VINO VIBES IN AMADOR COUNTY
Posted on January 9,2024 By John and Linda Compisi
Late last year we organized a group visit, 3-day/2-night, for four friends and the two of us to the town of Plymouth in Amador County. This is, probably, our fourth or fifth visit to the region in the past several years and it is more than fair to say that the grapes and the wines continue to evolve upward on the scale of sophistication, structure, nuance and deliciousness!
We visited a couple of wineries on the day of our arrival, one of which we will mention here and then had reservations, always recommended if you want the best possible tasting experience, at four very highly regarded wineries. Interestingly enough, many of these wineries are within a few hundred yards of each other, so very convenient.
THE WINERIES
We have been to Wilderotter before and were again impressed with many of the wines they produce. We arrived at the end of the tasting hours we so had to select just a few to taste. Of those we tasted, we thoroughly enjoyed the 2021 Sauvignon Blanc (crisp zesty flavors of lemon and lime – $28 for the 2019), the 2020 Roussane (flavors of lemon and lime with good minerality – $28 for the 2019), the 2018 Grenache (strawberries and cranberry – quite elegant – $36 for the 2015) and the 2019 Primitivo (loaded with elegant plum flavors – $36).
Wilderotter is definitely worth a full tasting experience so call 209-245-6016 to reserve a tasting.
ROMBAUER VINEYARDS – SIERRA FOOTHILLS
Rombauer has made the news recently as its acquisition by E&J Gallo, just days before our visit, came as quite the surprise to many in the wine industry. A 40-year, Napa Valley Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon legend, it was only in recent years that they had purchased the property in Plymouth (2019) for Zinfandel sourcing and just this past year (2023) released their first Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County).
It was our first stop on our only full day of tasting around Plymouth. Located on Steiner Road, this is the 2nd tasting room for Rombauer, the first, of course being their home vineyards in Napa Valley on the Silverado Trail. Our group had the distinct pleasure of being hosted and guided by Rachel.
Our host, Rachel was awesome. We tasted through about 8 wines including the number 1 Chardonnay in America (per Nielsen), the 2022 Carneros Chardonnay. Our other favorites were the 2019 Merlot, the 2021 Barbera and the 2020 Zinfandel. Each of these wines reflected a refinement, structure and lush flavor profile that has made Rombauer such a popular brand in a price range that remains approachable. Call 866-280-2582 for reservations
Stop number two on our full day Amador adventure was Jeff Runquist Wines also in Plymouth. Runquist has been one of our all-time favs for several years and was named “Winery of the Year 2023” at the Cal Expo and State Fair.
Runquist is a master and makes wine from a very wide variety of grapes including some you don’t see very often like Verdelho, Charbono and Teroldego. Runquist honed his skills at several well-known wineries, culminating at J. Lohr in San Jose before Jeff and his wife Margie released their first Runquist labeled wine in 1997.
They purchase as much as 95% of the grapes they use to make our wines. In a recent vintage they made 41 different wines using 25 varieties from nineteen growers located across 12 appellations in California.
Our hosts, Susan and Tina, were knowledgeable, friendly and a lot of fun. We wanted to buy nearly everything we tasted but had to restrict ourselves to the 2021 Barbera, 2021 Primitivo, 2021 Teroldego, 2022 Muscat Canelli and the 2019 Charbono.
Each of these wines reflected the style that Runquist pursues relentlessly: rich and full flavored without loads of astringent tannins. The wines are always balanced and suitable to drink now or allow to age. Call 209-245-6282 to schedule your tasting experience.
You will not regret repeated stops a Runquist Wines.
SCOTT HARVEY WINES
Scott Harvey’s wines are critically acclaimed and widely awarded. Early winemaking at Santino, Renwood and Folie a Deux (Napa Valley) brought him broad recognition for creating wines of character and commercially viable. Harvey developed the “Menage a Trois” line of wines, for Folie a Deux, which became a huge commercial success.
In the late 1990s, Scott met his perfect partner, Jana, an experienced wine sales and marketing professional. They blended their specialties and started their own wine company, Scott Harvey Wines, in 2004. Molly Haycock, a well-traveled winemaker, joined Scott Harvey Wines as winemaker in 2015.
We were honored to have Jana and Scott join us for the tasting. They are down to earth, gracious and full of wine knowledge. Scott told us amazing stories with some ‘inside baseball’ revelations that made our experience just so much more special.
