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Stellar wine and food at the 2009 Calaveras Passport Weekend
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Wines Part II: Passport Event and Wine Guide
Calaveras County offers endless wines to discover. To navigate through tasting rooms, wineries, and vineyards, take a map, and don’t hesitate to ask about local favorites. Many locals are knowledgeable about Calaveras wines. Here’s a taste of what to expect.
Beaux Chevaux
Sample shrimp from a family recipe hot off the BBQ. Featured wines include their Estate Zin, Syrah, Cinsault Rose, and a yummy dessert wine. Then, step into the joint tasting room and gallery and view art created by local artists. You get to pick Beaux Chevaux’s next label. Vote on one of three viewers' choices. Passport holders deals on both art and wine.
Black Sheep Winery
Savor the flavor of their authentic Southwestern spread: smoky and spicy BBQ with slow-cooked beef, pork and chicken wings. Relax in the shady backyard and enjoy live music from local favorites Sequoia and Flora. All Black Sheep Reds are $10 a bottle on special assortment.
Bodega del Sur Winery
Join them for a total Latin experience. Check-out the newly remodeled tasting room and patio, or cool-off under the patio’s mist tent. Enjoy tapas that compliment the wines. Find a bit of South America and Spain in the heart of Calaveras County.
Brice Station Wines
Make the five minute drive from downtown Murphys. At an elevation of 3,300 feet, Brice Station is the highest vineyard in Calaveras County. This mountain setting is home to estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Saturday night, take part in dinner at the Summer Passport Party from 7 to 10 p.m. The tasting room and pottery shop will be open with desserts and live music. See fused glass and glass jewelry demonstrations. To make a glass-fused pendant on Saturday night ($20 materials fee), phone Pam Quyle and reserve a space (209) 728-3562.
Broll Mountain Vineyards
Sample the 100% estate grown varietals (made from Murphys vineyards), including olive oil, and to enjoy the music and vibe of Tuscany as you stroll the landscaped grounds and investigate the Tasting Room. Wren Catering will serve treats such as homemade brownies. Receive discounts on wine and accessories purchased during the weekend.
Chatom Vineyards
Bound and determined to "bust" this recession, Chatom will host a "Recession Busters" party. “Madoff Meatballs”, “Wall Street Sliders”, “Lehman Squares”, and “Ponzi Piemore” will be served. The 2007 Chardonnay will be featured; and Winemaker Mark will select a special wine for Passport holders to sample straight from the barrel. Music from Richard Bolmen completes the party. Passport holders may enter the drawing for a "Busters Basket”, and have dibs on discounts to "stimulate" the taste buds.
Chiarella Winery
Join Chiarella for a Chiarella Cruise. On board, Mediterranean delights are paired with award-winning Chiarella wines. Taste crab cakes, stuffed olives in Panko crumbs, and caprese creations. On deck, enter the drawing for a festive, theme-related basket, along with discounts on tasting-room items offered Passport Weekend only.
Frog's Tooth Winery
Award-winning wines along with barrel/pre-release tastings of Grenache and Barbera are ready to enjoy. Live music on Saturday by Plan B, and Sunday, by Jon Grant. Snack on BBQ shrimp, and wine and cheese pairings. Zack Thompson will lead a casual discussion on barrels (toasts, character, styles) and their roll in winemaking. On Sunday Tom Bender, instructor at Columbia College, presents an aroma sensory seminar. See photographs of renowned photographer, Joann Korn.
French Hill Winery
Visit the new Tasting Room and snack on mouth-watering hors d'oeuvres designed to pair with the wines. Taste a huge selection of varietals such as Pinotage, Tempranillo, Port, Alicante Bouschet, Petite Verdot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc and Barbera.
The tasting room is located in Thorpe Plaza at 488 Main Street, just past Stevenot's downtown tasting room.
Hatcher Winery (On Murphys Grade Road)
Festivities to be held at the winery. Live crawfish along with Zinfandel marinated steak sandwich and salad will be served. Hatcher is located at the corner of French Gulch Road and Murphys Grade Road. Travel 2 miles down Murphys Grade Road from downtown Main Street.
Ironstone Vineyards
Pay tribute to Italy with Italian eats and Pinot Grigio. Passport holders enjoy wine club member privileges with discounts and special pours.
Laraine Winery
Many folks love the idea of pairing wine with chocolate – and for good reason. When matched correctly, these two culinary delights complement one another. However, the flavors of chocolate and wine aren't always compatible, and pairing the two may pose some challenges. Learn as Laraine matches their award-winning wines with an array of decadent chocolate desserts. Learn valuable pairing tips and techniques from our staff as we demonstrate how to always find the perfect wine for an array of types of chocolates.
