FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WHAT’S NEW IN MENDOCINO COUNTY, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: SUMMER 2013
The Giraffes Have Arrived! Plus new tasting rooms, restaurants, a creamery, a newly resurrected
historic camp site and more!
MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – (June 27, 2013) – From delicious ventures on the culinary front, to new
wine tasting rooms throughout the iconic Anderson Valley, to an eclectic series of workshops designed to
showcase the best that the area has to offer, the plethora of openings and events this summer make it a
very exciting time to visit Mendocino County, Northern California.
The Giraffes Have Arrived at B Bryan Preserve!
The 100-acre B Bryan Preserve recently welcomed their first three giraffes (Jagger, Sunny and Buster),
and will welcome two more in 2014! Few people are aware that several species of giraffe are close to
extinction, and the folks at B Bryan Preserve have built a 7-acre enclosure that includes a barn,
feeding/observation platform, and an outdoor paddock to house the endangered Rothschild Giraffe (only
700 left in the wild). The preserve is also home to Kudu, Sable and Roan African Antelope, as well as
Hartmann's Mountain and Grevy's Zebra. Visitors to the preserve can witness one of the daily feedings,
and multiple eco-friendly cottages are available for overnight guests.
Point Arena | 707.882.2297 | http://www.bbryanpreserve.com
ON THE WINE TIP: NEW TASTING ROOMS + MENDOCINO WINE MONTH IN JUNE
Balo Vineyards Tasting Room
Balo Vineyards allows you to savor organically farmed, premium small lot wines while looking out over
their mature vineyards (planted in 1998) and newly constructed, world class production facility and
tasting room. The property boasts two competition-grade Bocce courts, a beautiful picnic area with a
newly installed wood-fired pizza oven, and a shaded, enclosed dog recreation area. Join the Mullins
family, Alex, Travis and bulldog Boo for an authentic, laid-back wine experience. Tasting room hours:
Friday – Monday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm and by appointment Tuesday - Thursday.
Philo | 707.895.3655 | www.killerpinot.com
Lula Cellars Tasting Room
Lula Cellars has moved to a new 22-acre property with a quarter mile of Highway 128 frontage, a tasting
room, an eight acre foot pond, 14 ready-to-plant acres that will become 13 acres of Pinot Noir and one
acre of Gewürztraminer this spring, a beautiful guest cottage, one acre of organic vegetable gardens for
guests and local restaurants to purchase, a 10,000 sq ft area for weddings and special events and 16 bee
hives to make organic honey. The new tasting room will be open by Fall 2013.
Philo, CA | 707.927.6157| http://www.lulacellars.com/winery.html
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Baxter Winery Tasting Room
Baxter Winery recently opened a new tasting room opposite the Philo Post Office Building! Known
primarily for Pinot Noir, winemaker Phillip Baxter produces handcrafted, single-vineyard wines using
grapes from the Anderson Valley and surrounding Mendocino appellations. Using artisan techniques, he
crafts wines that possess a notable pureness of fruit, reflecting the unique identity of each vineyard site.
The new tasting room is hosted by Claire Baxter, Phillip's wife, and is open Thursday-Monday from 11:00
am to 5:00 pm.
Philo | 707.895.3173 | http://www.baxterwinery.com/BAXTER.html
Signal Ridge Vineyard and Knez Winery: Two New Tasting Rooms at The Madrones
The Madrones is an award-winning cluster of Mediterranean buildings that currently houses four
luxurious guest rooms and four wine tasting rooms, the two newest of which feature wines from Signal
Ridge Vineyard and Knez Winery.
Philo | http://www.themadrones.com/Taste.aspx
Ray’s Station Tasting Room
In 1859, former Army Captain and Bear Flag rebel John G. Ray ventured bravely to the mountains of what
is now Northern California’s wine country. He opened Ray’s Station along the northern stage coach route,
developing a reputation for his rustic hospitality, flowing libations and becoming one the areas first
winegrowers. Ray’s Station wines are a tribute to the intrepid, pioneering spirit of John G. Ray and his
unique brand of rugged individualism and rustic hospitality. Open daily from 10am-5pm.
Hopland | 877.289.9463 | http://www.raysstation.com
Mendocino Pairs with San Francisco Restaurants for June Wine & Beer Month
This June, in support of the annual Taste of Mendocino event in San Francisco, Visit Mendocino County
(VMC) will partner with SF restaurants and retailers to promote Mendocino County wine and beer. VMC
will work with partners to showcase Mendocino potent potables through a number of wine and beer
dinners, in-store promotions and a “31-days of giveaways” promotion, which will include a daily giveaway
(from May 31-June 30) of interesting overnight trips, attractions passes, event tickets, and Mendocino
County tours.
Mendocino County and San Francisco | 707.964.9010 | http://www.visitmendocino.com
IN CULINARY AND RESTAURANT NEWS
The Pennyroyal Goat Dairy and Farm -- A Labor of Love
The Pennyroyal Goat Dairy and Farm is the collaboration between winemaker Sarah Cahn Bennett (of the
Navarro winemaking family) and cheesemaker Erika Scharfen. The farmstead includes a barn, a dairy and
an on-site creamery. Of the 170 goats on the property, 108 are milked by Scharfen, a longtime dairy goat
farmer and cheesemaker who crossbreeds the LaMancha goat with other breeds for its protein profile –
higher in milk fat and protein content and better for cheese yield and flavor. The goats are fed with a
clover and rye hay produced on site, as well as alfalfa. The tasting room for both wine and cheese is
currently under construction, and will be finished this summer. Once completed, visitors will be able to
taste both tPennyroyal cheeses and Pennyroyal wines, both made on-site. You can also purchase the
Pennyroyal cheese at Navarro Vineyards Tasting Room in Philo and at Ukiah Natural Foods in Ukiah.
