Minus Tide at Disco Ranch
A great little wine label and where to find them
The Rosé of Carignane - a refreshing reflection of Mendocino Photo courtesy of Minus Tide Wines
Last week, we took a break from wine to sample a few of the fine whiskeys on the Albion River Inn’s incredible international whiskey menu. This week, wine was top of mind again, but we were still in the mood for something a little different than the normal visit-a-winery kind of experience. So we decided to switch things up a bit and spend a little time at Disco Ranch, a great little wine bar in Boonville that opened just a couple of years ago. Almost immediately after it opened, Disco Ranch became a favorite hangout for the locals and winemakers in the Anderson Valley with its simple yet tasty selection of tapas-style fare and carefully curated collection of unique wines from around the world. Owner Wendy also made a point of having a good number of excellent sparkling wines – instantly making her a favorite with all bubble lovers – as well as high quality boutique labels from Mendocino County winemakers who are just a touch too small to have tasting rooms of their own.
Even frogs are fans of the sparkling wine selection at Disco Ranch!
One such wine label was in part the point of our peregrination the other day as we wound down Highway 128 between those majestically towering redwood trees. We had been hearing snippets and bits about Minus Tide since they released their first vintage in 2017, mostly social media fans raving about their wines as well as the position of honor at the outdoor pop up that the amazing Bay Area restaurant A16 did in Boonville in 2020. Curious, we reached out to joint owners Miriam, Brad, & Kyle to start a conversation about possibly pouring their wines at the inn. First things first, they agreed to do a bit of a private tasting for us so that we could get a good idea of their winemaking style and see what we might like to share with our guests during our nightly Wine Hour. Not having a space of their own, they made a deal with Wendy to meet up with us on the lovely patio of Disco Ranch.
Come on down to Disco Ranch!
Voyage through the towering redwoods over, we arrived at our destination on a sunny spring day, with sunshine teasing off the extra layers of clothes that the coastal fog had made necessary that morning when we set out. We went inside to chat with Wendy for a moment and order a few snacks to go with our wine, then met winemaker Brad out on the deck. Easy music played softly over Wendy’s outdoor speaker, a busy little bumble bee buzzed through the rosemary growing thickly behind our table, and a little fountain tucked up against the side of the building tickled the edge of our consciousness with its low, burbling laugh. It was just the right kind of day and the right kind of place to talk about wine.
Line ‘em up! All 6 of Minus Tide’s current portfolio. Photo courtesy of Minus Tide Wines
While Minus Tide does not currently have as extensive a portfolio of wines as most of the larger wineries, their short list of 6 different wines was really quite well-rounded. Brad walked us through all of them: the most refreshing rosé of Carignane, a dangerously crisp Chenin Blanc, a delicately structured Chardonnay, subtly complex Pinot Noir, the perfect springtime Carignane, and a more terroir-driven Syrah than is typically found in California. He talked about his and fellow winemaker and best friend Kyle’s more hands off approach to the process, the benefits of whole cluster fermentation, the heritage of Carignane in Mendocino County, and the subtle differences that altitude and weather bring into play between the various vineyards they sourced their grapes from.
Meet the Minus Tide crew - Kyle, Brad, and Miriam (yes, Brad & Miriam are married!)
Photo courtesy of Minus Tide Wines
It was such a pleasantly casual time out there under the sweep of the patio awning, and we ended up ordering some cases of our favorites to take back to the inn with us. When we went in later to pay our tab, Wendy continued the easy mood with her friendly, do-come-back-anytime attitude. We felt right at home. This hadn’t been our first time at the Disco Ranch, and we knew it would not be our last.
Want to explore more small Mendocino County wines? Stop by Disco Ranch to chat with owner Wendy about the different wines she has available – she is incredibly knowledgeable and loves to point you toward new and unique bottles to spark your interest. Some of her current favorites amongst the local little guys include Minus Tide, Read Holland, Waitsmast, Black Kite, Yamakiri, Dupuis, Anthill Farms, Birdhorse, and of course Fathers + Daughters!
If you already have a day of wine tasting scheduled at some of the local wineries and want to stop somewhere for an easy lunch or to grab a picnic to take to one of your tastings, Disco Ranch has got you covered there too. The pesto chicken sliders went super well with the Minus Tide Chardonnay, and her selection of cheese, crackers, and sundry snacks never goes amiss with any afternoon of wine.
Disco Ranch is open Thursday-Sunday, 11:00am-6:00pm. Mondays they are open 11:00-3:00.
Words and some pictures by Laura Hockett