Once upon a time, not so long ago, in a valley known more for cattle ranching than vineyards that the story begins. It was the Winter of 1999 when Frog's Tooth Vineyards began its life as a tadpole with the purchase of 67 acres of land in the Salt Springs Valley of Calaveras County. It slowly grew through infancy until the Spring of 2003 when it began its transition to adolescence with the planting of approximately 10 acres of premium wine grapes.
The girl that poured for us was the single most welcoming and knowledgeable tasting room employee we dealt with that day. She was interested in what we were looking for but gently encouraged us to try some other wines they had available without being pushy.Most of all when you walk out of the winery you come away with such a great experience.
During the late 1800s Brice Station was a popular stage stop on the way to Calaveras Big Trees. In 1993 the first vines were planted at Brice Station on the family ranch by Stuart Mast, a fifth generation California farmer and Dolores Quyle Mast. Guided by sustainable agricultural methods, the highest vineyard in the Sierra Nevada thrives in the mountain air and sunshine at an altitude of 3,300 ft. visit to the ranch today finds a tribute to the creativity of the Quyle family, featuring the rustic Brice Station Vintners tasting room, the Quyle pottery shop, the carefully tended Dolores Quyle Mast vineyards, and an assortment of sheep, geese, horses, and llamas. If you look around you will also discover several antique printing presses, as well as a blacksmith shop where Paul Quyle teaches one Saturday a month.
Explore Calaveras County, where there is plenty of sunshine and wine to soak up. Nestled at the base of the Sierra Foothills, Appaloosa Vineyard, home to Prospect 772 winery, is just under a 2-hour drive from Oakland. Boasting pristine vineyard views, a gorgeous new winery and tasting room bar, shaded bocce ball court and amazing wines, make Prospect 772 your next wine tasting destination.
Hatcher Winery was founded in 2002 by owner/winemaker Matthew Hatcher. His skills as a winemaker have put this winery on the map and the tasting room in Murphys is a very popular stop for wine lovers in the Sierra Foothills. Matthew Hatcher is the owner and winemaker, and his wine making talents have put Hatcher on the don't miss list of Foothill wineries.
In the heart of California’s scenic Gold Rush Country, Ironstone Vineyards will surprise and delight you with a winery that places as much emphasis on the natural beauty and history of their surroundings, as they do on the quality of their wines.
Rich and Siri Gilpin are the owners and operators of Lavender Ridge Vineyard. Rich has a BS degree in Enology from the University of Davis, CA. He has 25 years of experience in the wine industry and comes from a background of making wine for reputable wineries in Healdsburg, Napa, and the Sierra Foothill regions of California. Rich and Siri both have a passion for organic farming and the use of herbs in the culinary arts, including the use of lavender in special dishes they have created. You'll have to visit them at their tasting room to find out more details.
Boyle MacDonald Wines began when husband and wife team, Craig MacDonald and Kate Boyle MacDonald, planted their family estate Napa Valley Vineyard to Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The portfolio of offerings grew as Kate and Craig pursued personally farming and sourcing from additional Sierra Foothills vineyards. The portfolio includes a diverse selection of Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, as well as Sierra Foothill Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Merlot, Sangiovese and Montepulciano. In addition to varietal bottlings and lovely Red Blends, Boyle MacDonald has become well known for producing Provence style Dry Rosés and also for producing interesting and rare white wines from red varietals.
The Winemaker
Winemaker Kate Boyle MacDonald has over twenty years of experience in the cellar. Kayte started as a apprentice/cellar hand in 1999. Serving as winemaker for a few wineries, today Kate is a now seasoned Winemaker. Kate’s talents quickly been acknowledged by her peers and allowed to thrive in Calaveras County. While she personally planted and tends the family estate vineyard in Napa Valley, her winemaking is rooted in California's Foothills of the Sierras. Having grown up in Germany, France, and all over the US, Kate uses the incredible California new world fruit, to create wines in the traditional old world style, exhibiting elegance, finesse and balance.
After three years of traveling to various wine regions of the world, Charles B. Mitchell has returned the vineyards to operate with the highest standards possible. With estate grown fruit this winery strives for the highest quality from vineyard to bottle.
In terms of the setting and the value, it would be hard to beat Indian Rock. Indian Rock is a little ways of the beaten path but definitely worth the drive and time. If you are a port fan then you will really like taking the time to go there.
