Fetzer Vineyards

Mendocino County's time to shine as a premier grape growing region has arrived. Visitors to one of Northern California's northernmost wine regions are finding an undiscovered land filled with breathtaking vistas, unspoiled beauty and incomparable hospitality. Unlike more popular wine country regions, you'll find wine tasting in Mendocino County to be low-key and relaxed. The picturesque coastal town of Mendocino is the sprimary destination of this "undiscovered wine country," while Hopland, home of Fetzer Vineyards, provides beautiful inland terrain and rustic charm.

Mendocino County is a microcosm of California's best grape-growing regions and is blessed with many micro- climates. It includes the cool coastal region of the Anderson Valley, which favors Pinot Noir and Alsatian-style Riesling; prime Chardonnay soils in the Russian River valleys of Hopland and Ukiah, in the southeast corner of the county; and warm interior hillsides of Redwood Valley and Potter Valley, known for robust Zinfandel, elegant Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Mendocino County is home to thirty-seven wineries of various sizes. In the fascinating mix of wineries are several upscale sparkling wine producers, three fine brandy makers, and what wine writer Dan Berger has described as "some of the finest wineries in the world."

There's still part of the Wine Country that actually feels like the country.