Farm-to-table magic on California's North Coast…read more One of our favorite stops and one we still daydream about was Pennyroyal Farm. The cheeses alone are worth the drive, especially their Laychee which happened to be studded with fresh blueberries when we visited. If you try only one thing, make it the seasonal Laychee. It's unforgettable. We also devoured their ultra creamy deviled eggs, sipped wine, and ordered a cheese board because, honestly, cheese was the only thing on our minds. Boonville sits about 115 miles north of San Francisco, tucked among vineyards, redwoods, and small-town farmland. This whole stretch feels like a little slice of heaven. Stepping onto the property, it reminded me of a European farmstead. What makes Pennyroyal so special is that everything you taste comes directly from this land: goats, sheep, gardens, vineyards, cheese, wine - all feeding into each other on the same 66-acre ecosystem. Nothing is outsourced. They're open daily, and you can grab a table overlooking the vineyards or wander over to meet the animals and the people behind your very happy stomach. If you're exploring California's North Coast, this place belongs on your list.

The farm tour was a lot of fun and great for the kids. It's roughly 45 minutes but not much walking…read moresince the stops are close by each other. Great for kids, even the younger kids won't complain about the walk and the animals are exciting for them. Following the farm tour was the wine and cheese tasting, which was excellent of course. There are many great wineries in this area and the wine was good, but the specialty is on the cheese. The cheese was amazing! They offer a limited food menu (think heavy snacks or appetizers rather than a full meal) and the food was also excellent. Plenty of space for the kids to run around. At my next visit I'm bringing an ice cooler so that we can take cheese to-go for home enjoyment. Overall this is a delightful and kid-friendly wine and cheese tasting and I look forward to my next visit.

Some of the wines are astoundingly good, however, city slickers beware, this a Farm First tasting…read moreexperience in the truest sense. Aka there are puppies running around everywhere doing what puppies do, pooping/peeing whenever they want. It's a bit of a chaotic experience, which is why you travel the extra hour past Sonoma/Napa to come to Anderson Valley to try wines, for the authenticity and rawness of true winemakers, and simultaneously demanding you to drop your pretenses and lean all the way into what it takes to be in an Ag community, or if too uncomfortable, leave and grab lunch across the street at the Michelin star restaraunt where you'll probably feel "more at home."

We had a really good tasting experience here a couple weeks ago. I had just sprained my ankle and…read morethey were very accommodating allowing us to bring snacks from the market next door. The Sparkling Pinot Noir was excellent. They also had several older Pinot Noir wines from various vineyards. Very relaxed atmosphere. Yes, there were dogs but they were very well behaved and mostly sleeping. Hey, it's Booneville folks! We come here for an experience the opposite of the Napa Valley.

We stopped by Foursight Wines on our way to Mendocino with our two kiddos and dog, and it was such…read morea memorable experience. After a long drive from the East Bay, we arrived feeling a bit frazzled--with wild kids ready to run and a dog eager to roam--but Kristy, the owner, welcomed us with incredible warmth and grace. The property is beautiful, with a large outdoor space where our kids loved playing on the charming airplane structure. Their sweet dog, Spot, made us feel even more at home! The wines were absolutely delightful. The tasting started with whites and finished with four Pinots, all of which we enjoyed--but we especially loved the Pinots. Kristy's friendly and genuine demeanor made the experience feel like catching up with an old friend. We're already looking forward to returning and purchasing more from Foursight Wines in the future. Highly recommend for the delicious wines, the wonderful hospitality, and the relaxed, family- and dog-friendly atmosphere.

Man, that Justin guy was great. convinced us to become members! Winer is great, go for the Zero or…read moreParaball! Great experience and great small batch winery!

My friends and I decided to stop by Goldeneye winery on the way to Mendocino and I am so glad we…read moredid. We came on a Friday afternoon and it was pretty quiet. It was just and another group. We sat in the outside back area and when I tell you we were speechless... we were SPEECHLESS! We could not believe how beautiful and green our view was. It felt like we died and were in heaven lol. That is all we kept saying to each other. Our host Taylor was so lovely. She was very friendly, excited to talk about the wines with us, and gave us recommendations for food spots to try when we were staying in Mendicino. We did a tasting and I wish the pours were a tiny bit bigger but that didn't bother me at all because the view was amazing on it's own. We're so excited to come back!

