June 30, 2004
Ideas for SummerMy neighbors always have the best ideas! With gas prices out of site, they have decided to stay here and travel in California this summer.
When they said they wanted to visit Mendocino, I thought what a great idea. Having visited the Anderson Valley up there myself, and with some ideas from my work colleague, Dexter, we came up with an itinerary.
Take U S 101 north of San Francisco to Cloverdale. This is a two or three hour drive. Cloverdale is a great little town with some good restaurants.
From Cloverdale, take state highway 128 west to Boonville. This village is home to a great brewery and brewpub, definitely a worthwhile stop on your journey through the Anderson Valley.
While you are in the area, must-visit wineries include Navarro, Lazy Creek, Roederer Estate, Goldeneye and Greenwood Ridge. Roeder Estate is a sparkling wine producer owned by the famous Roederer Champagne producer in France. In centuries past, Roederer Cristal was bottle in Baccarat bottles for the Russian czars.
Edmeades and Husch located around Philo, also worth a visit, are on up highway 128.
If you visit Ukiah, visit Jepson and Red Tail Ale which is brewed there-another great brewpub.
Then, I suggested Sonoma County, great wines and still a good place to visit. With two weeks to visit, you can cover important places in both counties, and my recommendation would be to avoid Napa like the plague this time of year.
Napa's okay during the off-season and during the week-but not this time of year!
Another Fine Summertime Quaff!
The 2003 Verdad Rose is produced by Louisa Lindquist. The focus of Verdad is Spanish varieties. Verdad means "truth" in Spanish. This dry rose is made from 100 percent Santa Barbara County fruit-89 percent grenache and eleven percent tempranillo. Served chilled, this wine is a great match for any lunch fare and dinner fare like you'd find at Chef Rick's.
Grenache and tempranillo are both Spanish red grapes. The Spanish name for the grape is garnacha.
This splendid rose retails for about $13.
Bon appetit!
Wine lover and Santa Maria Times Wine columnist, Bob Senn, lives in the bucolic Los Alamos Valley and owns the Los Olivos Wine & Spirits Emporium.
