December '14 El Dorado County Trip - Great Views, Patient Family

I've got to share my appreciation for my in-laws. At least once a year, we come into town for the holidays or other event, and my wife and I state our interest in visiting wineries in the area. And every year, they volunteer to come along. Mind you, they don't drink wine, they've tried, but it's never been something that they've enjoyed. Just the same, they come along. We go into the wineries, unleashed due to the fact that we have a designated driver, and they wait patiently in the car. Sometimes they go for walks, but for the most part, they wait. Each time I feel guilty, but not so guilty as to give it up and do something else.
For this day's journey, we knew that we wanted to hit up a few places in the Fairplay/Pleasant Valley area of El Dorado County. We knew that we wanted to go to Skinner first, and considering that Sierra Vista was on the way back to the in-law's, we'd make that our final stop. What we didn't account for is how long we'd spend at Skinner, meaning that any plans to hit up any places in between were scrapped.


Skinner Vineyards and Winery ($10 tasting, wines $18-$48)
"Seven Generations" (Grenache Blanc/Roussanne/Picpoul Blanc/Viognier), '12 Rosé (Mourvèdre/Grenache), '12 Grenache - Estate, '11 "Eighteen Sixty One" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre), '11 "Dry Diggings" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvèdre), '11 "Six Horse" Zinfandel, '09 Syrah - Stoney Creek Vineyard, '12 Grenache -Sumu Kaw Vineyard, '12 Grenache - Fenaughty Vineyard
During this visit, I had started reading Jon Bonné's The New California Wine. What a great book. In it he seeks and finds wineries that are doing their own thing, eschewing the California archetype of wine (big, bold, jammy). Since reading it, I decided to visit a number of wineries that he recommended that I hadn't heard of. Skinner was one of those. The Skinner story is a neat one. The current generations of Skinners, Mike and Carey, as well as their son Kevin and his wife Kathy came upon historical info about James Skinner - a great great great grandfather to James. James Skinner, a Scottish miner, had established a winery in gold country in 1861. Learning this, they decided to purchase land in the same area, and start up a new Skinner winery - to extend the family tradition. The space that they have built is gorgeous. A great, tall wooden building rests on a hillside that overlooks forested hills. Inside are a number of historical photos and drawings that tell the Skinner story.
The staff were very knowledgeable, some of the most astute in the area. The were good ambassadors for the family. I would say that there was one weird thing. Right near the tasting bar was a spiral staircase that wound down into what looked like a wine cellar. Everyone that came in, including us asked "Oh cool! Can I do down there?" And each and every time they answered, "NO! That's a private space just for the family!" This folks, is what you call an attractive nuisance. Everyone knows that spiral staircases are badass, especially ones that go down to secret cellars. And at the time that I was there, there wasn't any signage declaring the space off limits. But whatever, just weird. It did highlight the slight awkwardness of the space and the staff.
Regardless, the wine was banging. The white was super enjoyable, and the Rosé was a delicious ride. They allowed us to try a number of their Grenaches. All were great. The Estate was calm, quiet preserves, followed by late acid. The Sumu Kaw Vineyard Grenache was ridiculously light, but still carried acid and flavor. It was like a macho Rosé. The Fenaughty Vineyard Grenache was concentrated juice with pretty and light acid. Both of the GSM blends were good, I enjoyed the Eighteen Sixty One more. The Zinfandel, their one non-Rhone varietal, was a fine take - calm entry, grows in the mouth, blueberries, and a slight zip at the end. The Syrah was a big mamma-jamma. It was well constructed, mature, but too overbearing for me.
Experience: B / Wines: B+

Sierra Vista Vineyards and Winery ($0 tasting, wines $18-$35)
'13 "Old Vine" Chardonnay, '11 Roussanne,'13 Sauvignon Blanc, '13 Viognier, '13 Grenache, '11 Mourvèdre, '02 "Fleur de Montagne" (Grenache/Syrah,Mourvèdre/Cinsault), '04 "Fleur de Montagne", '08 "Fleur de Montagne", '12 "Fleur de Montagne", '09 "Old Clone" Zinfandel, '11 Syrah "Ancient Vine Reserve", '10 "Red Rocks Ridge" Syrah, '05 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, '12 Viognier Dessert Wine "Doux", '04 Viognier Dessert Wine "Doux"
There are a number of new, hip and well-heeled wineries in the Sierra Foothills - Skinner for one, but also, Andis, Turley, and Renwood. Sierra Vista is none of those things. It's been around since 1977, and is about as unassuming as a winery can be. We sat down at picnic tables with our leftover turkey sandwiches and looked out over the vineyard and the rolling hills beyond. While we sat, the owner and winemaker, John MacCready, and his family happened by. He was goofing off with his grandkids, or actually probably great-grandkids. Even though he's eighty two, he was still shimmying back and forth on one of the kid's scooters pretty well - or perhaps he was the one who got a shiny new scooter from Santa for Christmas.
The staff inside the tasting room were just as sweet. The wine list was exhaustively long, and it was only through great insistence on our part were we able to persuade them to allow us to skip a few wines here and there. Even through our protests, they were still able to get us to try sixteen (!!) different wines. Part of the reason that the list was so long was because they were doing library tastings of their "Fleur de Montagne" Rhone blend. Just the same, the list was quite varied.
Basically, there were a few big hits for us with the wines, and lots of misses. The table whites were not especially enjoyable. We liked the Viognier okay, but it wasn't very remarkable. Many of the reds were off-balanced, too sharp, sweet, with concentrated fruit, or had off-putting flavors. The "Fleurs" were pretty good, especially the younger ones, the older ones a bit sticky. The guy that was serving us was kind enough to hold on to some of the '05 Cabernet that they had, instead of serving what was left to a couple of other folks there ahead of us. He told us "You guys seem to like wine a lot, I think you'll get a kick out of this." The dude was right. It was fantastic. And given the other wines, we were taken aback. It had been decanted for a full day ahead of time. With a big cocoa nose and hits of toast, it was quite pretty, some sneaky sweetness, and a nice layer of dust. It was a tremendous experience. Finally we tried the dessert wines. The '12 was too quiet, but the '04 was tons of fun. Nutty, grippy, with slight hints of greeness.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B-

El Dorado County never ceases to intrigue. It's almost always going to assure good conversation and interesting history. It's hard to know if the wines are going to impress, surprise or underwhelm. Skinner and Sierra Vista represent two very distinct aspects of the region - new investment versus old-timer. Both are aggressively independent, and for that they are completely within the sweet spot for what's to love about the area. Just one thing though, do not go down the secret staircase.

June '14 El Dorado County Trip - Long Talks and Medium Sips

Here I find myself realizing that I completely forgot to log this trip. I hadn't expected to do any tasting on this trip, so I didn't bring my trusty notebook. So I reverted to my old technique of writing notes on the tasting sheets. Keeping those loose sheets out of the recycling bin can be tricky. Apparently that's where they ended up this time, because I didn't even realize that I had not yet written this entry until seven months later. So I'll do my best to recall the wines that I tried. Thankfully, my memory of the experience is pretty clear.
My wife and I were up in the area for a family camping trip, and given that my wife had a little more work to accomplish from her folks' house, I decided to venture out to a few Apple Hill wineries to occupy myself. It was the middle of the week, and a hot day, so I was the only taster at both places - meaning that I had a good opportunity to chat up the folks working the tasting rooms.

