The fractured, multifaceted landscape of the Mendocino Plateau provides combinations of soil, exposure and local climate that yield geographically specific wines. Through the 1970s, Mendocino County grapes were a secret ingredient in wines with Sonoma and Napa appellations on their labels. When wine popularity surged in the early '80s, wineries proliferated in the county. New vineyards were planted, old ones revived. The county's once-tiny wine community has grown to some 300 vineyards and 37 wineries.
Mendocino wines reflect local culture too.
Many practice integrated pest management, using a balanced ecology rather than chemicals to control pests. The 1998 Frey Redwood Valley Chardonnay is a luscious, creamy wine with a hit of clean stone.