Photos by scott thomas anderson
B
ooks, French wine, fruit and fine weather. That was John Keats’ recipe for happiness and there are spots in our nearby hills to enjoy it all while also indulging in the poet’s obsession with natural beauty.
Will Rucker pours a glass of zinfandel inside Miraflores Winery near Pleasant Valley.
by ScOt t t hOm aS a nDer SOn
sc o t ta @new srev i ew. c o m
Going green
for purple gold Wineries that make top vintages with an eco-friendly touch
From Amador City to the far edge of Placerville, some winemakers aren’t just committed to offering earthy vino, but also to crafting calm, rustic havens with the most environmentally pure traditions. It’s a Friday and there’s a sun-blinding sky over the gentle oak woodlands of north Amador. Epimeliades, a lanky halfPyrenees, half-Anatolian-shepherd puppy, flashes a panting grin as she dances by the blooming vineyards. Her name is Greek for the nymphs of mountain meadow pastures once thought to protect wandering herds and flocks. It’s an apt name because it’ll soon be her job to guard baby doll sheep at Wine Tree Farm. Owner Corinne Moore adopted this group of white wool-walkers as a means of maintaining her vineyards without spraying herbicides.
FOOD & Drink continued on page 36
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