrah (805-239-1616; roberthallwinery.com).

Hollywood celebrities and others in search of romance and fine wines have discovered Justin and Deborah Baldwin’s Justin Vineyards & Winery, hidden away at the end of a long country road where large wine caves hide the gold of Paso Robles. The European-inspired setting——with four opulent suites and a candlelit dining room reminiscent of a Matisse painting——might win your heart, but only if their flagship Isosceles, a savory Bordeaux-style blend, doesn’t steal it first (805-238-6932; justinwine.com).

With roots in San Diego, the Beckett Family is the dynamic force behind the acclaimed Peachy Canyon Winery, which is all about reds——specifically six distinctively different estate-grown zinfandels. The tasting room, in the Old Bethel School House (circa 1886), is bordered by 28 acres of planted vineyards, native oak trees and a picnic area perfect for an afternoon of sipping and snacking (805-239-1918; peachycanyon.com).

Where to stay: The spacious, eight-suite Villa Toscana, tucked amid the Martin & Weyrich Winery Estate Vineyard, offers Tuscan-style grandeur with fireplaces, balconies, Jacuzzi tubs and top-quality bedding. Full breakfast and extensive evening wine and hors d’oeuvres created by chef Richard Graham put the polish on this impressive Paso Robles booking (805-238-5600; myvillatoscana.com).

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