Dunnewood Vineyards
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Few wineries in Mendocino can claim the historical roots that Dunnewood can – and none can match its commitment to producing fine wines from the region's grapes. Dunnewood's direct lineage traces to the post-Prohibition era, when struggling farmers banded together to form the Mendocino Growers Cooperative. It was this cooperative that built the first structure on the Dunnewood property, in the early 1940s. Some 20 years later, Guild Wineries purchased the winery. Guild became noted for producing the Cresta Blanca brand, which had gained a measure of fame by winning two gold medals at the 1889 Paris Exposition with a wine produced from Livermore Valley grapes.
Canandaigua Wine Company acquired Dunnewood in 1991. George Phelan, the winemaker since 1987, stayed on. Scott Loopstra joined Phelan in 1994, forming the winemaking team that would transform a faltering bulk-wine-driven operation into a Mendocino treasure by placing their trust in the quality of the county's grapes. Historically, Mendocino's grapes and their unique character have been lost in Napa and Sonoma wines (annually, more than half of the crop is crushed outside the county). By working closely with growers on issues such as rootstock and clonal selection, irrigation, crop yields and canopy management, Dunnewood has helped bring out the best in Mendocino vineyards. And the winemaking team now proudly places the Mendocino appellation on nearly all of its core wines as well as several of its Signature wines. At the winery, there are new crushers, modern presses and upgraded cooperage. The temperature-controlled barrel room is stacked high with row upon row of carefully selected French and American oak barrels, helping produce wines with seamless integration and both power and finesse. "As California's northernmost winemaking region, we see Mendocino as a unique opportunity to explore our craft," Loopstra says. "And that's especially exciting because at Dunnewood, from the crush pad to the bottling line, everyone involved cares about the product. We all enjoy making wine for a living, and we all have pride in the wine that goes out the door."
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