One of our favorite destinations on the California wine route -- the Anderson Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area) -- is an insider tip. Less familiar and less traveled than Napa or Sonoma, it is situated among the redwood forests and unspoiled ridges of Mendocino County. The area is home to a community of family-owned, artisanal wineries, the way Napa Valley was some 25 years ago. Their wines are seldom produced in sufficient quantities for supermarket distribution and as a result, few are household names. But visitors here find handcrafted, distinctive wines at moderate prices, direct from the cellar door.
Although the terrain is wild, navigation is simple even for a first-time visitor. Highway 128 winds through the heart of Anderson Valley vineyards, until it reaches the wind-swept Mendocino coast.
Navarro Vineyards, (707) 895-3686, was launched in 1974 on the site of a century-old sheep ranch. Owners Ted Bennett and Deborah Cahn became contemporary pioneers of Anderson Valley winemaking. Fans of savory white wines from France's Alsace region, they discovered that Alsatian grape varietals (such as Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir) thrive in Anderson Valley's maritime-influenced climate.