Baiocchi Wines joins elite Tasting Rooms in Sutter Creek-Amador County

Baiocchi Wines Opens New Tasting Room in Sutter Creek

Greg Baiocchi, hammer in hand and ladder underfoot,
 puts the finishing touch on the
 Baiocchi Tasting Room sign,
 at 82 Main Street, Sutter Creek, CA.n

Directions for wine fun beginning on June 1: Set your GPS for N38 23.58204 W120 48.14621 or just get on picturesque Route 49 in Amador County, CA. Head for Gold-Rush-historic Sutter Creek, and stop at the tasting room of Baiocchi Wines at 82 Main Street, Sutter Creek, CA.

During the June 1 Grand Opening Celebration of their new tasting room, winery owners Greg and Sharon Baiocchi will pour their high quality, small lot wines made from their estate-grown Sierra Foothill grapes. Featured wines include Baiocchi 2010 Orellana (60% Tempranillo, 40% Grenache), Baiocchi 2010 Grenache Sharon's Vineyard, gb 2011 G minor (Greg's unique "GST" blend of 44% Grenache, 32% Syrah and 24% Tempranillo), gb 2012 Neophyte Rose (100% Grenache), and gb 2012 del papa (a co-fermented blend of 70% Viognier and 30% Roussanne). The Baiocchi family also grows Syrah and Mourvedre in their 12 acre vineyard and will soon be releasing more wines containing those Rhone varietals. All Baiocchi wines are available for tasting and purchase in the Tasting Room.

The new Baiocchi tasting room joins a growing group of elite wineries that comprise the "Wine on Main" wine tourism initiative to bring wine lovers to this historic Amador County destination for a day or two of tasting enjoyment. Charming hotels and restaurants nearby provide an experience that will provide visitors with a sense of California history and tastes of wine with a true sense-of-place.

 

Sutter Creek holds an important place in both Gold Rush and California wine history. John Sutter discovered gold in 1848 at nearby Coloma and located his mining camp on Sutter Creek. Sutter said that his work was going well "until three or four traveling grog-shops surrounded me...gold was taken to these places for drinking, gambling etc and then the following day they were sick and unable to work." Times have changed in Sutter Creek, which incorporated in 1913 and is now an exciting tourist and wine tasting destination, featuring eight quality wine brands and appealing tasting rooms. Sutter Creek is located in Amador County, CA, "The Heart of the Mother Lode". The word "Amador" means "one who loves"... in this case, Baiocchi's fine wines.

Baiocchi Wines have won many kudos since their first vintage in 2009, including accolades from Jeb Dunnuck (now at Wine Advocate) and The Purely Domestic Wine Report. Go to www.BaiocchiWines.com for more information.

About Baiocchi Wines

Greg and Sharon Baiocchi's passion for making great wine was born from a passion for enjoying it - namely, with friends and family. As a second career, Greg pursued an education in viticulture and winemaking through the U.C. Davis Extension Winemaking Program and is the Operations Manager of the enterprise. Sharon handles Marketing and Customer Relations. The mission of Baiocchi wine is to produce premium, small lot wines, and to stay focused on the land, the fruit, the wine, and the life. Baiocchi's handcrafted wines feature Southern Rhone and Rioja style wines made in the Sierra Foothills with Baiocchi estate grown grapes. Greg is known in the California wine industry as "Mister GST" for his pioneering blends of Grenache, Syrah and Tempranillo.

For more information:
Greg Baiocchi (aka Mister GST)
Baiocchi Wines
2145 Hidden Ranch Rd.
Fair Play, CA 95684

Tel: 530-957-2121
E-mail : greg (at) baiocchiwines.com

www.baiocchiwines.com

 Baiocchi Wines is a proud member of the El Dorado WineGrape Growers Association

 

Truckee River Winery - the Highest and Coldest Winery in California

The wine, the fireplace and the good appetizers are three good reasons to stop into the cozy tasting room at the Truckee River Winery on Brockway Road, Truckee. Allow time to chat with winemaker Russ Jones, and make sure that you taste his Pinot Noir. It’s a perfect way to end a ski weekend!



