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M EN DOCINOWhy tnre lewe itl i ' t , *+i r i : l r i ' ; : l ' : f ;*;1 t i : l ; l* i*, ; i ic. This sleepy county threehours north of San Francisco may be home to small towns,bu t i t a lso has b ig reds (as in cabernets ) and s ta te parksholding some of thc tal lest trees on earth. The vibe here islaid back-dress is casual, and there arc plenty of spots forhiking or kayaking. Plus, the salty sea breeze mingl ing withthe scent of pine nakes it a pleasure to breathe in the air.Fgsru$ &{b *w!*y **i : t ; r : . i i l t , , : l r . r j i . , : . Mendoc ino 's scas ide towns are s t rungalong one of the Cali fornia coasL's most scenic stretchesl i ke Monterey 's r7 Mi le Dr ive w i thout t ra f f i c jams. Fromtruly t iny Elk (populat ion z5o) to inn dotted Lit t le River tomovie-set perfect Mendocino (the r955 fames Dean classicEost of Eden was shot here), each has a reason to stop: Grabsandwiches and a bott le of chi l led white at the Elk Storeand find a piace to picnic; hike Van Damme State Park just

past Lit t le River; and browse the gal leries in the town ofMendocino, which sits on a penlnsula amid crashing surf.i l . , ; : i i , : ! t i : . For wine tast ing, head to the Anderson Valleyand Hop land, home to w iner ies such as Ne lson Fami lyVineyards (nelsonfamillwineyards.com), where the Nelsonsthemselves pour their vintages, and French import Roederer Estate (pacif icsites.com/'roederer), where the sparkl ingwines wil l make you say merci beaucoup. The sole coastal

3 8 4 M O D E R N B R I D E O C T + N O V 2 O O 7

tasting room is Pacific Star Winery (pacificstarwinery.com),set on a bluff rz miles north of Fort Bragg. Pack a lunch andenjoy it with the zoor Syrah at one of the picnic tables.i tr :*; ; i : ; i l i lJt : l i l f f i l i i l t" No matter what the season, something's in bloom at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens(gardenbythesea.org),47 acres of strol lable paths leading tostunning ocean vistas. For nature on steroids, drive threehours north to Humboldt Redwoods State Park (humboldtredwoods.org), home to acres of giant coast redwoods-some 6oo to r,2oo years o1d and more than 3oo feet tall.]i*i::r: ir;llr:ii. Pack an appetite: 'Zebo, in the E1k Cove Inn &Spa, serves organic New American fare and a sunset view. Amust is the inventive five course tasting menu at The Heritage House. Head to Lit t le River Inn ( l i t t ler iverinn.com) forits pinenut crusted salmon and braised lamb shankWlseve &* scrssiv$ssdlil i*i,rl iil!: ll.. :i];:i The r5 rooms at this quiet inn overlook-ing the beach range from cozy nooks in an rBB3 Victorianhouse to cl i f fside cottages to spacious redwood spa suites.(Doubles from $r65; BoolzT5 2967 or elkcoveinn.com)i1 , r i i t : i i :1 i : i " i * i : : r l i : Th is newly renovated inn , se t on 37gorgeous acres, blends rgth-century charm with moderninterior treats-rainfall showers, flat-screen TVs and a com-pl imentary minibar. (Doubles from gi35o; Boo/235-5885 orheritagehousei n n. com) -Donna Heiderstadt(For more info,866/GO MENDO or gomendo.com)

V I S T I \ I O D E R N B R D E O N t N E A T B R D E s { , 0 ] V 1

PASO ROBLESWhy we love itEecause it's not Napa, y*t. A decade ago, Paso was a sleepyranch town, conveniently located as a pit stop for motoristsplying the ror from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Today,several international awards and 9o-plus ratings later, it'sCalifornia's fastest-growing wine region, yet it retains a wel-coming vibe. Paso's principal charm: fine-wine tasting thatdoesn't come with notes of attitude and commercialism..How to enioy itTaste and co{npare. Most of the larger wineries flank Route

