El Dorado Wine Country is located in the Sierra Foothills, an hour from South Lake Tahoe and Sacramento and only two hours from San Francisco and Reno. El Dorado County is one of the oldest wine making areas in California. When gold was discovered in 1848 the California Gold Rush began. The Gold Rush resulted in people flocking to the area and the growth of wine making. By 1870 the area was the largest wine making region in the state, next to Los Angeles and the Sonoma areas. Later, with a decline in economic conditions and population wine making also declined. Prohibition resulted in wine making almost totally disappearing in the county.
In the late 1960's wine making started to return in El Dorado County. The El Dorado County American Viticultural Area (AVA) was established in 1983. El Dorado Visitors Authority notes there are now over 60 wineries in El Dorado County. There are numerous grape varieties grown throughout El Dorado Wine Country. El Dorado Wine Country with its spectacular scenery, historic towns and friendly tasting rooms offers the perfect wine country experience.
When we were visiting South Lake Tahoe the possibility arose to go on a wine tour. Since thousands of tourists visit the Tahoe area each year it is good to see what tours are available to nearby El Dorado Wine Country. We made a reservation and soon we were on the tour bus to El Dorado Wine Country.
El Dorado Wine Country
Our winery stops in El Dorado Wine Country included the following:
Boeger Winery
Today's Boeger Winery began shortly after the Boeger's purchased the property in 1972. The vineyard was the site of 1850's Fossati-Lambardo family homestead. During Prohibition the wine production by the Fossati-Lambardo family was reduced to sacramental wine for the local church and for their own use. The land was converted to a pear orchard until disease attacked the pear orchards in the region. The Boeger's bought the historic property (see video) and converted it back to vineyards.
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Boeger Winery © Spaswinefood
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Boeger Winery is known for its innovation in wine making, by working with new and uncommon grape varieties. It first introduced Merlot into California. Today the winery is known for its innovative blending of the 29 grape varieties that are grown on the estate.
Jodar Vineyards and Winery
Jodar Vineyards and Winery tasting room in Camino was opened in 2005. The development of Jodar vineyards overlooking the American River Canyon began in 1985, producing its first harvest in 1990.
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| Jodar Vineyards and Winery © Spaswinefood |
Wines from Jodar's vineyards included Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Sarah, Bordeaux blends and Chardonnay. They also produce gold medal Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Barbera produced from grapes grown in select Foothill vineyards. After tasting at Jodar we enjoyed a picnic lunch in the garden.
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| Jodar Vineyards and Winery © Spaswinefood |
Next, we visited a small group of tasting rooms at Carson Road in Camino. I had just enough time to visit two of these tasting rooms.
Bumgarner Winery
Bumgarner Winery tasting room is where you get to taste big, bold red wines. While known for its Cabernet Sauvignon it also produces Touriga, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Mourverde, Babera and Bordeaux blend (Many Hands). On the lighter side they offer a Rosé, which is a blend of Mourverde and Barbera. During my visit I also tried their barrel-fermented blend of apple and pear cider.
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Bumgarner Tasting Room © Spaswinefood
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While visiting Bumgarner Winery tasting room I was introduced to their Silver Fork wines. The Silver Fork wines come in bottles, which can be re-filled with wines from the winery. Winemaker, Brian Bumgarner and his wife Jennifer's goal is to produce superior, small batch wines of the highest quality.
Chateau Davell Winery
Chateau Davell Boutique Winery tasting room offers wines from their family owned boutique winery with a focus on local and green. Their wines are hand crafted in small case lots, using old world techniques. Most of their grapes come from their organic vineyard and farm in the El Dorado Foothills. They also use biodynamically grown grapes from Oak Knoll, Napa Valley.
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| Chateau Davell Tasting Room © Spaswinefood |
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| Chateau Davell Wine Labels © Spaswinefood |
During my visit I tasted their Chloe Chardonnay, Zander Zinfandel, Davell Cabernet Sauvignon, Gemmel Grand Merlot, Marguerite and Charlotte's Cuvée. Each wine I tasted had the name of family member, which was artistically represented on the wine label.
Boa Vista Orchards
A popular stop for wine tours is Boa Vista Orchards.
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| Boa Vista Orchards © Spaswinefood |
Yes, they also produce wines. So while you are stocking up on fresh fruits, vegetables and other goodies you can sample their wines.
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| Wine Tasting at Boa Vista Orchards © Spaswinefood |
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| Boa Vista Vineyards © Spaswinefood |
There are a number of tour companies to El Dorado Wine Country from Tahoe. We took our tour with Discover Lake Tahoe Tours; see also Wine Tours from Tahoe. I invite you to join me in my travels in beautiful El Dorado Wine Country, California and elsewhere in search of the best in Spaswinefood.
Sharon
May 2013
South Lake Tahoe, California
© Spaswinefood
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