Anderson Valley is a valley of wineries off the beaten path area in Northern California, well beyond Sonoma and Napa, with surprisingly little traffic. The Anderson Valley is located in the rolling hills of the coastal region of Mendocino County, about two hours north of San Francisco. Only fifteen miles long, this beautiful valley is home to a unique group of vineyards and wineries producing a broad range of excellent wines. Whether you are an experienced wine aficionado, or are just discovering the pleasure of drinking good wine, the Anderson Valley deserves exploration.
They are known for their world class Pinot Noir and Alsace Varietals and their tasting rooms are very down-to-earth, friendly and rarely crowded, ranging from a picnic table at a backyard winery to a beautiful salon at a sleek, modern facility. Two gems worth mentioning, one is smaller and the other larger and more renowned: Toulouse Vineyards and Navarro.
Toulouse Vineyards is all about sustainable farming practices and producing the finest Pinot Noir infused with the fun and passion of winemaking. For Vern and Maxine Boltz, it has been an exciting journey beginning as fruit growers and evolving into producers of award-winning wines. As a boutique winery, the Boltz’ take pride in their truly handcrafted wine which is fully created in house. By design, their smaller sized operation enables them to maintain high quality control, do all winemaking and bottling on site, and manage every facet of the entire process.
Their vineyard.
Vern shares some of their best wines with us. My favorite was the 2008 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, which is loaded with cinnamon and brandied cherries and cocoa, and layered with smokiness.
Navarro Vineyards have been growing grapes and bottling wine since 1973. They produce red, white, sparkling, and dessert wines in Philo, CA. My favorites were the 2007 and 2010 Pinot Noir and their 2009 Shiraz. Navarro has four different cheeses as well onsite: Laychee, which pairs well with Gewurztraminer, Edelzwicker and Rose, the Bollie’s Mollies, which is ripened cheese from pasteurized goat and sheep milk, the Boont Corners and the Boonter’s Blue, which is aged for at least 60 days.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
