Amador Eats?

[Marina Chang]

We will be taking our first visit to the wineries in Amador County, during the first weekend in October, and would appreciate your recommendations for places to eat in that area.

Has anyone done much exploration in Amador? (My word searches of the California forum discussions didn't turn up very much.) We'll also be glad for any favorite winery recommendations you might have, too.

Marina

[melkor]

Renwood is a pretty good choice for a winery out that way. Placerville has a few good spots for food, though they seem to be different every time I'm passing through. Z-Pies wasn't bad last time I was there (during ski season).

[Marina Chang]

Thanks for the recommendations. It must be that the area is either relatively untested by eGulleters or members have decided that the food is so unremarkable as to not remark.

To add to the archives for future questions about the Amador area, I'll return with a summary of what we find.

[winesonoma]

You might try the Fair Play valley http://www.fairplaywine.com/. For food go here http://www.zacharyjacques.com/.

[grandcru]

If you're breakfasting or lunching around Sutter Creek, try the Chatter Box Cafe. Very busy, and service can be commensurately slow, but the grub is really good.

For the best selection of local wines, go to the Pokerville Market in Plymouth. Even if you miss a winery or two, the vast majority of them peddle some of their wares here at prices usually a little less than cellar door.

Edited September 16, 2004 by grandcru (log)

[BlackSheep]

You must be going to the big event in the Plymouth area. We had to cancel out unfortunately, as this is one of our favorite areas for wineries.

Our favorites:

Amador Foothill Vineyards (great zins, sangiovese and good sauvignon blanc. Also super people. This winery is also one of the best values I know, and we've been going there since the mid-1980s)

Karly -- love the Sadie Upton zin and sometimes the Buck's Twelve Point. Also LOVE their sauvignon blanc and sometimes the Rousanne. Nice fresh bread and cheese in the tasting room.

Easton Vineyards/Terre Rouge -- great Rhone varietals and zins. The Rhones are under the Terre Rouge label, while other varietals are (Bill) Easton Vineyards. Rarely do they make a wine I don't like, however they are definitely the high priced spread (although there are sometimes some bargains).

Sobon -- great Rousanne. Often great vineyard designed zins. Interesting small museum of Amador county rural life.

For food, there are several decent restaurants in Sutter Creek. Good place for coffee and pastries there two on a side street off the main drag, but still downtown. They roast their own coffee.

[Marina Chang]

Yes, we are going to The Big Crush event. We tried to stay in Plymouth, but the closest lodgings we could get was in Jackson. Black Sheep, your list of winery and wine recommendations will be a big help to us. Except for a couple of wineries, we had that deer-caught-in-the-headlights look when reviewing the list of possible wineries to visit.

Grand Cru, sounds like we'll need to check out Sutter Creek and the Chatter Box Cafe in particular. Thanks for the Pokerville Market tidbit. With so much wine and so little time, we're always looking for a good place for one stop shopping on wines.

WineSonoma, I didn't know about the Fair Play Valley area. Their website makes me think it's something like Brigadoon, only with wine.

[winesonoma]

Yes, we are going to The Big Crush event.  We tried to stay in Plymouth, but the closest lodgings we could get was in Jackson.  Black Sheep, your list of winery and wine recommendations will be a big help to us.  Except for a couple of wineries, we had that deer-caught-in-the-headlights look when reviewing the list of possible wineries to visit.

Grand Cru, sounds like we'll need to check out Sutter Creek and the Chatter Box Cafe in particular.  Thanks for the Pokerville Market tidbit.  With so much wine and so little time, we're always looking for a good place for one stop shopping on wines.

WineSonoma, I didn't know about the Fair Play Valley area.  Their website makes me think it's something like Brigadoon, only with wine.

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Fair play is about 1/2 an hour from Plymouth Due east. Zachary Jacques is the best food you'll find up that way. and yes it probably is like Brigadoon. But good wine.