Mendo on my mind

Chill out among the vintners, artists and hippies for a taste of authentic Northern Cali

 

 

Sipping along Highway 128

Though far from undiscovered, Mendocino’s wine regions aren’t nearly as crowded or expensive as those in Napa and Sonoma to the southeast. Family-run vineyards dot the 55-mile stretch of Highway 128 that winds from U.S. 101 through the Yorkville Highlands and Anderson Valley, passing through the Navarro River Redwood State Park before reaching the Pacific Coast. During the dry summer season, the foothills along the way look like they’re covered in gold dust.

Tastings cost $5 or $10, if anything, and must-stops include Navarro Vineyards (above) for its award-winning Gewürztraminers, Roederer Estate for sparkling wine and Husch Vineyards for its cabernet sauvignon.

 

MENDOCINO COUNTY, CALIF. I arrived in Mendocino County a frenzied trans­planted New Yorker, still stressing over a recent cross-country move. By the end of my three-day visit, I sat on the edge of a cliff and stared at the jagged coastline before me. Rich blue Pacific waves crashed onto rugged outcroppings as far as I could see. I breathed in the sea air, breathed out my tensions and took a bite of an organic pesto veggie sandwich. Damn, life was good.

Mendo has that kind of calming effect on the soul.

Located a little more than two hours north of San Francisco, Mendocino County offers everything one expects in a California getaway — excellent wineries, unspoiled scenery, historic villages, a thriving arts community and, of course, great food — while at the same time being less commercial than other vacation spots in the state. It’s the ideal place to un­wind and unplug — cell-phone service is scant.

True to its alt-culture heritage, Mendocino has many organic and sustainable farms and boasts the largest number of certi­fied organic wineries in the state. The chef at the Hopland Inn & Restaurant, a restored railroad hotel from 1890, uses only ingredients purchased from farmers within 100 miles.

The town of Hopland also houses the Solar Living Center, a fascinating sustainable living educa­tion center that hosts the annual SolFest, a mecca for green advocates and those looking to live off the grid.

The village of Mendocino proper along the Pacific Coast, with its white church steeples and wooden water towers, makes for a great home base. It’s chock full of shops, B&Bs and galleries. Café Beaujolais put Mendo on the map years ago, and it lived up to its reputation, even with new owners. However, the meal I long to have again is breakfast at the Alegria Inn. Co-owner Elaine Wing Hillesland whipped up amazing orange pancakes served with chicken, apple and potato sausage, edible blossoms and homemade orange syrup.

Ten miles to the north is bustling Fort Bragg, with even more shops, galleries (where the artists just might be standing next to you as you peruse their work) and restaurants. The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens ($10 admission) are stunning and have coastal trails, some of which are wheelchair-friendly. Ricochet Ridge Ranch offers popular horseback rides along Ten Mile Beach and through the redwood forests ($45). Try to get in at least one hike at one of several nearby state parks for a lesson in coastal evolution and a stroll through the region’s pygmy forests.

Those seeking to get even closer to nature — deer, quail, birds and goats included — should opt for Fensalden Inn, a renovated 1860s-era stagecoach stop located just south of Mendocino in Albion. Innkeeper Lyn Hamby and her partner, Bob, offer a nightly cocktail hour in the parlor
and make guests feel like family.

I had a difficult time leaving on my final day, and Lyn tried to convince me to stay one more night. It didn’t help that an artist I had barely met earlier that day told me she had looked into my soul and could see that I belonged in Mendocino. I had to agree.