Russ Winton: Amador Four Fires Festival

The Navigator and I have been swirling, sniffing, sipping, swishing and spitting for more than 45 years. We’ve had a lot of practice. We tasted in Napa and Sonoma valleys when tasting fees were unheard of. We’ve been to small tastings and really big tastings, passport weekends, blind tastings, single-varietal tastings and regional tastings. We thought we had seen all things wine. Until now. The Amador Four Fires Festival coming to the Amador County Fairgrounds on May 2 will set a new standard for what wine events could be. The event is much more than just a wine tasting. It’s Amador putting its best foot forward. It’s exciting. Let me explain.

The wines: Guests will taste wines from four wine regions that Amador’s winemakers and growers produce: syrahs, mouvedres, and grenaches from southern France; Italian barberas, sangioveses and Super Tuscans; tempranillos and garnaches from the Iberian Peninsula; California’s heritage, old-vine zinfandel. More than 150 wines from 40 wineries, vetted by a panel of judges and sommeliers, will be poured. You will taste the wines that best represent the style and standards of Amador County.

The food: Talented local chefs including Mark Berkner from Taste, Beth Sogaard from Beth Sogaard Catering and Amador Village Market, Darius Somary from Hotel Sutter and Richard Lee from Wood, Fire and Smoke will demonstrate their skills in preparing open-flame dishes native to the four wine regions. Think of huge pans of paella, roasted lamb, pigs and succulent poultry.

Tantalizing activities: Guests will taste more than wine. Local olive oils, handcrafted candies, honeys, coffees, cheeses, ciders and micro-brewed beers will be available. Four cooking demonstrations by Sogaard and Somary and a cowboy campfire cooking demo will run all day. Mini-courses will be given covering topics like food and wine pairings, winemaking, tasting tips, cheeses and becoming a sommelier. Sponsoring wineries Bella Grace, Jeff Runquist, Terra d’Oro, Vino Noceto, Yorba and Renwood will present seminars. A country store will be open. Live music will be at two venues. What a day! I’m still excited.

The details: Amador Four Fires Event is May 2, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ticket price includes wine, food, commemorative wine glass, all activities and parking. Tickets are available at www.amadorfourfires.com. Proceeds benefit the Amador County Fair Foundation.

What’s on our table

This week was the 2012 Terra d’Oro Amador County Zinfandel, full bodied, well balanced with firm tannins and sale priced around $15. I love this wine. Cheers!

This story was originally published April 8, 2015 at 10:01 AM with the headline "Russ Winton: Amador Four Fires Festival."