Point Reyes Buzz

Next time you want to go to wine country, head for Point Reyes Station. It's home to Heidrun Meadery, a sweet secret worthy of some buzz. Heidrun is a master of "honey wine" (aka mead) and beekeeping! Unlike most meads (which are still), Heidrun uses the French champagne method in addition to a unique infusion of champagne yeast to give the mead a light, natural carbonation. The result is dry, delicate, and naturally sparkling varietals. Reserve a 60-minute tour ($15) and learn more about honeybees and how sparkling mead is made in Heidrun's small production facility. You'll conclude with a generous patio tasting flight of four or more of their refreshing seasonal offerings, such as California Orange Blossom and Point Reyes Wildflower. In between pours, explore the property's radiant fields, gardens, and greenhouse. Flowering plants available to the honeybees create spellbinding displays of color. Several hives are dispersed throughout Marin County and neighboring Sonoma County, while 12 remain on site for you to observe. Last year 600 pounds of honey was harvested from only eight hives. Those are some busy bees!

HIKING BONUS: Follow the bees to Muddy Hollow Trail for an easy 4-mile out-and-back hike to Limantour Beach through Point Reyes' coastal scrub. For a longer and easy 7-mile loop, connect Muddy Hollow to Bucklin Trail and trek through the area devastated by the 1995 Mount Vision fire before returning via Drakes View Trail.

Heidrun Meadery, 11925 Hwy. 1, Point Reyes Station, (415) 663-9122; Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Hour-long tours, which include a patio tasting flight, are scheduled at 11:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. every day for $15. Call ahead. Patio tasting flights only are $10 and should also be reserved. No dogs. To get to Muddy Hollow Trailhead from Heidrun Meadery, head southeast on Hwy. 1, turn right onto Sir Francis Drake Blvd., left onto Bear Valley Rd., and right onto Limantour Rd. for approximately 6 miles. Sign for the trailhead will be on the right. No dogs.