Pescatore Vineyard & Winery (Newcastle/Placer County) - Harvest Report

David Wegner, Owner/Winemaker at Pescatore Vineyard & Winery, Newcastle (Placer County, sent this report on September 12, 2011:

"We will be harvesting our Syrah and Petite Sirah this Saturday. September 17th.  We have a great crop of Petite Sirah, large and very good quality, nice full clusters, great color.  Our Syrah is also very good, but we had four rows that had a fungus from the wet spring, so our crop will be down about 20%, but the rest looks great.  Sugar is running about 25.5 brix to 26. 

Our Zinfandel and Barbera look about 2 weeks out, and the Sauvignon blanc, our white, looks about 2 weeks out too. 

So, its going to be busy here!!  We use all our grapes in the winery, and we do not sell grapes."

The vineyard was planted in 1998, and Pescatore's first commercial harvest was in 2003.

Other information on Pescatore's vineyards, from their website:

Pescatore Vineyard is 5 acres and includes Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Barbera grapes. 

The Syrah and Petite Sirah are on south facing slopes, getting the full benefit of the warm/hot summers. 

The Zinfandel and Barbera are on an eastern slope that almost reaches the Auburn Ravine.  This slope benefits from cooler air from the ravine and the shadows of the afternoon.  This allows the fruit to hang a little longer and assures good balance between sugar and acid.

The vineyard's soil is decomposed granite, perfect for growing grapes, who love any soil but can't stand to be in flat water retention type soils.  We drip irrigate during the June - Sept. timeframe"

Andis Wines (Plymouth/Amador County) - Harvest Report

September 10:   from Mark McKenna, Winemaker & General Manager, Andis Wines, Plymouth:

"While the weather still feels like Summer, even a brief walk through the vineyards reveals that Fall (or at least harvest) has arrived.

We walked several vineyards this morning and it looks like the Sauvignon Blanc will be the first grape to come off the vine this year. The Brix (how winemakers measure sugar) is 21.5 and climbing at a rate of about 1.5 brix per week. The flavors are starting to develop beautifully and the acids seem in balance, with pHs in the 3.2 range.

After we bring in the Sauvignon Blanc; Rose, Zinfandel and Primitivo will quickly follow, Syrah after that and then an unpredictable and furious free for all – Barbera, Petite Sirah, Grenache, and more.

The Andis estate vineyard is looking great and we are more thankful than ever in this difficult growing year for the fabulous growers we work with, as they have done a great job under tough Spring conditions. Crop yields look to be down this year, but, quality could be exceptional if the weather continues as it has the past few weeks.

Andis continues to grow and the enthusiasm with which we have been greeted this inaugural year has been much appreciated and very gratifying. We will be crushing about 50% more grapes this year than last and that means it is time for a winemaker's favorite thing – NEW TANKS! We have placed 6 new tanks in the winery in the past two weeks (four new stainless tanks and two more concrete tanks). The stainless allowed us to finish “furnishing” the fermentation room and they look just great.

After months of anticipation the two new concrete tanks arrived Wednesday…… and six hours later they were almost in place. Turns out moving around 9500 pound tanks proves a bit challenging (and a touch terrifying) even for our crack cellar crew."

First Report...from Tuolumne County

Coming Soon!

First Report...from Mariposa County

Coming Soon!

Naggiar Grapes in Featured Wines at Charity Event in Lake Tahoe

The Wine on the Water event at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe benefitted the Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe and gave the opportunity to taste wonderful wines and nibble on hallmark foods from some of Lake Tahoe’s best chefs.   It was a sunny day and moderately hot there on the lawn near the Hyatt’s great Lone Eagle Grill restaurant.

Among the wines were some with great fruit sourced from Nevada County in the Sierra Foothills.

The 2009 L’Ingenue from Elyse sources its fruit from Naggiar vineyards near Grass Valley in the Sierra Foothills.  This is an exquisite white Rhone blend of 40% Roussane, 34% Marsanne, 20% Viognier and 6% Grenache Blanc.    “Aromas of honeysuckle, lycee nuts, peaches and a hint of orange zest. Explosive fruit flavors,” notes the winemaker.  14.6 percent alcohol.   $28/bottle.

Another lovely Rhone blend from Elyse is the 2007 C’Est Si Bon, also sourced from Naggiar vineyards.  This red blend is a fruit, berry-flavored wine, with low tannin and, I confess, very much my favorite style in a Rhone blend.  The blend is 46% Grenache, 26% Mourvedre, 18% Syrah, 5% Cinsault, 4% Counoise and 1% Viognier.    I am a pushover for Châteauneuf-du-Pape lookalikes, and the Counoise grape is the grape is a key component of many of these wines.  Legend has it that Counoise was introduced from Spain into France  and it was offered it  Pope Urban V when the papacy was based in Avignon in the mid-14th century.  This yummy  wine from Elyse is 14.4 percent alcohol,  $28/bottle.

