Vine and Stein in Northern California - Trip Report
Jun 4th, 2006, 01:51 PM
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Vine and Stein in Northern California - Trip Report
Just returned from an 8 night trip to Northern California (from DC). Our original intent was a beer pilgrimmage, but we relented and gave time to the vine as well. We don't pretend to know a thing about wine...we just know what tastes good to us. 
ITINERARY
1 night Oakland
3 nights Mendocino (beautiful!!!!)
2 nights Yountville
2 nights San Francisco
LODGING -- BEST to LEAST FAVORITE
* Macallum House (Napoleon Suite) in Mendocino: great view and location, phenomenal breakfast
* Hotel Drisco in San Francisco: beautiful Pacific Heights location
* Marriott City Center in Oakland: great bed, stone's throw from Pacific Coast Brewing Co.
* Vintage Inn in Yountville: glorified motel, very loud rooms (especially between floors). Get upper room floor if you must stay here.
TOP 5 WINERIES TO VISIT
Never did a tour - just tastings. These wineries were our favorite *experiences* (not necessarily the best wines).
1. Goldeneye, Anderson Valley: great tasting outside
2. Darioush, Napa: stunning architecture
3. Cliff Lede, Napa: great outdoor patio, would love to stay in their Poetry Inn
4. Gloria Ferrer, Sonoma: A little bit of Spain; great outdoor patio
5. Hop Kiln, Russian River Valley: stopped in tribute to hops. Rewarded with super friendly service and great stop.
TOP 5 FAVORITE WINES
We thought these were the tastiest of our trip.
1. Goldeneye -- glorious Pinots
2. Duckhorn -- excellent merlot
3. Roederer -- yummy sparklers
4. Darioush -- we liked everything we tasted; expensive
5. Gary Farrell -- very good zinfandel (Tina's Block)
WINERIES WE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND
1. Domaine Chandon - pretty grounds (kind of), terrible service and fair wines
2. Miner Family
3. Handley
4. Clos du Val
5. ZD -- nothing exciting, but the riesling would be great with sushi
TOP 3 BEER STOPS
1. Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boontville: The reason for the trip. Not a bad brew to be had here. Great Barney Flats stout, Cerveza Crema (summer) and Belgian style Dubbel. Gets bonus for frisbee golf.
2. Pacific Coast Brewing Company, Oakland: Excellent microbrews, especially the Leviathan Imperial Stout and the Leslie's XPA
3. Toronado, San Francisco: come here for the 40 drafts or the people watching - equally enjoyable
We also really enjoyed Bear Republic in Healdsburg (for beer, not food), Rogue Ale House in San Francisco(lots on tap that was not available in DC), and North Coast in Fort Bragg (not for food).
TOP 5 RESTAURANTS
1. Gary Danko, San Francisco: Particularly enjoyed that we were allowed to create our own tasting menu
2. Redd, Yountville: YUM. Great food, great service, great ambiance. Highly recommend. Tuna tartare app is phenomenal.
3. Greens, San Francisco: Excellent vegetarian dining
4. Highpockety Ox, Boontville: Super casual but SUPER tasty (and friendly!). Best (homemade) veggie burger and jimbalaya ever.
5. Cafe Beaujolais, Mendocino: Get the sturgeon. Enough said.
I have to note that we also ate at Bouchon in Yountville which consistently gets recommended. Bouchon was one of my least favorite places we ate -- tables were super close together (bumping elbows), service was abrupt, and food was just okay. It definitely did not live up to they hype.
************
We absolutely loved this trip -- surprised by the beauty, the friendly people, the excellent food, and by how much we enjoyed visiting the wineries. We'll be back...and next time will spend more time in Sonoma!
ITINERARY
1 night Oakland
3 nights Mendocino (beautiful!!!!)
2 nights Yountville
2 nights San Francisco
LODGING -- BEST to LEAST FAVORITE
* Macallum House (Napoleon Suite) in Mendocino: great view and location, phenomenal breakfast
* Hotel Drisco in San Francisco: beautiful Pacific Heights location
* Marriott City Center in Oakland: great bed, stone's throw from Pacific Coast Brewing Co.