Fenton Herriott Vineyards ($0 tasting, wines $15-$25)
'13 Chardonnay, '12 Gewürztraminer, NV Janeway Lot 2 (Chardonnay/Gewürztraminer), '10 Zinfandel, '11 Barbera, '11 Syrah, '10 White "Port", '11 Ruby Syrah "Port"
The Fenton Herriott estate is a simple and friendly spot. You enter the gate, pass by a barn, and drive up a short hill to the tasting room. Beyond the room is a picnic area and the vineyard itself. Inside is a plainly decorated room with a good amount of space. Debbie, the tasting room manager, was dealing with paperwork when I arrived. She put that aside, and gave me the royal treatment. Good god, she was friendly. We yakked for a long time while she poured several wines. One should not assume that Debbie is always friendly though. Toward the end of my tasting some guys trying to sell printing supplies came in, much to Debbie's irritation. She sent them packing with efficiency. The tasting list is pretty long, and she invited me to taste whatever I wanted to. I was aiming to taste a little bit less, but she encouraged me to try more.

To me, Fenton Herriott represents the typical Sierra Foothills winery. The wines are definitely inexpensive, there is a wide variety of wines being made - many not ideal to the region, and the wines are not at all complex - some are pretty good, some are not. The Gewürztraminer was too sticky, and the white blend didn't come together well. The reds were basic, none stood out as having interesting characteristics. I did enjoy the Chardonnay. It too was simple, but had a good calm flavor to it.
Experience: B / Wines: C

Chateau Davell Boutique Winery ($5 tasting)
'13 "Chloe" Chardonnay, '11 "Marguerite" Red Rhone Blend, '12 "Zander" Zinfandel, '12 "Augustus" Super Tuscan, '11 Cabernet Sauvignon
Apparently, I've been drinking wine long enough to be typecast. Debbie at Fenton Herriott told me "Oh you should go to Chateau Davell, it's the sort of place that you'd love." I'd never heard about Chateau Davell before, but I was open to recommendations. The tasting room is located within the same grouping as Crystal Basin and Bumgarner, which I visited a few years back. It's a tiny, homey-looking building, with some kids toys and space for running around out front. The interior is cozy and rustic. Upon entering, the winemaker, Eric, came out of the back. On quiet days like the day I visited he paints in the back. All of the label art is painted by him, and most of it is portraiture of his family.
Eric was a super neat dude to chat with. He was calm and confident in his work. He was accommodating, but didn't feel the need to fill in the empty spaces of the conversation. In addition to the vineyard, his family has an organic farm where they grow produce to sell to local markets. He and his wife were compelled to start growing organic because of their children. All of the wine is grown organically and some is unfiltered (perhaps this is what Debbie had in mind when she directed me here).
The wine was very much like Eric - not overstated, individual, and enjoyable. I really liked the Chardonnay. It was playful and classy. The reds were nice, but lacking my notes, I can't recall which ones really stood out. I have a feeling that I'll be back at Chateau Davell, next time around I'll be sure to bring my notepad.
Experience: B / Wines: B

For a quick visit, this trip made an impression on me. There really is something special about wine tasting in the Sierra Foothills. Sure the wine can be hit-and-miss, but the people can't be beat. They are friendly, helpful, and proud. I realize that I can get caught up in the luxurious estates with the palatial grounds, but what I really enjoy is the good conversation. And that's what this area is all about.

December '13 El Dorado County Trip - Highs and Ho-Hums

Another holiday season, another trip up to the Sierra Foothills to visit with the in-laws. It's not as though I'm using winery visits to hide away from my wife's family, I really like them, and sometimes they come along for the visits,  it's just that there's tons of downtime while I'm there, so I steal away to check out a few wineries in the area. I really enjoy the mood of the region, folks are friendly, unassuming and proud of their wines. I had the visit to La Clarine set up ahead of time. Miraflores was a place that I had intended to visit for awhile, and since it was nearby, we stopped there as well.

La Clarine Farm ($0 tasting, wines $20-$26)
 '12 White Blend (Viognier/Marsanne/Petit Manseng), '12 Mourvédre - Cedarville, '12 "Josephine + Mariposa" (Grenache/Mourvédre), '12 "Home Vineyard" (Tannat/Tempranillo/Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon)
La Clarine is definitely off the beaten path, a figurative concept that was made literal to me when driving to the farm on a bumpy back hills road. It doesn't have any signs and you can't find it on any wine region maps. Bill Easton at Terre Rouge was the first person that mentioned it to me, but then after checking out the La Clarine website, I noticed that a local wine shop - Domaine LA - spoke very highly about it, as well, Eric Asimov from the NY Times seemed to be a big fan. So I was excited to make an appointment for a visit. When we arrived, Hank and Caroline were very welcoming hosts, along with their cadre of playful dogs and twenty goats. Both Hank and Caroline have other jobs, but manage to run a small vineyard and make around 1500 cases of wine a year.
The led us on a hike up the hill to their vineyard, and discussed their growing process. Their home vineyard utilizes farming techniques that are inspired by The One Straw Revolution (a book by Masanobu Fukuoka). It's the most natural vineyard farming technique that I've ever seen. The vines were not trellised at all, and the surrounding earth was allowed to grow natural ground cover. Hank seemed to be approaching the vineyard with a c'est la vie attitude, growing a variety of grapes - Tempranillo, Tannat, Syrah, Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon - and seeing how they did in that situation. Though they were clear that while they weren't rigid with their growing techniques, it was still really hard work. But standing on top of that hill, seeing those happy dormant vines, and having a panoramic view of the foothills, you can see how their passion is fulfilled.
We headed back down the hill to check out the completed product. Their wine making facility is as low-frills as it gets, a work shed filled to the rafters with wine aging in barrels and winemaking equipment. We tasted the wine on a piece of countertop that was laid on a drum. All of the wines are fermented with native yeasts, and only go through malolactic fermentation if it naturally occurs. The wine is foot pressed and unfiltered. The white wine is aged in plastic "Flextanks" that mimic aging in concrete, and the red wine is only aged in neutral oak barrels. A majority of the wine that they make is sourced from other vineyards, the grapes from their vineyard go into the "Home Vineyard" blend.
We tried four different wines. The White had a full spectrum of acidity, a variety of flavors including hints of sage - very enjoyable. The Mouvédre was playful, lots and lots of authentic berries, especially strawberries and a wood bark note on the front, light and solid. The "Josephine + Mariposa" was my favorite, smooth tannins but lots of tongue prickling acid, an overall fun drink. La Clarine bottles a more than those three, but depending on the time of the year, they may only have a few available. We bought the last of the while we were there, and the Mourvedre was nearly gone too. My wife inquired whether there was anything in barrel that we could try, and Hank went into the shed with a wine thief and brought out a measuring cup filled with the '12 "Home Vineyard" Red Blend - a friendly young wine with juicy tannins and a full body, it should be a treat by the time it's bottled.
Visiting with Hank and Caroline and seeing what they are doing at La Clarine is the ultimate wine experience for me. They are two passionate and warm people that are able to pour their hearts into creating something. They are making delicious wine with very little intervention. And they are doing it their own way. And they're great hosts.
Experience: A / Wine: A-

Miraflores Winery ($0 tasting, wines $20-$30)
'12 Viognier, '06 Zinfandel, '10 Zinfandel, '07 Syrah, '09 Syrah, '10 Syrah, '10 "Methode Ancienne" Syrah, '10 Petite Sirah, '10 "Meritage" (Cabernet Sauvignon/Petite Verdot/Malbec)
The tasting room sits atop a small hill overlooking the vineyard. It's an attractive and interesting Mediterranean style, with clay style walls and lots of old wood features. Inside is a high ceilinged space and a long bar. The ladies behind the bar were decked out in Christmas hats. They were happy to pour anything we wanted from the long tasting list. What was neat about their wine list was that they featured a number of multiple vintages of the same wine, so that you could try the '07, '09, and '10 Syrah, or the '06 and '10 Zinfandel. That's only something I've seen at special reserve tastings. It's always fun to compare one vintage to another. Toward the end of our tasting, we went out onto the patio, and enjoyed our tasting and the great weather.

