Know the difference between Cognac & Brandy? By the very simplest of definitions, Cognac is Brandy…read more Though, to be a Cognac, a Brandy has to be produced only in an authorized region of France & it has to be produced in accordance with specific rules & regulations. For more, check out the Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognac Beyond the literal definitions of Cognac & Brandy, there's also the likely perception that Cognacs are superior to Brandies. Just go down the liquor aisle of any major supermarket. The Cognacs stocked on the shelves are probably higher quality (& more expensive) than the Brandies. & maybe, to a certain extent, Cognacs do tend to be better than Brandies. But that most definitely is not the case with Germain-Robin Brandies. It's not surprising, really. G-R has its roots in Cognac. Instead of France, however, they're in Northern California. This is key. Rather than be bound by Old World dogma, following all those rules & regulations on how to make Cognac, G-R does what we crazy Californians have done all along. Defy convention. Experiment. Innovate. All with incredible effect. G-R Brandies have beaten much pricier Cognacs in blind tastings. I've been a huge fan of G-R's story, philosophy & Brandy for well over a decade now. So when I got the email invite for a tour of their distillery along with some old & rare tastings, I did not hesitate. 1 cheerful phone call later & my place on the tour/ tastings was reserved. The distillery is not easy to find. GPS Nav will only take you so far. You have to keep going down Bel Arbres Dr., past the sign that says private road & look for the driveway on the right. After the short driveway, there's a large gravel parking lot. The building housing the distillery, a squat steel structure, isn't much to look at. It's what's inside that counts. Through the entrance, it's immediately evident that G-R's got some major wood. French Oak barrels fill an expansive, open, high ceiling room, stacked floor to ceiling & wall to wall. Our small tour group congregated near the center of the barrel room until the tour started. Our tour guide, Ansley Coale, is 1 of the guys who got this whole thing started. We started in a side room with the still. There, we got a detailed rundown on the distillation process. After, back where we gathered earlier, the old & rare tastings got underway. & by old & rare, I mean carefully selected/ blended Brandies aged up to 30 years. Everything I tasted was absolutely exquisite. My personal favorite, the GR/30, is the single best spirit, any spirit, I've ever tasted. Amazing. Mind-blowing. While I didn't pony up the $$$$ to get a bottle of GR/30 that day, I reconsider that decision almost every day. It's that good. I'm thinking I need to get it sooner or later. Thank you Ansley Coale & all the folks at Germain-Robin for a great tour of your distillery & some of the finest tastings of my entire life. I've been a huge fan for a long time. Getting to visit the wellspring from which all your astounding elixirs flow was truly special for me.

Dog friendly and a true treat! The staff here are awesome and it is a wonderful spot for anyone…read moretruly serious and appreciative of an outstanding collection of diverse spirits. It was a memorable tasting experience and we respect their art of creating superior treats!!!

Found this burgeoning distillery by a chance search on Yelp on our way up north and once we saw…read moremention of a whiskey, we had to stop and give it a try. The owner was incredibly kind and hospitable allowing hubby and I to sample several established products and a few that were still in the works! It was clear that he and his wife enjoy experimenting with new spirits and flavors and we enjoyed sampling their efforts! We tried a few brandy-based liqueurs (apple, pomegranate, rootbeer), a gin, and a whiskey. The pomegranate brandy was like sipping a tart spiced apple cider and was pretty darn good! I could imagine it over ice or ice cream, or to spike a fall punch or hot toddy. The whiskey was produced using white oak staves that he chars and adds to steel tanks. It wasnt bad, but some additional time or tweaking might soften the bitter woodiness that overtook my palate. I did enjoy the gin in progress... it was herbaceous and subtle, not the kick-you-in-the-teeth juniper flavor that most mainstream gins have. This one was floral, grassy, and delicate and I can see it laying a nice foundation for many different cocktails. At the end of our tasting, our offer of payment was politely declined as our host explained that he just likes sharing his labors with others. I encourage others to visit this business and perhaps find a spirit that calls to you, and I wish its owners luck and success as they continue to develop and refine their products.