* Vintage Inn in Yountville: glorified motel, very loud rooms (especially between floors). Get upper room floor if you must stay here.
TOP 5 WINERIES TO VISIT
Never did a tour - just tastings. These wineries were our favorite *experiences* (not necessarily the best wines).
1. Goldeneye, Anderson Valley: great tasting outside
2. Darioush, Napa: stunning architecture
3. Cliff Lede, Napa: great outdoor patio, would love to stay in their Poetry Inn
4. Gloria Ferrer, Sonoma: A little bit of Spain; great outdoor patio
5. Hop Kiln, Russian River Valley: stopped in tribute to hops. Rewarded with super friendly service and great stop.
TOP 5 FAVORITE WINES
We thought these were the tastiest of our trip.
1. Goldeneye -- glorious Pinots
2. Duckhorn -- excellent merlot
3. Roederer -- yummy sparklers
4. Darioush -- we liked everything we tasted; expensive
5. Gary Farrell -- very good zinfandel (Tina's Block)
WINERIES WE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND
1. Domaine Chandon - pretty grounds (kind of), terrible service and fair wines
2. Miner Family
3. Handley
4. Clos du Val
5. ZD -- nothing exciting, but the riesling would be great with sushi
TOP 3 BEER STOPS
1. Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boontville: The reason for the trip. Not a bad brew to be had here. Great Barney Flats stout, Cerveza Crema (summer) and Belgian style Dubbel. Gets bonus for frisbee golf.
2. Pacific Coast Brewing Company, Oakland: Excellent microbrews, especially the Leviathan Imperial Stout and the Leslie's XPA
3. Toronado, San Francisco: come here for the 40 drafts or the people watching - equally enjoyable
We also really enjoyed Bear Republic in Healdsburg (for beer, not food), Rogue Ale House in San Francisco(lots on tap that was not available in DC), and North Coast in Fort Bragg (not for food).
TOP 5 RESTAURANTS
1. Gary Danko, San Francisco: Particularly enjoyed that we were allowed to create our own tasting menu
2. Redd, Yountville: YUM. Great food, great service, great ambiance. Highly recommend. Tuna tartare app is phenomenal.
3. Greens, San Francisco: Excellent vegetarian dining
4. Highpockety Ox, Boontville: Super casual but SUPER tasty (and friendly!). Best (homemade) veggie burger and jimbalaya ever.
5. Cafe Beaujolais, Mendocino: Get the sturgeon. Enough said.
I have to note that we also ate at Bouchon in Yountville which consistently gets recommended. Bouchon was one of my least favorite places we ate -- tables were super close together (bumping elbows), service was abrupt, and food was just okay. It definitely did not live up to they hype.
************
We absolutely loved this trip -- surprised by the beauty, the friendly people, the excellent food, and by how much we enjoyed visiting the wineries. We'll be back...and next time will spend more time in Sonoma!
Jun 4th, 2006, 03:05 PM
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Hi beanweb, if you are interested in the California Missions you might enjoy visiting the Cline Winery in Sonoma on your next trip. They have a museum with models of all the California Mission, no entrance fee. I remember when they this winery started this collection..forgot about it..if was profiled in the SF Chronical (www.sfgate.com) today.
Jun 5th, 2006, 12:27 PM
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Hello. I loved your post and I think you've given me an idea. My husband and I are planning a trip and will be coming down the coast from Redwood National Park to San Francisco. I was thinking of stopping for a night on the way, doing some wineries in Sonoma and continuing to San Fran after the wineries. My husband is more than willing to tour the wineries but he LOVES beer. Do you think it would be worth it to get to Boonville for the afternoon and stay there? We could break up the trip, hit the brewery and get an early start the next morning for the Sonoma area.
Jun 5th, 2006, 02:45 PM
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LoveItaly -- Thank you for the suggestion! Will keep it for future reference.
