Mendocino Coast, CA — Many hotels have complimentary wine hours. But few — if any — have one on the scale of that at Brewery Gulch Inn & Spa.

Along with four local wines to sip, there is plenty of food to enjoy, too. Forget bento boxes; these are proudly nicknamed “Mendo boxes.”

They hold what’s described as “appetizers” but is in actuality enough to quality as a moderate-sized supper. That means, there’s no need to get in your car to find dinner afterward, if all you want to do is chill on the premises. At least that’s what I found when I was invited to stay as a guest recently.

Local woodworker John Meyers crafted heavy-weight covered trays made of the same eco-salvaged redwood used in the construction of the 10-room inn, a rustic, tranquil retreat that borders 48,000 acres of meadows and redwoods of the Jackson Demonstration State Forest.

Each wooden tray is labeled with the name of each guest room, making it easy to ensure that guests with special dietary needs are accommodated.

During the wine hour, just locate your tray, and feel free to enjoy its contents in your room, outside on the deck if weather permits, or in the great room that’s whose focal point is a massive four-sided, glass and steel fireplace made by a local shipbuilder.

Chef Stephen Smith, a veteran of Jeremiah Tower’s iconic Stars in San Francisco, oversees the menu, which changes each night. The inn has its own garden in nearby Anderson Valley provided by Ferrington Vineyard, where it sources some of the ingredients used in the dishes.

That evening it was “Beefy Baked Penne Pasta.” And when Smith says ”beefy,” he means it. The slab of penne noodles, baked in layers like a lasagna, was loaded with crumbles of beef. Even my husband, aka Meat Boy, remarked about it, so that’s saying something.

It came with a slice of garlic bread, along with a crisp green salad, with cucumbers, blackberries, and blueberries, all in a light berry dressing. For dessert, there was a creamy panna cotta topped playfully with Fruity Pebbles.

If you were somehow still hungry after all of that, there were also chocolate muffins available to enjoy. Each day, the inn puts out an array of fresh fruit, house-baked pastries, and berry-infused pitchers of water to help yourself to throughout the morning, afternoon and evening.

On the edge of the great room, you’ll also find a huge collection of DVDs and board games to borrow for use in your own guest room.

Almost all of the rooms boast ocean views, including the Raven, which we stayed in. The second-floor, corner King room was spacious with leather club chairs in front of a gas fireplace, a private balcony with seating, and a bath tub that would fit an entire small family.

As the wind howled outside on a rainy spring night, it was the perfect place to cozy up to a good book or unwind with a little yoga, courtesy of the thoughtful deck of exercise cards lying atop the desk.

You’re sure to sleep well in this quiet inn that feels as if you’re staying in the middle of a forest.

The next morning, take a seat in the great room again for a made-to-order breakfast that’s also included in your stay.

Start with a slice of blueberry morning cake, which happened to be that morning’s fresh-baked treat. Enjoy it with a peach-raspberry lassi, a creamy blend of organic yogurt, coconut milk, peaches and raspberries.

My husband opted for “The Classic,” two eggs cooked any style, and served with chili-dusted hash browns, and your choice of protein (country-style sausages was his choice).

I went for “Chef Steve’s Brown Sugar Granola,” a lovely array of a bowl of the crunchy granola fortified with dried cherries, almonds, coconut, and sunflower seeds served alongside fresh fruit, and organic vanilla yogurt.

After that breakfast of champions, it was time to work off some of those calories on a long hike — about 9 miles (more than 20,000 steps) through Russian Gulch, a sprawling California State Park that’s just 10 minutes away.

Kudos to the manager at Brewery Gulch for recommending this spot that offers a little bit of everything with plenty of trails through a leafy canyon, a rocky coastline along the ocean, headlands with a sink hole known as “Devil’s Punch Bowl,” and even a 36-foot waterfall (see video above).

It was the perfect capper to a kick-back kind of getaway on the Mendocino Coast.

More on Monday: Mendocino Coast, Part II: The Little River Inn