International White Wine Festival
Every year, a flock of folks gather in the quaint region of Mendocino’s Anderson Valley to celebrate everything white juice.
Taking in the serene views at Roederer Estate.
Wow! What a weekend packed with phenomenal white wines! I can’t believe it took me so long to venture just a couple of hours north of San Francisco and discover this charming wine region. The passion and dedication of the local producers shone through all weekend long—from Saturday’s walk-around grand tasting to Sunday’s open houses—bringing vibrant energy to this quaint corner of Northern California.
Saturday’s Grand Tasting
One of the festival’s main highlights was the chance to sip from over 39 producers worldwide. My mission? To seek out hidden gems worth adding to your must-try list!
- Ottavino Wines by Shalini Sekhar
I first fell in love with Shalini’s Ferrington Vineyard Chardonnay at Friday evening’s Welcome Reception. Naturally, I had to track her down on Saturday and was thrilled to discover she also makes a delightful Grüner Veltliner from the Santa Cruz Mountains.
- Minus Tide by Brad Jonas, Miriam Jonas, and Kyle Jeffrey
These three are crafting elegant wines exclusively from Mendocino County. I’m a big fan of Chenin Blanc in all its forms, and theirs truly stood out. I wouldn't have hesitated if I could have purchased a case on the spot!
- Spur Road by Amanda and Sam Buckingham
The eye-catching label initially drew me in, but the wine quickly stole the show. Their White Pinot Noir was beautifully fruity with a luxurious mouthfeel—a bottle I’d happily open and sip anytime. We also tasted their Pinot Blanc, which kept evolving in the glass. I couldn’t pick a favorite, so I’ll be grabbing a bottle of both soon.
Sunday’s Open Houses
Throughout the valley, participating wineries opened their tasting rooms with special offerings dedicated to all things white wine.
- Husch Vineyards
We started our day at Husch Vineyards with 3rd-gen owner Zac Robinson. He was kind enough to take the time to walk the vineyards with us, which by the way, is home to Anderson Valley’s FIRST Pinot Noir planting and some of the oldest Gewurztraminer! His dedication to regenerative farming was fascinating and inspiring. From water conservation to working alongside the local wildlife to his current pruning strategies for the sweet Gewurztraminer. After the walk, we stepped into the tasting room, which is an converted pony barn and asked for a tasting of the Knoll Pinot Noir (from those old vines). I’m still blown away that the bottle retails for a mere $45 on their website!
- Goldeneye Winery
After starting on the right foot, we headed for some lunch at Jumbo’s Win Win (highly recommended for a quick lunch or dinner), and headed to a winery that I’ve been dying to visit for years, Goldeneye! Being a fan of the Pinot Noir, I was excited to try some of the white wines on for size. They pulled out all of the stops, bringing in white wines from the entire Duckhorn portfolio. When I say that Kristen McMahan is doing Pinot right, I mean it. However, I didn’t know that she is also making delicious thirst-quenching white(ish) wines, like the Vin Gris of Pinot Noir, sparkling Brut Rosé, and my personal fave, Gewurtztraminer. Goldeneye is one of the premeinent Pinot producers in Anderson Valley and built a LEED Gold winemaking facility to elevate the perception of the valley’s wines.
Sitting on the patio overlooking the Confluence Vineyard is simply breathtaking. We thoroughly enjoyed the walk-around tastings and met other wine enthusiasts while we sipped through the wines paired with bites the team created for each wine.
- Roederer Estate
With all of the white wine at Goldeneye, we picked up and headed to the sparkling mecca, Roederer Estate. They unveiled their newly redesigned tasting room and patio earlier in the weekend, so we were excited to experience it. The views from the Estate are insanely gorgeous. We sat inside for our tasting, but immediately headed out to capture the winter sunset afterwards.
A heartfelt thank you to Anderson Valley Winegrowers for hosting such a fantastic (and essential) event. It was heartwarming to meet so many fellow white wine enthusiasts. If you haven’t been to Anderson Valley yet, make sure to add it to your travel list—your palate will thank you!