Posted by: Bethany on 02/16/2008 10:47 PM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 02/17/2008 11:47 AM
Expires: 01/01/2013 12:00 AM
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CWA Dazzles Visitors with Fine Wine During 'Presidents' Wine Weekend'~ By Bethany Monk
Murphys, C.A….Wine tasting rooms throughout the lush hills of Calaveras County Gold Country opened their doors this weekend and greeted visitors with wine, wine and more wine….
(Photo 1) Pam Eddy, wine tasting host at Chatom Vineyards in Douglas Flat
(Photo 2) Friends Nettie Silva of Jackson and Brandi Prins of Turlock visit
Lavender Ridge Tasting Room in downtown Murphys.
The Calaveras Wine Grape Alliance, which includes 21 wineries in the county, hosted the “Presidents’ Wine Weekend” from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 16. Hundreds of people from the area and several surrounding counties–some from as far as the San Francisco area—toured many of the alliance tasting rooms and wineries. Tasting rooms offered free wine samples and tasty desserts to visitors. The event will continue Sunday, Feb. 17, also from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Many of the people from out of the area agreed that Calaveras tasting rooms and wineries are unique and worth the drive.
“We like to come up here…we love it,” said Christina McDermitt, while enjoying wine samples at Zucca Mountain Vineyards in downtown Murphys. “We want to retire here.” McDermitt works at the Guglielmo Wine Tasting Room in Morgan Hill, where she lives. She enjoys Calaveras wineries because of the friendly atmosphere. “They get to know the people,” she said of tasting room hosts.
People are friendly and “you get to meet with winemakers,” said Eija Summerfield, from the Bay Area. She and her family have a second home in Arnold. She enjoys “the history of the old buildings” and the mountainous nature of the county.
“Calaveras wineries have much more variety,” than other wineries, said Hollister resident Dan Marshall, while sampling wine at the Stevenot Winery Tasting Room in downtown Murphys. He also appreciates the proximity of the wineries. “Here you can stumble into all the wineries,” because they are so close to each other, he said with a chuckle.
For a map and listing of Wine Grape Alliance wineries, visit this link from the Calaveras Wine Grape Alliance at http://www.calaveraswines.org/my_weblog/files/121907map.pdf.
Maps are also available at the Calaveras Visitor’s Bureau, 1192 South Main St. in Angels Camp. Call (209) 736-0049 for more information.
(Pictured at the top of the page: Jerry Hromyko of Stevenot Winery Tasting Room in Murphys.)
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