Gold Country Wineries

Hello again. Well day two in Murphys started out a little cloudy and I don't mean the sky!  Actually the weather in the Gold Country was quite beautiful that morning.  We were lucky enough to stay at my friends brother's home up above Murphys and had a wonderful view of the hillsides!  Our first stop of the day was for breakfast in Murphys on Main Street.  We went to Grounds. It was a lovely place with inside and outside seating.  We enjoyed the morning outside with Bloody Mary's and Mimosa's.  The second day at Murphys (there is no apostrophe; you will read why when you click on the link) was saved to visit the outlying areas of the Gold Country.  At breakfast we mapped out the wineries we wanted to visit.  But before we left Main Street we stopped at one last winery, Frog's Tooth. They had some lovely wines and the staff was very nice!

Now we are off to visit the first Gold Country wineries off of Main Street, Ironstone Vineyards. 
Ironstone is a very large winery with a huge tasting room/deli, a museum and an amphitheatre where they hold concerts.  When you first enter Ironstone you see these amazing wine barrels planted with tulips and daffodils. It is so beautiful and I couldn't get over the amazing colors.  We were tasting a few wines when in walked a gold mine - really he was!  He showed us the gold he had taken from the river, but he wouldn't tell us where for fear we would want to start panning for gold.  He was a very interesting character with many stories. Ironstone has gold panning on their property. 

As we were  getting ready to leave, John Kautz (Kautz family owns Ironstone Vineyards) came in. I introduced myself and he offered to give us a tour of the jewelry shoppe/museum.  The museum is filled with historical artifacts. Here is John showing us some of the many historical pieces he has curated for the museum.  One he is especially proud of is the Gold Leaf specimen.  It is housed in a bank safe-type room for temperature and security reasons.   We then set off to visit some other wineries, Indian Rock and Coppermine.  Indian Rock is a small winery with a lovely pond to have a picnic around.  On Saturdays they BBQ for their winery guests.  Indian Rock had a lovely Barbera that made its way home with me!  Coppermine was next. They provided you with pub tables to do your tasting.  They also paired their wine with potato chips and chocolate. I could not have asked for a better combination!!  Last but not least we went to visit Twisted Oak Winery.  You drive up a twisted road with many roadside attractions along the way.   It is a fun drive through the vineyards and it overlooks the hills of the Gold Country. 

Here we tasted a few wines that were not in their tasting room on Main Street.  As we left the winery there is a large frog that looks like a rubber chicken. In our travels we saw a few of these large frogs and the story is that Calaveras County (where Murphys is located) is known for their jumping frog contests.  So here we are at our last stop with a frog that looks like a rubber chicken!

As we are leaving I stop to take one more picture and I feel like I am on top of the world or at least
"Queen of The Sierra."  
 

It was a wonderful two days in the Gold Country.  It is easily a day trip and you can stay at one of the Sacramento area hotels and enjoy one day visiting Sacramento, California, attractions, like Old Sacramento.  Or make a weekend of it and stay in one of the lovely and quaint Gold Country hotels!!  That is all for now.   I hope you enjoyed the tale of Murphys. Until next time, CHEERS!!

Hello all you lovers of wine!!  I know many of you have been to wineries in California and in asking around I found that several of my co-workers and friends have been to Murphys in Calaveras County.  Well, I had not until now!!  Murphys is in the Gold Country and is known as the Queen of Sierra. 

I am excited to get to talk about Murphys but I must start at the beginning.  My girlfriends and I left
Sacramento on Saturday morning.  We were in the car 10 minutes and made a stop at Lidos Bar & Grill in Carmichael. I told the girls we didn't get very far. in Lidos we planned our trip and within the hour we were on the road with The Sacramento Regional Wine Tasting Guide and Map and heading towards the Gold Country and the town of Murphys!  One of my friends grew up near Murphys and she loves wine so I knew I was in good hands! 

The drive at this time of year was absolutely beautiful; all the hillsides were green and they looked like green velvet blankets!  We arrived in Murphy's in about 90 minutes.  We drove down Main Street in Murphys where you see several wine tasting rooms, quaint shops and restaurants and Gold Country Hotels.  We parked and began the day with our first winery, Twisted Oak.  They served us some lovely wines. Most of the reds were of the Spanish varietal.  We were told that the owner was talking about one of his wines and stated that it pairs with chicken. He said, "it's so good it would pair with a rubber chicken!" (We didn't actually have any rubber chickens to eat.)

