Via - May/June 2014 - California - (Page 33)

By Kristina Malsberger  // PHOTOGR A PH Y BY ER IN KUNK EL pours her small-lot, handcrafted wines in a rustic red shack with just three stools and a crush pad out back. Or Douglas Stewart of the stylish new Lichen Estate, who will happily share tales of his one-man quest to produce a sparkling pinot gris that rivals the finest French champagne. Sparkling wine is a regional specialty-the bubbly barons Roederer and Scharffenberger both call Philo home-but the valley's true star is pinot noir, celebrated each spring during the Pinot Noir Festival (May 16 to 18 this year). Pinotphiles and dog lovers will enjoy Toulouse Vineyards, with its winning reds and resident yellow lab, Tess. At nearby Phillips Hill Winery, the earthy pinots complement the CLOCKWISE FROM recently opened tasting room in a LEFT, vines bud out historic apple-drying barn above a above the 25-mile-long burbling creek. valley; diners linger at Alsatian whites such as riesling, the Boonville Hotel's gewürtztraminer, and edelzwicker are Table 128 restaurant; a focus at popular Navarro Vineyards, oysters are offered one of the valley's oldest wineries and there on the half shell. a lovely spot for an alfresco feast, with scenic picnic sites and a deli case stocked with charcuterie and artisanal cheese from the family's new Pennyroyal Farm. Or pick up sandwiches in Boonville and head to Hendy Woods State Park, where lunch spots overlook the lazy Navarro River. From here, trails wind into the ancient stillness of the redwood groves, passing sword ferns, blooming rhododendrons, and the hollowed-out log that once sheltered a resident hermit. More sociable types should eventually emerge from the forest for a family-style dinner at the Boonville Hotel, a legendary outpost of California cuisine since the 1980s. The hotel remains a culinary force. Home to Table 128 restaurant, it also opened the Paysanne ice cream shop, helped introduce Bite Hard cider, and continues to host the Boonville Farmers' Market. But the valley's food scene has expanded to included the newcomers Aquarelle, serving such inventive dishes as duck tostadas and crab risotto with saffron, and Coq au Vin, where diners happily ditch their diets for pork à la normande and buttery beef bourguignon. Stone and Embers, a tiny temple to the wood oven, also opened last year in the Madrones, an inn that includes four boutique tasting rooms-a sweet setup for wine lovers wishing to imbibe without driving. Still, there's something to be said for a day spent seeing where the winding curves of Highway 128 take you. Whether it's a sunny swimming hole, a grove of giants, a weathered farm stand, or simply an intriguing little sign reading tastings today, there are excellent reasons to apply the brakes. ● kristina malsberger is a Via contributing editor. If you're going . . . CREDIT HERE Request the Northern California TourBook and Mendocino & Sonoma Coast map at AAA.com or any AAA branch. To find a place to stay, see AAA.com/viahotels. For more information, contact Visit Mendocino County: (866) 466-3636, visitmendocino.com. Area code is 707. Anderson Valley Brewing Company Beer tastings, tours, and disc golf. 895-2337, avbc.com. Aquarelle Cafe & Wine Bar 895-2767, facebook.com/aquarellecafe. Boonville Farmers' Market Saturdays, May-October, mcfarm.org/boonville. Coq au Vin 895-9255. Elke Vineyards 246-7045, elkevineyards.com. Foursight Wines 895-2889, foursightwines.com. Hendy Woods State Park 895-3141, www.parks.ca.gov. Lichen Estate 478-4218, lichenestate.com. Navarro Vineyards 895-3686, navarro wine.com. Paysanne 895-2210, sweetpaysanne.com. Phillips Hill Winery 895-2209, phillipshill.com. Stone and Embers 895-3471, stoneandembers.com. Table 128 895-2210, boonvillehotel.com/eat. Toulouse Vineyards 895-2828, toulousevineyards.com. I AAA   VIA  33 http://calstate.aaa.com/ http://calstate.aaa.com/travel http://www.visitmendocino.com http://www.avbc.com http://www.facebook.com/aquarellecafe http://www.mcfarm.org/boonville http://www.elkevineyards.com http://www.foursightwines.com http://www.parks.ca.gov http://www.lichenestate.com http://www.navarrowine.com http://www.navarrowine.com http://www.sweetpaysanne.com http://www.phillipshill.com http://www.stoneandembers.com http://www.boonvillehotel.com/eat http://www.toulousevineyards.com

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