Last year the state of California recognized Guinness McFadden, who has been growing organic wine grapes in Mendocino's Potter Valley for 40+ years, for his good agricultural works.
McFadden runs a 160 vineyard, on a 500 acre farm tucked away at the headwaters of the Russian River (northeast of Ukiah). The grapes go into some of Napa's best labels (Chateau Montelena's riesling is entirely sourced from McFadden's vines, for instance.)
In 2003, McFadden founded his own wine label and began selling his grapes bottled on their own. He later added a second label (identical wines) called Blue Quail for East Coast distribution.
McFadden's makes Chardonnay you can afford to drink everyday (especially if you are a wine club member) and sparkling wines that have been chosen the best in the state - and not just once. They've won in competitions against much more expensive ones made by French owned Champagne houses here in the U.S. (Roederer and Taittinger's Domaine Carneros are some examples.)
To discover McFadden's is to reconnect to wine that just makes you happy - happy about the land and the care it's been given, happy about the people you're giving your nickel to, and happy when you drink it.
I've sung the praises of McFadden's sparkling wines, dessert wine, and other wines over the years, but have never shared the lovely short video that shows you the man and the place.
Not featured: the winery's friendly tasting room in Hopland. You'll have to check that out for yourself, or read the San Francisco Chronicle's coverage of it.
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