Globelite Travel Marketing

Travel Guide to California

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» CA.WINE COUNTRY SIERRA FOOTHILLS El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras The mining towns of the Sierra foothills—Placerville, Amador City and Sutter Creek—used to draw prospectors in search of gold. Now wine lovers come in search of riches in liquid form, such as Grenache, Sangiovese and particularly Old-vine Zinfandel. The proximity to 2 6 2 013 travel guide to c al i fo r n ia TWISTED OAK Winery's concert series in Murphys by their big oak tree, right; Pithy Little Wine Company's tasting room in Paso Robles offers both wine samplings and soda flights, below. natural wonders from groves of giant sequoias to caves and caverns makes this region the perfect stop for the active oenophile. The main street of Murphys is lined with Gold Rush-era buildings and more than 20 tasting rooms equal parts rustic and sophisticated, including Boger, Sobon, Amador Cellars and Terre Rouge with several more a short drive away. Looking for a slightly twisted experience? Twisted Oak pours hearty reds amid rubber chicken décor. CENTRAL COAST Monterey, Santa Lucia Highlands, Chalone, Carmel Valley, Paso Robles, Edna Valley & Arroyo Grande Overlooking Monterey Bay, A Taste of Monterey on Cannery Row is one part museum, one part tasting room. Located in a former sardine cannery, A Taste of Monterey presents 250 wines from the 80 local wineries in Monterey County's seven AVAs, making it one of the most comprehensive tasting rooms in the region. Inland, and closer to the actual vineyards in the Salinas Valley, there is another tasting center next to the National Steinbeck Center in old-town Salinas just blocks from Steinbeck's childhood home. If you are a Pinot or Syrah fan, don't miss a side trip to the Santa Lucia Highlands, an appellation with many noteworthy selections from wineries such as Talbott, Mer Soleil and Hahn. Paso Robles is said to be the region with the most potential, and wineries here range from large commercial producers to small boutiques making limited quantities. Peachy Canyon, Gray Wolf, J.Lohr and Tablas Creek are some of the standouts along the wine trail. But the Pithy Little Wine Company, in downtown Paso Robles, has one of the most tantalizing tasting room offerings in the state. Along with flights of Sangivose, Viognier and Cabernet they pour soda flights—Root Beer, Orange Cream, Cola, Black Cherry and Cream Soda—all hand crafted with the same attention to detail as their wine. The $10 COURTESY TWISTED OAK WINERY; PITHY WINE COMPANY; BILLY CARMEN are the signature grapes grown in the valley, but other varieties have been making a strong showing in the last decade. While the majority of visitors head for the big name wineries such as Robert Mondavi, Beringer and Sterling, those in the know are heading for Coombsville, the newest official AVA in Napa Valley. Located just minutes from downtown Napa, Coombsville's unusual cool climate results in sensational Cabernets from grower/producers such as Meteor, Sodaro, Caldwell and Farella. Most are open by appointment only, but well worth the effort to call and go. For a more pastoral venue, wind your way up highway 128 in Mendocino County to The Madrones, a one-stop wine-tasting, shopping and luxury lodging spot that showcases wines of the Anderson Valley from Drew, Bink and Lula. The Madrones also holds educational workshops from olive brining seminars to wine sensory evaluation classes. Healdsburg, in Sonoma County, may be the king of the tasting rooms in California, but take a break from the bustle of the square and head two blocks north to Garagiste, a mini-winery and collective tasting room run by the winemakers of Cartograph and Stark, pouring small, handcrafted lots of Syrah, Viognier, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir. A favorite with locals, the tasting room and wine lounge give visitors a peek into the winemaking process in the onsite micro-winery. After the microtour, you can order box lunches from local restaurants to be delivered to you patio-side and sip wines by the glass as you plan your next stop, perhaps to Quivira or Ferrari-Carano Vineyards, both in nearby Dry Creek. One of the oldest regions, Livermore, is just 30 miles east of San Francisco and best known for its Chardonnay production and the well-established winery estates of Wente and Concannon.

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