There is more to the Sierra Foothills than Amador County! I find it terribly disappointing that the latest issue of the Wine Spectator had not even one mention of Calaveras County in their Sierra Foothills section of the issue. Wines from the county continue to receive praise from countless sources. Perhaps the comment "roughing it", could have been omitted if someone bothered to visit Murphys, California and enjoyed a stay at one of the many beautiful boutique hotels, dined at one of the many high quality restaurants or visited the local day spa. But once again, the coverage of this area remains uneven and unacceptable. Has anyone from the Spectator visited Calaveras County lately or ever?

It's amazing how many first posts start out like this.

quote:

Originally posted by Foghorn Leghorn:
It's amazing how many first posts start out like this.

I would have been happy to send my thoughts as a letter to the editor, but did not find that option on the site. And was directed to the forum, which is for posting questions and opinions...right?

I recently tried a cabernet from Milliare which I believe is in Murphys while in the foothills for my girlfriends family reunion. I was pleasantly surprised by the wine, and found it a great value.

quote:

Originally posted by misslinds:
I would have been happy to send my thoughts as a letter to the editor, but did not find that option on the site. And was directed to the forum, which is for posting questions and opinions...right?

Misslinds, I'm sure you're a lovely person, but people aren't cutting you slack because first posts almost always take two forms on the WS boards:

1. "Hi, I'm a wine lover and look forward to learning more about wine!"

2. Some person who has something to sell.

You're #2. I've been to Calaveras County (had Thanksgiving in Hathaway Pines in 1988), and while it's a gorgeous area, with some great people, there are many other backwater wine producing areas that get little ink.

Want more mention? Buy a wine magazine, or make wines that get huge scores. Until then, the area will be known for the gold rush, jumping frogs, and a nice place to grab lunch on the way to Yosemite.

Misslinds,

I'm sure it's true that "There is more to the Sierra Foothills than Amador County!," as you write. There is also more to Napa than Yountville, and more to Sonoma than the Sonoma Valley. The wine country travel coverage in our June 15 issue didn't pretend to be comprehensive. Our goal was to highlight certain focused destinations around the state of California. We hope that by alerting readers to these fine restaurants, hotels and wineries, we might encourage them to discover a new region and then explore more widely. Perhaps even Calaveras County.

Yeah, what he said.

Thank you, I appreciate your reply. I am sure many regions are consistently left out of wine destination pieces. I feel very passionate about the area, have had wonderful experiences there tasting, dining and developed relationships with many amazing wine makers and business owners. I feel that it is an up and coming wine destination with many surprises and would love to see it receive recognition.

Lighten up everyone, I think that "misslinds" post is one of the reasons that Wine Spectator has an online forum. Many Wine Spectator readers follow the print edition, never even coming to the website or forums. I think it's a good thing if people join in and give their opinions on an article, in support or criticism whether it's their first post or 10,000th.

She wasn't pushing a particular winery or vineyard or trying to "sell" us something. Just giving her feedback on something that she read in this magazine...again, is that not the point of having an open platform with the editors and other readers? These kinds of questions and criticisms (as in her original post) come up all the time in the print edition (letters to the editor) and are an important part of journalism.

quote:

Originally posted by indybob:

quote:

Originally posted by misslinds:
I would have been happy to send my thoughts as a letter to the editor, but did not find that option on the site. And was directed to the forum, which is for posting questions and opinions...right?

Misslinds, I'm sure you're a lovely person, but people aren't cutting you slack because first posts almost always take two forms on the WS boards:

1. "Hi, I'm a wine lover and look forward to learning more about wine!"

2. Some person who has something to sell.

You're #2. I've been to Calaveras County (had Thanksgiving in Hathaway Pines in 1988), and while it's a gorgeous area, with some great people, there are many other backwater wine producing areas that get little ink.

Want more mention? Buy a wine magazine, or make wines that get huge scores. Until then, the area will be known for the gold rush, jumping frogs, and a nice place to grab lunch on the way to Yosemite.

Wow! So, you've been to Calaveras County over twenty years ago? Is it not beyond the realm of possibility that things have changed there just a little bit?

Try to refrain from making disparaging comments until you become a little more informed.

