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Twisted Oak Winery – Zany Place

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Are you a Twisted Few or a Twisted Freak? These are the names of the two wine club offerings at the Twisted Oak Winery and this very much gives an idea of the fun and frolic at this twisted winery located in Calaveras County. The zaniest comes from owner Jeff Stai, who calls himself El Jefe. He has instilled an easy going, fun loving atmosphere at his winery in Vallecito and at a second location, a tasting room in the town of Murphys.

We ventured into the winery on a Wednesday morning. The winery in Vallecito is located on Red Hill Road. At the lower entrance, an unpaved road meanders through the vineyards up to the top of the hill to the tasting room and winemaking facilities. We mistakingly arrived about a half hour before the tasting room opened, but winemaker Brett Keller came to our rescue. He took us on a tour of the crushpad, the fermenting tanks, and then to the cave for a few barrel samples of aging wines. Brett Keller recently replaced Twisted’s former winemaker, Scott Klann, and it was interesting to hear how Brett will continue the legacy and add his own personal touches, one of which will be the production of an Albariño wine. We love that white wine and can’t wait to try the Twisted Oak version.

Twisted Oaks winemaker Brett Keller

Winemaker Brett Keller

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Indian Rock Vineyards in Murphys – A Little Different

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This week we are exploring wineries in Calaveras County in the Sierra Foothills. Indian Rock Vineyards was our first stop. Indian Rock does things a little differently than the other 23 wineries in and around the town of Murphys. They do not belong to the Calaveras Wine Association, so you won’t find them on the handy winery guide that is available in just about every store or lodging establishment in town. They prefer to be off the radar, building their clientele on word-of-mouth and the reputation of their wine. They don’t sell their wine retail; most of it goes to their wine club members and the rest is sold to visitors out of their tasting room. A few bottles can be found in local restaurants.

We tasted five wines, two whites and three reds, for a $5 tasting fee (which can be applied to a purchase of wine). Indian Rock makes 25 varietals of wines, so we just barely scratched the surface of their wine offerings. We started off with a very nice and lively Vermentino priced at $16. Indian Rock is just one of a handful of California wineries that make this Italian varietal. We were very impressed with their red blend they call the Coyote Creek Red. It’s a non-vintage red that is priced at $16 and is the most popular of the Indian Rock wines. It is a tasty wine that is very mellow throughout, and definitely a good choice with a variety of foods. The Petite Sirah was also outstanding, a big bold wine that cries out for baby back pork ribs on the grill.

Indian Rock Vineyards – Owner Ed Bauer

We stumbled on the owner Ed Bauer out in the vineyards and had a lively chat with him about the winery and his philosophy of making good food-friendly wines to be sold at reasonable prices. He was proud to tell us that he has one of the best winemakers in California, Marco Cappelli. Marco wanted to escape the Napa Valley scene and moved to Indian Rock for a much quieter and serene lifestyle.

The wine club is the bread and butter of their wine sales. They have capped the wine membership at 700, and as members decide to drop out they offer new memberships to the public. If there are any openings, they list them on a chalkboard. On our visit, two spots were open and were quickly scooped up by guests during our tasting session. If you are in the Murphys area, you will want to put this tasting room on your list. The grounds are beautiful with a shaded picnic area. Bring a lunch and have a glass of Vermentino and enjoy the day.

The picnic area at Indian Rock Vineyards

We Like Murphys, CA for Wine

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Murphys is a historic small town in the Sierra Foothills on Highway 4 in Calaveras County, just up the hill from Angel’s Camp. There are several historic landmarks in the town, the most notable being the Murphys Hotel built in 1856. This is fun town to visit because of its history, quaint shops, good restaurants, and most importantly for us, the amazing number of good wineries in and around Murphys.

There are 23 wineries in Calaveras County, with most of these close to Murphys. Over the course of a few visits, we have tasted at most these wineries and have come to know and appreciate several of them. We will be writing in future blogs about our favorites.

In the town, itself, are 12 wineries that have tasting rooms. Since Murphys is only a few blocks long, the tasting rooms are within an easy walking distance of one another. No need to drive, just take a leisurely stroll through this historic town.

The Historic Murphys Hotel – Built in 1857

The most fun for us is to visit a working winery, and you can find those just a few miles from Murphys. There is Ironstone Vineyards, which is mostly designed to attract the tourists with a wonderful garden, deli, and gift shop. Stevenot Winery has located off Sheep Ranch Road about 4 miles away and has been around for a long time. Recently the winery was sold, but so far the new owners seem to be doing things just right, their wines are a treat.

One of Murphys Charming Shops on Main Street

On Highway 4 near the town of Vallecito, there are several good wineries that make for a great day of wine tasting. There is Twisted Oak, Irish Vineyards, Chatom Vineyards, and Indian Rock to name our favorites.

Milliaire Winery’s Tasting – Housed in Old Flying “A” Gas Station

There are plenty of restaurants and accommodations in town to meet a variety of needs. If you like outdoor activities such golf, fishing, hiking, biking, and serious cycling, it’s all there in Murphys. It is truly a great little wine town.

CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY REGIONS:

Carneros • Livermore • Lodi • Mendocino • Monterey • Napa Valley • Paso Robles • Santa Barbara County • Santa Cruz Mts. • Sierra Foothills • Russian River • Sonoma Valley

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