Wonderful and idiosyncratic tasting in a warehouse. Small batch and unique spirits served with…read morestories and humor. We had a great time tasting and talking with the owner. I highly recommend a visit.

We are total suckers for locally made items. In the case of Tamar, we found their Low Gap 3 year…read morestraight Bourbon Whiskey at the local Costco and decided to give it a try. Wow it was simply fantastic. Hints of vanilla and caramel on the nose and palate with a nice smooth finish. Given its price point, I regret not picking up a case. This is a excellent all around Bourbon and is ready to go neat with nothing else. THis is the second excellent distiller in the area and while wine and pot grab the headlines in Norcal the craft spirit movement is really noteworthy as well

Mendocino Spirits - marvelous products courtesy of Tamar Distillery. You might call ahead to be…read moresure someone is there before driving over. Crispin Cain is European trained and he knows his business well. High quality.

My wife and I booked the 25 mile Noyo River rail cart excursion and it was an amazing and fun…read moreexperience. Our guides, Travis and Atlas, provided an educational and interactive experience. At the same time, they gave us our space to explore and just take in the beauty of the redwood forest. I do recommend dressing in layers as the morning half of the ride was cold and the return trip was warmer than expected. Bring gloves if you plan to be the driver because your hands will be exposed to the cold morning air due to controlling the speed of the electric assist controls. Make sure to use the bathroom before you leave. The only stop with a bathroom was at Camp Noyo, which is 12.5 miles from the start. It took my group of 3 rail bikes about 2 hours to get there. Don't be scared of the 25 miles because the electric assist made it an easy ride. I think we were able to pedal, with the assist on, for 90% of the trip. We used the full electric option for about 3-5 minutes total because we wanted to relax our legs. Overall, I recommend the experience, especially if you like being outdoors and surrounded by nature.

I've made the trip up to Fort Bragg several times over the last 10 years and had always seen the…read moreads and signs for the Skunk Train. With the full length of the tracks not currently open to Willits, it didn't seem worth it to partake in the shorter train rides. However, once I learned about the rail bikes, I was in! There are two options for the rail bikes. The shorter, two hour excursion is to Glen Briar from their downtown Fort Bragg Depot (the Pudding Creek route) is about 7 miles round trip. If you want a full day adventure, there's the Noyo route which is 25 miles and departs from Sherwood road and is noted as a more stenous excursion. Given I was short on time, I opted for the Pudding Creek route. However, I would definitely do the rail bikes again and try the Noyo route. For the Pudding Creek route, we arrived about 15 minutes before our 10 am departure time. There's a small lot for guests and a short walk over to where the bikes are. Instructions are easy to follow and the staff is amazingly helpful and thorough. With the motor assist, pedaling along the rails was rather mellow. At the end of the line, we stopped at a scenic pavilion in the redwoods and had the option of a short guided hike or to just chill and enjoy the picnic area. I had time to do both and it was a really enjoyable way to spend the morning. There's a basket on the front of each bike to store your backpacks and drink holders for your water bottles. Back at the depot, there's a cute gift shop and behind it, a model train exhibit that was pretty cool. I love a good kitschy attraction and this was a fun, touristy thing to do while visiting the area. I enjoyed it so much, that I do wish the route was longer (hence my hope to go back and do the longer Noyo trip.) Sure, it's pricey, but if you can swing the cost, come in with the right expectations and you'll have a fun day, while also learning a bit more about the area from your guides.

I must have driven by this winery a hundred times always meaning to stop and never doing it. Sunday…read moreI was traveling back from Glen County and decided it was time knowing I needed birthday presents and the chance to chat with a new friend. The property and building is immaculate, like an Erin Hanson original painting. While pristine, the staff makes you feel welcome the second you arrive. Their knowledge and passion for the product is evident all the way up to the head wine craftsman Anton, growing is local legend. The wines are all fabulous, the one pictured might be my favorite. I highly recommend you check these folks out, you won't regret it.