It's really hard for me to go from a place like La Clarine to any other winery without the following winery to be cast in a pale light. La Clarine represents an ideal wine experience Miraflores is a pretty spot, and the people there are nice, but it's  not going to be able to match up for me. Right out of the gate with the Viognier I felt that the flavors were off - too much sulphur, lack of discernible fruit, rough rather than smooth. Thankfully from there the wines improved somewhat. The '06 and '10 Zins were decent - jammy, exuberant, nice pepper, not very complex. Out of the four Syrahs that I tried, the '09 was my favorite, more restrained than the others. The '06 was good as well, bombastic flavors. The "Methode Ancienne" was made with native yeasts and stomped by foot. I really like wines that use only native yeasts, but this one was the least enjoyable Syrah at Miraflores. The Petite Sirah and the "Meritage" were not interesting. 

Given the earlier comparison, Miraflores wasn't very interesting. The wines were safe and not complex. However, compared to the wider range of wineries in El Dorado County, it's a solid place. It has a pretty space, a good vibe, and offers fun vertical tastings. 
Experience: B- / Wines: C+

Quite a day. La Clarine was everything that I expected it would be: earthy, friendly, unconventional, complex, and high quality. I'm glad we went to Miraflores as well. I had been wanting to go there for a long time, having heard that it was a well run establishment. It's a funny comparison. Miraflores is pretty much a paint by numbers place, and does so in a well thought out way. It is definitely a place with mass appeal. In hindsight we should have reversed the order of the visits. But they both exhibit the reason that I enjoy going to wineries in the Foothills. They are relaxing places where people are enjoying what they do without a pretentious attitude. 

June '13 Sierra Foothills Trip - Quiet Holiday

I found myself in NorCal with two events schedule on the first two weekends of the month of June, and very little in between. So I took advantage of the circumstance and decided to do some mid-week wine exploring. During the week in the Sierra Foothills the wineries don't see a lot of traffic, and many of them aren't open. So I planned to visit the ones that were open, and found myself getting a lot of one on one treatment. The first day of my visit I was accompanied by an old friend who knew very little about, and on the second day was joined by a friend whose worked for a winery in Sonoma for many years. It was a great way to catch up with both friends.

Monday (Shenandoah Valley - Amador)

Terre Rouge / Easton ($5 tasting, wines $12-$24)
Easton '10 "H" House Rosè (Grenache/Mourvèdre/Roussanne), Easton '05 Barbera, Easton '11 Zinfandel, Terre Rouge '09 "Tête-a-Tête" (Syrah/Mourvèdre/Grenache), Terre Rouge '08 Muscat "à-Petits Grains"
Our November visit to Terre Rouge was incredible - so I figured I should swing back though to make sure that it wasn't a fleeting experience. It being a Monday and all, it was just me and Doug, the tasting room manager, and an old black lab that kept coming in and going out.
Doug was very polite and knowledgeable about the wines. As with the first time that I visited, I felt that all the wines were nicely balanced and had utilized the acid dynamic quite well to give the wines structure.  I had not tried the Rosè during my first visit. It was nice but a bit too sticky. Similarly, the Zinfandel was well-made but a little too sweet for my taste. I did very much enjoy the "Tête-a-Tête" - serious but easy, tart blackberries, nice complexity. Also the sweet wine at the end, the Muscat, was good times.
Experience B+ / Wines: B+

Bray Vineyards ($5 tasting, wines $15-$24)
'11 "BrayZin Hussy Blonde" (Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Viognier/Verdelho), '12 Viognier, '10 "BrayZin Hussy Red" (Zinfandel/Sangiovese), '10 Sangiovese, '10 Barbera, 09 Zinfandel, '09 "Tres Vinas" (Grenache/Sangiovese/Petite Sirah) '08 Port (Petite Sirah/Zinfandel), '08 "Vino Tinto" Port

Bray's logo - which can be found all over the winery - is a road sign of a dude riding a tractor while chugging a bottle of wine. It's a fun sign, but not surprisingly the wines that accompany that logo are generally high alcohol, and not complex. The space is chill and rustic - and wide open to accommodate the party style atmosphere that I imagine comes through on the weekends. Since it was Monday though, it was just me and Robin, the wife part of the husband and wife team that own the place.
Across the board the wines were clumsy - there weren't distinct layers within the wines - just an jumble of flavors. And most of the reds ran over 15% alcohol - generally meaning that subtle flavors were overtaken by the heat of the alcohol. As my tasting went on, I think it became clear to Robin that I wasn't enjoying the wine. I wasn't being a dick about it, but I wasn't that enthusiast either. It's an uncomfortable feeling when you know - that they know - that you aren't digging their wines, and there's no one else there to attend to. It's a situation that I definitely encountered again on the trip later.
Experience: C+ / Wines: C-

C.G. Di Arie Vineyard & Winery ($5 tasting, wines $18-$35)
'12 Sauvignon Blanc, '09 Rosè "Di Arie", '09 Barbera, '09 Primotivo "Block #4", '09 "Sierra Legend" (Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Syrah/Primotivo)
From checking out the website of C.G. Di Arie - I had a feeling that this was going to be a unique visit. I can't quite explain it - whether it's the fact that you can convert the text to Chinese, or that there's a QR code (not sure what you're supposed to do with that on a website, don't QR codes lead you to websites when you're on a smartphone?), it was sure to be a strange place. Also adding to the uniqueness is the fact that the owner, Chaim Gur-Ariah, was a cereal inventor, and created Captain Crunch. The tasting room itself definitely had a sense of style - lots of granite counter tops and dark wood shelving.
The wines were just decent. The Sauvignon Blanc and the Rosè were quite bland. The Barbera had some weirdness going on with it - a note of char and rotten fruit. The Primotivo and the Legend were more enjoyable, but too jammy and sweet. Across the board I felt that the price of the wines - which were generally higher than most other Amador wineries - were not justified considering the quality. Ultimately the wines weren't as unique as I had hoped.
Experience: B- / Wines: C+

Andis Wines ($5 tasting, wines $17-$32)
'12 Sauvignon Blanc, '11 Primotivo, '11 Barbera, '10 "Painted Fields" (Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah/Petite Sirah), '10 Petite Sirah, '12 Rosè (Zinfandel/Barbera)
A sleek and modern joint. Andis, like Helwig, is one of the newest wineries in the area - and used the same architect as Helwig to design their winery, though there is a notable difference in design aesthetics between the two wineries. Helwig has a bit of a Western style, whereas Andis is more about fitting within the surrounding landscape. I was quite impressed by the building and the overall feel of the place. We had a great meandering conversation with the tasting room manager while she attended to us.
Overall I enjoyed the wines - they had nice textures and pretty good balance. I was smitten with the Sauvignon Blanc - nice flowers and acid. The reds were flavorful - maybe a little bit too much at times, but still enjoyable. The was Rosè served last, so it was as expected a bit sweet, which I did not enjoy. The prices were slightly higher than I would have liked to pay, but they are definitely doing good work there.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B

Wilderotter Vineyard  ($0 tasting, wines $17-28)
'12 Rosè (Grenache/Tempranillo), '12 Viognier, '11 Chardonnay - Russian River Valley, '11 Sauvignon Blanc, '09 Mourvèdre, '09 Grenache, '10 Rhone Blend (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre), '10 Zinfandel, '09 Petite Sirah
 Wilderotter was our last visit of the day. It's a cute little building - I'm not sure how it would be on a busy day, but it was quite cozy with just us there. The woman there was patient with us, and a pleasure to speak with. The list of wines was quite long, about thirteen total. We were welcomed to try as many as we wanted - I exercised my well-known restraint, and only had nine. The whites were generally boring, not bad, but not exciting. The Grenache and I did not get along whatsoever. It had a strong flavor of artificial raspberries which overwhelmed any other flavor. That same note showed up in the GSM as well. The rest of the reds were reasonably enjoyable, especially the Mourvèdre. I wrote a note that it had "neat meat."
Experience: B / Wines: B-