We visited on a dreary rainy day. The valley was sleepy. What a great day to enjoy tastings in the…read moresmall tasting room, with a fire and jazz playing. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience and all the wines. Afterwards we took a brief walk on the grounds to see the vineyard. The vines were changing color with the season and the vibrance was majestic. We can't wait to return and pick up some more wine. Our server was very knowledgeable and spent a good amount of time with us without being intrusive. We enjoyed our conversation.

Stopped by here recently to do a tasting. Their pinot noir was delicious. Small tasting room. My…read morewife and I were treated great by the server on duty. Most of the wines we tasted we liked some more than others. But their pinot noirs are definitely my personal favorites. This winery was recommended by someone who used to be or is in their wine club. She told me the wine club charges a packing fee while the shipping is complimentary. We thought of joining their wine club we but didn't want to pay for packing their wines mailed to me.

One word... Gewurztraminer! GET IT! It's phenomenal here! For a girl who primarily drinks red wine,…read moreI must say that I am thoroughly impressed with their white wine. So much so, that I actually preferred their white wine selection over their reds. Yes, indeed! Philo Ridge Vineyards is a cozy tasting room located in downtown Booneville right off of Highway 128. They offer a variety of different wines including Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and so on. The tasting room itself is smaller than all of the other tasting rooms that I went to while wine tasting in Booneville. However, I could tell that this tasting room was extremely popular amongst the locals by how busy it was. Unfortunately, it can get a bit cramped and this is what happened when I arrived for my tasting. Nevertheless, the majority of the wines that I tasted were exceptional! Let me just say that Jill is an absolute Doll! Although she was basically swamped, she was able to assist us with a smile and poise. Her vivid descriptions and passion around the wines that she presented really shined through. I feel like it made me enjoy the wines even more. The cheese bread that they were serving didn't hurt either! I didn't get the name of the bread or even what cheese that it was made with, but it tasted yummy even while cold. Now to the best part... those wines! I tasted their 2014 Ferrington Vineyard Gewurztraminer, 2014 Nelson Vineyard Pinot Gris, 2014 Nelson Ranch Viognier, 2012 Marguerite Vineyard Pinot Noir, and their 2011 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. I'm a love of Pinot Noir and although I liked the Pinots here, I wouldn't exactly call them my favorites. As I previously mentioned, the standouts here were their lovely whites! The Pinot Gris was light and fruity with the most fragrant pear aroma. I also really enjoyed the Viognier which had a very enjoyable floral taste with delicious notes of peaches and apricots. However, the torch goes to that Gewurztraminer! YEEESSS! Gimme some more of that goodness, mmm! The tropical fruits and crispness could be tasted from start to finish. If you love wines that are light, crisp, and full of floral and tropical notes, then this wine is definitely for you! It's the perfect wine to sip on a warm summer day. All in all, I wouldn't mind coming back to Philo Ridge to do another tasting. However, I would try to go during their off-peak hours to get a more intimate experience.

If you are driving up to Mendocino or anywhere remotely close to this winery, it is a must go. The…read moreview is breathtaking and spectacular, and then wine is some of the best Pinot noir you'll ever have. Also, the staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming. This has been a family favorite and a MUST since we discovered it.

Back again...and the venue and the ladies are lovely as always. Their customer service is always…read moretop notch making sure our glasses are never empty. The vineyard and the views from deck were very beautiful despite the cloudy, cold weather. The winds are yummy as always. My favorite this time around was the Valdigue, finishes very softly in the palette.

Yum. Don't miss this spot as you drive through town. Family owned vineyards pour tastings and add…read morewine knowledge with every taste. Try the rose - there is a reason it has won so many awards!

On a recent weekend trip to the Mendocino Coast George, Rochelle and I stopped by Seebass and are…read moreso glad we did. The entire experience was charming and fun. The owner Michelle was a perfect host. Learning about her family's history of winemaking and looking at all of the beautiful heirlooms from her family made the experience all the more fabulous. The wine, of course, is delicious and we bought the Chardonnay and the Romantik. They also have delicious noshies to buy, including handmade chocolates which Michelle was kind enough to give me a sample of. The building is beautiful. It looks like a historic building built long ago, but according to Michelle it was built recently, but with great detail to historical architecture and styling. A must stop on your way two or from the Mendocino coast.

