Wine Line: Bargains in tasting

I’m back. You probably noticed I wasn’t on this page last week. Wine Line appears on the second and fourth Wednesday. If there’s an extra Wednesday in the month, it gives me more time to finish my homework, which is, you guessed it, tasting wine.

Wine tasting has changed dramatically in the past 25 years. Most wineries now charge a tasting fee and most deduct the fee if you make a purchase, which I think is fine. But wineries in high-demand areas can, and do, charge much more.

A day of wine tasting can be very expensive. One way to cut the cost is to share a glass. Remember you are tasting wine, not drinking wine. If you would like to do more wine tasting and don’t want to take out a second mortgage, read on.

Mendocino County

Mendocino County reminds me of the old car ad where the owner says “Drive a little and save a lot.” Sure, it is a long drive to Anderson Valley or Hopland, but many of the tasting rooms do not charge. If you’re on the Hopland side, make sure you visit Graziano Family Wines. They produce Italian varietals and their Primo Rosso ($11) received a 90 score from Wine Spectator. If you venture into Anderson Valley, Highway 128, think Navarro, Husch and Handley wineries for starters. A night and dinner in Mendocino on the coast is a great way to end the day.

Passport Days

On the third Saturday of January, April, July and November, Passport holders are welcome into 50 wineries throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains. The passport is good for two years. Small-production wineries which normally are not open will open on these Passport Days. The passport also can be used at the larger wineries any day the winery is open. Wow, that’s 50 wineries for $55. That’s about a buck per tasting. You can purchase your Passport at a participating winery or online at www.scmwa.com.

Taste Route 116

Wineries like Martin Ray, Dutton Estate, Hanna, Hook and Ladder and eight more all honor the two-for-one tasting fees along Sonoma’s Highway 116. Pick up a pass at one of the wineries, taste, have it stamped and move on. Check out the half-price fees at www.TasteRoute116.com.

What’s on our table: 2013 Educated Guess Napa Valley Cabernet ($20), 2013 Layer Cake Malbec ($15) and 2013 Les Dauphins Cotes Du Rhone ($12) are all excellent reds for grilling season. My beer-butt chicken and the Les Dauphin Rhone were delicious. Try it. Cheers!

This story was originally published August 13, 2015 at 12:43 PM with the headline "Wine Line: Bargains in tasting."