Our next stop was Newsome-Harlow Wines. The first wine we tasted was their Sauvignon Blanc, one of my favorite varietals. It was lovely and several bottles were enjoyed at the tasting room and will be enjoyed at home.  Newsome-Harlow has several other delicious  wines. One red I really enjoyed was named Train Wreck, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah! There is a wonderful outside patio and we were told that on sunny warm days it is the place to be.  We were also treated to their restaurant The Kitchen, it is adjacent to the tasting room and is open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays. The other days it is used for their wine club. All these wineries we are visiting are on Main Street in Murphys, so we are taking a nice stroll looking at the quaint shops, restaurants and the unique Gold Country hotels available for your enjoyment.

Now we get to eat dinner. There are a lot of nice restaurants to choose from, we chose Mineral because my girlfriend is a
vegetarian and she knew the chef. Here we are enjoying our dinner, I chose the Mineral Burger which was delicious. We brought in a Barbera that we purchased from Hatcher and had a lovely dinner with old and new friends 

That is the end of Day One in Murphys. I hope you enjoyed reading about Main Street in Murphys, Queen of the Sierra. The next day we visit some of the Gold Country wineries that surround Murphys! You will see at the end of Day Two why I thought I was Queen of the Sierra!!

The SCVB is constantly signing on new partners that can be beneficial to your group.  We are able to work with our partners to give your groups the best possible experiences in Sacramento for the best price.  We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a few of our new partners.

• Gold Country Wine Tours takes visitors on an unforgettable wine tour through the beautiful Gold Country.  The Sierra Foothills of Amador County offer some of the most beautiful sites and oldest vineyards in Northern California.  These vineyards offer a great wine tasting experience, less commercialized and less congested than Napa or Sonoma.

• Earthtrek Expeditions outfits adventurous travelers for rafting trips on the American River.  Established in 1977, Earthtrek has been providing professional and quality services to rafters for the last 30 years.  Eartrek’s base is located less than one hour from downtown Sacramento and is a perfect fit for our more adventurous groups.

• Sacramento Children’s Museum opened its doors for the first time this month to excited children and grateful parents.  This stimulating and educational center is designed for children from birth to age 8.  The Sacramento Children’s Museum believes that “play” is part of a child’s “work.”  The SCVB is excited to have this new museum as a partner and a possible destination for your groups with younger children.

Our relationships with our partners allow us to be able to get you the best deal – at no cost to you. Please email us at tourism@discovergold.org to learn more about how the SCVB can organize the best possible visit to any of our new partners. 