Catbert -- I have priorities. ;-)
Dohlice -- That's a tough question. I *love* AVBC beers, but the brewery is pretty sparse -- it's an industrial-style building with not a lot inside to offer except beers (and the frisbee golf). Boonville is SUPER tiny - not a lot there at all. There's a one block drag near the brewing company (not walking distance) where you can get a really good meal at Highpockety Ox. Other than that I'm not sure it's worth an overnight. I would be more likened to recommend you pass through around lunch for Highpockety Ox (where he can also get AVBC on draft), then maybe stop at AVBC proper (for a different draft and maybe buy some bottles), then head on towards Sonoma area. Stop in Healdsburg, where he can then sample beers at Bear Republic. There is more "to do" on an overnight there and it would also satisfy *your* desire to do some wineries as you continue on the next a.m.
In San Fran, your beer loving husband may also enjoy Rogue Ale House...mine did!
Catbert -- I have priorities. ;-)
Dohlice -- That's a tough question. I *love* AVBC beers, but the brewery is pretty sparse -- it's an industrial-style building with not a lot inside to offer except beers (and the frisbee golf). Boonville is SUPER tiny - not a lot there at all. There's a one block drag near the brewing company (not walking distance) where you can get a really good meal at Highpockety Ox. Other than that I'm not sure it's worth an overnight. I would be more likened to recommend you pass through around lunch for Highpockety Ox (where he can also get AVBC on draft), then maybe stop at AVBC proper (for a different draft and maybe buy some bottles), then head on towards Sonoma area. Stop in Healdsburg, where he can then sample beers at Bear Republic. There is more "to do" on an overnight there and it would also satisfy *your* desire to do some wineries as you continue on the next a.m.
In San Fran, your beer loving husband may also enjoy Rogue Ale House...mine did!
Jun 6th, 2006, 08:28 AM
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Right now I am leaning towards two nights in Healdsburg. That would give us a slow drive down the coast and we can stop by that brewery and do a little shopping! Will check out the other places you've mentioned so he can get his fix.
Jun 6th, 2006, 09:20 AM
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Beanweb24:
Sounds like a great trip.
In the future you might also enjoy a trip to the central California winery area (Paso Robles). We have just returned from a 3 week California trip (northern, central and Palm Desert).
The link below is to a brewery we dropped in on one afternoon in Paso Robles. My husband enjoyed the beer there alot and ordered it throughout the rest of our trip.
http://www.firestonewalker.com/
In the Anderson Valley I thought the Navarro winery was very beautiful and I enjoyed their gwertztraminer (managed to bring 6 bottles of Anderson valley wines home to Vancouver, BC).
We too had a dinner at Cafe Beaujolais in Mendocino. We stayed at the White Gate Inn for two nights and loved it. We had our second dinner at 955 Ukiah (I think it is 955) ... I enjoyed the food there more than Cafe Beaujolais (however I didn't have the sturgeon at Cafe Beaujolais ... perhaps that's where I went wrong).
We were driving on our trip and could do it all again in a heart beat.
Sounds like a great trip.
In the future you might also enjoy a trip to the central California winery area (Paso Robles). We have just returned from a 3 week California trip (northern, central and Palm Desert).
The link below is to a brewery we dropped in on one afternoon in Paso Robles. My husband enjoyed the beer there alot and ordered it throughout the rest of our trip.
http://www.firestonewalker.com/
In the Anderson Valley I thought the Navarro winery was very beautiful and I enjoyed their gwertztraminer (managed to bring 6 bottles of Anderson valley wines home to Vancouver, BC).
We too had a dinner at Cafe Beaujolais in Mendocino. We stayed at the White Gate Inn for two nights and loved it. We had our second dinner at 955 Ukiah (I think it is 955) ... I enjoyed the food there more than Cafe Beaujolais (however I didn't have the sturgeon at Cafe Beaujolais ... perhaps that's where I went wrong).
We were driving on our trip and could do it all again in a heart beat.
Jun 6th, 2006, 09:31 AM
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We wanted to try Beaujolais , as this was our 3rd visit to Mendocino, but DH got food poisoning.Glad you enjoyed the Anderson Valley. Did you try "L'Hermitage" at Roederer? We bought 2 magnums of it last year, got home and found out it got a 94 Wine Spectator rating. Next time, stop in Philo and eat at Libby's! Best tex-mex north of the border. Also, the Bluebird Cafe in Boonville is a great place for breakfast and lunch.
