My wife is coming with me to northern California the weekend prior to a business trip of mine in October, and we were thinking of visiting someplace new. We've been to Napa Valley and Sonoma County multiple times each, and we've done some limited exploring of the Sierra Foothills. Our candidates for this trip are both 3-4 hours away from SFO: Mendocino County or Paso Robles. We will have one full day of wine tasting and two nights for dinner in the area. If you had to pick one wine destination over the other, in the fall, which would it be and why?

I'm partial to Mendocino. I love that place...

If your main interest is wine, then Paso Robles. There isn't anywhere in California that's more beautiful than the Redwood Coast, if that's your preference then go to Mendocino.

Paso is nice but it's much more arid and not as scenic by a long shot IMO.

Mendocino, it's a beautiful drive, lovely scenery and a variety of white and red wines to go taste.

I like Paso Robles as well but it's no Mendocino.

What GA said.

This time of the year Mendocino.

I agree with GA and WIML. Note that neither is an easy drive, and 3 hours is very optimistic.

To get possibly the best of both worlds, consider driving south thru Carmel and Big Sur. I think that rivals or maybe beats the Mendocino coast for scenery. Then you can hit the Paso wine country and speed back on the 101.

Hi Ken,

I live in Mendocino. If you do decide to come up here and need any tasting/lodging/dining advice, just post and let me know. It's a beautiful time of year, and you'll be in the heart of wine country 3 hours drive from SFO.

Mendocino definitely makes a prettier trip as most people have said. Better, more convenient wineries in Paso.

If you go to Paso, think about the trip to Hearst Castle and by all means stay on the beach somewhere, the central coast is beautiful as well....Paso is just far enough inland that is misses some of the charm of it all though.

For Pinot, bubbly and beer -> Anderson Vly in Mendocino. The coast would be great that time of year for lodging. The inland area around Ukiah is nothing special. Not a huge number of choices for lodging or dining right in Anderson Vly.

I haven't been to Paso in a number of years.