Placer, Nevada and Yuba Counties

At this writing many places in California are coming off a rather intense heat wave… typical September but after four or five days of temps in the 90s in the San Francisco Bay Area, there is a rather deafening cry for fog. California micro-climates lead to wonderful California wine country harvests and a refreshing thought of winter. Wineries in the Sierra foothills are revving up for both – harvest celebrations and festivities followed by country-style Christmas and holiday events.

Wineries and restaurants from in and around Placer County will pair up on Saturday, Oct. 11, to showcase their finest wines and gourmet foods at the annual Wine and Food Festival, held in Downtown and Old Town Auburn.

Placer County's growing wine industry isn't a secret any more. With award-winning wineries and more than a dozen vineyards, the county is regaining its reputation as a producer of top-quality wine in California, as was the case before Prohibition.

To celebrate this renaissance, the Placer County Wine & Grape Association, in cooperation with the Downtown Business Association, is throwing a party and everyone is invited. In fact, this is the sixth year the organizations have come together to host this event.

More than 10 wineries will be pouring and several local restaurants and catering firms will be offering their finest dishes in retail establishments throughout downtown. Participants will not only get to taste great food and wine, they'll have the opportunity to shop at the same time and get a close-up look at the historic gold rush community of Auburn and all it has to offer.

Placer County wineries – Green Family Winery, Ophir Wines, Pescatore Winery, Mt. Vernon Winery, Secret Ravine Winery, Fawnridge Winery, Rancho Roble, Dono Dal Cielo and Viña Castellano will be joined by other foothill wineries – Naggiar Vineyard & Winery, Solune, Lucchessi, Smith, Sierra Knoll, Renaissance and Pilot Peak wineries will be pouring during the Auburn Wine Festival. Several of these wineries are not open to the public so this is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to sample these wines.

Restaurants serving food include Open Door Café, Salad Shop, Nija Sushi, Monkey Cat and the Clubcar.

Tickets are priced at $35 each and may be purchased in advance. Late-comers will still be welcome but the price for tickets purchased after Oct. 1 will be $45. Of course, all ticket holders must be 21 years of age or older. Pre-event ticket sales are available by calling (530) 885-9644 or online at www.auburnwineandfood.com. Tasters will receive a free logo wine glass and a passport to all of the venues.

Tour, Dine and Shop your way through Old Town Auburn

While the Wine and Food Festival weekend is a perfect time to visit the area, most anytime of the year you can exit I-80 at Old Town Auburn and not have to squint your eyes to imagine how one of California's oldest historic districts appeared during the Gold Rush. Muddy streets have given way to pavement, but many of the original structures and much of the texture and charm of this enclave live on vibrantly.

Old Town Auburn is much more than a rest stop, though you can gas up and grab a quick meal here if that is all time allows. Old Town is a special place; a living link to a raucous time in history, when the saloons, hotels and “sporting houses” were jammed with gold miners, soldiers and fortune seekers of all kinds.
This compact set of twisty streets is set in a narrow ravine and boasts a core of more than 60 restaurants, bars, unique shops, genuine antique stores and basic services. Nearly all of the historic structures of Old Town are still at work, many functioning in new ways, housing contemporary businesses.

Authentic antique shops line Commercial Street along with gift and specialty shops that draw enthusiastic shoppers from around the region. Old town boasts handcrafted jewelry shops, art galleries and specialty stores with products ranging from clothing to kitchen accessories to collectibles.

Old Town Auburn is the location for special events all year ‘round, starting with an every-Saturday-morning Foothill Farmer's Market featuring Placer Grown fruits and vegetables. Spring and fall antique street fairs, a summertime blues festival, of course, the fall wine festival and two weekends of country Christmas highlight the calendar.

While here, take a walking tour of this true old-town. Visit the Old Town Business Association website at www.oldtownauburnca.com for a self-walking tour guide. Be sure not to miss the Travelers Rest Hotel and the Bernhard Winery.

Originally known as the Traveler's Rest, this former stage stop may be one of the oldest wooden structures in Auburn. The long brick and stone building facing the street is known as the Winery. The wooden two-story house was constructed in 1851 and operated by Bishop and Long as a stage stop and travelers rest until it became Bishop's home in 1858. The property, including 30 acres of land was purchased in 1868 by Benjamin Bernhard for $3,000. In 1870 Bernhard added the single- story porch to the house and turned the property into a productive farm. Though Bernhard's try at raising silkworms in 1872 was a failure, he built the winery in 1874 and enjoyed success until his death in 1902. A tunnel goes from the winery to the basement of the house. The winery is now actually in use again.

As you can see, Old Town Auburn is a great place to relax and enjoy a slice of Old California's pleasures and treasures.

Make Nevada County part of your Destination

The fall months bring the sights and smells of a changing season to Nevada County. While the nights are longer and cooler, the days are still warm and inviting. A fall picnic on the grounds of Double Oak Winery (14510 Blind Shady Rd., Nevada City, Calif. 95959) is in order.

