A day trip of leisure and wine is closer than you think

By Marnie McArthur, reno.com
June 30, 2008

Amador County vineyards from Avio
Remember when vacations meant getting there was half the fun? Forget the not-so-friendly skies; it’s time to get back in the car. A day or weekend road trip from Reno/Tahoe to Amador County is a great way to see the Sierra Nevada Mountains, explore 19th century gold rush towns, and taste some of California’s biggest and best Zinfandel, Rhone and Italian varietal wines.

Only two and a half hours from Reno and two hours from the lake, Amador County rests along Highways 49 and 16 in the heart of California’s Gold Country. Most of the wineries are in the Shenandoah Valley near Plymouth . But, be sure to continue on Hwy 49 through the historic towns of Amador City and Sutter Creek for a trip back in time. Like old western movie sets, these quaint villages and the tiny town of Volcano invite you to poke into the past.

For a foodie like me, the first question on any trip is, “where do we eat?” At Andrae’s Bakery & Cheese Shop in Amador City, Kobe beef pastrami on fresh baked organic bread fueled my engine for a day of wine tasting. Dinner in Sutter Creek at Caffe Via d’Oro was as fine a meal as you’ll find in any big city – grilled quail, baked figs, and melt-in-your-mouth Ahi tuna grilled to perfection. Amador may be country, but certainly not fine food deprived. Also in Sutter Creek is Susan’s Place, a fun and funky restaurant that has been pleasing locals and visitors now for more than 20 years.

If bed, breakfast and dinner are on your agenda, stop at the Imperial Hotel in Amador City. Some sort of lodging establishment has been in place since 1879 and it now hosts a wonderful restaurant, sure to please any palate. Be sure to have a glass of what the local wineries offer in the back yard patio.

And if breakfast is what you’re looking for, you can’t beat the Chatter Box. Located on Main street in Sutter Creek, this old fashioned breakfast diner is sure to please. The house specialties are the omelets and fresh baked goods. Joe Rohde, a partner in the business and consummate door greeter is sure to make your visit memorable.

There are more than 25 wineries in the county and many small family-owned places sell exclusively from their tasting rooms. Being there is the best and sometimes the only way to discover these wines, meet and talk with the people who make them, taste barrel samples, and get a feel for a way of life centered on the land and family. Once a fan, you can sign up for wine clubs and receive direct-to-customer shipments with discounts up to 20%.

“Thirty percent of the people who come to our winery are from Reno,” said Pam Notestine, co-owner of 9 Gables Vineyard and Winery . The winery is located on property that was once part of the Old Peroni Ranch, settled in the late 1800s. Mission grape vines, planted in the early 1900s still grow outside the tasting room door. The Notestines, Pam, Jerry and son Ryan, make small batches of hand-crafted wines – Vioginier, Zinfandel, Primativo and Syrah. They are one of the few wineries that still makes wine from the Mission grape.

Dobra Zemjla, the county’s smallest winery, is built into a hillside and well worth seeking out. Owner/winemaker Milan Matulich, fondly known to his neighbors and friends as ‘the crazy Croatian,’ makes the biggest wines in Amador – robust Zinfandel, Syrah, Sangiovese and Viognier. A cartoon sketch of Matulich in a pink tutu (drawn by his wife Victoria) graces a small jug of Milan Ruz, a supple red table wine that “goes with everything!” No pretension here. Customers who buy a jug can bring it back for refills and a $2 discount. Also offered by the jug is the Syrah. The nice thing about the “jug” is that it seves six glasses instead of the usual four, making it a nice offering for a dinner party.

Just down the road is Deaver Vineyards, the oldest family-owned winery in the valley. Wine is sold only in the tasting room and through the wine club and loyal customers come back year after year for the highly regarded Zinfandels, some made from 120-year-old vines on the 300 acre property. The family also operates the Amador Harvest Inn next to the tasting room and the Amador Flower Farm, a great spot for gardeners.

Another small, boutique winery can be found on Steiner Road. Dillian Wines is located on the farm the family has owned since 1917. Dillian offers a nice selection of what Amador County is known for, but by far the best of the best is its Syrah.

At Cooper Vineyards the spacious tasting room is right in the winery with stacks of barrels and wonderful smells all around. The Coopers grow 14 varietals on the 160-acre ranch and there’s always something new to try. The family has been growing grapes for 30 years in Amador and only recently began to make their own wines. Production is small (only 3,500 cases) but you can find some of the wines at shops and restaurants in northern California and South Lake Tahoe.

Kelson Creek is home to the zinfandel grape and boasts the oldest vines in Amador County. There, the friendly tasting-room staff make you feel at home not only tasting the Zin’s, but also ports and sparkling offerings. Try the Ruby Port as a replacement for part of the liquid in your favorite brownie recipe.

South of the Shenandoah Valley, look for two noteworthy newcomers, both family-owned and operated with great stories to tell.

At Avio Vineyards on Ridge Road a familiar phrase rings true – ‘when you’re here, you’re family!” Owners Stefano and Lisa Watson share warm Italian hospitality and offer an upscale western Carriage House B&B renovated by Lisa with all manner of authentic cowboy memorabilia. Avio is one of only two places in the county (Amador Harvest Inn is the other) where you can stay overnight in a vineyard. For my money, Avio is the place to be! As the only guest, you’re welcome to wander the vineyards and orchards, swim in the pool, and visit with the animals of Avio Ark – ducks and chickens, a rooster and peacock, goats and llamas, lots of cats and a dog. Winemaker Stefano concentrates mostly on Italian varietals made in the smooth, fruit-forward, drinkable style he learned from Lisa’s winemaker family in the small town of Avio in Northern Italy. Avio’s signature Barbed Wire Red is a fine Chianti-style blend of Sangiovese with Zinfandel. Join the wine club and you’ll have a chance for a bottle or two of smooth Nebbiolo and velvety rich Cabernet Sauvignon made in very limited quantities.

The new kid on the block, Convergence Vineyards, is owned by Jamie & Stephen Concannon (the Concannon wine family of Livermore) who established a homestead on 105 acres along Hwy 124. Steve is the winemaker and Jamie matches his wine with her recipes. The bold, spicy Petite Sirah is a winner, and it should be. The Concannons know Petite Sirah. Prior generations were the first to bring these vines to America. Convergence also makes a delicious Portuguese-style Port with five varieties of traditional Portuguese grapes. Try this with chocolate covered blueberries sold in the tasting room.

Steve summed up my trip in a sentence. ‘It (wine tasting) is a treasure hunt, finding new wineries and every year a new set of wines to taste.” If you have been to Amador, go again. If you never have been there, the time is now. The Big Crush, a county-wide party in celebration of the harvest, is Oct. 7-8. On the second weekend in February, Behind the Cellar Door is all about new wines, gourmet foods, wine seminars, and vineyard tours. And in late March and early April, a good side trip is Daffodil Hill, a 540-acre farm dedicated to the beauty of spring. The Amador Vintners Association has the details. Come for the events, or come anytime. The history, the wines, and a warm welcome will always be there.

Mary Jurkonis contributed to this story