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		Music: Asobi Seksu Blue Lamp Lounge May 31 Tues 8:30pm Haven't heard of Asobi Seksu? Don't miss your chance to see this New York City-based band here in Sacramento! Using a textured and effects-heavy vocal and guitar sound, Asobi Seksu creates dreamy, pleasing pop music. Find out more>
		Music: Hot Lunch Concert Series: Musical Charis Fremont Park June 2-Sept 1 Thursdays 11:30am-1pm The Hot Lunch series kicks off this week and carries on through summer, so grab your lunch (consider the Hot Lunch special from Hot Italian!) and head over for an afternoon of free music in the park. This week features Musical Charis. Find out more>
		Theatre: Broadway Sacramento's Mary Poppins Community Center Theater June 2-June 19 Tues/Wed/Fri 8pm; Thurs & Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm *Additional 7:30pm showing on 6/5 The world's most famous nanny arrives in Sacramento. Combining the best of the original stories by P. L. Travers and the beloved Walt Disney film, the Tony Award-winning Mary Poppins is everything you'd hope for in a Broadway musical-and more. Find out more>
		Festivals: Doggy Dash & Bark at the Park Festival William Land Park June 4 Sat 7:30am-1:30pm Come for the 2K or 5K walk and stay for the SPCA's Bark at the Park Festival, where you can enter your canine pal in the Pup Show, high-flying disc contest, or the ever-popular pug races! Find out more>
		Festivals: Sacramento Entertainment Fair Studio 24, Inc. June 4 Sat 10am-4pm This is an extremely interactive event with live performances by entertainment groups, demonstrations of filmmaking with equipment and actors, teleprompter and green screen, voiceover recording in studio, and much more. Keep an eye out for the Sacramento365.com table & come say hi! Find out more>
		Festivals: Sacramento Pride Capitol Mall Greens June 4 Sat 10am-6pm *Dance Pavilion open until 8pm The parade kicks off the event with the festival after, featuring entertainment from Miss Coco Peru, Raquela, Jovi Radtke, and other live personalities, a high-energy dance pavilion, Kid's Zone and Carnival, hundreds of exhibitors and food vendors, and more. Find out more>
		Festivals: Art Happens... Sacramento Arts Complex June 4 Sat 11am-9pm "Art Happens..." shows the art of wine, beer, coffee, visuals, music, and more. Enjoy tastings from local wineries and breweries, musical performances, art on display and for sale, and various booths with art experiences for adults and children alike. Find out more>
		Food & Wine: Raley's Grape Escape Cesar Chavez Park June 4 Sat 4pm-7pm Grape Escape brings the most delicious products from eight counties together at one all-inclusive event to celebrate the region's award winning wine country and highly-touted local cuisine. Featuring more than 100 gold country wineries and restaurants including wine and food tastings, a chef's cooking competition, and live music and art displays. Find out more>
		Music: Pops in the Park: Tom Rigney & Flambeau McKinley Park June 4 Sat 6pm-9pm Pops in the Park is a free, family-friendly concert series held every Saturday in June at various parks. Bring a picnic and enjoy the sounds of Tom Rigney & Flambeau-a hot roots music band playing Cajun, zydeco, blues, and New Orleans music. Find out more>
		Sports & Rec: Seersucker Ride Meets at Revolution Wines June 5 Sun Meet 11am; Ride Noon Dress in your seersucker best and join on a leisurely community ride through Sacramento. The Seersucker Ride traverses from Revolution Wines, over to Land Park to enjoy a picnic, live music, and games, and then heads out to the Crocker Art Museum before finishing at de Vere's Irish Pub. Find out more>

 
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The Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau just released the revised Sacramento Regional Wine Tasting Guide & Map. 

Upon my return from my two week vacation in Southern California I decided to end it with a trip to some surrounding Sacramento Wineries.  I wanted to show a friend some different areas to taste wine so we took the new Sacramento Wine Tasting Guide & Map and decided to check out Amador County!  It was a beautiful Sunday for wine tasting.  We followed the directions on the map to get to Amador County; the directions took us through some beautiful rolling hills and farmland and we drove into the town of Plymouth.  The first winery we stopped at was Wilderotter Vineyards, a small quaint winery.  They are known for their Sauvignon Blanc, as they should be; it was delicious, so we purchased a bottle.  Next we went to Bella Piazza a beautiful winery, larger then the first.  It was their wine club pick up day so they were serving free lunch to their wine club members. 
From there we went to Vino Noceto winery and that is where the fun began, not that is was not fun before, but we ran into some friends from Sacramento. That is him in his cowboy hat and gold caddy!!  
Outside of Vino Noceto winery sits a fun statue which doesn't have a lot to do with wine but it is a conversation piece. It came from Doggy Diner which the owners of the winery purchased for minimal dollars and have been offered several thousands for it, but will not sell it.  The wines were great and we enjoyed their 2008 Nutz, a Sangiovese blend under the label Tutti i Giorni, meaning "everyday" in Italian. It too was exquiste, and was purchased by us! Our next stop was Andis Winery, which is right across the street from Vino Noceto.  You can't miss this winery as the building is brand new and state-of-the-art.  They offer some lovely wines and for all those beer lovers, they have an IPA on tap....and they keg a Petite Sirah so you can buy a pint of beer or a glass of wine and sit outside, as we did with lunch and good conversation.  The grounds are lovely and there are vineyards everywhere you turn! 

Now we are off to our last stop: Cooper Vineyards, another small lovely winery. We arrived as they were about to close, but we arrived in time to taste one of the best Barbera's we had all day!  The highlight of this last stop was meeting the owner of the the vineyards, Mr. Dick Cooper, and some of his family members.   We ended the day on a high note. But wait, there was one more stop which just happened to appear without even planning for it. 