Tuesday (Shenandoah Valley - Amador)

Renwood Winery ($5 tasting(s), wines $19.99-$49.99)
Taste of Renwood List: '12 Sauvignon Blanc, '09 Barbera, '09 Primotivo, '09 Tempranillo, '10 Syrah
King of Zin List: '10 "Premier Old Vine", '10 "Merida", '10 "Flutist", '10 "Musician's", '10 "Bewick's", '10 "Niceforo",
Special Reserve List: '10 Grandpère, '10 Dry Creek
I really didn't think I'd enjoy Renwood. It's long been a hulking corporate winery, and it's wines can be easily found on supermarket shelves. I try to avoid hulking wineries. Clearly they are successful, but because of their size, I doubt their ability to make authentic wine. I'm not experienced enough at wine tasting to know whether their wine is truly authentic or even if their tasting room conveys authenticity - but I do know that I enjoyed the wines and the experience.
Perhaps our experience was aided by the fact that my companion on this day worked at a winery. Throughout the day this connection meant that we received discounts on wines, and often friendlier service. The young dude that took care of us was really nice, and very passionate about Amador County wine. The tasting room and the outside area was quite nicely designed. Apparently Renwood was recently bought by an Argentinian investor, and had been redone within the past year.
The tasting list was split into five different groups: all zins, a variety, worldly varietals, dessert wines, and the reserve.  Each list would cost $5. We tried the variety list, the zins list, and the reserve (our tasting fees were waived thanks to the industry connection). All of the non-Zinfandel wines were playing it safe and were boring. However the Zins were quite the opposite. They weren't overly exuberant, quite restrained actually, but really neat and intricate. Most were playful, pretty, and subtly structured. Each wine also expressed unique characteristics. The Premier Old Vine Zin was very good quality and reasonably priced at $20. The other Zins were $40 to $50 - and very enjoyable, but priced a bit high. I really enjoyed trying the Grandpère. It was calm and wild at the same time.I was really excited to try it. I'm actually a bit obsessed with the Grandpère vineyard. It's grows the oldest Zinfandel in Amador County - over 140 years old.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B+

Cooper Vineyards ($0 tasting, wines $20-$38)
'12 "Roundpen" Carignane Rosè, '12 Pinot Grigio, '12 Sauvignon Blanc, '10 Mourvèdre, '11 Alicante Bouschet, '10 Barbera, '11 Primotivo "Tesero", '10 Primotivo, '11 Zinfandel
I'd visited Cooper a year and a half prior, and knew that it was a great representation of Amador wine. My Sonoma friend had never been to Amador before, so I wanted to make sure that we visited Cooper - to ensure that I took her to at least one winery that I could vouch for. Unfortunately our visit was on a Tuesday, and Cooper is not open on Tuesday. Thankfully they were willing to unlock the doors for us and allow us to have a tasting. The two ladies there were fun to chat with, and had lots of advice about which wineries to visit in the area.
Since we were the only visitors that day, all of the wines that we were served were coming out of the wine fridge and had been resealed with vacu vin corks. Not to say that the wines showed poorly, but I definitely made a effort to heat up the wines with my hands to make sure that the wines opened up in my glass. Some of the wines didn't strike my fancy, but I still could recognize that they were adeptly made. We were given a side-by-side tasting of the Primotivos (the premium Tesoro next to the regular) - and the Tesoro was much more balanced and impressive. Both the regular Primotivo and the Alicante were too jammy. The Mourvedre was simple but very enjoyable, and the Zinfandel was quite nice - cute nose, subtle, nicely edged.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B

Sobon Estate ($0 tasting, wines $11-$24)
'12 "ReZerve" Grenache Rosè, '12 Viognier, '11 Zinfandel "Old Vines", '10 Zinfandel "Cougar Hill", '09 "ReZerve" Zinfandel, '11 Syrah, '10 "ReZerve" Primotivo, '10 "ReZerve" Petite Sirah, '10 ReZerve Tannat
Sobon's been around for quite awhile. The winery is has been running since 1856. The history is front and center to the experience - there's a number of antique farming and wine-making items that are put on display in the cluttered on-site museum. That throwback quality is within the tasting room as well, a big wood paneled dusty room. Quite honestly, the whole place could have used some sprucing up. As was the theme of the day, we were the only patrons there. We asked the tasting room person if we were the only people that she had seen that day, and she answered dryly, "No, the dishwasher repairman was here earlier."  Unfortunately, that was the end to her comedy routine.
The wines were across the board less expensive that the wines at all of the wineries that I visited on this trip. The Rosè was $11, and the reserve (or as they called it ReZerve) red wines topped out at $24.  The Rosè and the Viognier were bland. Most of the reds were bland jam bombs - clunky and without subtlety. The main flavor was enjoyable in some of the wines - such as the Cougar Hill Zin and the Tannet, but at other times was too sharp - as in the  Petite Sirah.
Experience: C+ / Wines: C


Helwig Winery ($5 tasting, wines $16-$24)
'12 Sauvignon Blanc, '12 Helwig Rosè "de Shanendoah" (Zinfandel/Syrah/Viognier), '11 Tempranillo, '10 "Round Up Red" (Zinfandel/Syrah/Petite Sirah/Malbec), '10 Zinfandel
Going to Helwig was a stark shift from just coming from Sobon - the oldest to one of the newest. The buildings are modern but with a bit of a rustic theme. It's clear that part of the business plan for Helwig is as an event space. There's all sorts of lookouts and gathering areas where weddings, etc. could take place. The complex sits on top of a hill above the rest of the area, and there are gorgeous views in every direction. There's lots of outdoor space to picnic and relax. Inside is quite airy with a huge wraparound bar to deal with a high volume of customers during the busy times - this time around it was mostly an empty room.
I have an apprehension that wineries in the Sierra Foothills (ex: Cielo and David Girard) that double as event spaces. There's a tendency to let the quality of the wine take a back seat to selling event opportunities. I don't think Helwig befalls that fate. My main thought about the theme of the wine was "structured play," silly, showy, and a bit safe. I guess what I mean was that the wines were easy drinkers, were nicely structued, but were a bit tame and mainstream. I did enjoy the Rosè and the Zin quite a bit. I did not enjoy the Sauv - a bit too sticky.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B

Dobra Zemlja Winery ($5 tasting, wines $16-$26)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc, '12 Viognier, NV "Milan Ruz" Red Blend, '10 Grenache, '10 Barbera, '09 Syrah, '10 Zinfandel
There is not one word that exists in the English language that I can use to explain the level of confusion and outrage that I felt while tasting wine at Dobra Zemlja. Perhaps by combining many of them together I can do so: whatthefuckareyoucrazywhytareyouproudthatyourwinesareseventeenpercentalcoholpleasedontnodont.
 Not to put too fine a point on it, but the wines at Dobra were pure crazy juice. All of the reds were 16% or above in alcohol. My note on the Syrah was "jammy as fuck, what the hell?" Now I've had some hot wines before, but never, ever this crazy. Sometimes high octane wines are sneaky - you don't even notice that they are hovering around the 16% line. Sometimes you can taste the heat, but it's still kinda fun. For whatever reason the winemaker/owner at Dobra just wants to make a wine version of white lightning with different kinds of grapes. The nice woman that served us (and tried to overlook the fact that we were really hating the wine) told us that the owner recently visited his home country of Croatia, and was quite disappointed that there weren't +15% wines being made there regularly. I'm thinking that's a red flag. All the negatives aside, there's definitely a sense of humor to the winery and the grounds are quite interesting - just don't try the wine.
Experience: C / Wines: F