46 on the east side of town, while the smaller ones, suchas )ustin Vineyards (justinwine.com), lie scattered amid therolling oak hills to the west. Many have tasting rooms, andsome, Iike Eberle Winery (eberlewinery.com), offer cavetours. Visit pasowine.com for more information.Go hack to win*'s rcots. Take a vintage-|eep r ide throughSteinbeck Vineyards, which the family has tilled since ther87os, to learn the grape-growing process from start tofinish-then roll out a blanket and sip cabernet amid thevines from which i t came. ($75 per person for two-hourtour and picnic;8o5f 238-r854 or thewineyard.com)Sehold a fast!e abovf the r lauds. Drive 45 minutes fromPaso to the coast and tour Hearst Castle, media baron Wil-liam Randolph Hearst's 9o,o8o-square-foot monument toextravagance, a towering chAteau complete with marble

recommended (Bool 444-4445 or hearstcastle.org).Where to unwindl"lotel fheval This r6-room inn is Paso's latest upscale retreat.Enl ist the services of Chester, a Belgian workhorse whowill transport you via antique carriage to dinner at Artisan(8o51237-8o84 or art isanpasorobles.com). For a nightcap,return to the hotel's zinc-topped bar, or take a bottle out tothe courtyard and sit by the fireplace. (Doubles from $245;866 I 5zz-6999 or hotelcheval.com) -Andy Isaacson( F or mor e info, 8oo/6 j 4- t 4 t 4 or s anlui s obi s p o c ounty. com)

CARMEL VALLEYVlllry we love itI t 's clnse hy, y*t oh ss far sway- Thetranquil Carmel Val ley is just rominutes inland from Carmel-by-the-Sea-so teeming with touriststhat parking spots are at a premium.Before ascending to the valley, Iearna bit of history at Carmel Mission:Franciscan friars were the state's ear-liest winemakers zoo-plus years ago.How to enioy itl"eave the driving f* tl'lem. Hop on theCarmel Va l ley Grapev ine Express(8881678-287r or mst.org). First stop:ChAteau |ulien Wine Estate (chateaujulien.com) to learn everything aboutwinemaking. Let them know you'renewlyweds, and you'll receive a complimeritary gift.iffalk this way. Or visit Carmel Valley Village tasting roomson foot; there are seven within walking distance of eachother, including Bernardus (bernardus.com), Heller Estate(hellerestate.com) and Georis (georiswine.com). Afterward,lunch in the garden at Corkscrew Caf6 (corkscrewcafe.com).f ic esastal. The views are spectacular, both along famedr7-Mile Drive and Highway r on the Big Sur coast. Shop-pers take no te : Carmel -by the-Sea has bout iques and

V I S I T M O D E R N B R I D E O N L ] N E A T B R I D E S . C O I \ 4

galleries galore. A nd golfers can tee

up at legendary Pebble Beach or thenewly renovated Pete Dye links atCarmel Valley Ranch.Sgn't ccunt {slsf ies" For a roman-t ic meal, try Casanova (casanova

restaurant.com) in Carmel-by-the-Sea; but a must for serious food-ies is Marinus in Bernardus Lodge(bernardus.com), where chef CalStamenov's menu includes aspar-agus ravioli with Parmesan foamand butter-poached Maine lobster.

Where to unurindS*rnardus Lndge Upon ar r i va l ,you' l l be offered a glass of Ber-nardus sauvignon blanc or mer-lot before being escorted to your

room, and Bernardus wines and munchies are yours toenjoy gratis from the minibar. Fireplaces that flick on witha switch and luxe tubs for two make this a cozy honeymoon

spot. (Doubles frorn$275;8881648 9463 or bernardus.com)(armel Vall*y Ranch This resort has a hip new vibe, but it'sthe wildlife (deer, quail, ducks) and contemporary comfortfood that are most memorable. (Doubles from $r79; 866lz8z 4745 or carmelvalleyranch.com) -Leslie A.Westbrook( F or mor e info, 8 I 8 / z z t - 7 o 7 o or mont er ey info.or g )

Wine tasting CarmelValley style

pools, ornate guest houses and some 22,ooo pieces of artand priceless antiques. Advance reservations are strongly

M O D E R N B R I D E O C T + N O V 2 A O 7 3 A 5