Fathers + Daughters Cellars at the Brewery Gulch Inn
The perfect combination
A lovely tasting experience, even in COVID times!
Indistinct conversation, punctuated by laughter as well as tones of earnest discussion, floated in through the floor-to-ceiling French doors, which were flung wide open to the summer breeze drifting across the inn’s Main Deck. I glanced up from the Front Desk and could see Guy framed in the sunshine, pouring another sample of wine for the couple that had scheduled a private tasting of Fathers +Daughters Cellars with him that afternoon. He seemed to be in his element as he shared stories with his guests, engaging them in lively conversation, presiding over the table full of bottles, and even thoughtfully arranging snacks to pair with each wine. The general conviviality swelled when Sarah joined for a little while, taking a break from her busy day as a real estate agent to contribute her own perspective on the fruit of their little family winery.
A short errand took me outside near the little grouping spaced out on the comfortable deck chairs. It was such an idyllic scene that I had to snap a photo (with permission granted, of course!). Sunshine; blue skies; gentle breeze; chilled bottles of Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, and Sparkling Chardonnay; the clarity of a fine Pinot Noir – all set against the backdrop of the inn’s elegantly rugged redwood walls and deck. And before it all, the gentle bluff with its mantle of tan oak and other native bushes sloping away down towards the waves that were swelling across Smuggler’s Cove. Perfect.
Another errand to the top floor gave me the perfect bird’s eye view of this charming tasting experience.
Now, you may be asking, why was there a private wine tasting happening on the back deck of the inn? Well, if you’ve stayed with us before, you know that Guy and Sarah started a delightful family winery about 8 years ago, based in her parents’ Boonville vineyards in the Anderson Valley. They are still such a small operation that they don’t have an official headquarters, so the inn gets to function as an unofficial tasting room of sorts for them, and we love it!
Over the past years, we have been lucky enough to get to pour quite a bit of their wine during our evening Wine Hours. Besides the wines mentioned above, they also make a great Chardonnay, a delicate blend of all three of the whites called The Dance, and occasionally even a hard apple cider. We have a hard time deciding which of their wines is our favorite – sometimes it seems to depend on the day and our something as fleeting as simply our mood – but one thing we know for sure is that it is always such a joy to share them with newcomers for the first time or reacquaint past guests with bottles they haven’t tasted in a while.
So the next time you find yourself dreaming of a little escape to Mendocino, book a stay with us and set up your own private tasting with Guy and Sarah of Fathers + Daughters Cellars!!
Ah, these bubbles though!
While the inn’s evening Wine Hours (and accompanying complimentary wine) are for guests only, you do not have to be staying at the inn to schedule a private tasting with Fathers + Daughters Cellars. If you’re staying at the inn or not and want your own private tasting, call or email Guy as far in advance as possible to get the best chance of snagging a spot in his busy schedule. The wines (and the location, it goes without saying) are worth it!
Want to plan a full day of wine tasting? Check out the Anderson Valley Wine Growers Association website to see who is open for tastings!
Words & pictures by Laura Hockett