We tasted through numerous wines including the delicious and crisp Jana Winery Sparkling Brut. All palates are different but our favorites were the 2020 Toy Vineyard Barbera, the 2020 Petite Sirah and the 2020 Winemaker’s Reserve Zinfandel. These wines offered delicious fruit flavors representative of the varietal as well as sophisticated layers, structure and balance.
Reservations required and can be made by calling 209-245-3670.
We have never been disappointed at Scott Harvey Wines!
Our last winery of the day was a longtime favorite, Vino Noceto. Owners Suzy and Jim Gullett purchased the original 21-acre property in 1984 and added the neighboring 18.5 acres in 1987. They decided, after expert consultation, that Sangiovese was the right grape for their vineyards. About 60% of their production is Sangiovese.
Vino Noceto is well known for their good cheer and ‘nutty’ wine clubs. The staff is very welcoming and the outside setting allowed for an al fresco tasting experience. We were blown away when founder Jim Gullett came and introduced himself. We invited him to join us and surprisingly, he did. Over the next hour Mr. Gullett regaled us with the stores of his and Suzy’s early days in Plymouth as they considered what grapes they were going to plant on their new property. He offered other revelations of the early days here and how all the owners helped each other as they sought to achieve wider recognition and appreciation for their Sierra Foothills wines.
We selected several wines to take home starting with the 2019 Sangiovese ‘Originale’. This is the 30th vintage for this offering which is made in the Chianti style with bright cherry flavors and light tannins ($28). We also bought the 2020 Sangiovese ‘Misto’ sporting dried cherry and wild strawberry flavors ($39). Finally, I loved the Sangiovese ‘Marmallato’ which offered notes of chocolate, vanilla and coffee ($44).
Reservations are not required but are always welcomed. Call 209-245-6556 for additional information and groups over 8 people.
WHERE TO DINE IN PLYMOUTH
Dining options in Plymouth are fairly limited. For lunch we exploited the Italian Market and Bistro at Villa Toscano, which is located very close to most of the wineries we visited. Open 11am – 4:30pm daily the Bistro offers salads, pizzas, burgers, other delicious sandwiches and lunch can be ordered in advance, if desired, which we did to keep ourselves on our tight schedule.
We have dined at Restaurant ‘Taste’ several times and have never been disappointed. This dinner was no exception. The cocktails, the food, the service was all upscale, fresh, delicious and memorable.
Linda and I started with specialty cocktails (can’t always drink wine). Taste Old Fashion and a Cadillac Margarita. One change that wasn’t really welcomed was the move to a Prix Fixe menu (either 3 or 5 courses ($79 and $89 respectively). Now the website says $83 and $93. We thoroughly enjoyed the Day Boat Scallops and the Braveheart Filet on the 3-course menu.
Taste is owned by the same couple who own Rest, almost next door.
WHERE TO STAY IN PLYMOUTH
We stay at Rest, a boutique hotel with 16 rooms, located in Plymouth. Rest offers very nice accommodations at a fair price, for a boutique hotel in the middle of wine country. A good breakfast is included and each evening at happy hour a local winery pours complimentary tastings of their wines. Very nice.
Wilderotter also has the Grand Reserve Inn (five suites) and the Vineyard House. They can be reserved as your wine tasting oasis. Call 209-245-5466 to book your stay.
Scott Harvey Wines also has a Vineyard Guest House which can be reserved by the general public with discounted rates for its club members. Call 209-245-3670 to check availability.
Jeff Runquist also has the “R” Vineyard House located next to the tasting room and in the vineyard. Call 209-245-6282 for information.
MORE ABOUT AMADOR COUNTY WINES
The conditions here are exceptional for growing California’s iconic Zinfandel, classic Italian varietals like Barbera and Sangiovese and also French varieties like Grenache and other Rhône varieties. Of course, they also produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and others classic Bordeaux, Burgundy and some Spanish wines. The county has over 3,700 planted acres, 40 plus wineries and ranges from 1,200-2,000 feet in elevation.
One of the exciting facts about Amador County is that the wine history, and some of the vines, stretch back to the post Gold Rush Era in the late 1870s. The terroir (soil composition, climate, sun exposure) are very favorable to California’s iconic Zinfandel, some classic Italian varietals like Barbera and Sangiovese and also French varieties like Grenache and other Rhône varieties. Of course, they also product Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and others classic Bordeaux, Burgundy and some Spanish wines.
What makes it more delightful is the relatively small and intimate experiences that are available in this area of California. As most places in California, avoid the hot summer months which may be crowded.
Know you will be as delighted as we were!
Happy bites, flights and sights!