Dates/times:
Sunday, July 07 2013 at 09:00 AM (Get Tickets)
Location:
Bel-Air Parking Lot-Departure Location
Departure Location: 1301 Florin Rd
Sacramento, CA 95831
United States
Event Description:
Amador County is renowned for producing California's finest zinfandels, some of them crafted from 19th-century vines. In recent years, Amador vintners have also begun producing delicious wines from Rhône Valley and Italian varietals, including syrah, viognier, barbera and sangiovese. Along with Amador's prized zinfandels, these wines have earned enthusiastic praise from critics and wine lovers worldwide. Located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in central California, Amador County boasts 2,700 acres of wine grapes - - a high percentage of which are farmed organically - - and 25 wineries.
The majority of the wineries are in the northern part of the county in the Shenandoah Valley and Fiddletown appellations. In these areas, vines are planted almost exclusively on rolling hillsides ranging from 1,200 to 2,000 feet in elevation. The moderately dense soils effectively retain Amador's 36 to 38 inches of annual rainfall, enabling most growers to dry-farm their vineyards, which contributes to low crop yields. Today, where gold once reigned, twenty-five wineries produce a new treasure: the superb wines which have earned Amador County international recognition.
Sobon Estate winery started in 1989 when Leon and Shirley Sobon bought each other a second winery for their 30th wedding anniversary present. They purchased the historic D'Agostini Winery, one of the oldest in the state. This winery has been designated as California State Historic Landmark #762.
This site was chosen not only for its historical winery, but also for its vineyards and vineyard land. The old vine Zinfandel was retained, and the other vineyards replanted with the best varieties and clones. The Sobon Estate label launched the estate line of wines for the Sobon Family -- the best wines from their own grapes. These include Rhone varietals, vineyard designated Zinfandels, and dessert wines.
Karmere (Car-MARE) is a family-owned and operated winery producing some of Amador's boldest red wines. Evoking a French chateau, the tasting room overlooks the winery – which resembles an old church, complete with bell towers – and carefully groomed, Shenandoah Valley estate vineyards, which are planted to barbera, syrah, zinfandel and nebbiolo. Visitors to the tasting room can enjoy Karmere’s gardens and picnic area, which afford wonderful views of the surrounding valley. Enjoy lunch at Karmere.
Our last stop will be at Nine Gables Vineyard and Winery. Committed to making wines in small batch fermentation with a hands-on, handcrafted approach. Better flavors come from fermenting the grapes in small batches and hand-punching them many times a day for maximum extraction of flavors, colors and aromas. The wine is then stored for 18 months in Oak barrels. Stainless steel tanks at Nine Gables are used mostly for blending and storing wines.
Cost: $49 per person, includes round-trip transportation, tasting and lunch.
Depart 9:00am- Bel Air parking lot 1301 Florin Rd
Depart 9:20am- Corti Brothers on Folsom Blvd *meet in Savemart parking lot