Amador Vintners: Barbera Festival and Big Crush

AMADOR VINTNERS HOSTS THE 8TH annual Barbera Festival on September 15 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the historic Terra d’Oro Winery in Amador wine country. The outdoor wine and food festival will allow guests to sample barbera wines from more than 70 wineries from across California, enjoy local craft beer, gourmet food from top restaurants […]

Iron Hub Winery: An Authentic Wine Country Experience

IRON HUB WINERY ILLUSTRATES WHY we love Sierra Foothills wineries: The Amador County winery is family owned; it is home to a veteran winemaker, who graduated from UC Davis’ school of viticulture and enology; it is set on a hillside vineyard with a sleek tasting room and stunning views; and best of all, it is […]

Food & Wine Festivals: Sip, Savor & Stroll

Here’s a sampling of food and wine festivals in our region: AUTUMN FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL SEPT. 7-9 The 33nd Lake Tahoe Autumn Food & Wine Festival at Northstar California on September 7-9 is one of Northern California’s premier gourmet gatherings. Attendees enjoy three days of events, including hands-on cooking demonstrations, beer and wine tastings, […]

Explore Amador County: Food, wine and art

A FALL ROAD TRIP IN THE SIERRA and the surrounding foothills is an ideal getaway: Brilliant fall foliage, historic Gold Rush towns, fruit orchards, pumpkin patches, and wine and beer tasting. Bring along your mountain bike, hiking boots, and bird-watching binoculars to complete the experience. Some of our favorite road trips include Old Hwy. 40 […]

Tasting notes: Wine, pizza and music

SIERRA KNOLLS: WINE, PIZZA & MUSIC “What’s Up Friday?” returns April 21 at Sierra Knolls tasting room (10024, Linnet Lane in Auburn) with wine, fresh pizza from a wood-fired oven and music. The winery’s releases include a 2014 Primitivo and 2014 Petite Verdot. SierraKnollsWinery.com SIERRA STARR’S STELLAR GROWTH The Grass Valley winery now has three […]

Hotel Sutter: Where history meets comfort

ALONG WITH WATERING HOLES and movie houses, Gold Rush-era hotels have long been economic anchors for Mother Lode towns. Just as saloons such as the Golden Era lounge in Nevada City are being restored, historic hotels also are being renovated—helping to revitalize the downtowns and their surroundings. The Hotel Sutter in Sutter Creek (Amador County) […]

Cooper Vineyards: A “Barbera” dollar bill started things

THE LATE ’60s AND ’70s LARGELY marked the start of Northern California’s modern winemaking era: Robert Mondavi opened his winery in Napa Valley, the Silverado wine trail was born, and California wines topped some of France’s finest in a blind tasting competition dubbed the “Judgment of Paris.” The foothills also experienced a milestone in wine […]

Andis Wines in Amador County

AMONG ALL FOOTHILL WINERIES, ANDIS WINES is one of the most stunning. It is a state-of-the-art winery with “green” design, panoramic views of the Shenandoah Valley and a 20-acre vineyard. Most of the vineyard is zinfandel, planted in 1978. Andis also buys fruit from local growers. Andis’ estate-grown zin has won a double-gold and its […]

“Gen Wine”: More millennials drinking wine instead of beer

WE REGULARLY VISIT OUR REGION’S wineries to sip new varietals, taste from the barrel and meet with winemakers. We also enjoy meeting other winery guests. Though most of them are retirees, or boomers like ourselves, we notice more millennials at local wineries and tasting rooms. We’ve run into these unpretentious and adventurous wine drinkers at […]

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