Husch Vineyards
A Mendocino classic
A fine taste of merlot on a fine day
Last Saturday was just the most gorgeously sunny winter day. We looked outside at all that lovely sunshine, and we knew that we needed to go for a little jaunt into the Anderson Valley and enjoy the afternoon to its fullest sipping on wine al fresco. Ah, but which winery to choose from? That was the question! With so many unique and wonderful wineries ranged along the rolling curves of Highway 128, it was a tough decision to make… We were in the mood for something fairly casual and friendly, homey even, so we picked up the phone and called Husch Vineyards to see if they could fit us in for a tasting. We had fond memories of the rambling rose that creeps over the quaint little tasting room in the summertime and the seasoned grace of the well-established little garden dotted with gray and weathered picnic tables. So even though we knew the lovely rambling rose would not be blooming quite yet, and the air was still a touch brisk with winter’s crispy edge, we were happy to hear that “Absolutely! Let’s slip you into a time slot here for a tasting… We’ll see you soon!”
Arriving…
We eased off the highway and around the turn of the little country drive heading up to Husch’s tasting room. Even with the COVID protocols posted with a Wait Here sign next to a canopy in front of the tasting room, there was an unpretentiously relaxed air of calm assurance that filtered through the leaves of the trees along with the bright winter sunshine, as though the winery itself was a peaceful sage who knew exactly who it was and what it was doing in life. Which made total sense for this oldest of the Anderson Valley wineries, currently on its 3rd generation as a family owned and operated labor of love. It’s actually something of a Mendocino staple, dedicated to sustainable farming and consistently turning out good wines through the years.
These little carriers for the wine glasses were so darn cute!
The gal in charge of the tasting room for the day came out to greet us and lead us to one of the picnic tables situated under trellised grape vines that come summer would be leafed out in full shady glory. She handed us a couple tasting menus for us to choose which experience we wanted, and we opted for a different flight each – one white and one red so that we could share and taste them all! We sat chatting, and soon two adorable little six packs of pre-poured and labeled wine glasses were delivered to our table, along with some brochures on the winery and the wines. The gal gave us a brief introduction to the tastings, and then with a friendly inclination of the head and a smile in her eyes, she was off to assist the other tables tucked into different corners of the garden.
Mmmmm….. juicy-looking wine!
We worked our leisurely way through the glasses in our two flights. There were a number of good, solid wines before us, although there were three that stood out to me the most:
The 2020 Vin Gris was a delightful dry rosé, its notes of strawberry and apricot refreshing and bright.
The 2019 Renegade Sauvignon Blanc was probably our favorite of the whites – not too acidic, with a soft touch of melon and honey on the palate.
The 2019 Reserve Chardonnay, with a greater use of oak during the fermentation process than their Vine One Chardonnay, but not the maloactic fermentation that gives some Chardonnays that oily feel, was a surprise with its definite tones of butterscotch swimming through the fairly bright minerality that comes from steel fermentation. It was as though the winemakers had chosen the best parts of the two different camps of Chardonnay-making and combined them into something memorable.
As we sat sipping, chatting, and soaking up the sunshine on our backs, the gal came back around to check on us a few times, answering any questions we had about the wines. We savored. We laughed. We swirled the Pinot Noir and held it up to the light to admire its jewel-like clarity. We took our time enjoying the afternoon and the calm solidity of Husch, this classic amongst the Mendocino wineries. It was perfect.
While the rose vine may not have been blooming yet, this gorgeous hedge next to our picnic table was ablaze with color!
Husch has transitioned very well with their COVID protocols. Everything is run smoothly and cleanly, and you can have as much or as little interaction as you are comfortable with. They are open for tastings 7 days a week. Call them at (707) 895-3216 to book your tasting now!
Want to make a day of it? Check out our other winery recommendations or day trip itineraries.
Words & pictures by Laura Hockett