The Philosophy of Mendocino Wines
I've been a fan of Mendocino wines for as long as I can remember. Navarro Vineyards and Testa Wines are a few of my favorite wineries from the region. While attending the Wine Bloggers Conference last year I was able to do a pre-excursion trip to Mendocino. Despite being local I didn't realize just how close Mendocino county was to Sonoma county. We boarded a bus from the Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country and in what felt like only a few minutes we were stepping off the bus at Fetzer Wines. It probably felt like such a quick distance because of the wonderful company of my fellow bloggers on the bus.
At Fetzer there was a panel discussion regarding Sustainable and Carbon Farming, which I listened to while enjoying their 2016 Chardonnay (wonderful notes of crisp apple and pear). For those that don't know, sustainable farming is the future. It's going to become increasingly important as climate change impacts how we farm. A lot of people are under the impression that sustainable farming has to be expensive, but it can be done in a cost effective way, as Fetzer has shown. Following the discussion, 1000 Stories guided a wine blending competition. I didn't win but it sure was fun. We ended the night at Campovida for live music, a sit down dinner, and finally desserts with a DJ.
Many thanks to Fetzer Wines, Campovida and everyone else that made this excursion happen. Mendocino County has a lot to offer and I'm glad that I'll be learning even more when I attend Taste of Mendocino in April. If you are interested you can purchase tickets here. Let me know if you will be attending, I'd love to meet up.
