Guinness McFadden’s Blue Quail wines. Organically farmed grapes
Blue Quail Wines – Terrific Organic Wines at excellent prices
We are on a wine tasting mission today, stopping in the town of Hopland on Highway 101. Hopland is in Mendocino County, 35 minutes north of Healdsburg. We like several of the wineries in the Hopland area, but a long-time favorite of ours is Blue Quail, wines from McFadden Farms. The Blue Quail Tasting Room is open daily 11am to 5 pm. McFadden Farms is in Potter Valley, which is north of Hopland and to the east. The climate in Potter Valley is mild and cool and just perfect for growing Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Noir. Zinfandel and Chardonnay grapes that love hotter climates also grow well here, producing lovely-tasting, lighter and softer wines. There is also a big bonus in Blue Quail wines: Guinness McFadden organically farms all his vineyards. Only a small amount of vineyard acreage is used for McFadden’s Blue Quail label. The rest of the fruit is sold to many well-known wineries. Chateau Montelena, one of the most famous and historic of the Napa Valley wineries, buys Chardonnay and Riesling grapes from McFadden. That speaks volumes about the McFadden Farms grapes.
All the Blue Quail wines are excellent value-priced wines. Use Wine-Searcher.com to see if any of these wines are available near you. You can call the tasting room and order wines by phone. Your best bet is to take a short trip to Hopland and scout the area for organic wines and great wine deals. Hopland is a little short on lodging, but 15 minutes to the north is Ukiah and 15 minutes to the south is Cloverdale. Both of these cities have adequate accommodations and restaurant choices.
We like these Blue Quail Wines
Chardonnay is a food-friendly no oak, no malolactic fermentation wine. You get the pure fruit of the grapes, and it is a gorgeous drinking wine. I am surprised at the mouthfeel which is rather rich for a stainless-steel fermented wine. List price is $16
Pinot Gris is a scrumptious Alsatian-style wine. Dry, tropical, and with just the right amount of acidity. What a treat for a casual picnic lunch. List price is $16
Gewurztraminer is also bone dry with wonderful lichen character and a zip that will go well with light spicy dishes or stand on its own as an aperitif. List price is $16
Zinfandel – light bodied, beautiful, spicy, and food friendly. Blackberry notes, but just the right amount. It is the opposite of a big and bold California Zinfandel. List price is $24
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Blue Quail tasting room in Hopland
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