The Hyatt Regency at Incline Village is located at 111 Country Club Drive, Incline Village, NV.  All proceeds from this event are donated to the Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe.

To read a longer report on this event, originally published in The Tahoe Weekly, click here

Helwig Winery hosts benefit for Amador Arts: Music by Sons of the San Joaquin

  EVENT DATE: Saturday, September 24, 2011  5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

The Sons of the San Joaquin are
Lon, Jack and Joe Hannah,
performing September 24 at
Helwig Winery in Amador County

LOCATION:  Helwig Winery, Plymouth, in Shenandoah Valley, Amador County
The concert by Sons of the San Joaquin is a benefit for the non-profit AmadorArts and its Arts in Education Program which serves students with arts classes and scholarships and awards mini-grants to other non-profits who provide arts-related services to schools.

AmadorArts is proud to be presenting a concert at Helwig Winery by musicians known around the world as the undisputed standard bearers of the Western Music genre, the Sons of the San Joaquin. 


On Saturday, September 24, starting at 5:00 pm, Jack, Joe and Lon Hannah will perform powerful, lush three-part harmonies that tell the stories of a unique character in global history: The American Cowboy.  Not only will they be singing your traditional Western favorites, but those penned by Jack Hannah, who has written more top-quality cowboy songs than he’ll ever be able to record. 

The Sons’ distinctive sound has carried them from local church gatherings in the central valley, to which the Hannah family migrated from Missouri during the Depression, to such far-flung locales as Switzerland, the Arab peninsula, and to Japan. In the latter, traditional cowboy music is esteemed above contemporary country music.  Here in the U.S., they headlined in New York’s Carnegie Hall.  They also have professional baseball and teaching careers in their backgrounds.  But it’s their uncanny vocal blend and true love of cowboy heritage that have made the Sons of the San Joaquin the barometer for all Western harmony groups.

You’ll be able to enjoy their laid-back, “get-along-little doggies” charm in the intimate setting of the beautiful outdoor amphitheatre of the new Helwig Winery located in the heart of Amador wine country at  11555 Shenandoah Road outside of Plymouth . Bring your own low-back lawn chairs –must be no more than 12” off the ground -- or blankets to the grass-tiered setting that offers spectacular vistas of the color-changing foothill vineyards on one view and the peaks of the Sierra on the other.  No outside food or beverage will be permitted, but tasty personal trays of hors d’oeuvres, water, and the fine wines of Helwig will be available.  Gates to the amphitheatre open at 4:00 pm.  Helwig Winery is open for complimentary tastings on this day from 10:30 am to 4:00 pm.
Tickets are $30 each, festival seating, and are sold on-line at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/188795. 

Seating is limited to 450, so it is advised to make reservations early, as Sons of the San Joaquin concerts frequently sell-out.  If you have questions, call AmadorArts at 209-223-9038 or visit http://www.amadorarts.org/.

Press release info per Penny West

El Dorado Wineries announce September Events

From the recent newsletter of the El Dorado Winery Association, these notes of upcoming events:


Crystal Basin Cellars, Camino, CA

Psycho Pseptember!
Time Flies when you're having fun and sipping tasty red juice! We're celebrating our 5 years in Camino all during the month of September! Wine specials each week. Cool events and maybe - just maybe - a killer surprise for all of our fans!

Fenton Herriott Vineyards, Placerville, CA

Doggy Date Night
September 10, 5:30pm - 8:00pm
Spend an evening pampering your "best friend"! Featuring canine and human foods & beverages, as well as local, dog-friendly businesses showcasing their items for sale! Live music and fun all evening. Well behaved dogs are welcome. Please register you and your pet.
Cost: A small entrance fee to be donated to a dog friendly charity.

Uncommon Ground
September 17, 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Enjoy a relaxing and fun-filled day with the music of Uncommon Ground, featuring originals as well as covers. Bring a picnic and enjoy the music amongst the vineyards with a bottle of Fenton Herriott wine.
Cost: Free!

David Girard Vineyards, Placerville, CA
Labor Day Weekend Wine Sale
Friday, September 2 through Monday, September 5
Join us Labor Day Weekend for great discounts on your favorite DGV wines! Case specials include:
$100/case 2008 Rosé
$200/case 2006 Coeur Rouge
Mix & match specials (the more you buy the more you save!)

