California winecation-Clarksburg AVA

South of Sacramento, California we found a rather unique site, the Old Sugar Mill, which hosts 10 winery tasting rooms in the heart of the Clarksburg American Viticulture Area (AVA). 

The Old Sugar Mill is located in the historic town of Clarksburg.  The facility is owned by the Clarksburg Wine Company.  They make wine for themselves and have their tasting room on site, as well as providing custom crush and wine making for many clients.

Clarksburg Wine Company Tasting Room

Draconis Wines, Due Vigne di Famiglia, Todd Taylor Wines, Three Wine Company, Merlo Family Estate Vineyards, Rendez-vous, Heringer Estates, Clarksburg Wine Company, Elevation Ten, and the Carvalho Family Wines are all located at the Old Sugar Mill.  We tasted at three of them, Clarksburg Wine Company, Three Wine Company, and Carvalho Family Wines. A few winery tasting rooms were closed as they are only open on weekends.

 

We started at Clarksburg Wine Company because fellow wine blogger Dezel had recently profiled the Chenin Blanc from there.  Chenin Blanc grows well in this AVA because the vineyards share the morning fog and cool breezes from the Sacramento river delta, thus creating a micro-climate.  Besides great Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg Wine Company makes a solid Viognier, a very nice Chenin Blanc/Viognier blend, a nice Pinot Gris as well as several solid reds, including a delicious dessert red made with several traditional Port grapes and a little Petite Sirah.  We purchased the last one to bring home to Virginia.

 

 

The folks at Clarksburg Wine Company recommended we visit the Three Wine Company next. The dirt, the micro-climate, and sustainable wine-growing (from vineyard to bottle) form the cornerstones of three. The winemaker is Matt Cline.  Three Wine company makes a range of whites and reds, including a Vin Gris of Carignane and an Albarino.  We were told to try the Field Blend (aka the "dirt wine") The 2010 Field Blend is sourced from old vineyards in Contra Costa County and is a blend of 26 percent Zinfandel, 20 percent Carignane, 25 percent Petite Sirah, 25 percent Mataro, 3 percent Alicante Bouschet, and 1 percent Black Malvoisie.  I had never heard of this last grape but I enjoyed the red blend.  Three Wine Company is making excellent wines here in Clarksburg.

 

 

Our last stop in the Old Sugar Mill was Carvalho Family Wines.  Carvalho make a wide portfolio of wines including Chenin Blanc, a late harvest Chenin Blanc, Tempranillo, and two different styles of Port. The Vintage Port ($49) was quite remarkable, with flavors of berries, jam, and spice.

 

One last stop after lunch was to a well-known winery named Bogle.  What surprised us most as we drove on narrow roads on top of dikes through endless vineyards was how small the actual tasting room at Bogle was.

Bogle makes many inexpensive wines that are good value for the price. However, we were not fans of the Moscato.  Highlights of our tasting this day were the Barbera and the Reserve Syrah.

 

We enjoyed the Clarkburg AVA and will definitely stop at the Old Sugar Mill again the next time we are near Sacramento.