Amador 360 Winery Collective ($5 tasting, wines $18-$36)
Simone Gusto '11 Vermentino, Damas'10 "Shenandoah Blanc" (Roussanne/Marsanne/Viognier), Yorba '08 "Shake Ridge Red" (Syrah/Petite Sirah/Mourvèdre/Grenache), Fiddletown Cellars '10 "Concerto" Barbera, Fiddletown Cellars '10 "Old Vine" Zinfandel, Fiddletown Cellars Fiddletown Cellars '11 Petite Sirah, Yorba '08 Tempranillo, Fiddletown Cellars '10 "Private Stock" Red (Alicante Bouschet/Barbera)
It was the end of a long, hot day - so I can't be sure if we were just in an off mood, or if this place had a strange vibe - probably a mix of both. The Collective pours and sells wines from small wineries don't have their own tasting rooms. While the owner was a bit uncomfortable, he definitely cares a lot about promoting Amador wines. There's a neat antique store style to the interior.
The wines were on a spectrum of okay to good. The main two wineries that we tried were Yorba and Fiddletown. I had recently read about Yorba Winery, and was very interested in checking that out - which was part of the draw to visiting there. I did not enjoy Yorba's Shake Ridge Red - a bit of an inorganic flavor, but I did enjoy their Tempranillo. Fiddletown's wines were also a mixed bag - the Zin and Petite Sirah were not good, but the Private Stock red blend was really enjoyable. 
Experience: C+ / Wines: C+

Thursday (Fair Play and Apple Hill - El Dorado County)

Cedarville Vineyards ($0 tasting, wines $20-$29)
'11 Viognier, '11 Grenache, '11 Zinfandel, '08 Petite Sirah, '10 Cabernet Sauvignon
Back in November we went to Terre Rouge for a tasting and met Bill Easton. While talking his ear off about a number of different topics, I did ask his advice about what other wineries should be visited in the Sierra Foothills. He immediately suggested Cedarville, so I knew I needed to check it out on my next visit. It was also my first visit to the Fair Play AVA, a dense cluster of wineries in an old mining area, far off the main highway that runs through El Dorado County.
Cedarville is owned and operated by Susan Marks and Jonathan Lachs. They met while studying enology at UC Davis, worked at wineries in Napa, then took a long break to work in the tech industry. Slowly they returned to wine and acquired the vineyard in Fair Play in 1995. Four years later they fully returned to the wine world and have been at the helm of Cedarville ever since.
On a very hot day, Susan welcomed us and led us into the winery. She showed us around the manufacturing area. It was spartan and interesting. They had built an ingenious bunker into side of a hill next to building for wine storage. She was super friendly and happily answered all of our questions.
The wines held up well to my high expectations. They were beautiful, smartly made, and intricate. The Viognier was serious, complex, pretty, had great acidity and layers of a different fruits. The Grenache was the rockstar of the trip - it was masculine and feminine all at once. All of the wines were very well balanced. I even enjoyed the Petite Sirah - which tends to be one of my least favorite wines. I appreciated the Cabernet, it was well structured, though I still have not been blown away by a Cab from the Foothills.
There two things that I take away from my Cedarville visit: it's a good idea to go to wineries that Bill Easton tells you to go to, and I should revisit Cedarville in the near future.
Experience: B+ / Wines: A-

Madroña Vineyards ($5 reserve tasting, wines $14-$28)
'10 Zinfandel, '09 Zinfandel "Signature", '08 Cabernet Sauvignon "Signature", '08 "Quartet" (Cabernet Franc/Merlot/Petite Verdot/Malbec), '09 Syrah "Signature", '09 Nebbiolo, '11 Barbera, '11 Dry Riesling "Signature", '09 "Mélange" (Viognier/Roussanne/Marsanne), '11 Riesling
Madroña is located right in the middle of the Apple Hill tourist area. Thankfully for me the hoards of tourists were nowhere to be found on the day that I visited. The tasting room is surrounded by a grove of tall pine trees, and the building looks neatly like a forest ranger station. Inside was a small group of folks that were having a great time enjoying the wine.
Unfortunately, I did not share their enthusiasm. The list was long, there were eighteen different wines to taste (five of were from the reserve list). I only tried eleven. The whites were clumsy. I wrote in my notes that the Mélange tasted like syrup poured over unripe fruit. As wide as of a variety of a reds that there were, they all tasted very similar to one another and had the same profile: fruity, simple, bland, and high acid.
I'm not sure what was so off-putting to me about Madroña, they seemed like nice folks. I got the feeling that they got to a certain level of quality and specific style with their wine making a long time ago, and stayed at that level, but continue to add new varietals to their list to keep things fresh.
Experience: C+ / Wines: C-

Grace Patriot Wines ($5 tasting, wines $18-$30)
'12 Pinot Gris, '12 Riesling, '12 "Hip Hip" Rosé (Tempranillo/Pinot Gris), '07 "FIVE PM" (Tempranillo/Syrah/Pinot Noir), '07 Tempranillo, '07 "Aboriginal Red" (Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah)
Grace Patriot has a neat space. The tasting room is adjacent to a historic ranch house and barn, and the overall design and style integrates old and new elements. Also the room looks out onto the beautiful Crystal Basin forest. I visited on a very slow day. The winemaker, Tyler Grace was studying at the counter when I walked in, and he was quite surprised that a customer came in. He and the tasting room attendant gave me a lot of attention. Both were nice folks.
It's a newer winery, started in 2000, and it seems that they are still experimenting with blends and types. I enjoyed the wines. They were calm and simple. The whites were enjoyable, they were some of the better whites that I had on this trip. The Rosé had good crispness and was a fun drink. Tempranillo was used in three of the wines, which is interesting because you don't see a lot of that grape in the region. I enjoyed the reds - they lacked complexity, but had good flavors and pretty good balance. All of the reds served were '07 vintage, I wonder if the younger reds don't show well and need at least five years of aging.
Experience: B / Wines: B-

I'm becoming more familiar with the Sierra Foothills wine region, and I'm starting to note how it's changed over the past few years. There is a good amount of growth with wineries such as Andis and Helwig recently coming online, and with Renwood undergoing a large remodel. Old sleepy wineries such as Sobon, Bray, Dobra and Madroña are potentially becoming outmoded, though old standards like Cooper and Terre Rouge still stand tall. A very recent development that shows the growth of the region is that most wineries are now charging a $5 tasting fee, normally waived with a purchase. Six months ago that was rare to see.
A takeaway from the trip was that while it's nice to miss the crowds by visiting tasting rooms mid-week, it can be a uncomfortable experience with you're the only person there, you clearly don't like the wine, and they can tell. Perhaps I'll stick to the weekends in the future. It was a lovely trip, and a great way to spend the period between my two scheduled events.

November '12 Gold Country Trip - Family, Good Health and Wine

Ah, the annual pilgrimage to NorCal for Thanksgiving. Since last year's trip was such an ideal setup for checking out wineries in El Dorado County on Wednesday before the family dinner on Thursday, and then heading out with the whole family on Friday to Amador - I decided to do the same thing again this year. The Apple Hill area that I explored in El Dorado County is very close to where my in-laws live. It's one of a few different winery groupings in the county. The beautiful Shenandoah Valley encompasses pretty much the entire winery grouping of Amador County. It's an enjoyable 45 minute drive from El Dorado County.

