Calaveras Winegrape Alliance Wine Sierra Foothills California

CWA proud to support Murphy's Creek Theatre

Murphy’s Creek Theatre presents:  THEATRE UNDER THE STARS 2013 – WINE, DINNER AND SHAKESPEARE!!

                  As the Redbuds bloom amidst the beautiful, bustling town of Murphy’s, CA, thoughts of summer begin to buzz like the bees.  For the staff, artists and patrons of Murphy’s Creek Theatre, visions of magical evenings filled with warm laughter and cool gentle breezes amongst the shadows of the oaks begin to come alive and dance… For summer is the season of MCT’s annual outdoor Shakespearian Theatre schedule at the Cornelia B. Stevenot Amphitheatre, and their 19^th season already promises to be very special and exciting! 

                  Starting June 21^st and running through July 20^th, “Theatre Under The Stars 2013” opens with one of William Shakespeare’s most popular comedies, “Much Ado About Nothing!” The story opens with soldiers returning from war, some of whom carry the invisible scars of conflict, something relevant these days. But the play is ultimately a comedy in which a band of pranksters conspire to bring Beatrice and Benedick, two of the sharpest wits to grace literature, together at the altar in holy matrimony.

Next in the summer lineup is, “The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged) [Revised], which runs from August 2 - September 1. Three guys, one dead playwright, and thirty-seven plays, all in under two hours. The whole family will enjoy watching three talented actors, armed with an outrageous assortment of outerwear, costumes and zany props, cram the Bard’s entire canon of plays (and sonnets) into 90 minutes of high-speed, over- the-top hilarity.

On top of a great line-up of summer shows MCT is also enhancing its outdoor program this year in a variety of ways.  Audiences this summer will not just see a play, but will also enjoy a wonderful pre-show program as well.  Guests can arrive as early as 6:30 in the evening to enjoy live acoustic music and  fine dining under the oaks, featuring  gourmet dinners catered by some of the most talented chefs in Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties, paired each night with just the right red or white wines from one of our area’s finest local wineries.  On any performance night audience members will be able to enjoy a gourmet dinner under the oaks, provided by award winning caterers such as Cupcake Wars’ finalist Lila and Sage, paired with an exquisite Italian wine from say, Val Du Vino Winery, all while accompanied with live music performed by talented acoustic musicians from the Sierra Foothills, including The Lava Cats and members of The Hot Dark.  And of course, after dinner and under a spectacular sunset, patrons will enjoy - in Italian Renaissance style - the masterful works of William Shakespeare.

                  Along with Lila and Sage, dinners will also be provided by Murphy’s Catering, Columbia House Catering and Creative Catering.  Other featured wineries will include La Folia Winery, Zucca Mountain Vineyards, Hovey Winery, Chatom Winery, Lavender Ridge and many more.  Dinner ticket packages are optional and carry an additional charge, which includes a glass of wine.  Dinner reservations are mandatory.  Dinner will be served from 6:45 until 7:30 pm.  Performances begin at 8 pm, with dessert to be served at intermission.   

 Tickets are available now at The Black Bart Playhouse, Sustenance Books and Murphy’s Music, or go online to www.murphyscreektheatre.org, or call the theatre at (209)728-8422.  If fine dining, exquisite wines and live theatre sound like your idea of an appealing summer night out, you will not be disappointed with MCT’s “Theatre Under The Stars 2013- Wine, Dinner and Shakespeare!”  

Amateur Wine Competition Results!

Thank you to all our local home wine makers for entering into the Calaveras County Fair Amatuer Wine competition. Results from the Fair are in the link below.  Download Amateur Wine Winners List

Congratulations to our Best of Show WInners!

Best of Show Dessert : Bill Kafka

Best of Show Any Other Red: Les Martin

Best of ShowAny Other White: Greg McCarthy

Best of Show Merlot: Jack Fish

Best of Show Chardonnay: Jack Fish

Best of Show Cabernet Sauvignon: Tom Bender

 

 

Foothill Grape Day 2013

Foothill Grape Day 2013 event will be held on Thursday, June 6th at Cielo Estate in Shingle Springs. This year’s topic is all about collaborations. We have a great agenda and line-up of speakers from your local vineyards from Amador, Calaveras and El Dorado counties. This is a four county event so please see the attached flyer for details.

Download Grapedayflier 2013 Final

The Results Are In!

The Calaveras County Fair and the Calaveras Winegrape Alliance are pleased to announce the results from this years 2013 professional wine judging competition. For thirty three years this event has taken place at the fair grounds, and over 260 wines are entered each year. Wineries from Calaveras, Amador, Toulumne and El Dorado enter wine to be judged by a select group of professional competition judges. Twenty five judges come from all over the country, many of them seasoned veterans of our competition and many are fresh new someliers building a career. 

With Tom Bender, Columbia College Instructor, at the helm the group tasted for over five hours on Friday, May third. Wines were awarded Bronze, Silver, Gold, Double Gold or a Best of Show. When a wine receives all golds by a small judging panel it is then tasted by the entire group of judges in a running of other "all gold" wines for Best of Show Red, White, Dessert, Zinfandel or Best of Show White wine from Calaveras and Best of Show Red wine from Calaveras. Six Best of Show awards were awarded. 

For a full list of the wines judges please click Download Calaveras Wine judging results 2013.

 Congratulations to the following Best of Show Winners:

Best of Show White - Chatom Semillon 2011

Best of Show Red - Gianelli Petite Sirah 2010

Best of Show Dessert - Runquist Muscat Canelli 2012

Best of Show Zinfandel - Runquist 2011

Best of Show White Calaveras - Black Sheep Lily Pad

Best of Show Red Calaveras - La Folia Barbera 2010

A sincere thank you to Laurie Gianni, Gay Callan, Gerry & Carrie Nelson, Tom Bender, Judy & Charlie Creighton, Pat & Bert MacDonald, Scotty Hancock, Diane Cornish, Bill Kafka, Tina Baggett and Mary Mutz for all your hard work and support. 

 

 

Local Artist featured at Hovey Winery

The Hovey Tasting room in Murphys was filled on April 13th for an Artist Reception for Judie Cain-Papais. Her work is featured this month. “I was thrilled … to be the April featured artist at the fabulous new Hovey Wine Tasting Room,” said Cain, who works out of her studio in Forest Meadows. “It’s certainly an honor to have been selected from among all the considerable talent that is in our area.” 

“For me, artwork should remind us of hope and happiness, just as the gaiety of children’s laugher can evoke a smile and heart-warming memories,” Cain mused.
She works magic with practiced skill in oil paints, and several of her works are in print, Giclee and on home products. Working from live models, on location, and/or from photo references from her travels, she strives to capture the light, liveliness, and mood of the moment through quick strokes of vibrant colors.
To Cain, painting is something you have in your soul. She sees herself as an “Impressionistic Colorist” painter, but others have told her she has an “Expressionistic” flair.
“It’s whatever attracts me at the time; I express my feelings, so I’m a little of both”, Cain said. “If the light hits a certain way, I think, ‘If I could only capture that.’ It’s humbling trying to capture what Mother Nature has perfected.”

 

credits to pinetree.net