Lavender Ridge Winery
Specializing in Rhone Varietal wines, Lavender Ridge Vineyard features naturally-grown Extra Virgin Olive Oil from local producer Rancho Marisol. Owner, Mary Lou Schuster, will serve her Arbequina, Estate Blend Leccino Frantoio, and Kalamata oils accompanied by savory dishes highlighting organically grown oils. Don’t exit without sampling Artisan cheeses made by the finest cheese producers in the world.
Milliaire Winery
Enjoy the beautiful creekside patio along with the traditional barbeque specialties including smoked pork and oysters. Take advantage of a 20% discount off of any wine purchase and designated mixed cases of wine starting at $90. Try an older vintage “library wine” and listen to live music on Saturday. Free wine delivery is available to local hotels in Murphys.
Muir’s Legacy
Meet winery owner (and John Muir's great-grandson) Bill Hanna, and taste barrel samples of upcoming vintages of "Muir's Legacy" Bordeaux blend, the "Bully! Red" Cuvee, and single varietal selections from organic vineyards, accompanied by organic artisanal cheese. Pick up a bottle of "Muir's Legacy" autographed by Bill.
Newsome-Harlow Winery
Wander into the stylish tasting room situated in the heart of downtown Murphys. The classic, Big John Zinfandel, and Sauvignon Blanc are there for tasting. Newsome-Harlow is located in front of Murphys Park, so take a short stroll out the back door and cool your feet in the creek between tasting room visits. Don't miss out on Chef Melanie's Famous Grilled Gourmet Pizzettas, a perfect pairing with N-H wines.
Renner Winery
Visit Copperopolis Town Square, and the new Renner Winery Tasting Room. Experience a place where past meets future in a beautiful foothill setting. Passport holders may dine on luscious Lockeford Sausage, easily paired with the 'ready for summer' Renner Winery Viognier. Try decadent chocolates created by "Chocoholics" and be ready pair with the trio of fine reds; Renner Winery Syrah, Canterbury Vineyard Syrah, and our Canterbury Vineyard Shiraz/Cabernet blend. Taste the yummy olive oil from the Manzanilla olive trees that grow on the property.
Solomon Wine Company
There's no better way to ‘beat the heat’ of a warm Passport weekend than in the cool, spacious confines of Murphys old volunteer firehouse, now the Solomon Wine Company tasting room, in the heart of Downtown Murphys. Try the Mediterranean-esque brand (Carla) paired with cool Mediterranean cuisine including shrimp skewers with Roussanne. Taste barrel samples of two vintages of the yet-unreleased Portuguese table wine blend. Become part of Wise Guys (Solomon's wine club) and enjoy wine club discounts on both bottle (15%) and case (30%) purchases. Delivery to local hotels is available at the end of the day on Saturday and Sunday.
Tanner Vineyards
Taste Italy. In celebration of Tanner’s first Passport Weekend, they honor their Italian roots dating back to the 1870s when Angelo and Nicoletta Sciaccaluga first came to Calaveras. They offer vineyard wines and a favorite family recipe, Genovese Panne Fritti (fried bread), prepared just like Nicoletta's. Sample hearty reds and the Italian white Vermentino. Try the house made dipping sauce, herbed olive oil, or a sprinkle of cheese on that Fritti.
Twisted Oak Winery
‘Ruben the Rubber Chicken’ and his Seriously Twisted Minions will be preparing "Carne Torcido" – spicy "Murginated" tri-tip grilled and served with way more fixings then will fit on a tortilla. Barrel-sample the wines that will be blended to create the 2008 Spaniard—Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha—and preview the 2008 vintage white wines. Check-out the current award-winning lineup of Spanish and Rhone-style wines. To sample the food, visit the Winery, just off of Red Hill Road and Hwy 4 in Vallecito.
The tasting room at the end of Main Street in Murphys will be open for Passport Weekend. Take advantage, as these wines sell fast. Go past Clarissa the donkey. Tasting room is on the right before the bend in the road.
Zucca Mountain Vineyards
Join us for our 9th annual Caribbean patio party in front of the tasting room. Enjoy our famous BBQ ribs prepared by Chef Darrell Paterson and the Zucca family. The menu also includes Caribbean black beans, delicious rice pilaf. Don’t forget dessert – strawberries and cookies dipped Zucca’s chocolate fondue. Get a flower lei, and explore the Italian style wines: award-winning Sangiovese, Barbera, Syrah Port, and Tesoro.
For more information on Calaveras County wines visit the Winegrape Alliance.
Enjoy this article? Read other articles by Anne.
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