Wednesday (Apple Hill - El Dorado County)

Crystal Basin Cellars ($5 tasting, wines $16-$50)
 NV Sparkling Wine, '10 Chardonnay, '09 "Renegade Red", '10 Barbera, '10 "Mystery Juice", '09 Syrah, '10 Mourvedre, '10 Cabernet Franc, '09 Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 Malbec, '09 Petite Sirah, '09 Pinot Noir, '10 "Campione" (Sangiovese/Merlot), '09 "Triumphant" (Cabernet Franc/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec/Petit Verdot), NV "Dolce Bottino" Dessert Wine (Barbera/Sangiovese), NV Syrah Port
It was rainy and nasty when we stopped in for a visit - stepping into the warm tasting room was a relief, especially when the folks behind the counter pointed out the extremely long tasting list. Crystal Basin was started by a group of friends that were amateur wine-makers. During our tasting, the mood of that friendship - happiness and fun-loving - permeated throughout. It's nice to think that a group can come together, create something that they love, and share it with lots of other folks. The staff were easy to chat with, especially KZ. Even though the tasting room got quite busy toward the end of our visit, they were always on top of the situation.
All of the grapes are purchased from El Dorado County vineyards. The wines are big and fun to drink - fruity, though they lack structure or subtlety. Realizing that they are so high in alcohol (16% on the Zinfandel, 15.8% on the Cabernet), it becomes apparent why the wines are quaff-able but not artistic. 
Aside from those general characteristics, the wines were a mix of decent to pretty good. The Syrah was my favorite - big flavor, but it exhibited some restraint. The upper-echelon blends - the "Campione" and "Trimumphant" were enjoyable - pretty well balanced and had nice flavors - but the $50 price tags were way too steep for the quality the wine. Lastly, the Syrah Port was bizarre. It had flavors of mint, cedar, endive and arugula to it. Not what I'd look for in a wine or a port, but interesting to taste for sure.
Experience: B / Wines: C-

Crystal Basin Bistro (free tasting, wines $16-$20)
NV "Pomme" Pomegranate Sparking Wine, '11 "Kougar Koolaid" Pinot Grigio, '09 "BadaBing" Primotivo, '09 "BadaBoom" (Mourvedre/Zinfandel), '09 "Fugedaboutit" Tempranillo, NV "Suite Thing" Muscat
Recently, the folks at Crystal Basin Cellars opened up a restaurant right across the parking lot from their winery. The restaurant had a diverse selection of well priced lunch and dinners, and the staff were accommodating.
To add to the dining experience, the owners decided to also have wine tasting at the bistro. Smart setup, you order your food at the counter, then go taste wine while your food is being prepped. The wines all had ridiculous names - "BadaBing, Suite Thing," etc., and the guy guiding the tasting wasn't as knowledgeable about the wines as the folks at the Crystal Basin tasting room.
On par with the names of the wines, the wines themselves were silly and lacked skill or value. The wines were basic and schlocky.  Perhaps I shouldn't have high expectations for a wine tasting at a restaurant - but we were encouraged to visit and have a tasting from the folks at the winery. Go for the food, heck try the free wine tasting, but it's certainly something that you can "Fugedabout."
Experience: C+ / Wines: D

Bumgarner Winery ($5 tasting, wines $15-$39)
'11 "Silver Fork" Apple/Pear Hard Cider, '11 "Silver Fork" Rosé (Mourvedre/Barbera), '10 "Silver Fork" Mourvedre, '10 Touriga, '08 Tempranillo, '08 Petite Sirah, '08 Cabernet Sauvignon, '06 Cabernet Sauvignon
Bumgarner's tasting room is right around the corner from Crystal Basin Winery, but it's a very dramatic shift in style and mood. Their space is in a funky converted old barn, and it's hip-ly rustic on the inside. They have three wines on tap - which are the "Silver Fork" series, and folks can purchase bottles and have them refilled with those wines. Their wines are sourced from a handful of vineyards in the county.
In contrast to Crystal Basin, Bumgarner's wine is  serious. Even the Rosé was deeper and more grippy than I'm used to. I didn't enjoy the Tempranillo or the Touriga.  Both were off-balance and didn't have compelling flavors.  Here are my entire notes on the Petite Sirah: "Big, serious dude," and it sure as heck was. It seems like the winery's focus is on the Cabernet - and that was an interesting wine. Once again, it had very bold and dark tones, and definitely lacked the Cab smoothness that I like, but there was something fun about it. At 14.2% alcohol, the winemaker was definitely making an artistic choice to not let the grapes get overt and obnoxious with too much alcohol. In addition to enjoying the '08 Cab, I tried the '05, which was definitely in the same vein of the younger version, but not quite as good. My hope is that by laying the '08 down for a year or so, it will be a nice fella to enjoy on a rainy evening.
Experience: B / Wines: C+

Friday (Shenandoah Valley - Amador County)

Young's Vineyard (free tasting, wines $25-$32)
'11 Chardonnay, '11 Albariño, '10 Sangiovese, '10 Zinfandel, '09 Zin, '10 Syrah, '10 Barbera, '09 Cabernet Sauvignon, '10 Petite Sirah, NV Tawny Port
Young's gets very mixed review on Yelp, some ratings very good, others very bad. Most of the negative reviews said that the staff was snotty. The folks that liked the place said that the staff were nice, wine was good, and the grounds are beautiful. I'd have to agree with the latter group. The grounds at Young's are very serene - the hilly vineyard calmly slopes toward the winery, a beautiful pond, and plenty of outdoor seating for those that want to relax and take in the day. The tasting room has a modern and rustic feel. And we had absolutely no qualms with the staff. The guy that took care of us really took care of us. A bonus was the utterly massive dogs that were roaming the property and loping up to folks for pets. They looked like Golden Retrievers, but were like 120-140 pounds. Super sweet dogs.
And indeed the wines were good, though some were better than others. Across the board the wines showed restraint, especially in comparison to other wineries in the area. There was a nice variety to the flavors. The Syrah was the least enjoyable - high acidity and a clash of flavors. The Sangiovese was banging - tart but friendly. The exciting finish to the tasting was the Tawny Port. I don't frequent Ports, but this one was a lovely drink - approachable sweetness, and a fun nutty finish.
Experience: B / Wines: B