On the way home we put in our home address in the GPS and, low and behold, it took us to Poor Reds. My friend had never been to this well-known establishment which is known for a drink called the "Gold Cadillac." 

All in all a wonderful day...a Sunday, Funday to remember!  There are many more wineries in Amador County and it warrants a trip back to check out the others.  My recommendation is to plan out an area on the map and enjoy that particular group of wineries, bring a lunch and a designated driver.  It is beautiful country and great for some surrounding Sacramento outdoor activities and enjoying some different wineries in California!

I hope you found this helpful in your wine tasting adventures in the Sacramento area. 

I plan to visit Calaveras County for the next blog!! 

Until then.....cheers!!

Until recently the adjective 'cowtown' made Sacramentans cringe. It unfairly reduced our bounty of gold country wineries, outdoor recreation and sports, and cosmopolitan city living to … commodity cows and draft animals. Well, we invite you to join our revolution, to rightly respect our agricultural neighbors for nourishing and fueling our daily lives.

With 320 days of sunshine a year, the Sacramento region is a jewel with urban and rural facets. Area chefs (professional and amateur) are quick to recognize local growers who bring high-quality vegetables, fruits, meats, beers and wines to their dining rooms. Locals and visitors alike, whet your appetites as you consider your next culinary experience in California’s capital.

Rather than equip you with a laundry list of good eats, let me highlight the gourmet ghettos and allow you to discover tasty treasures for yourself:

·         Savor Old Sacramento’s fine dining scene even if you didn’t bring your Sunday best.

Dine on the riverfront or in a number of restored, historic buildings.

·         Bound by 11^th and 16^th streets, near K & L streets, enjoy a variety of cuisines near the Sacramento Convention Center and the State Capitol. Anchors include The Park Downtown (15^th & L), The Firestone (16^th & L), and The Elliott Building (16^th Street, between J & K).

·         L Street & Capitol Avenue between 18^th & 21^st streets are the veins of Midtown's Handle District.  

·         The Sutter District surrounds Sutter’s Fort, but its artery is 28^th Street, between J and N.

·         Explore Midtown along J Street, bound by 18^th and 28^th streets, and R Street between 14th & 15th.
Note: MARRS, on 20^th Street between J & K, is not as distant as we once thought.

·         Tower Café reigns at the heart of the ethnic food enclave on Broadway, between Riverside Blvd. and 26^th Street. Thanks to Capital Public Radio, the local NPR affiliate, for this preview.

·         Luxury defines Financial District dining on Capitol Mall, bound by 4^th and 7^th streets.

On the verge of a food coma as you daydream about a decadent meal? Book accommodations and ask for VIP treatment at these Sacramento Gold Card hotels.

Calling all foodies, wine connoisseurs, fortune-hunters, nomads, and fiscal conservatives. From July 2-11, Sacramento’s premier restaurants will be offering 3 to 4-course menus with wine pairings starting as low as $25 per person during our annual Wine & Dine!

This is the time to experience Sacramento dining and actually try the restaurants you drive by on your way to work but only window shop and sigh because it doesn’t seem like the responsible choice of spending. Like the red tag sales at Macy’s we eagerly await, this is the foodie/wine sale for all of Sacramento locals and visitors to enjoy.

Restaurants from Old Sacramento to downtown, Midtown to Roseville, El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay, Folsom, Woodland and Plymouth are participating in this years Wine & Dine.

Pan Seared Salmon (Cafeteria 15L), Grilled 8oz Prime Angus Sirloin (Chops), Roasted Chicken Breast stuffed with Parmesan risotto and asparagus (Ten 22), Blueberry Pistachio Encrusted Lamb Rack (Enotria)…are you salivating!? Map out your dining conquest at www.sacramentowineanddine.com where you can check out all the restaurants, menus, wine offerings, and make reservations.

Whether it's a girl's night out, a date night, or simply an addition to your Sacramento nightlife, everyone should take advantage of Wine & Dine week:

Girl’s Night!
Girlfriends, wine, food, and chocolate desserts: the unconditional love of every woman’s life. Take advantage of this opportunity and plan a girl’s night (or a few for that matter) that embrace all of our favorites. Make sure to check out the dark chocolate smores at Sienna Restaurant!

