Anderson Valley is blessed with lots of elegant sparkling wine because its coastal influence is ideal for growing grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, commonly used in bubbles. Wineries like Roederer and Scharffenberger specialize in sparkling wine and may have some still wines but those are not their flagship products. Handley has a unique approach; they make stellar Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, among other mouthwatering wines in addition to fine sparkling wine out of their star quality Anderson Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Their female winemaker is likewise full of unique community minded ideas. With some extra space on her property, she’s allowed the local fire department to build an auxiliary fire station to house extra trucks should they be needed in the area. Handley also has a large enough facility to allow micro boutique winemakers nearby to use their equipment.

The staff at the Handley tasting room are food and wine pairing superstars. Most of their events include tastefully prepared dishes invented in their tasting room kitchen. When you purchase a bottle of their wine, they just might send you home with a recipe showcasing that wine so you can become a wine and food star in your own kitchen and amaze your friends, family, and pets. For example, their Rhone style Syrah from the Redwood Valley will knock your socks off with red and blue fruit flavors of cherry and blackberry with a hint of blueberry. Its incredible depth of spice and chocolate with a hint of smoke makes it a delicious marinade for skirt steak that can be reduced with onions into a delicious steak sauce.