Terre Rouge and Easton Wines ($12 library tasting, wines $16-$95)
'09 Grenache Blanc, '09 "Vin Gris D'Amador" Rosé (Mourvedre/Grenache/Syrah), Easton '07 Zinfandel - Fiddletown, '09 "Tête-a-Tête" (Syrah/Mourvedre/Grenache), '06 Syrah - Sentinel Oak, '06 Syrah - High Slopes, Easton '04 Cabernet Sauvignon,
Library Tasting: '09 Viognier, '09 "Ascent" Syrah, '08 "Ascent" Syrah, '01 "Ascent" Syrah
Bill Easton, the winemaker of Terre Rouge / Easton has a reputation that proceeds him. He's one of the original Rhone Rangers - the folks that worked hard to bring Rhone style grapes (Syrah, Grenache, Viognier, etc.) to California. He's also one of the earliest winemakers to establish a winery in the Sierra Foothills. From all accounts, he's a master at making wine, and an ambassador for the wines of California. Since he's so well appreciated, it's no surprise that the tasting room was jam packed. As it turned out, every year on the day after Thanksgiving, the winery hosts a library tasting of it's premiere wine: "Ascent," hence the large crowd. We decided to do a regular tasting, then join the library tasting of the Ascent in the back room. We managed to find counter space, and were well attended to by the staff.
All of the wines were extremely well made - and worked with the regional characteristics (high acidity, tart fruit) rather than fighting against the flavors or letting a high alcohol level wash the subtle flavors away. According to a staff person, no Terre Rouge / Easton wine goes over a 14.5% alcohol level. Each wine was enjoyable and individualized. The '07 Zinfandel was an exciting wine to try because it comes from a vineyard that's nearly 150 years old. It was well balanced and flavorful. The Syrahs were excellent, especially the "High Slopes." I appreciated the fact that they were pouring and selling wines that had been aged a few more years that other wineries. It's a pet peeve of mine that wineries advise that you age a wine a number of years, perhaps to excuse how  underdeveloped it's tasting at that time. If the wine doesn't taste ready yet - don't pour it. I guess it has something to do with taxes paid by the wineries on unsold wine, but I appreciate Terre Rouge managing to work that out. In addition, even though the wines that were poured were aged, the didn't have a tired out quality, they tasted young and vibrant.
After enjoying the normal tasting, we shifted to the back room for the library tasting. Lo and behold, Bill Easton was the one doing the pouring. It appears that I'm becoming a huge wine fanboy, because I talked that dude's ear off for quite a while. He was very polite, and was kind enough to share loads of information about technique, regional history, and general viticulture.
The library wines were superb. The Viognier was solidly built - not fragile like many Viogniers - and very enjoyable. The "Ascent" Syrahs were mighty awesome. The '09 definitely needed time to age, but had very interesting levels and was excellent quality. The '08 was robust with tannins, and had a playful sweet fruit edge. The '01 was straight poetry. Despite it's age it was youthful. The tannin grip was mature, which provided a strong backbone. Acid and nice dark berry fruit slipped in happily.
Experience A- / Wines: B+

Jeff Runquist Wines (free tasting, wines $20-$28)
'10 Cabernet Franc, '10 "Z" Zinfandel, '10 Sangiovese, '10 Syrah, '10 Petite Sirah, '10 Souzao, '10 Tannat
Last stop of the day, and another packed joint. Runquist's tasting room was bursting at the seams. The tasting room is a large space with a wrap-around bar, and there were people three deep trying to taste wine. Thankfully the winery had a temporary bar in the barrel room, which was a bit more calm and easier to get pourings at. Jeff Runquist is a longtime winemaker, working for major wineries in Northern California. Eventually he decided to create his own wine, using grapes sourced from Amador County (Zinfandel), Paso Robles (Cabernet), Clarksburg (Petite Sirah), among others. 
There was definitely an interesting intersection of Runquist's wines that covered the places that I visited on this trip in El Dorado (Crystal Basin and Bumgarner) - big, dark & high overt acidity, while also showing off some of the restraint from the Amador wineries (Young's and Terre Rouge). The Zin was the pick of the litter with bold fruit and balanced acid. The Syrah was enjoyable, but was more of a crowd pleaser than an artistic wine. The Sangio was disappointing - it was rough and had too much toasty oak showing up throughout. It was neat to try some of the lesser known varietals - Souzao and Tannat,  though neither jumped out at me during the tasting as superb wines.
Experience: C+ / Wines: C+

After doing this trip a second time, the results were similar to the first trip, though a bit more refined. The majority of the wineries are wrangling the grapes grown there - dealing with high acidity and potentially high levels of alcohol. The low nutrient soils, and high elevation are helpful in forcing the grapevines to strain themselves which sends more high quality flavor to it's fruit. However the greater variety of temperatures in the growing season (near freezing in the spring and hot in the summer) versus the more moderate climates of the premiere growing regions in California means that it's more difficult to create superb wine. So it's interesting to see how the different wineries react to those constraints. Some wineries, like Crystal Basin create big, silly and friendly wines. Wineries like Bumgarner seem to come to grips with these issues, and make dark and acidic wines. Finally, wineries like Terre Rouge successful navigates the environmental circumstances and makes very talented wines that exhibit the most positive values of the region. The Gold Country is still a new wine region. Many wineries are still experimenting with which varietals are best grown. Zinfandel seems to have a home in the region, and Syrahs are gaining in popularity. Sangiovese and Petite Sirah also were bottled at many of the wineries.
I'm not sure that I'll be able to convince my in-laws to allow me to drag them along to tastings during the Thanksgiving break next year - it's becoming apparent that my sister-in-law, my wife and I are the only ones who get a kick out of these. But I won't give up quietly. Admittedly, not all of the wineries are amazing, but there's an authenticity to the wineries that I thoroughly enjoy. While there are a few places that are held by hyper-corporate conglomerates, most are family owned and operated. And in some instances, the winemaker will even be around, and you can yammer at them incessantly, like I love to do.

November '11 Gold Country Trip - Some Things to be Thankful For

Every Thanksgiving we head up to my in-laws who live in El Dorado County. It's always a relaxing trip, so I figured I could explore the area wineries during the down-time. Our plan for months prior was an all family drive out to Amador County on Friday, the Wednesday trip was a spur-of-the-moment drive that my brother-in-law and I did when nothing else was going on.

Wednesday (Apple Hill - El Dorado County)

Lava Cap Winery ($5 reserve tasting, wines $18-$30)
'09 Viognier Reserve, '09 "American River Red" Cuvée (Syrah/Merlot/Cab Franc/Zin), '07 Zinfandel Reserve, '07 "Rocky Draw" Zinfandel, '09 Syrah, '08 Petite Sirah.
A few years back we had our wedding near Placerville. Some friends from LA came up for the wedding and stayed at a Bed & Breakfast in Placerville. The owners of the B&B recommended that they check out Lava Cap. Our friends had a great time visiting the winery and recommended that we stop by sometime. Lava Cap has a great view off their deck and a warm/low-key tasting room. It was the day before Thanksgiving, so the tasting room was pretty busy. There were a total of fifteen wines to choose from, split between the regular list and the reserve list. I opted toward the reserve tasting but wasn't wowed by the wines. The flavors were all pretty basic. I enjoyed the Peitite Sirah most and the Zins were pretty good as well.
Experience: B- / Wine: C+

Boeger Winery (free tasting, wines $15-$19)
'09 "Boejerlais", '07 Cabernet Franc, '09 Barbera, '07 Zinfandel, '08 Zinfandel - Walker Ranch Vineyard, '08 Petite Sirah.
Like Lava Cap, Boeger is in the Apple Hill area near Placerville. Apple Hill is a popular tourist area in the fall, so the tasting room here was busy as well. Boeger's pretty well set up to handle large crowds - they have a very long counter and plenty of open space. The staff were efficient and helpful. The regular tasting list had eleven wines on it, we were able to choose six. I was excited to try the "Boejerlais" - their version of a Beaujolais - it was light and refreshing. Overall the wines were pretty good, a little more complex than the wines at Lava Cap. The Cab Franc and the Zins were slightly too hot. Dug the Petite Sirah.
Experience: B / Wine: B-

Cielo Estate (free tasting)
'09 Vermentino, NV Quatre Vignes (Syrah/Grenache/Counoise/Mourvedre), '06 Carignane, '09 Magnifique (Merlot/Cab Franc/Cab), '08 Zinfandel Reserve - Herbert Vineyard, '09 Petite Sirah Reserve - Herbert Vineyard.
Cielo is a brand new winery. They just took over the old Sogno vineyard during the spring. It's an easy drive to Cielo from my in-laws, so I was hopeful that the winery would be decent. The have a very airy tasting room, and have a number of trinkets for sale. We were the only visitors and the time, and Nicole was a very engaging and fun host. There were sixteen wines to chose five tastings from. Since the winery is so new, none of the grapes used in the wines are from the estate yet. They are sourcing from a number of locations around the state currently. I appreciated the fact that the made wines that were different from the normal varieties of Gold Country wines. Overall the wines were good, especially the red blends - and the prices were very reasonable.
Experience: B- / Wine: C+

