This was a trip so epic, that it took a year to digest and to prepare the story-telling...that's the story I'm stickin' to anyway!
Pops & I have taken many a wine trip together over the years, this was the sixth, in fact. Each one has been in a different appellation or sub-appellation around
NorCal. Following my
pre-WBC09 Twisted Murphys visit with some other
vinopanions in crime, I decided that Pops and I needed to definitely take over
Murphys and its
Calaveras County wine
country for our upcoming trip later that year.
I spoke a lot in that
earlier Murphys post about the exciting, up and coming aspects of the Calaveras County wine region and how it has already reached at least the wine crafting quality of it's larger and surrounding appellation of the Sierra Foothills and is coming into its own as a true wine destination. Murphys, the
historic Gold Rush and logging town, has completely reinvented itself as a more boutique, yet still nicely rustic
wine and
food mecca, tucked underneath the stunning
Sierras and
Calaveras Bigtree National Forest. Pops and I decided that we needed to dig a bit deeper this time and really get to know this comfortable piece of wilder wine country.
I have the great fortune of being invited to a number of wine events each year. All of these events have their merits and many are very cool. It is the more rare event that completely rocks my vinous world, however. The annual Garden Party at Newton Vineyard (Facebook, WineLog), 600 feet above St. Helena on Spring Mountain was one of those rare events. Standing atop the mountain, with a 360 degree view of at least 65% of the entire Valley, with some glorious weather to complement the elegantly balanced Newton wines, paired with nibbles from étoile and the Lady by your side, it's a bit hard to *not* have a brilliant time. I decided to suck it up and a have a great time (tongue comfortably in cheek). 
