Local vintners bring unique experience to wine trail
Flights of award-winning wines paired with the perfect food to enhance their flavor, barrel tastings and introductions to the vintners who craft some of the best Sierra Foothills Appellation wines are the key ingredients that make the annual North Sierra Wine Trail event, happening this weekend, a unique experience.
“This is a small intimate trail not overwhelmed and crowded and easy to find parking,” Alyse Hickman, event coordinator and owner of Hickman Family Vineyards and Cobble Ridge Distillery. “Most of the wineries are familyowned and make their wine on site. The wine makers will be there to meet and chat with visitors, making it a very special experience.”
This year the trail extends from Sutter, Yuba City and Live Oak through the Bangor Wine Region and on into the east foothills of Oroville as far Oregon House. As the northern extreme of the Sierra foothills appellation, this wine trail takes ticket holders on a tour of 10 wineries in variety of microclimates and terroirs.
Passport tickets for the two-day event, which runs from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, have been reduced in price from $30 to $25 this year and are available in advance at https://northsierrawinetrail.org/buy-tickets. Advance ticket purchase is recommended by organizers, but passports will also be available for sale during the event weekend at any of the participating wineries. In addition to full access to all trail wineries, guests will receive a map, multi-day wristband and commemorative wine glass
when they check in at their first winery. A passport is good for one or both days, there is not a one-day ticket purchase option. However, designated drivers get free tickets.
Passport holders will have the opportunity to visit some of the most exceptional wineries in the area, including wine trail favorites Bangor Ranch Vineyards, Cordi Winery, Grant-Marie Winery, Grey Fox Vineyards, Hickman Family Vineyards and Cobble Ridge Distillery, Live Vine Vineyard and Winery, Long Creek Winery and Ranch, Lucero Vineyards and Winery, Munger Family Vineyard and Spencer Shirey Winery.
“Coming back to each winery is always a familiar yet different experience for passport holders,” said Hickman. “Each year there are new releases, new vintages available. There's always different
entertainment and always new stories from the wine makers.”
Grant-Marie Winery, a wine trail participate since the event started 11 years ago, will be pouring several of their San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition gold and double gold award winning wines at the Calolea Olive Oil tasting room in Bangor. Among the prize winning organic vintages winery owners Grant and Marie Ramey will be pouring are a 2014 Cabernet, a 2019 Grenache, a 2016 Syrah and a 2017 Raydar Red.
“This is third time we have joined forces with Calolea Olive Oil for the trail,” said Marie Ramey. “They have a great tasting room, food and music.”
Not all the wineries make the same wines so trail travelers will have the chance to sample many different varietals including foothill favorites such
as Zinfandel, Syrah, Barbera, Dolcetto and Sangiovese as well as the more traditional Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Merlot and Chardonnay.
“We'll be really happy to have people come by and see the vineyard, enjoy the views of the valley and Sutter Buttes, relax in the tasting room or outside on the patio, upper deck or under the old live oak and enjoy themselves and our wine,” said Jeanne Cecchi, Grey Fox Vineyards owner.
To make the weekend more enjoyable, safe and fun for everyone, event organizers have some tips. They suggest including a designated driver in your group or renting a van or limousine service to do the driving. While there will be some food at most locations, organizers suggest people also pack a cooler with ice, water and additional food or snacks.