Boonville | 707.338.9511 | http://www.pennyroyalfarm.com
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Stone and Embers Heats Up at The Madrones
The Madrones is an award-winning cluster of Mediterranean buildings that currently houses four wine
tasting rooms (see above) and four luxurious guest rooms. This July, Chef Patrick Meany, who has an
impressive culinary resumé including stints at both Bouchon and Gary Danko, will be opening Stone and
Embers, a casual dining spot at The Madrones. Inspired by the seasons and spontaneity, a wood burning
oven is as the heart of the cuisine. Casual, yet refined, the focus is on fresh and delicious food with
artisan pizzas from the wood fired oven, as well as a daily changing menu. The beer and wine list features
all local selections. All ages are welcome. Open for lunch and dinner.
Philo | 707.895.2955 | http://www.themadrones.com/default.aspx
The Zinful Chef Opens in Former “Crushed Grape” Space in Hopland
The Zinful Chef recently opened in the former Crushed Grape space at Brutacao Cellars in Hopland. Chef
Sean Thomas, a native of the area, spent the last five years cooking in Charleston, and now aims to bring
the experience of low country cuisine to Mendocino wine country.
Hopland | 707.758.5428 | http://www.thezinfulchef.com
Flow Restaurant Opens in Mendocino Village
The restaurant formerly known as Bay View Café, on Main Street in Mendocino Village, will reopen as
“Flow” (tentative name) over Memorial Day weekend 2013. Now managed by the folks from the popular
Mendocino Café, Flow will serve local, organic fare, and will be open for breakfast every day. The spot
boasts an upper patio deck with outside seating and gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean. Flow will also
serve small, tapas-style plates in the evening, when the restaurant turns into a lounge with live music.
Mendocino Village
Uncorked Wine Bistro Opens in Ukiah
There's a new hot spot in Ukiah! Debuting in early April, Uncorked Wine Bistro on Standley Street serves
up fabulous dishes and carefully selected wines in a warm and inviting setting. Check out the open-air
front, complete with an outdoor fireplace! Open for lunch and dinner. Brought to you by Kerri Barnett,
owner of the popular local catering company, Come to Your Senses Catering and Events.
Ukiah | https://www.facebook.com/UncorkedUkiah
Crush Italian Steakhouse & Bar Opens in Former Branches Space
Crush Italian Steakhouse has taken over the massive 10,500 square foot property (formerly Branches
Wood Fired Chop House) located in Ukiah. The restaurant houses five distinct areas: the North Beach
Bar: (house bar and grill); the Mendocino Dining room (elegant dining area); Union Square Lounge (a
place to relax with a cocktail pre-dinner); Mason St Bar (small bar within the Mendocino Dining Room);
and Cliff House Banquet (private dining room). This is the third California outpost for Crush, which also
boasts restaurants in Solana Beach and Chico.
Ukiah | http://ukiahcrush.com/
Black Oak Coffee Roasters Debuts in Ukiah
The Black Oak Coffee Roasters bills itself as the premiere specialty coffee roaster in Mendocino County,
and with good reason! They possess an unrivaled dedication to brewing the perfect cup of coffee or
espresso, and their coffee is always fresh and locally roasted in small batches in Ukiah. Their coffee buyer
has visited the farms and hand-selected the best lots of coffee available in each global region. The décor
combines their 1957 Probat coffee roaster with state-of-the art roast control technology, marrying the
old world artisan craft with modern techniques for quality control and consistency.
Ukiah | http://blackoakcoffee.com/wordpress
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ON THE NATURE FRONT
Camp Navarro Brings Out the Kid in All of Us!
Camp Navarro is an idyllic, stress-free 80-acre property situated amongst the Redwoods in the Anderson
Valley wine country and just a few miles from the stunning Mendocino Coast. The serene camp setting
provides relief from everyday life, and a wide range of users including schools, corporations, weddings,
camps, retreats, and festivals call Camp Navarro ‘home’. The property features 16 cabins that sleep 75
people, 29 Adirondack ‘open air cabins’ that sleep 225+ people, High quality open space tent camping for
thousands, an 11,000 square foot two-level main lodge with a commercial kitchen, a 2+ acre grass Event
Plaza next to lodge surrounded by redwoods, a 350 person seated riverside amphitheater next to lodge
and plaza, covered platform across the river in remote locations for yoga, art, photos and numerous quiet
areas, nature trails, meadows and groves to explore.
Navarro | 415.269.6475 | http://www.campnavarro.com
About Mendocino County
Gourmet restaurants that feature locally-sourced ingredients, unique lodging establishments,
picturesque villages, friendly wineries, majestic redwoods and the rugged seaside all await you in
Mendocino County. The County boasts a longstanding tradition of coming together as a community and
creating an environment where visitors will encounter friendly faces, tranquil surroundings and the
delicious seafood and wine bounty of the region.
For more information about Mendocino County, please call 866-466-3636 (866-GO-MENDO), or visit
www.visitmendocino.com.
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/VisitMendocinoCounty
Follow us on Twitter: @VisitMendocino
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Media Contact: Heather Noll | HypeHouse | heather@hypehouse.com | 415.359.9755