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by indybob:

quote:
Originally posted by misslinds:
I would have been happy to send my thoughts as a letter to the editor, but did not find that option on the site. And was directed to the forum, which is for posting questions and opinions...right?


Misslinds, I'm sure you're a lovely person, but people aren't cutting you slack because first posts almost always take two forms on the WS boards:

1. "Hi, I'm a wine lover and look forward to learning more about wine!"

2. Some person who has something to sell.

You're #2. I've been to Calaveras County (had Thanksgiving in Hathaway Pines in 1988), and while it's a gorgeous area, with some great people, there are many other backwater wine producing areas that get little ink.

Want more mention? Buy a wine magazine, or make wines that get huge scores. Until then, the area will be known for the gold rush, jumping frogs, and a nice place to grab lunch on the way to Yosemite.


Wow! So, you've been to Calaveras County over twenty years ago? Is it not beyond the realm of possibility that things have changed there just a little bit?

Try to refrain from making disparaging comments until you become a little more informed.

Hey new angry guy - I fail to see where he said anything about Calaveras County other than "gorgeous area, with some great people" that would require such an angry response.

You want to change peoples opinions tell us how great you are or share the secrets about undiscovered gems. Nowhere in your 5 year old temper tantrum did you even attempt to point to anything in calaveras county of interest.

Perhaps Indy should have said "Until then, the area will be known for the gold rush, jumping frogs, some angry guy name Paulg and a nice place to grab lunch on the way to Yosemite." Try informing us (as you state we should do) or just shut the #$%^ up.

G

PS - If you are serious - I think people on the board really would want to hear about the hidden gems in Calaveras county.

PPS - oh and if you are in the trade - it is common practice to disclose that in any post pushing your wine, area, products, etc.

two that I really like from Calaveras are Hatcher and Twisted Oak, although I don't think Twisted Oak is very much "under the radar" any more...I'd also say that Milliare (mentioned earlier) is making some nice wines...the region is making good wine, and I think that it can get only better, as dedicated growers and winemakers are finding their way there

quote:

Originally posted by thirsty man:
Hey new angry guy - I fail to see where he said anything about Calaveras County other than "gorgeous area, with some great people" that would require such an angry response.

In this context, the statement Buy a wine magazine, or make wines that get huge scores. Until then, the area will be known for the gold rush, jumping frogs, and a nice place to grab lunch on the way to Yosemite., could easily be considered disparaging, in any case it is definitely condescending.

quote:

You want to change peoples opinions tell us how great you are or share the secrets about undiscovered gems. Nowhere in your 5 year old temper tantrum did you even attempt to point to anything in calaveras county of interest.

I find it interesting that calling someone out on making an ignorant statement and suggesting they refrain from making comments until they learn a little more about what they are discussing is considered similar to a five year old's temper tantrum. Generally temper tantrums can be associated with making inane threats and name calling, I did neither of those.

quote:

Perhaps Indy should have said "Until then, the area will be known for the gold rush, jumping frogs, some angry guy name Paulg and a nice place to grab lunch on the way to Yosemite." Try informing us (as you state we should do) or just shut the #$%^ up.

He couldn't make that statement as he hasn't been here for twenty years and I've only lived here for ten.

quote:

PS - If you are serious - I think people on the board really would want to hear about the hidden gems in Calaveras county.

I'll see what I can do

quote:

PPS - oh and if you are in the trade - it is common practice to disclose that in any post pushing your wine, area, products, etc.

Hey, there's no anger here...I just found it quite humorous that this person claims to know about what Calaveras County has to offer because they celebrated Thanksgiving here twenty years ago and I felt the need to point that out.

I am not in the business, however I do live in Murphys and I am friends with a great many local restaurant owners, Wine Makers, Winery Owners and the like. I find it to be a very nice area that deserves more attention than it gets. Murphys has often been compared to the early days of other very popular wine regions in California and it's an exciting time to be here.

paulg, defender-of-misslinds-and-the-great-County-of-Calveras, (thx for the shout-out BTW thirsty man), way to be classy.

I know y'all love a little after dinner entertainment, so here goes:

I did a little checking up on what y'all have been up to since I was there 1988 (non counting a drive through in 2000). Your population has boomed from 31,998 in 1990, to 40,554 in 2000, non-English speakers increased by a few percent, a few more people gained college degrees, but the 17% still lags behind the US average of 24.4 percent. And on, and on, and on.