According to winery owners Bob and Ginny Hilsman, 2008 will be the 23rd harvest and the 12th vintage for Double Oak Winery! “There’s a fine and abundant crop hanging out there! It looks like the harvest will be plentiful,” says Ginny in her newsletter.

Some things to look for at Double Oak is the 2006 Zinfandel, which was bottled in early August. They will soon bottle the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2006 Merlot. Their Cabernet Sauvignon vintages are a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. And their Merlot is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The winery is also excited about having just released their 2005 Cabernet and 2005 Zinfandel. The 2005 vintage was rich and full bodied. The '05 Zin will soon replace the '04 Zin in the Current Release category; it will then become available in select markets as well as the Double Oak tasting room and by order. The '04 Zin will then move into the Library/Reserve category; it will then only be available in the Double Oak tasting room and select restaurants.

If you need even more of a reason to visit, then check out Double Oak’s Harvest Open House on Nov. 15, from 1 to 5 p.m. Festivities include fine wine and meeting the winemaker, fine art and artists, food, the new wine releases, music, tours and more.

For information on this event or visiting the winery, call 530-292-3235 or go to www.DoubleOakWinery.com.

Nevada City’s Fall Colors

While in the area, you will notice that the Nevada City-Grass Valley area offer outstanding Gold Rush history and good choices in lodging and dining, and has become known as one of California's best areas to view autumn foliage.
The best fall colors in Nevada City and Grass Valley are located in the old-fashioned Victorian neighborhoods surrounding the downtown historic districts. The most spectacular displays are in century-old Red Maple trees planted by early settlers. Fall weather conditions at 2,500 feet in the Sierra foothills favor formation of brilliant colors in the landscape.

Nevada City’s Victorian Christmas

Holiday celebrants fill the downtown Nevada City streets, sampling the outdoor fare of friendly hawkers and vendors and food and goods offered by downtown restaurants and specialty shops. Victorian singers, bagpipers, a living nativity scene and visits with Santa Claus are among the attractions. Taste chestnuts roasted on an open fire and enjoy strolling minstrels, brass bands, hay wagon rides and much more. Nevada City's Victorian Christmas 2008 is featured Wednesday nights, Dec. 3, 10 and 17 from 6-9 p.m., and on two Sunday afternoons, Dec. 14 and Dec. 21, from 1:30-6 p.m. There is no admission charge.

Nearby Grass Valley Takes a “Cornish” Approach

Recapture the spirit of Christmas past amid the charming surroundings of historic downtown Grass Valley during the annual Cornish Christmas Celebration Friday nights, Nov. 28 through Dec. 19 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Mill and W. Main Streets are closed to motorized traffic and filled with the sights and sounds of an old fashioned Christmas; carolers, jugglers, musicians, the Grass Valley Cornish Carol Choir, Tommyknocker Cloggers and, of course, Santa Claus. Handmade arts and crafts from artists throughout California are displayed on the streets. Delicious food and drink can be purchased from a number of restaurants and specialty food shops.

Dine in one of the many world-class restaurants found in downtown Grass Valley. Sample local wines at one of three wine tasting rooms in downtown or just enjoy the simple pleasures of chestnuts roasted on an open fire.
If you need to Get-Away Now…

The Downtown Truckee Wine, Walk & Shop event is set for Oct. 4. Now in its fifth year, the Downtown Truckee Wine, Walk & Shop has established itself as one of Truckee’s preeminent events.

This annual favorite brings nearly 1,000 locals and tourists to historic downtown Truckee to sip wine, taste scrumptious food samples and enjoy shopping. Merchants in historic downtown Truckee will offer wine and appetizer tasting to wine lovers, food connoisseurs and shoppers extraordinaire.

With your ticket you’ll receive a commemorative wine glass to sample wine at 25-plus venues, five food tickets, a program with a map to all participating venues and a goodie bag. For more information contact the Truckee Chamber of Commerce at 530-550-2252.

While in town, join the Donner Party of days gone by. The Truckee Donner Party Hike is set for Oct. 4-5. The tour will explore the Truckee and Donner Summit, emigrant history and more. Enjoy guided, interpretive hikes showcasing the spectacular beauty of Donner Summit and learn about emigrant history, the building of the transcontinental railroad, including a walk through snowsheds, high sierra lakes, and more. For more information contact the Truckee Chamber of Commerce at 530-550-2252.

Truckee Anytime…

Truckee has a long and rich history fitting for an Old West town, with its heritage including the infamous Donner Party, the railroad, logging and ice harvesting. Its name, stemming from a Paiute Indian guide who assisted migrants on their trek west to Sutter’s Fort in 1844, Truckee proudly retains much of its Old West character and is as much a part of the Sierra experience as it was more than a century ago. Visitors can delve into this experience and the creation of this Old West town by checking out the many historic venues that Truckee and its surrounding areas have to offer.

For more information, brochures and self-guided walking tour maps contact the Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Center at (530) 587-2757 or visit www.truckee.com.

No matter where in the Sierra Foothills you make your home base for a destination weekend, you will surely find historic places to tour, fine restaurants where you can indulge in great meals and fabulous, friendly and fun wineries that will be more than happy to offer samplings of what the area has become famous for… liquid gold.