Russ Jones, Winemaker

After Russ earned his B.S. in Oenology UC Davis’ famous winemaking program , he worked at a few wineries and returned to his hometown of Truckee. His vision was to source quality grapes, and then bring fruit to Truckee to take advantage of the high elevation and cold temperatures, naturally cooling the fermentation and slowing down the barrel aging process. “Thus we became the highest and coldest winery in California,” Russ said. “Our focus from the beginning has been to produce handcrafted wines with great structure and finesse.”

At the Tasting Room you can taste and buy these and other wines:

2009 Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir. Just released, the grapes for this wine comes from the eponymous vineyard in Santa Lucia Highlands. The flavor is of dark berries, cassis, briar and black tea. There’s a nice mid pallet structure, and medium tannins. 15 percent alcohol. $45/bottle

The 2008 Reserve Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, just received a Double Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle competition. This is an ultra velvet, ultra smooth, and complex wine. 13 percent alcohol. $55/bottle.

2011 White Barn Pinot Gris. A great affordable white wine that is crisp, clean, and with a hint of pear and apple. Grapes are sourced from the Apple Hill area of El Dorado County, Sierra Foothills. 13.4 percent alcohol. $14/bottle.

2009 Red Barn Red-Red Table Wine. A blend of Merlot and Zinfandel, the result is a very drinkable wine that goes well with many dishes. 12.8 percent alcohol. $16/bottle.

The 2009 Chicago Park Merlot is vinified from grapes grown in the Bear River vineyard in Chicago Park, Nevada County, Sierra Foothills. The grapes from this 3200-foot high vineyard results in wine with a concentrated flavor, a very berry taste and great structure. 13.2 percent alcohol. $18/bottle.

The Red Barn Red Apres Dessert Wine is a blend of several traditional port varietals. Tawny, rich and sweet, it goes well with chocolate and strong cheese. A perfect after-dinner wine! 18.5 percent alcohol. $18/bottle.

The Truckee River Tasting room is located at 11467 Brockway Road, Truckee CA 96161. 530-587-4626. Open 12:00p-7:00p every day

Sparkles & Wine: Bluestone Wine is Truckee Specialst in Sierra Foothill Wines

Lynette Astors, right, pours
Sierra Foothill wines for customers

There are two things that pair well with women and also with men: fine jewelry and fine wine. That’s why I like the concept that Lynette Astors is helping to nurture at Bluestone Jewelry and Wine in downtown Truckee. I’ve known Lynette for many years, and seen her grow in wine knowledge by attending tastings and functions at L'uva Bella Wine Gallery in Reno and helping Rombauer Vineyards grow in recognition by pouring at many of their Tahoe area events. Now she is adding her own sparkle to the wine shop in the back of the Bluestone’s Truckee store, They are becoming local specialists in wines from the Tahoe basin, namely Sierra Foothill wineries.

I decided to sample the Sierra Foothill ports from a variety of wineries, and looked over some nice jewelry pieces at the same time. The ambience of this 1850’s building with exposed brick and reclaimed barnwood floors is conducive to a relaxed afternoon of browsing and tasting. Many locals know this lovely location from its previous incarnation, as “OB's” building.

Narrow Gate Vineyards, located in Placerville, features its Lot '10 Chocolate Splash, El Dorado County, at the store. This Port is made from six classic port varietals and is infused with 1.25% bittersweet, natural chocolate essence . Hold up the glass and you’ll notice the jewel-tones that characterize this and other ports. Chocolate Splash is winery owner Frank Hildebrand's "special blend". 18 percent alcohol. $32/bottle (500 ml).

Grant Eddie’s winery, located in Oregon House, Yuba County, is one of the few California vineyards to establish plantings of a range of grapes from the Douro region of Portugal. Bluestone features the tasty Grant Eddie 2010 Port, which is blended from five different varieties of grapes grown in the Ramey Mountain Vineyard. The blend includes the traditional Douro grapes Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cao, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Madeira, and Sousao, and a touch of Syrah. 19 percent alcohol, $31/bottle.

