Enjoy the beauty of Capay Valley with a glass of wine
wiNe
Rombauer’s Twin Rivers Vineyard covers 148 acres. PhoTo by heaTheR ReinbeRg/CouRTesy RombaueR VineyaRds
Taber Ranch Vineyard & Event Center is proud to announce the opening of our new tasting room. Join us for a glass of wine in our cozy tasting room, enjoy some local brew in a rocking chair on our patio or lay back on the green grass under the almond trees in our orchard.
• Family and dog Friendly • Join our wine Club! First Release party aug 30 - sept 1 • book your holiday party in our tasting Room • Live music schedule on our website houRs: open Friday, saturday & sunday 11am-5pm extended summer hours for Friday 11am-8:30pm through august 30
530.665.3691 • 16628 County Rd 81 Capay, Ca 95607 • www.tabeRRanCh.Com 28
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SN&R
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08.01.19
Wine country near home Napa’s Rombauer Vineyards debuts in Plymouth We’re going to need a bigger wine
glass. That’s because the Sierra Foothills American Viticultural Area (AVA) sprawls over 2.6 million acres (only 5,700 of them planted in vineyards), includes parts of eight counties and more than 100 wineries, and we plan to explore it. Well, some of it, anyway. This column will be rolling along miles of curvy two-lane blacktop in search of special wineries and wines, and the people behind them, putting all of it front and center in this space each month. The Sierra Foothills wine scene (born during the Gold Rush) is surprisingly unexplored, a shocker in view of its accessibility to Sacramento. But that’s changing as more wine-lovers back away from the commercialism and traffic of Napa and Sonoma in favor of a homier destination. Let’s begin with the big news out of Amador County, ironically starring big-time (300,000 cases a year) Rombauer Vineyards of Napa Valley, known for its distinct Carneros chardonnay. After a multi-year walk-up, Rombauer bought the venerable Renwood Winery in Plymouth in January, for an undisclosed sum. The word-ofmouth soft opening kicked off in April, with the grand opening planned for October.
Meanwhile, Renwood will continue limited production at a neighboring facility. The deal included the tasting room, winery and 20 acres planted in zinfandel and barbera, reflecting Rombauer’s plan to increase its red wine production. Its 148-acre Twin Rivers Vineyard – purchased in 2010 – is only four miles away in nextdoor El Dorado County, and grows zin and other red-wine varietals. “Our new foothills winery will see its first harvest this year, and we’ll make all of our zin right here,” says hospitality manger Megan Foley. The classy Rombauer compound is in the Shenandoah Valley outside of Plymouth. It’s a beautiful venue, with shaded grounds and outdoor seating for about 120 (bring a picnic). One handy feature inside the gorgeous tasting room is the refrigerated grab ‘n’ go box stuffed with an assortment of artisanal cheeses, charcuterie and crackers. The five-wine flight is $20, but is comped with a three-bottle purchase, wine club membership or military ID. The tasting offers each varietal in the Rombauer portfolio, but Foley has some advice about that: “Tasting reservations are encouraged to avoid a wait,” she says. “A smart alternative is to buy wines by the glass, half-bottle or bottle and find a table outside.” Eight other wineries share Steiner Road with Rombauer. “Everyone has been so welcoming,” Foley says. “Being here feels like we should have been in Amador all along.” Rombauer Vineyards, 12225 Steiner Road, Plymouth; 866-280-2582, www.rombauer. com. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. by Allen Pierleoni
UPCOMING E VENT
Sippin’ on Steiner, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 10: nine wineries will offer a “special selection of wine experiences,” outside of Plymouth; www.startonsteiner.com
This column is produced by N&R Publications, a division of News & Review separate from SN&R Editorial. For more information, visit www.nrpubs.com