Page 26 August 2013 El Dorado wineries offer different taste of California By Kaley Kalil It’s August in Phoenix. That means you’ve probably surrendered to these scorching hot temps and are now scrambling your eggs on the sidewalk to counter those painfully high A/C bills. If you haven’t already used your vacation time to hit up Mission Beach (or even if you have), have you thought of cooling off and wetting your lips over in California wine country? I’m not talking about Napa or even Sonoma. How about some chill time in El Dorado wine country? Renowned for making vibrant, flavorful wines, El Dorado wine country is located in the Sierra Foothills of California about an hour from Sacramento or southern Lake Tahoe. Although round-trip flights to Sacramento may cost around $150 more than to San Diego, you could save $2,000 to $5,000 from that peak-season beach house rental for the week. Think of all the wine you could buy with that money. Here are two El Dorado wineries that stood out when I visited the area in June: Miraflores Winery/ Alvarez Vineyards I felt relaxed the moment I stepped out of the car at Miraflores. Perched on its own little hilltop overlooking 40 acres of estate vineyards, the atmosphere of this lovely winery was peaceful, the staff was warm and hospitable and the wine tastings aplenty, not to mention excellent. The Mourvèdre was simply fantastic – it was my single favorite wine from three different vineyards. There were also four futures offered, from which I thoroughly enjoyed the Tempranillo and the Malbec. The proprietor himself, Victor, joined us at the barrel tastings and continued to give our group an unsolicited, private tour of the tasting room, as well as pulled various unmarked bottles out from behind the bar for us to try. We soon came to find that our generous host, Dr. Victor Alvarez, is a practicing pathologist in Yuma and spends his weekends at the winery. I believe it was my father’s cowboy hat that first caught his eye when we brought a bit of Arizona through those NorCal doors. Between its simple, elegant atmosphere, the first-rate wines and the uncommonly gracious host, I could have easily spent all day at Miraflores. Learn more at www.mirafloreswinery. com. Narrow Gate Vineyards I felt exhilarated entering through the big, heavy door into this dimly lighted cellar. Standing at the bar and requesting tastings from a single bartender created a quiet, intimate setting. I enjoyed the Petite Cuvee and the Grenache, although it was the Chocolate Splash that stole the show. This seriously delectable dessert wine is the owner’s special blend of six ports infused with chocolate. You absolutely should not leave Narrow Gate until you’ve tried it. As I left the cellar with the lingering taste of velvety chocolate wine on my lips, that first step out into the blinding sunlight made me feel as if I had just left some secret, underground speakeasy. I wanted more. Visit www.narrowgatevineyards.com if you do, too. Faster job creation – cutting red tape so businesses can hire faster and spur economic growth 5HGXFLQJFULPHtVWURQJVXSSRUWHURISROLFHDQGĺUH %ULQJLQJĺVFDODFFRXQWDELOLW\DQGWUDQVSDUHQF\WRFLW\ government Stopping domestic violence (OLPLQDWLQJWKHIRRGWD[IRUSD\UDLVHVFKHPH 5HIRUPLQJWKHSHQVLRQV\VWHPtSXWDQHQGWRLOOHJDO pension spiking Sal DiCiccio: Protecting You and Your Family AS YOUR COUNCILMAN, SAL IS DEDICATED TO: Sal DiCiccio: Promises Made, Promises Kept SalForCityCouncil.com 3DLGIRUE\'L&LFFLRIRU&LW\&RXQFLO #6DOB'L&LFFLR 'L&LFFLR6DO F R E N C H D E S I G N E R J E W E L E R 7 1 4 8 E . M A I N S T R E E T S C O T T S D A L E A Z 4 8 0 . 9 9 4 . 4 7 1 7 Open the door to originality. ™ www.frenchonmain.com Using your Loved One's Fingerprints, From Sarah Graham Metalsmithing T H E H E I R L O O M F I N G E R P R I N T C O L L E C T I O N

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