The Mount Aukum Winery, Somerset, El Dorado County, features its port-style wine, 2008 vintage Ace of Hearts, at Bluestone. This delicate port style wine is really tasty, and is a blend of Tempranillo, Touriga, Tinto Cao, and Souzao grapes. If you are not thinking about blueberries already, you will when you taste this wine. 18.2 percent alcohol. $29/ bottle.

There are many other wines to sample at Bluestone Jewelry and Wine, located at 10046 Donner Pass Road, Ste. 3, Truckee. Hours: everyday 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. 530-582-0429.

Popular Northstar Village Wine Bar serves Sierra Foothill Wines

Alice Baldwin pours Easton wine for tasting

If you are not going to Northstar, I suggest you make the trip to enjoy Petra anyway. This is a wine tasting room, restaurant, and retail wine shop all in one, opened under the tutelage of Kali Kopley, proprietor of 3 other good wine shops: “Uncorked” Tahoe City, Squaw and Truckee. She knows what she is doing in her wine selection and pricing.

The “Taste Three” program is a wonderful way to experience the diversity of Petra’s wine offerings. For $12 you enjoy 2 ounces of 3 wines.

 In the red wine group, the choice was hard to make. When in doubt, I will always choose a Sierra Foothills wine. The 2010 Zinfandel from Easton, Amador County, a Beaujolais-style wine, is a winner. It has bright cherry and blackberry fruit aromas, and a beautiful balance with a great juicy mouthfeel. This Zin has a nice creamy texture from ten months in French oak barrels, and a toastiness and spiciness that is complex and scrumptious. 14.5 percent alcohol. $9/glass, $18/bottle. Learn more about Easton wines at the website www.terrerougewines.com .

For foods to pair, Petra’s many shareable plates are great. Try the crispy broccolini, the risotto cakes, and any of the pressed sandwiches. The charcuterie and cheese choices are fabulous too. If you like sweets, go for the dark chocolate pecan caramel tort: heavenly.

Dine on the Patio, summer or winter

Petra's beautiful indoor space

Sierra Foothills/El Dorado Wineries Roll Out the Fall Color Carpet After Good Harvest News

How glorious is this?  Visitors to El Dorado County have a feast for their eyes right now, just as they will have a futuer treat for their palates with the 2012 vintage.

 

 
 

Holly's Hill Vineyards,
Placerville, CA

 



Chaim Gur-Arieh, winemaker/proprietor at C.G. Di Arie Vineyard & Winery in Mount Aukum, El Dorado County/Sierra Foothills, CA, welcomes visitors to his vineyards during harvest and afterwards to experience the wonderful fall colors in the Sierra Foothills.   He's kept a harvest journal to share, and these remarks are part of that: 

 

Chaim Gur-Arieh in his
Mount Aukum vineyards

"Our experience with this year’s harvest was quite different. We still had a cool and rainy early summer which progressed into more normal weather in July and a heat wave that lasted several weeks in August. Harvest started the first week in October which was a couple of weeks later than normal. While everyone was rejoicing from the bumper crop they received, for the most part our yields were considerably lower than last year. As for quality – my first impression is that this will be a memorable vintage. "

 

 



 

Other El Dorado wineries also offer the visitor some incredible fall color right now.





 

 

Grace Patriot Wines,
Placerville, CA
(photo by Trevor Grace,
Assistant Winemaker)





Chevalier Winery,
Shingle Springs, CA







Baiocchi Wines,
Fair Play, CA



Lava Cap Winery,
Placerville, CA

Fall Colors Lure Visitors to Sierra Foothill Wineries/NEVADA COUNTY

Thanks to Jacques Mercier of Solune Winery, Grass Valley/Nevada County, we are all reminded that "There's nothing like a vineyard to bring nature's seasonal changes to life."




