I have heard from a friend, who gave me a card, to whom I sent an email but they were "closed" at the time... that there might be a seventh winery hidden up there, between Shingletown and Manton. But I haven't found it yet.
Well, we decided to make a day of it: Cinco De Wino. Oh yea.
What better way to celebrate the brave, glorious French loss than by rubbing it in Mexico's nose with some good red wine?
All six wineries have free tastings today and little snacks, for Cinco de Mayo.
We called up our friends, Steve and Kathy (see their guest post by following the link below) and agreed to meet at the top (furthest from Manton) winery, eight miles up Forward road at a charming little winery called Shasta Daisy.
My clever plan is to start at the furthest point, and drink my way back home!
Shasta Daisy sums up everything I love about the Manton wineries: they are little home-based businesses, where you taste in their garage, porch or living room annex, for free, and you talk to the people who grow the grapes and make the wine. How perfect is that? So we met on the porch of Shasta Daisy, tasted their predominantly white wines, and talked with the wife (the property has been in her family for six generations) about the fires last year.
After a few appetizers the porch got busy, so we headed down the hill to the Monastery of St. John. I guess they are regulars at the wineries around here, looking for good communion wine and all. The monks are from the order of St. Herman Of Alaska, and are originally Russian Orthodox (though the Brother talking with us, who seems to kind of be in charge, is bringing in some Greek Orthodox customs). Anyway, they are related to the monastery by Platina, sent out by the church in San Francisco, and used to be based in Pt. Reyes. I like stopping here because the church is very peaceful, and it reminds me a lot of our travels through Greece.
Well, we stopped at the next winery down the hill, Cedar Crest. They are located in a grove of... (drum roll, please...) Cedar Trees, at the crest of the hill. Beautiful property, and the wines are decent. I like the red table wine the best; a blend of Petite Sirah grapes and Syrah grapes. Al's field blend is pretty good too, with a little more "lingering" after the swallow. The highlight here, however, is their cool store - slash - art gallery (last time up they had artists there with their works) and the beautiful property.
So, after we tasted Steve challenged us (no, "challenge" is too harsh a word. He asked us to "participate in...") a game of bocce ball out by the fountain on the the Bocce Ball court. Well, Gail and I are never ones to refuse a challenge, but who knew that Steve and Kathy would be such cheaters? They rolled the ball this way and that, blocked our shots and then, right when we got close, they rudely knocked our balls out of the way.
If I hadn't been drinking wine to mellow me out, I might have just punched them out right then and there.
Well, we all made up and moved on to the next winery.
Cheaters.
Mt. Tehama winery is owned by a French guy from Switzerland. This makes his wine OK in my eyes. Then, he lets you taste right out of the barrel. Double OK. You just find the winery (off on a side road; if the sign blows over you will miss it) walk in, pet the dog and taste.
While we were here, Gail cut her knee open on the truck door, so after Steve and I practiced our first aide techniques on her ("Really honey, I don't think you need stitches for that four inch long gash... wanna use super glue to close it?") she rested through this winery and joined in again at Algers.
Between Cedar Crest above us, and the next winery, Ringtail, below us, there is a huge vineyard that runs for about a mile on the opposite side of the road. It used to be a good vineyard, they say, but was neglected, and now is being pulled out. It is such a shame...
We stopped at Ringtail, where Steve and Kathy bought a couple of the logo glasses, and Kathy decided to just indulge in the dessert wines.
Finally, we got to my personal favorite, Algers, just two miles out of town. This is the first winery we ever came to in this area, and our favourite over all. John and Linda Alger run the place, and are always there, in fact every time we bring friends up from in or out of town, the one thing everybody agrees on is how great John and Linda are. They have this red table wine, called Lusty Red, which is pretty damn good. I think it is the best wine in this area.
There is a sweeter, late harvest version called Lusty Blue (with a blue label).
So here is what is so great about Algers: he specializes in red wines, and hosts these great wine and food events that cost $39 for a couple. So, for instance, today we got two tacos each (pork or chicken) and salad, and a bottle of his Cabernet to take home, and tastings of five or six wines, and appetizers. It is a deal.
I love the "Ravioli and Reds" dinner they have.
His tasting area is above the garage (I think that's what it is) and has a great view over the vineyards towards the cinder cone volcano; or you can eat outdoors, downstairs.
So we spent an hour or more here, tasting and eating and talking.
Since I had to stay sober to drive home, we decided to skip the last winery, just up the road: Indian Peaks. They have a nice red table wine, Abstract Red (which I think Steve and Kathy prefer, though I still like Alger's best). anyway, for this trip we decided to pass them on by. Next time... maybe we will start at the bottom, and work our way up-valley.
If you are wondering about the winery near Shingletown, well, we are boycotting Anselmo.
We went when they first opened, and the wine was OK but not great, but the tasting was free. Then it was $5 but hey! Nice view and a good eating area. Well, it went to $10 and then it went to his head, and now I believe it is $20 per person, for three tastes of not-locally-grown wine, which is just OK, and a little snack tray. The view is nice, don't get me wrong, but he also has this big conflict going on where he is just building stuff on his property without the proper permits.
Like a chapel.
The local tea baggers are all up in arms about supporting him against the "evil evil forces of the Obama controlled government."
I wonder if I bought the neighboring property and slapped up a Mosque, if the tea baggers would support me too?
So, we are boycotting him.