Driving through California wine country feels like one of those sequences in a film—one during which Mazzy Star plays and a sunny day seems like it could last forever. From southern Santa Barbara to the northern California town of Mendocino, California has become a major source of quality wine. And let’s not forget the scenery of the Pacific coastline, with its winding roads that lead to vast grassy fields and rows of grapevines. It’s the stuff California dreams are made of.
As prospective oenophiles (wine aficionados or connoisseurs) begin studying wines—the growing, harvesting, fermentation and tasting—it’s easy to become a bit intimidated. The California wine region affords not only valuable information regarding the entire winemaking and wine tasting processes, but also an inviting learning environment.
Valley Varietals
California’s Napa Valley has served as the seed of the state’s wine industry. The valley comprises five towns and regions: Calistoga, St. Helena, Rutherford/Oakville/Yountville, Lake Berryessa/American Canyon and Napa.
While the entire county of Napa offers respite from city life with relaxing activities such as hot air ballooning and spa getaways, food and wine tourism remain the area’s most tempting offering. Boasting an impressive culinary resume, Napa Valley claimed 14 Michelin stars in 2012. Though Yountville provides an upscale dining setting at restaurants including Red Wood or Bouchin, the real adventure is found along the winding roads that lead deep into Napa wine country.
Hidden away on winding Redwood Road, approximately 2.5 miles away from Napa, Hendry Winery sits back from the street, making it easy to miss if you drive by too quickly. Upon arriving it seems almost as if the winery’s owner might have intentionally concealed its location, ensuring only visitors who are looking for and want to visit this particular vineyard can find it.
Hendry Winery follows an appointment-only policy for tours and tastings, which allow small groups of visitors to learn about the winemaking process and Hendry’s story—that, as a child in 1939 George Hendry, the proprietor of the Hendry Winery, moved to area with his family. After finding success as a cyclotron designer as an adult, George decided to cultivate the property as a vineyard.
The Ways of Wine Tasting
The perfect Napa Valley wine tasting experience, for anyone interested in understanding the process of making and choosing wines, is available at Hendry Winery. “[Choosing a wine tasting location] depends on the experience [you] want,” says Jan Miller of Hendry Winery. ”Some people want to hit a bunch of wineries, which is not the experience you get here. If a winery requires appointments the experience is more serious.”
Though Hendry might provide a serious wine education, the experience is in no way intimidating, nor is the atmosphere pretentious. While Jan and her husband Jeff, George’s business partner and fellow cyclotron designer, offer detailed information throughout the tasting and tour, they are excited about discussing all things wine. Throughout the tasting Jeff will work through approximately 10 different wines, including reds and whites, explaining the characteristics of each in detail. He will also explain the reasons for and illustrate the proper swirl, sniff, and sip method to tasting wine using the following steps.
1. Pour approximately half an ounce of wine. The amount should be enough to coat the inside of the glass, nothing more. Wines with higher alcohol content will yield bigger legs or streaks.
2. Swirl the wine by rolling glass on the table, coating the inside of the glass with wine. The amount of wine should be small enough to prevent any wine from spilling onto the table. The wine will begin to evaporate.
3. Sniff the wine allowing it to enter the olfactory system through the nose and travel down to the back of the throat.
4. Allow it to sit 15 seconds.
5. Sip the wine and note the feeling it creates in the mouth. Distinct tastes affect different areas of the tongue. Richer wines will have a lasting aftertaste.
Though the tasting and tour cost $20 each, fees are waived according to the amount of money spent purchasing bottles of wine.
Napa is beautiful during any time of year, though according to Miller September-October is the best time of year to visit. While the winery is crowded, as this is harvest time, Miller mentions that this is the season during which they have the most fun.
SLOing Things Down
San Louis Obispo or SLO, as it is known locally, is a college town that also offers many attractions for the post-baccalaureate set. The town is popular for its access to Central Coast beaches, biking, hiking and its quaint old-town feel. Yet, it’s best known for its growing reputation as a fresh wine lover’s destination. San Louis Obispo County is home to a number of wine events and festivals throughout the year; one of the most impressive is the Paso Robles Wine Festival, celebrating its 31st year in 2013. The festival will take place May 17 – 19 in Paso Robles Downtown City Park. Though the festival takes place in the park, the celebration is much larger—it extends throughout the town to more than 150 wineries that host smaller events.
In the town’s Edna Valley lies Tolosa Winery, which is located five miles from the Pacific Ocean and known for much more than simply producing good wine. Tolosa has been recognized as SIP Certified or Sustainability in Practice, meaning that the winery produces an organic product, though also emphasizes and maintains the respectful relationship between the vineyard and land. Tolosa’s location provides soil comprised of volcanic and marine sediment. A cool climate year-round and summertime fog provide ideal weather conditions to grow grapes fermented to produce Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Tolosa offers daily tastings 11:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. with fees starting at $8, depending on chosen option, though the cost is waived with purchase of a bottle. While San Louis Obispo is an exciting small town to visit any time of the year, Tolosa’s Katie Noonan advises the best time to visit is “…fall—September through November—the vines are in full bloom with fruit. You can taste grapes, smell the aromas of harvest and from the patio of Tolosa you can watch grapes being brought in from the vineyards while you sip on the finished product!”
A Proud Tradition
California has a long history of wine production, from 18th century monasteries, through the last twenty years. During this time, the local industry has gained momentum by offering some of the world’s best wine even, as Miller revealed, winning a blind tasting in France. Though the selection of wine available in this state is as varied as its terrain, the experience of driving through this region’s wine country is a distinct California dream.
Article written by Dorothy Crouch for Moxy Magazine, September 2012. Photo credits: Photo 1 of Hendry Winery by Dorothy Crouch; Photo 2 of Tolosa Tasting Bar courtesy of Tolosa Winery.