Single? Now’s the Time to Mingle
Looking to impress that special someone you’ve had your eye on? Take her to a four-star restaurant such as Ella or Grange for half the price! Engage in good conversation over a few glasses of great wine from various wineries in California and don’t go broke doing it.

Date Night with the Wife
Getting a babysitter and deciding where and what you want to do is often overwhelming for the average family goer. The mere thought of getting out the door to go on a date exhausts you in itself. But every couple needs a little alone time, so, don’t make excuses. www.sacramentowineanddine.com  makes it easy: find a restaurant nearby, look at the menus, the wines, the price points, choose your favorite and make reservations all through the click of your mouse.

Baby Booming Venture
You love your food and wine, you know your food and wine, and you’re always looking for new culinary experiences. Use this time to explore Sacramento’s dining scene and viticulture stemming from Napa Valley and Gold Country wineries. Ten days of Wine & Dine equals 10 opportunities for you to cash in on. Map out your dining destinations and explore the city you live in (or if you're not from here) plan the perfect Sacramento culinary vacation!

Whatever your situation may be, check out www.sacramentowineanddine.com, and make sure to post comments about your experience(s).

You’ve seen them as many times as I have:  These Internet “lists” that rank the best places in the world to propose marriage, ride a bike, raise kittens, open a small business or drink the best beer in the world. Actually, I made that last one up but am game to see the beer list. Seriously, I’m begging you.

This morning I was sent one of those lists (courtesy of Portfolio.com) that ranked The Top 100 Fun Cities: From shops, to food, to sports, and to culture, these are the hot spots for having a blast.   Being a fan of fun things myself, I was intrigued to finally have a roadmap of where the fun lives! This summer is really shaping up to be a winner, I thought to myself.

And then I read the list, which made me question if my definition of fun is shared by the rest of the country. 

I’ve always approached life with the idea that most things are what you make of them. When traveling for business, I typically find a way to have fun in whichever city I’m visiting. I like live music (you already know of my affinity for beer) and can typically fill that want in most cities across the country.  But from an intuitive standpoint, I wondered what the criteria of making this list actually was. 

Some of the higher ranked cities seemed obvious:  New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco. Yep, been to all three and had fun each time. Makes sense.  But then the wheels fell off. 

Ranked in the top 25 were exceptionally fun cities like Providence, Poughkeepsie and Madison. Now I don’t know about you but I wasn’t aware that the smiles were that contagious in Wisconsin. And frankly, Poughkeepsie sounds like a made up name and cities that aren’t real can’t be all that much fun.

In reality, those cities may indeed be the epicenter of fun and I am merely making fun of their alleged fun ranking. But here’s where this list makes no sense:  Las Vegas is ranked at 26 and Orlando is ranked at 42. 

Really? 

Just so I’m clear, the folks at Portfolio.com are telling me that Pittsburgh, Bridgeport, Milwaukee, and Detroit are more fun than Vegas or Disneyworld? Who did they survey for this? The Mayors of Pittsburgh, Bridgeport, Milwaukee, and Detroit?

Sacramento (the City that I have year-round fun in) made the list at 48.   Not quite as good as Cincinnati or Dallas but better than Toledo and Wichita. As an aside, we are considering that line as our new marketing tag. “Not quite as good as Cincinnati or Dallas but better than Toledo and Wichita!” 

I personally rank Sacramento higher than 48. Sacramento and the Gold Country have more than 200 wineries. That’s spells fun right there.  We have visual, performing and some just plain odd works of art in Sacramento, too.  We have miles of running trails, two rivers, a lake with tons of boats and water skiers. We have expensive, moderate-priced and free events in Sacramento. 

There is lots of movie filming in Sacramento, one-of-a-kind history in Old Sacramento and some of the best farm to table restaurants that I’ve ever been to; I’m told by a local restaurant owner that everything that most people eat in this country grows within 100 miles of Sacramento. That sounds fun. Or unique. Whatever. 

These lists are subjective, for sure. To some, Paris may very well be a great place to propose marriage. But chances are, the best place to propose marriage is the place where your significant other said yes.   At least that’s the way it works for me.

Most every city can be a blast (especially Sacramento) if you know what you like.  With that said, I think I’d rank Sacramento as 6^th best place for fun in the country. Right behind New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Orlando.