Destination Wineries
The New Wine Country in Humboldt County
California produces 90 percent of our country’s wine — much of it beyond the traditional visions of Napa and Sonoma. To uncork new territory, travel past Calistoga, St. Helena, and Mendocino to experience the growing artisanal wine scene of the rugged North Coast.
Welcome to quiet, remote Humboldt County, tucked between the redwoods and the rocky Pacific shore. Here you’ll find pockets of ideal grape-growing conditions, with the intoxicating results showcased in some of the state’s most unique, charming, and unassuming tasting rooms. Since most are crafted in small batches, you won’t find them at your local market. Instead, head north and check out these five unique spots.
Fieldbrook Winery
4241 Fieldbrook Road, Fieldbrook, CA
Humboldt’s oldest winery started in the 1970s as a hobby project for Robert and Judy Hodgson. Today this tiny, homespun winery has grown to become
one of the region’s major wine producers — but that still means less than 2,000 cases annually.
Crafting these small batches means plucking bounty from chosen vineyards in Humboldt and Mendocino counties to produce a handful of varying blends, among them the flagship Il Montaggio, a Super Tuscan blend of Sangiovese grapes with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Fieldbrook recently won
a gold medal for its 2017 Rosato, a rosé made from Sangiovese grapes, in the hugely respected San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
These days there is a fresh vision for the property, courtesy of the Hodgson’s daughter Leah and her husband Phil, who have taken over the business. That vision includes frisbee golf, a pizza oven, and an active wine club, as well as concerts coming soon. Fieldbrook is open every Sunday for your tasting pleasure.
Trinity River Vineyards
3160 Upper Bay Road, Arcata, CA
Travel deep into Humboldt’s Willow Creek American Viticulture Area and you’ll find this four-decade-old winery. Trinity River crafts its wine from grapes grown on the county’s oldest vines, with Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Syrah all part of its repertoire.
With the assistance of grapes from a neighbor’s vineyard, Trinity River also produces Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay.
Winemaker Wil Franklin grew up in Arcata and earned degrees in both biology and mycology. He’s known throughout Humboldt for his knowledge, dedication, and his mission to bring attention to the underappreciated wine-growing potential of the region.
Moonstone Crossing
529 Trinity Street, Trinidad, CA
While the grapes are grown in Amador, Lake County, Sonoma, and Mendocino,the small-batch wines are handcrafted in tiny Trinidad, a seaside town just north of Arcata. Visit the tasting room on Trinity Street to sample several of the more than 50 offerings of whites, rosés, and reds, all aged in stainless or French oak barrels for months before bottling and even before release. Locals love this place; it has won the North Coast Journal’s“Best Winery” prize for the last five years. You’ll love it too.
Briceland Vineyards
5959 Briceland Road, Redway, CA
Briceland Vineyards is a small, family-owned winery inspiring local pride. Many of the winery’s products— an impressive library that includes single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Arneis — come from grapes grown by local farmers within a 10-mile radius. Founded by winemaker Joe Collins and partner Maggie Carey in 1985, Briceland is open year-round by appointment and regularly on summer weekends.
Monument Mountain Vineyards
2330 Monument Road, Rio Dell, CA
Monument Mountain founder Carol Hoopes’ grandparents purchased a ranch in the late 1800s — that Southern Humboldt land is now a place where handcrafted, artisan Pinot Noirs are prevalent. Less than a decade old, this promising winery offers vineyard tours by appointment.