Nicole did a great job taking care of our group of 8. She even thought to ask us if we wanted her…read moreto take a picture! We sat on the front porch because it was a nice day but the rooms upstairs would have been a great choice too. It was a lovely relaxing visit. We bought a case because the prices were too good not to! Overall a wonderful experience. A must stop if you're on 101 in Hopland!

Stopped by Ukiah in the late '90's I think. Like everyone says, the shop was small and hard to find…read morebut it was recommended by the Marketing Director when we visited Dry Creek winery. Sampling was one-on-one and generous. I remember sampling 'Havana' - blended specifically with a very short finish so as to not to conflict with a puff on your cigar. I have been drinking Germaine-Robin since both regular and XO. It is now very hard to find in Southern Oregon... so I am out. Last of the XO finished in April 2020.

Super hard to find but worth it. The tasting was very interesting. A lot of unique stuff and…read morereally high quality. The decor was a pleasant surprise. Alot of unique, Americana and antique items that all had great stories behind them. Could have spent hours in there.

Great little tasting room just off the downtown area in Healdsburg! We were greeted by Alec, who…read morehosted us--and he was fantastic. He walked us through the different whiskeys, gin, bourbon, bitters, and brandy they make there, and even gave us a tour of the fermentation process. We visited for my dad's birthday, and they had a "Happy Birthday" sign set up, which made the whole experience feel extra special. The pours were generous and the price was super reasonable. It made for a really memorable birthday. We'll definitely be back!

We came in on a Thursday around 4:15. Our server - Alex- was very friendly and explained everything…read moreto us. He was very friendly even though we came in late. We tried the tasting flight and enjoyed all we tried. The tasting room is small and kinda dark but was welcoming and we enjoyed our tasting.

Key highlights - Really friendly and knowledgeable bartender, casual and fun space to hang out with…read morefree board games, fantastic gins. Will be back next time we are in the area!

Gotta go there every time we're in Healdsburg. Great selection and the mixologist (gal) was…read moreimpressive. Actually adjusted our drink after straw test. Impressive attention to detail.

We stopped in coming back to SF from Mendocino. We wanted a drink. But when we found out Libby's…read morewas back Tuesday-Thursday we had to get a snack. So we ordered the mini nachos. So fresh and delicious we were brought back to all those wonderful meals at Libby's old location. The mini nachos was a good sized bar snack for two people. My wife got a ginger Lemmon drop with their house made vodka. Their vodka is smooth and well crafted. They even have to go bottles. The service at the bar is fast friendly and very capable to make just about anything you throw at them. The place itself is very cool with a big open floor and great view out of the huge back window.

The Boonville Distillery is an absolute must-visit! They shockingly weren't busy on a Saturday…read moreevening, and our party of 6 got seated right away. The interior was cozy but stylish, with a cool antler chandelier, fireplace, and retro soda fridge. They had a small menu of mocktails, in addition to the extensive drink menu, so I ordered a N/A Mint Julep - super tasty and refreshing! My friends' cocktails were all fantastic, as well. We also ordered some starters to share - the Goat Cheese & Garlic (so good, love the local goat cheese), Brussel Spouts (nice and crispy), and the Stone Fruit Summer Salad (fresh and tasty). Half of the menu was seasonal and didn't match what we'd seen online. I decided on the Seared Tuna and Brisket with Mac & Cheese to share with my friend. The Seared Tuna was incredible - perfectly cooked, not overpowered by the other flavors in the dish. I could truly eat this every day! The Brisket was pretty good, but the decadent Mac & Cheese stole the show for me. I would've loved to try the Brisket Mac & Cheese we'd seen online! The rest of my friends all loved their food as well. Service was friendly but not the quickest. Overall, fantastic for dinner!