Wine & Mushroom Train

Posted by brendan on Nov 8, 2011 in Food, Mendocino, Wine | 0 comments

It was starting to drizzle as we queued up for our train, but no one was complaining about the weather. This time of year, rain is a welcome visitor. It is rain that brings the mushrooms we’re all here to celebrate. When torrential sheets are coming down, it’s hard to be unhappy if you’re a mycophile. Because with every drop that hits the forest loam, you can almost feel the mycelium working its magic and sending up those fruiting bodies we’ve all fallen in love with: Golden and White Chanterelles, Yellow Foot, Hedgehogs, Candy Caps, Porcini, Morels, Oyster, Lobster, and hundreds more edible species can be found in Mendocino County, with scores of tireless hunters making that bounty available to the masses.

The train we boarded was the historic Skunk Train – a continuously operating rail line since 1885. So named for the smell the original diesel engine emanated as it passed logging camps, it is an amazing journey back in time. The track wends alongside Fort Bragg’s Pudding Creek, and later Noyo River, passing over historic trestle bridges, through a long tunnel, and occasionally by true old growth redwood trees – those thousand year old giants which have all but vanished from the Pacific Northwest.

Local wine and beer was served at the back of the train, and the energy in the car was festive and full of anticipation. As the train made its way down the track, you could feel people letting go of their days, transitioning into a space entirely given over to the experience of wine and mushrooms. When we arrived at Camp Mendocino, it was like pulling into another world: a small organic garden on one side, an entry pavilion at the bottom of the station steps, and a massive tent erected to hold the purveyors of wine and mushrooms. Dwarfed by the massive redwoods that rose up all around, it felt like an island in the midst of a primeval world – a perfect venue for mushrooms.

Inside the tent and main hall everything was already well under way. Visitors were given a wine glass, a plate, and two voting chits – which they could place in the winery and restaurant they felt provided the best fare. Wineries were pouring generously, a fire was crackling in the river stone fireplace, and the breadth of mushroom dishes was staggering. The happy hum of contented guests filled the space, and I found myself wishing I could stay for more than a few hours.

The wines were overall very impressive. Most wineries provided only one selected wine, while a handful poured more. John Chiarito of Chiarito Vineyards was the clear standout for me. All of his wines were excellent, but he poured two Southern Italian varietals – Nero D’Avola and Negroamaro – that were completely unique, and seemed so perfectly-suited to the upper Russian River that I was astonished no one else was growing them. The Nero D’Avola featured rich, black fruit, with incredible spice, thick boot strap molasses, and a warm finish perfect for the rain outside. The Negroamaro – the first grown in the United States – was more vibrant, with racing fruit running the gamut, and lively acid balancing it out; the flavors here were unlike anything I’ve tasted from Mendocino, with plenty of dried sweetgrass, labrador tea, wild blackberry, and toffee. All of John’s wines are organic and dry-farmed, and having the opportunity to taste them was worth the entire trip for me. Thankfully, the official judges agreed, and John took first place in the wine competition.

Other standouts for me included Baxter Winery and the Berridge Wine Company. As a whole, the wineries provided excellent wines, mostly well-suited to the mushroom dishes served alongside them.

The range of food was even more impressive. Chefs from all over Mendocino County competed, all highlighting different mushrooms and different preparations. My favorite was Chef Kyle Evans from the Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital. He offered three different preparations, each topping a tortilla chip. Individually they were all very good, but what I loved was the way one could taste the differences between the different mushroom species he used – it was a wonderful educational opportunity. The new restaurant Wildfish in Little River also had a strong showing, with an understated mushroom soup that was one of the most original and daring dishes at the event.

Alongside the food and wine were various workshops. There was an active forage which went out hunting for mushrooms in the woods around the camp, a cooking demo by Chef Nicholas Petti of the Mendo Bistro in Fort Bragg, and an eye-opening lecture on mushrooms and the future of the mushroom industry by local mushroom expert Eric Schramm of Mendocino Mushroom. The big tent featured local musicians, dancing, and a silent auction with art and wine from around the county.

By the time the event came to a close I was full, satisfied, and illuminated – and not anywhere near ready to return to the real world. The train ride back featured more wine, and a quiet feeling of camaraderie among those who had shared in the mycological bliss. I think we all shared the feeling that once a year was not nearly often enough for this magical event.