First Fridays, winery revamps
Fridays first: Jamestown, the charming old Tuolumne County town, launched a First Friday fest this summer that includes an art walk, wine and dining, too. On the first Friday of each month, you can spend the evening strolling the historic Gold Rush town, visiting artisans and merchants, as well as restaurants and wineries, where you’ll find a bounty of locally produced wares. The Main Street tasting rooms for Gianelli Vineyards and Inner Sanctum Cellars will be pouring Tuolumne County Italian and Spanish varietal wines. Enjoy music as you walk around town, or head to Rocca Park for live music at the gazebo. Admission is free. Details: 5-8 p.m. on the first Friday of every month through October; www.tuolumnecountyarts.org
Tuolumne harvest fest: Groveland’s boutique Yosemite Cellars has been making wine for a decade in the Sierra foothills, specializing in estate-grown syrah, grenache, cabernet franc and tannat — Uruguay’s national grape. The winery will host its annual harvest party from 12-5 p.m. Sept. 24 to celebrate the 2016 vintage. Join them for tastings of newly released 2014 wines and enjoy harvest-inspired treats. Or stop by for a tasting in the winery’s al fresco tasting room on Saturdays through September. Details: 2282 Punch Bowl Road, Groveland; www. yosemitecellars.com
New wine destination: Heading to Livermore to taste wine? Murrieta’s Well, one of the Wente family labels, just reopened its tasting room after an eight-month renovation. The tasting bar was revamped to incorporate vintage and modern design elements, and three visitor tasting experiences debuted: a guided tasting at the bar, complete with estate views ($25); a tasting on the patio ($25) where you also can order cheese and charcuterie, flatbreads, baked mac and cheese or beef short ribs from the patio menu; and an estate tour ($55) with food and wine pairings. Details: Open daily. Make reservations for the tasting experiences. 3005 Mines Road, Livermore; www.murrietaswell.com