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Forget Napa and Sonoma! The new happening place for excellent wines is Amador County in California, south of Lake Tahoe and north of Yosemite. This beautiful region is just about two and a half hours' drive away from San Francisco and one hour from Sacramento. Its warm, sunny climate, beautifully flowered landscape and green rolling hills make it not only a breathtaking place to visit but also is conducive to growing some fine quality grapes for wine making.
The area sits at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and was the focus of fortune seekers during the famed Gold Rush of the 1850's. Many of these adventurers searching for gold came from Europe. In order to cater to the Europeans' taste for wine, some small wineries started up here. Some of those old vineyards planted back then still survive to this day. Two major blows to the fledgling wine industry in Amador County, however, caused its original decline. One was the closing of the gold mines at the end of the 1800's and then Prohibition in 1920, which made alcoholic beverages illegal. It took forty more years before the wine industry was reborn in Amador Country by the new adventurers and entrepreneurs who were attracted to this region because of its climate and the volcanic soil they knew was ideal for producing robust grapes. |
| Today, between 25 and 40 wineries in the area produce some excellent wines, and are well known primarily for their red Zinfandels. Because Amador County wineries are generally smaller than those in Napa or Sonoma, the experience is much more up close and personal - a chance to talk to the vintners themselves. The small town in the center of this rural countryside in the Shenandoah Valley is Plymouth, and the majority of the wineries are spread out along Shenandoah Road just northeast of Plymouth. The landscape is dotted with oak trees, orchards, wild flowers and, of course, vineyards. The gobbling of wild turkeys and the warbling of lovely birds add to the bucolic atmosphere. M ost of the wineries are within a short drive of one another. The area's biggest is Sutter Home's Montevina winery, known primarily for its Zinfandel and Barbera varietals. They opened a new 64,000-square-foot winery last year with a tasting room. Another celebrated Amador winery is Renwood Wines. |
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Phill Christian of The Eccentric Gourmet in Anthem is a big fan of Amador County wines. He particularly likes the wines of the Shenandoah and Vino Noceto wineries. The Vino Noceto winery specializes in Sangiovese red wine from the Tuscany region of Italy. Shenandoah specializes in organic wines. Organic and biodynamic farming does not add chemicals and so the wine grown here is natural. Although there is some sulfide naturally present in the red grape, its minimal amount should not be a bother to those unfortunate wine lovers who are sulfide-allergic. "Shenandoah has great zinfandels," Phil says. "Since the fruit ripens so well in California, the wines here have a better balance of acidic content and fruit, so their red wines are very good with food."
The wine industry in the United States has gotten away from naming wines after the regions of France and Italy, such as Burgundy or Chianti. Since the French got into a huff about it, the practice now is to name wines after a particular grape, rather than a region. So, you will see wines now referred to as "Syrah" or "Barbera" rather than "Burgundy" or "Bordeaux." In addition to the Shenandoah and Vino Noceto wines, Phil also carries Young's Vineyard barbera, zinfandel and syrah wines.
There are lots of other things to do in Amador County beside sample the grape. There are the fascinating old Gold Rush towns ot Amador City, Jackson, Volcano and Sutter Creek. Sutter Creek, in particular has a rich history filled with interesting characters as John Sutter himself, for whom the town is named, old and mean Hetty Green, who was at the time the richest woman in the world, and Leland Stanford, who struck it rich in gold mining and then went on to become a railroad baron, a U. S. Senator, founder of Stanford University and Governor of California.
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The arts are represented well here, with many art galleries, museums and antique shops to visit. There are also several very good theater groups - Sutter Creek Main Street Theatre Works , the Volcano Theatre Company and the Sutter Creek Entertainment Company . Springtime brings spectacular flower shows on Daffodil Hill and the Amador Flower Farm , which is open year-round. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy sports like hiking, biking and golf amidst the breathtaking scenery of the Sierra Nevada foothills. There are also three beautiful lakes in the area - Lake Camanche , Lake Amador and Lake Pardee - where one can enjoy great boating and fishing.
One needs good food to go with all that good wine, and the visitor will not be disappointed in the restaurants here in Amador County. Susan's Place Wine Bar & Eatery and Caffe Via D'Oro in Sutter Creek, both serve delicious cuisine. The Imperial Hotel in Amador City serves its seasonally changing California menu in a restaurant whose décor is reminiscent of turn-of-the century ambiance. |
There are some very charming and lovely bed and breakfast inns, mostly in Sutter Creek, where you can rest your weary head at the end of the day. The Eureka Street Inn is a 1914 Craftsman building with four guest rooms with private baths, a porch and gardens and full breakfast to enjoy. The Hanford Inn is an ivy-covered historic mansion of eight rooms and five suites that come equipped with fireplaces and whirlpool tubs for two - just the thing for honeymooners or for a comfortable and relaxing getaway. A rooftop sundeck, which overlooks the beautiful foothills and a shady patio provide restful retreats for readers and dreamers. The Foxes Inn is an old and gracious Victorian inn, dating back to 1857. It was named the "Best Bed and Breakfast" in the state of California and one of the top ten in the country in 2003 and 2004 by America's Best Online. The inn is noted for its delicious gourmet breakfasts, which are served on elegant silver service in each guest room or in their delightful garden. The town of Plymouth has the Plymouth House , another Victorian home dating back to the turn of the century. The house was originally built by a Dr. E. V. Tiffany, who discovered gold under this very house. The mineshaft is now the Mine Shaft Bar within the inn. A gourmet breakfast is also offered and there's even a real carousel for fun and photo opportunities.
So, while the Napa and Sonoma areas in California are still beautiful spots for you wine aficionados to visit and sample wine, open your door to a new wine country experience - Amador.
INFO> www.amadorwine.com |