Jodar Vineyards & Winery, Camino, CA
September 3-5 (Labor day weekend) Enjoy the "fruits" of our Labor
Wine Specials. Wine and food pairing. 12:00pm - 5:00pm


Photo courtesy Lava Cap


Lava Cap Winery, Placerville, CA
Lava Cap Sunsets
September 3, 4:30pm - 7:30pm
September 10, 4:30pm - 7:30pm
September 17th, 4:00pm - 7:00pm
September 24th, 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Enjoy the spectacular sunsets from the deck and garden at Lava Cap Winery. We will have music until dusk. Bring a picnic dinner and purchase a bottle of luscious Lava Cap wine. Deli items are also available for purchase. This event is complimentary.
September 3 - John Martin, electric guitar
September 10 - Alan Thompson, guitar, Country & Western
September 17 - Phillip Reddin - classical guitar
September 24 - Little Delta Band - blues, folk and Americana music

Miraflores Winery, Placerville, CA
French Picnic
September 11, 2011
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Make your reservations without delay for this cooking class, it sells out very quickly as seating is limited. Prepared by Chef Christian Masse from Allez. Chef Christian will whip up his fanciful luncheon right before your very eyes in our new vineyard pavilion.
Class starts at 12:00noon
Make your reservations Online or by calling the winery.

Charles Mitchell Winery, Fair Play, CA
Live Maine Lobster & Endless Pizza Every Friday!
Every Friday Night, 5:00pm - 9:00pm, $15.
Wine club members, $10.
Includes Italian barrel stave burning fire belching Gourmet Pizza and Caesar Salad. Bocce court groomed, lit, and open. Enjoy the evening.
In 1968, Mitchell's first entrepreneurial venture was a pizza restaurant and pool hall in Southern California and he has made pizzas at home and for friends at his nearby yacht club for years. This passion adds a unique flare to the winery.

Oakstone Winery, Fair Play, CA
Join Oakstone on September 4, 5, 6 from 11:00am to 5:00pm for a Labor Day Weekend Celebration. Visit http://www.oakstone-winery.com/ for details.

Perry Creek Winery, Fair Play, CA
4th ANNUAL UNCORK THE COBRA RELEASE PARTY @ PERRY CREEK WINERY
September 17, 12:00pm - 5:00pm
$25 per person ($20 Club Members)
Entrance to the event includes live music, lunch, commemorative cobra glass and 4 drink tickets.
Join us as we uncork the first bottles of our exclusive limited-edition 2009 Cobra Zin and Cobra Syrah. Drink a toast to the purest muscle car ever built! Enjoy some fantastic wine, great food and live music. There will be many Cobra cars and classics on hand to admire and you will have the chance to vote for your favorite.
Anyone who brings a Cobra car or Classic car will have the entrance fee waived for them and one guest.
Join us as we celebrate vintage cars at our second annual Vintage Ride Classic Car Show. Nestled in the charming foothills of El Dorado County, you can view a sampling of classic rides dating prior to 1960.

Boeger Winery, Placerville, CA

2nd Annual Vintage Rides Classic Car Show
Saturday, September 10th
10am -2pm


Join us as we celebrate vintage cars at our second annual Vintage Ride Classic Car Show. Nestled in the charming foothills of El Dorado County, you can view a sampling of classic rides dating prior to 1960. This first annual show features some of the region’s finest and most unique vehicles. Both Greg and Justin Boeger’s cars will be on display for this special occasion. It is a must see if you're in the neighborhood.

Pack a picnic or pick up some goodies from our deli cheese case, buy a bottle of wine and enjoy the a relaxing day in our garden. We'll be serving our famous Hangtown Coolers for just $2! A sure way to keep cool on a hot day.

If you would like to attend, enter a car or for additional information contact Tara or call 800/655-2634 x: 18




Gold Hill Winery, Placerville, CA

Art & Wine in the Meadow-Gold Hill Winery
Saturday, September 10, 10:00am - 2:00pm FREE
Stroll through lovely Cornelia's Meadow and peruse the wares of local artists and artisans.
Sunday, September 18, 10:00am - 5:00pm
Luscious, award winning Gold Hill wines and beers will be available by the glass.

El Dorado Winery Association:
Signing up for the El Dorado Winery Association newsletter is the best way to get news of events delivered right to your email in-box, but the interactive calendar on the EDWA website offers even more events on a frequently updated basis.

To sign up for the newsletter, click here

For the interactive calendar, click here
2nd Annual Vintage Rides Classic Car Show
Saturday, September 10th10am -2pm
Join us as we celebrate vintage cars at our second annual Vintage Ride Classic Car Show.  Nestled in the charming foothills of El Dorado County, you can view a sampling of classic rides dating prior to 1960. This first annual show features some of the region’s finest and most unique vehicles.  Both Greg and Justin Boeger’s cars will be on display for this special occasion.  It is a must see if you're in the neighborhood.
Pack a picnic or pick up some goodies from our deli cheese case, buy a bottle of wine and enjoy the a relaxing day in our garden.  We'll be serving our famous Hangtown Coolers for just $2!  A sure way to keep cool on a hot day.
If you would like to attend, enter a car or for additional information contact Tara or call 800/655-2634 x: 18