We love stopping by Meyer Family on our way up to the Mendocino coast! Have been stopping there for…read moreyears. Always friendly staff and great wine tasting experience. They have a play structure for kids and even a few disc golf holes. This time around we had the pleasure of meeting Pocket the resident guard rooster. He does take his job very seriously but all you have to do is present to pick him up and he usually runs away. We always purchase a few bottles of Fluffy Billows to take home. It is by far our favorite Cab at an amazing price point!

Superb provider of wine with wonderful staff and customer service. As a Wine Club member with…read moreMeyer, I look forward to my shipments 3 times a year due to variance and across the board quality of the wines.

White Pinot?! What?!…read more Maggy Hawk is a recently-opened Pinot House, part of Jackson Family Wines, and they make a White Pinot! We were a big group so just bought bottles to share. Next time I'll do a full tasting! What I tried and enjoyed: JOLIE PINOT NOIR "Expressive, silky, and refined. Jolie is an elegantly transparent Pinot Noir that opens with light-footed red fruit and rhubarb, then blooms into bright raspberry, strawberry and floral notes." - from website WHITE PINOT NOIR ANDERSON VALLEY, CALIFORNIA "A unique combination of aromatics: white peach, jasmine, Meyer lemon, rose petal, blood orange and wet stone. An entirely original and truly beautiful sensory experience." - from website The White Pinot was so unique and refreshing on a hot day! Give it a try! Maggy Hawk is located in Philo, in beautiful Anderson Valley, across the street from The Madrones (a small compound of guest rooms, a boutique, tasting rooms, and a restaurant). We had a delicious lunch at Wickson, at The Madrones, then crossed the street to meet friends at Maggy Hawk. They have bocce courts and some seating in the front, more seating and a small bar inside the cozy tasting room, and tables and a pizza oven on their back patio. I look forward to returning to do a full tasting, hopefully when they're making pizzas! Cheers and thanks for the warm hospitality!

We are so excited to see Maggy Hawk open a tasting room in the Anderson Valley. We discovered this…read morewine at Craftsteak in Las Vegas years ago and tasted the wines at Pino-Fest in Anderson Valley but the wines are very small production and not easily found. The new tasting room is right across the street from The Madrones where we always stay. They updated the property and it is fantastic. They have a great outdoor patio in back with a outdoor kitchen and pizza oven. In front of the tasting room the have Bocci ball courts. We enjoyed all of their wines. We joined the wine club and look forward to visiting them on future visits to the Valley.

Why are we limited to only 5 stars when this was clearly a 10 star experience? Where to begin?…read more Let's start with the people, namly Guy and his long time friend Tom. Guy provided very detailed directions to make sure we didn't get lost and double checked to make sure we were good. We arrived at "the cottage" a bit before noon and we greeted with some bubbly paired with warm donut holes. Five minutes in and I felt like we'd known these guys for years. We chat for a bit, drink for a bit, then hop in the ATV up to the top of the ridge to soak in the entire Anderson Valley. Amazing views. The tasting was heavy on the whites (Chard, Sav. Blanc., a great blend called the Dance) which made my wife very happy after the Pinot fest that is most AV tastings. Then he dropped their Pinot on us and wow! I asked about bringing a picnic and was told not to bother, they'd have a few things to nosh on. And boy did they deliver! Chorizo and gigante beans, pepper & goat cheese from Pennyroyal, and some salmon & cucumber. We headed back down, tasted another Pinot with grapes sourced from Weir that was spectacular, and then went over to the barn to see their collection of vintage cars. If they did a club, I'd be signed up. But I know that a stop at F&D will be mandatory for every trip I ever take to Mendo / Anderson Valley from here on out. Take note that they do not charge for tastings to then pressure you into buying bottles to waive the fee. Why? I think it's either because they're just really kind (they are) or they are so confident in the quality of the wine that they don't bother with the facade. Either way, don't miss visiting Fathers & Daughters the next time you're in the area...unless it's the day I'm planning to go and you steal my time!

From the owner: A high-touch, low production winery by the family of Ferrington Vineyard in California's Anderson…read moreValley.