Solune Winery, Grass Valley
Sierra Foothills




 

"The vineyard has finished its job for this year, getting its post-harvest irrigation soak and starting to show some Fall colors (red foliage for red grapes and yellow for white grapes), with some Sierra summits peering from a distance and tall pine trees standing guard (not a bad vista to wake up to). Soon it will go dormant and eventually get a pruning "haircut" over the Winter, to wake up ready for action in the Spring and ripen yet another harvest next Summer."



Visitors in the Vineyard,
Pilot Peak Winery, Penn Valley, CA

 

Smith Vineyard & Winery,
Grass Valley, CA




 



Penn Valley Vineyards,
Penn Valley, CA





Lucchesi Vineyards & Winery,
Grass Valley, CA





Naggiar Vineyards,
Grass Valley, CA

El Dorado/Sierra Foothills Wineries Allow Consumers to "Sample the Sierra" at Lake Tahoe Event

As you read this, Sierra Foothills vineyards will be almost done with harvest, and winemakers are looking at the sugar content of their juice, deciding whether to add this yeast or that, ferment cold or otherwise, and filter or not.   So many decisions go into producing an excellent wine, but if the wines poured at the 3^rd annual Sample the Sierra event held in South Lake Tahoe in September are indicative, the wines will continue to be good.

Sample the Sierra is a cooperative effort of El Dorado County organizations, growers, producers and businesses to increase awareness of the region’s bounty, heritage, culture and activities.   A great addition this year was the Rotary Club of South Lake Tahoe booth that enabled tasters to join the wine clubs of the various wineries.

Colibri Ridge winemaker,
John Alexander

 I started my tasting at Colibri Ridge, a winery located in the Fair Play area of El Dorado County.  Winemaker John Alexander poured his 2005 Mouvedre, with grapes sourced from the Helen Robin vineyard in Fair Play.  It’s a big fruity and spicy Mourvedre, and was rated as the best Mourvedre from the Sierra Foothills at the 2006 California State Fair.  15.2 per cent alcohol.  $22.00/bottle.   John was not pouring his white ports, one from Viognier, one from Chardonnary, but if you go to the winery, I suggest you buy those dessert wines too: perfect for the  upcoming holidays! www.colibriridge.com

Rowena Pegg from the Beach Grill,
South Lake Tahoe, pours
Toogood Estate wines

 

 

 

Another Fair Play winery, Toogood Estate, poured a teaser of a red blend named Foreplay.   Malbec, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc all combine to make a nicely tannic and provocative wine.  Winery owner Paul Toogood calls this his signature wine.  13.9 per cent alcohol, $30/bottle.  Lakeside Beach Grill in South Lake Tahoe serves this and other local wines.  www.toogoodwinery.com

Ravel Haynes poured for Shadow Ranch;
Sam Domingo, winemaker for
Wilderotter stopped by

 

 

 

 

Shadow Ranch Vineyard, located on Fair Play Road in Somerset, El Dorado County, poured its new red blend, Sheriff,  which comprises 65 per cent Zinfandel and 35 per cent Syrah.  This is a non-vintage blend, and great with the spicy food from Latin Soul restaurant.  14.5 per cent alcohol, $15/bottle.  www.shadowranch.com.



 

 

Bill Gunn, assistant winemaker at Jodar Vineyards & Winery, Placerville, poured his 2010 Chardonnay.  It has a nice Citrus on the nose with notes of grapefruit and lemon on the palate.  14.4 per cent alcohol, $18/bottle.  www.jodarwinery.com

Diane Stading , co-owner of
Auriga Wine Cellars, pours their
2009 Red Giant blend

Auriga Wine Cellars of Placerville poured its 2009 Red Giant, a blend of 50% Zinfandel, 25% Merlot and 25% Syrah.  It has fruit tones of black cherry, plum and spice with a hint of vanilla on the finish.  14 per cent alcohol, $16/bottle.  www.aurigawines.com