Restaurants & Bars

Weekend At A Winery: Meyer Cellars Keeps It All In The Family

The husband-and-wife-run Mendocino winery, launched by son of Silver Oak founder, offers play & picnic site, bocce & two pooch "greeters."

MENDOCINO, CA — Wine buffs, families and dog lovers venturing through Napa and Sonoma Valley should consider circling Yorkville on their maps, where they will find a quaint wine tasting destination that welcomes all three.

Roughly two hours from San Francisco, the rural Mendocino County town is home to Meyer Family Cellars, run by a husband-and-wife winemaking team — Matt and Karen Meyer — who strive to source grapes from top-notch, area appellations: Yorkville Highlands; Anderson Valley; and Oakville.

But the Meyers don't just have pallet-quenching vino to offer, they've also created a wholesome experience that accommodates visitors with little ones and pets in tow. Between tastings, guests can enjoy bocce courts, picnic and playground areas that the property boasts. Plus the owners' two wheaten terriers, Chase and Louie, which often play the greeter role — as do the cellars' duo who enjoy meeting and chatting with guests.

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Both Matt and Karen, are wine-study scholars, with Karen holding an enology degree from Charles Stuart University in Australia, her native country, and Matt with a master's in viticulture from University of California, Davis. Individually, the pair worked harvests worldwide before meeting in Oregon in 1999 and again in 2004 in New Zealand — at which point Karen moved to Anderson Valley.

Matt's vino heritage, however, dates to his childhood, as his parents, Justin and Bonny Meyer, were co-founders of the Silver Oak legacy, a winery they launched with friend Ray Twomey Duncan in 1972 out of a Napa Valley dairy barn.

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"From an early age, Matt's goal was to be a winegrower like his father, Justin," Meyers Cellars said. "He spent much of his time in the vineyard and cellar at Silver Oak after school and working various jobs during the summer."

Justin eventually retired and sold his investment, and Silver Oak now is run by Ray’s sons, David and Tim Duncan.

Matt's mother, Bonny, meanwhile, helps with Meyer Cellars marketing and design and is the namesake for "Bonny’s Vineyard," an Oakville vineyard the Meyers have farmed since the mid-1970s.

In addition to daily wine-tastings at the Yorkville site, at 19750 Highway 128, the business also runs a tasting room in the town of Mendocino at 45156 Main St. — where tastings come with an ocean view.

The Meyers, Matt and Karen, currently live with their three children in Healdsburg, while Bonny Meyer stays active in Meyer Cellars and as a community philanthropist, while working with Meyer Family Enterprises.

For more information on Meyer Family Cellars in Yorkville and the Mendocino tasting room, along with wine selections and events, follow this link.

For nearby dining options, consider: Yorkville Market, a laid-back, community spot with a varying local and organic menu; Stock Farm, in nearby Hopland, where one reviewer said the wood-burning pizza alone is worth the drive; Mosswood Market Cafe & Bakery in Boonville, where empanadas and pastries are customer favorites; and The Boonville Hotel & Restaurant, with courtyard prix-fixe dinners, paella on Sundays and 17 unique rooms for those seeking an overnight stay.

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