Friday (Shenandoah Valley - Amador County)

Story Winery (free tasting, wines $14-$26)
'10 "Miss Rose", '09 Chenin Blanc, '08 "Quartz" Zinfandel, '07 "Picnic Hill" Zinfandel, '08 "Hilltop" Zinfandel, NV Almond Sparkling Wine.
It's definitely a red flag when a winery has both White Zin and Almond Champagne on their tasting list. Putting that aside, Story is a cool little winery. They have a nice deck on the hillside and an intimate tasting room. The staff were extremely helpful. I did not think highly of any of the wines. Most of the wines were clunky and simple. I did appreciate that they were using mission grapes to blend in a few of the wines as a nod to the history of California and the region - though those blends did not taste great. The zins were okay, the "Quartz" was the best of the lot.
Experience: B / Wine: C-

Cooper Vineyards (free tasting, wines $17-$32)
'10 Pinot Grigio, '10 Viognier, '10 Roussanne, '09 Barbera, '09 Barbera Riserva, '08 Alicante Bouschet, '08 Zinfandel, '08 Petite Sirah, '07 Syrah, '07 "Dicembre" (late harvest Alicante Bouchet), '10 "Pink" (Sauv Blanc/Pinot Grigio/Viognier).
Cooper was my favorite winery on this visit. They have an airy and well spaced out tasting room. They had piles of walnuts out for folks to take home that had been harvested that morning from the Cooper orchard. The white wines were not great. The Barberas were pretty good. We enjoyed the Alicante and the Zin quite a bit. I'd never heard of the Alicante grape before, so it was neat to try. The late harvest Alicante was good as well. The staff were all really friendly and excited to share what they knew about wine. I definitely got the feeling that Cooper is a winery that puts a lot of energy into making good quality wine and sharing it with people as though they are friends and family.
Experience: B+ / Wine: B+

Terra d'Oro Winery (free tasting, wines $10-$30)
Montevina '10 Sauvignon Blanc, '08 Barbera, '08 Sangiovese, '06 Forté (Sangiovese/Cab), '08 Aglianico, '09 Aglianico, '09 Teroldego, '08 Zinfandel, '07 SHR Zinfandel, '07 Deaver Old Vine Zinfandel, NV Zinfandel Port.
So far, Terra d'Oro is the most corporate winery I've experienced in the Gold Country area. They have a huge winemaking complex out front, and then a large warehouse-y tasting room in the back. The place lacks any true personality, everything is very superficial. They are more than gracious with their wines at the tasting. Both the Terra d'Oro wines, and the Montevina wines (their budget label) have long tasting lists that you are free to try anything on the lists. Most of the wine was decent, but not above that. The Anglianico was the most enjoyable to drink.
Experience: C- / Wine: C-

Helwig Vineyards & Winery (free tasting, wines $15-$35)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc, '10 Viognier, '10 Syrah Rosé, '09 "Round Up Red" (Syrah/Zin/Primotivo), '09 "East Block" Zinfandel, '09 "Sea of Grapes" Zinfandel, '09 Petite Sirah.
Helwig is a brand new winery. The ownership has had a vineyard in the area for a while, but only recently decided to purchase these grounds and build a full winery. The grounds of the winery are stunning. The buildings sit on top of a knoll, and have panoramic views of the Shenandoah Valley. The buildings and cave are smartly designed and have a subtle modern feel. The staff person we had was nice. The red wines were good, especially the "Round Up" and the "East Block."
Experience: B / Wine: B

Driving around in the foothills and popping into wineries for tastings is a great way to spend time with family. The scenery, especially in the fall is idyllic. For the most part the El Dorado and Amador County wineries are very personable. The wineries were well attended during the holiday week, and it was fun to chat with other visitors about which wineries to check out. We weren't knocked off our feet by the wines that we tried this time around, wines were a bit too clunky, or too hot - but it's still a wonderful experience. There are many more wineries to explore in the area, and we look forward to trying a lot more out during future holiday trips.

September '11 El Dorado County Trip - Exploring the In-Laws Backyard

A few times each year we head up to El Dorado County to spend time with my wife's family. During our recent visit over Labor Day weekend, we decided to check out a few of the local wineries. Gold Country is considered a minor wine region, so I wasn't expecting Sonoma/Napa quality - but I was curious what the wine tasting experience would be like.

Saturday (Gold Hill)


David Girard Vineyard (free tasting)
'09 Coda Blanc (Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, Rolle, Viognier), '09 Rousanne, '09 Viognier-Roussanne, '08 Rosé (Grenache/Mourvedre), '09 Grenache, '09 Triptych (Syrah, Grenache, Counoise), '08 Riv d'Or (Cab/Merlot).
There is a very welcoming atmosphere at David Girard. There's a nice outside patio for the guests, a playground for kids, even a dog walk. It being Labor Day weekend, the tasting room was very busy - and the staff was a bit flustered by that, even with that they were very nice. I was not stoked at all about the wine. Everything felt out of balance. Wine was either oaky, artificial, too fruity, or flat.
Experience: B- / Wines: D

Sunday (Pleasant Valley)

Narrow Gate Vineyards ($3 reserve tasting, wines $18-$34)
'09 Chardonnay, '09 Reserve Chardonnay, '09 Viognier-Roussanne, '08 Grenache, '08 Syrah, '09 Primotivo, '08 Petit Sirah-Syrah, '08 Syrah-Viognier, '07 Dunamis (Grenache/Syrah), '07 Cabernet Sauvignon.
After our visit at David Girard, I was getting a bit worried that El Dorado County wine was not good. Narrow Gate put that fear to rest. I wouldn't say that their wine was excellent, but it was pretty good - especially the whites and the 'Dunamis.' The owners - Frank and Teena Hildebrand were working in the tasting room, and were more than excited to share their certified-biodynamic wines.  It was a warm and friendly place. Every person that came was welcomed as if they were family.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B-

Holly's Hill Vineyards ($5 reserve tasting, wines $18-$25)
'09 Patriarche Blanc (Roussanne/Grenache Blanc/Viognier), '09 Roussanne, '10 Viognier, '10 Grenache Rosé, '10 Grenache, '09 Patriarche (Mourvedre/Syrah/Grenache/Counoise), '09 Petit Patriache (Grenache/Counoise), '09 Mourvedre, '09 Mourvedre Classique, '07 Hill Top Syrah, '08 Wylie-Fenaughty Syrah, '08 East Slope Syrah, '08 Cabernet-Syrah, '08 Petite Sirah, '09 Late Harvest Roussanne.
Yeah that's right, fifteen wines on the tasting list - eleven on the 'no charge' list. It was a crazy amount of wine - and the pours seemed to be considerably more than and normal tasting. But I'm pretty sure that my judgement wasn't clouded - Holly's Hill is a darn good winery. It's a beautiful space overlooking the foothills with picnic tables and a nice deck. They had perhaps the friendliest winery dog I've ever met. The wines were all at least pretty good and some were very good. Most had slight imbalance issues, but were overall enjoyable to drink, and were all reasonably priced. Holly's Hill is what I was hoping for in an El Dorado County winery: solid, unassuming, fun, and original.
Experience: A- / Wines: B+

Joining us for our winery visits was my father-in-law. He's aware of our wine infatuation but has been resolute that he's strictly a beer and whiskey man. We persuaded him to come out with us to the tastings, just to give it a shot. I was nervous that if the wineries were snobby, or if the wines were bad, he would have been unwilling to join us for future wine trips. Thankfully we found some solid and down-to-earth wineries in El Dorado County, and will likely have my father-in-law joining us in the future.