Many Bay Area wine drinkers might not be able to point out Redwood Valley on a map, but they’ve probably tasted Redwood Valley wine. This little-known slice of inland Mendocino County has become the go-to vineyard region for some of California’s most popular young wine producers, like Martha Stoumen Wines, Broc Cellars, Emme Wines, Les Lunes Wine and Vinca Minor Wine.     

For these progressive, low-intervention winemakers, Redwood Valley seemed to represent “that holy grail,” said Hardy Wallace of Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah (and formerly of Dirty & Rowdy). Historic, century-old vineyards? Check. Farmers that follow organic and dry-farming practices? Check. Unusual grape varieties like Carignan and Mourvedre? Check. More affordable than Napa or Sonoma? Definitely check.

Redwood Valley, Wallace said, was for him and his peers “the place you could go to make really cool, compelling wines without having to charge $60 for them.”

But the last three years have dealt Redwood Valley one devastating blow after another. Drought, frost and fires have decimated the crops, particularly in older vineyards. Many grapevines last year yielded less than 10% of the output of an average harvest. Other vines collapsed entirely, reaching the end of their life spans. Some farmers in the region said it’s been the most difficult period they’ve ever experienced.

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