My point is, you're so right, Calaveras county has changed. When I spent the bulk of my few days there in the late 80s, the people were fantastic and I have nothing but good memories cross country skiing, touring the Hathaway Pines, Angels Camp and Murphys area.

With population growth come problems, as we all know. Now, as you've pointed out, arrogant blowhards have moved into town, well, at least two of them. If I were a Calaveras County winemaker or an inn owner, or a frog jumping contest organizer, I'd be pretty upset that you're on here talking junk and helping me decide which scenic Sierra foothills locale to spend money in next time I vacation out your way.

Hahahaha, entertainment indeed.

Your internet research skills are impressive to say the least.

I find your "blowhard" comments to be particularly entertaining...and by entertaining I mean ironic. It seems that in my first couple of posts I have already run afoul of the Wine Spectators e-bully, oh well.

The only "junk" I have talked, and this term seems to be used very lightly here, was to infer that your comment was made in ignorance as you yourself stated that the last time you had been here was twenty-odd years ago. I simply stated that a great many things have changed here in that time and your aged judgment wasn't fair.

paul-OG, ,

Tell us, what was Calaveras County like 20 years ago? And how is it soooooo different today? Please enlighten us.

The entertainment is not intended for you, trust me, it's for the popcorn salting crowd outside of your fair county. I'm far from the biggest bully around here (neither is thirsty man, BTW), but for you, I don't mind playing the part. Now go back to that creek you came from and keep looking for your winning bullfrog, and quit ruining it for everyone else in Calaveras Co.

Bye now.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: indybob,

I must say there is an intelligent way to have a discussion and then there is the way you do it.

But since you asked so nicely. 20 years ago there were maybe 1 or 2 wineries here. Main St in Murphys consisted of the Murphys Hotel, a Frozen Yogurt shop and, unless you were an enthusiast in the forms of entertainment you have so eloquently outlined, Calaveras County had little else to offer other than a highway to a ski resort, some big trees and a few caves.

Now, however, we have over 21 local wineries. Murphys itself has over a dozen very nice restaurants (Everything from high end Vegetarian to Mexican, to Chinese, to Pizza, etc) a day spa, award winning bed and breakfasts, a great little bakery, shopping and some of the most beautiful special event venues you can imagine.

We have great golf at Greenhorn Creek in Angels Camp and at Saddle Creek in Copperopolis as well as a 3 or 4 other local golf courses.

Ironstones open air amphitheater brings thousands of people to town for their Summer Concert series where artists like Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Rait, BB King, Willie Nelson, Robert Cray, Lyndard Sknyrd and many others have performed.

You have stated, quite rightly, that the people here are great (oh, with the exception of myself of course, but I'm cool with that) and it's the reason I bought my home here. It's an amazing small town, with great atmosphere, good wine and the best people.

And that's all I can come up with off the top of my head, it's early and I'm heading out to go mountain biking for a couple of days on some of the greatest trails in California. I look forward to seeing your scathing critique of my latest post.

Have a good couple of days.

Paulg,

Sounds like it's still a nice area. See, that wasn't so hard, was it angry new guy?

quote:

Originally posted by Paulg:
I must say there is an intelligent way to have a discussion and then there is the way you do it.

I couldn't have said it better.

quote:

PS - If you are serious - I think people on the board really would want to hear about the hidden gems in Calaveras county.

PPS - oh and if you are in the trade - it is common practice to disclose that in any post pushing your wine, area, products, etc.

Post that sound suspiciously like they are trying to sell something are often met with disdain. Reason being, is that there are a lot of people who routinely have nothing to contribute to the forums and instead try to use this as free advertising.

Classic example. Petruslabels

quote:

Post that sound suspiciously like they are trying to sell something are often met with disdain. Reason being, is that there are a lot of people who routinely have nothing to contribute to the forums and instead try to use this as free advertising.

Classic example. Petruslabels

Come now khmark7 - Petruslabels was offering us a once in a life time opportunity! Where else could you get a Petrus label to slap on a bottle of nighttrain to impress your friends?