One of the newest additions in the Anderson Valley, Pennyroyal Farm’s hospitality center/tasting room opened in 2016 after years of planning, building, and farming. The farm, creamery, and winery are the brainchild of Sarah Cahn-Bennett, daughter of Navarro Winery owners Ted Bennett and Deborah Cahn, who came back home after studying winemaking and viticulture at U.C. Davis in 2005 with a plan. Sarah runs the farm, creamery, and winery alongside Erika McKenzie Chapter, her head cheesemaker (and former U.C. Davis classmate). Her parents and brother are also co-owners (in fact the family all own equal shares of Navarro and Pennyroyal!).
Pennyroyal offers wine tastings, farmstead cheese and wine pairings, farm and vineyard tours, and a small menu of dishes prepared from ingredients grown on the farm. They also host fun (and delicious) events on a monthly basis such as crab dinners, special food, and wine pairings, etc. Try one of their farm tours and cheese tastings, followed by a wine tasting in the tasting room or a glass of wine and a couple of small plates (their food is fantastic!) on their beautiful vineyard-facing patio.
All of the wines at Pennyroyal are fantastic but I particularly like their stunning bright, lean Sauvignon Blanc (perfect paired with Pennyroyal’s fresh Laychee goat cheese spread) and elegant Anderson Valley pinot noirs.