Fife Vineyards (closed)

Fife Vineyards has a simple unpretentious tasting room with breathtaking views of Lake Mendocino, flavorful red wines, and a famous wine industry pedigree.

Fife is owned by two California wine veterans: Dennis Fife, who has held major executive positions with Inglenook, Beaulieu, and Stag’s Leap, and his wife Karen MacNeil, a consultant and writer who authored the highly acclaimed book The Wine Bible. They set out to create their own winemaking vision, and now own two winery facilities and extensive vineyards in the Napa Valley and the Redwood Valley of Mendocino County.

The tasting room at Fife Mendocino is a simple affair up on the side of a hill off Highway 20. The peaceful rural surroundings and hospitable staff make a visit worthwhile. The winery itself is nondescript, but go out back to the picnic tables on the grassy lawn and take in the spectacular view of Lake Mendocino hundreds of feet below.

The winemaking is done with minimal handling, with the focus on blending to bring out nuance and character in the wine. The winemaking goal is to “seek to assure balance, elegance, texture and length of flavor.” The wines are generally big and bold with soft tannins.