After quite a bit of anticipation, it was finally time to attend the Taste of Calaveras wine event. We are big fans of the wines from Calaveras County, so our spirits were as bright as an April day as we set off for Murphys.
This annual event is a fund raiser, hosted by the Angels Camp Business Association. The proceeds from this help event fund Angels Camp Business Association community projects. It was hosted by Ironstone Vineyards, in Murphys.
We arrived right at opening time (excited? yes!) and checked in, receiving our wrist band and wine glass. Formalities completed, we wandered from table to table, sampling everything.
As you can see in the pictures below, there was a great selection of local wineries, purveyors of fun/delicious food, and some arts and crafts for good measure. After several hours (no exaggeration) we had visited every table at least once. To be honest, we visited many of the tables several times. In some cases we even became friends! Don’t judge, there was that kind of vibe, with a lot of friendly people.
As first-timers to the Taste, we had a great time, discovered quite a few new wineries and sampled some amazing food. We learned some tips for next year:
- Arrive at the opening. This is a popular event and the early bird gets the worm. In this case, the worm is made out of wine and prime rib. Don’t risk missing some of the best offerings just because you want to sleep in.
- Pace yourself. There’s a lot of wine being poured. Several of the food tables were kind enough to offer ice water, and we did our best to alternate water and wine. This is not a sprint!
- Make room for the next guy after you get your pour! Don’t dawdle at the table if there’s a line behind you. Those long, philosophical discussions can wait until the crowd dies down a bit. Your fellow Taste’ers will thank you.
- Don’t forget that you’re only a few minutes away from downtown Murphys, which is chock full of amazing restaurants. It is a great way to cap off an afternoon tasting the best wine of the county.
Here are some photos from the Taste of Calaveras 2016:
About the Author: John grills a mean steak and is always in the market for another wine fridge. Believes that if a winery has more than 10 employees, it's probably too big. Buys wine faster than he drinks it, but who cares?
