Saracina Vineyards A Pioneering Mendocino County Estate
About a half-hour’s drive north of Healdsburg, tucked away near the headwaters of the Russian River and the foothills of the Mayacamas, lies Saracina. Here in the heart of Mendocino County, this winery (and working ranch!) crafts wines that are alive with the rhythms of nature — perfectly refined expression of this wildly beautiful land.
For nearly a quarter of a century, the Saracina winery — guided by winemaker Alex MacGregor — has been producing some of Mendocino’s finest wines. Since 2018, proprietor Marc D. Taub and his family have undertaken several ambitious projects to forge an ever-stronger foundation for the estate.
With a focus on careful stewardship of the land, these investments have included full organic conversion to be finalized in 2025, precision replanting of the entire estate (ensuring each of Saracina’s microsites grow the ideal varieties), and the installation of drain tiles (an advanced water conservation system). Maintaining the natural biodiversity of the property is also a key priority — the Saracina winery spans 450 acres and is home to a 140-year-old olive grove, vegetable gardens, beehives, alpacas, goats, and all manner of birds and wildlife.
Guided by vision from the Taub family, Saracina is constantly working to ensure growth and a prosperous future for Mendocino County wine. Through their long-standing partnerships with generational family growers of old-vine carignan, malbec, petite sirah, and beyond (along with their stable of incredible, estate-grown varieties), Saracina creates wines that give Mendocino its due as a world-class wine-producing region.
Terroir
Located approximately 150 miles north of San Francisco, Mendocino County has one of the most unique and challenging terroirs in California. The region experiences drastic diurnal temperature shifts (up to 50 degrees Fahrenheit), along with summer temperatures that can exceed 100°F. However, with proper vineyard management, these conditions can lengthen the growing season and help produce wonderfully ripe, intensely flavored grapes. Likewise, Mendocino has varied soil types, which can yield nuanced aromatic and flavor profiles in the wines.
Mendocino County has also become a leading wine region for organically grown grapes — not just in California, but across the globe. In 2004, the county banned GMOs and today almost 25% of vineyard acreage is organically grown. Additionally, most of Mendocino’s 570 vineyards remain in the hands of dedicated heritage grower families, and the Taub family are proud to be among them as proprietors of Saracina.
Viticulture
To coax the finest wine from each Saracina vineyard — and to help account for the changing climate — winemaker Alex MacGregor enlisted viticulturists Peter Chevalier, Larry Bradley, and Daniel Roberts who, along with proprietor Marc Taub, conducted extensive soil/microsite analysis and drought-resistant rootstock matching. Based on this research, the team identified a 13-acre plot in which to plant cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, petite sirah, and malbec. They also added zinfandel and alicante bouschet on the coolest sites, along with 20 acres of mixed-clone sauvignon blanc and chardonnay.
In a rare move for a Mendocino county vineyard, the team planted the vines on a Moser-style trellising system. Though labor intensive to install, it is easier for the vineyard workers to manage during the season. The unique, V-shaped wire matrix maximizes air flow to prevent vineyard maladies and provides the grapes with the perfect amount of dappled light.
In addition to Saracina’s estate vineyards, they also have proud, long-standing relationships with local growers who farm some of the best Northern California vineyards. These sites include Lolonis, Casa Verde, and Niemi in the Redwood Valley and McFadden in the Potter Valley. Saracina also crafts Anderson Valley wines with pinot noir and chardonnay sourced from the Hollywood Hill vineyard.
Saracina Estate Wines Are a Pure Expression of Mendocino
Saracina stands apart from other Northern California wineries for crafting wines with a deep, wild character that perfectly expresses Mendocino’s rugged terroir. Winemaker Alex MacGregor takes a natural approach in the winery, using native yeast fermentations, unassisted malolactic fermentation, egg white fining, hands-off élevage, and unfiltered bottlings. The wines age in Saracina’s naturally cool wine cave — the first in Mendocino and still one of only two wine caves in the county.
