We all know how it feels to find our new favorite wine. A wine to keep returning to time and time again. A wine to share and enjoy with our closest family and friends. There’s a lot of joy in this discovery — a unique brand of joy we’re trying to recreate with our diverse collection of wines.
Our Cru embraces the fact that there are so many unique grape growing regions producing interesting and highly crafted wines, which is why we don’t offer a collection from just one wine growing region. We want the experience of shopping our online store to be one that invites exploration — and that hopefully ends in discovering a wine (or two!) from a region that checks off all your boxes.
One region we hope you fall in love with is northern California’s Mendocino County. With 10 distinct appellations within this one wine region alone, Mendocino has a bevy of wines (particularly sustainable wines!) to find and try. You might have read Anderson Valley, Cole Ranch, McDowell Valley, Potter Valley, Redwood Valley, and Yorkville Highlands on wine labels before, all of which are AVAs situated within Mendocino County.
What makes Mendocino unique is its two different climate zones, bisected by the Mendocino Range. The tops of this coastal mountain range are surrounded by fog, earning them the name of “Islands in the Sky.” This fog, coupled with the thick, cool fog off the Pacific Ocean, makes the region moisture-heavy. For winemakers, this means a shorter growing season lasting 268 days.
With a storied history thanks to a large immigrant population who brought with them the notable wines from their countries of origin, Mendocino is known for varietals like Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Carignan, Pinot Noir, and more.
We’re bottling new wines soon, sourcing grapes from Mendocino. Stay tuned for a release date!