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Greetings!
The leaves are changing colors and the air is crisp. Fall has arrived in all it's glory. Read on for exciting events and ways to stay for less in Madera County: California's Gateway to Yosemite.
Sincerely,
Jarrod Lyman
Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau
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Madera Wine Trail Holiday Spirit Weekend
Hit the trail and find your Holiday Spirit
 The Madera Vintners Association's family wineries are proud to present the
Madera Wine Trail's "Holiday Spirit Weekend" on November 13 and 14, from 10 am to 5 pm.
Get into the holiday spirit as you taste the award-winning wines of the Madera Wine
Trail.
Madera's warm climate and geographical features gives Madera County winemakers the ability to craft wines that offer distinct flavors of unique varietals. Wine Trail visitors will have the opportunity to taste a variety of aperitif, table and dessert wines that are sure to satisfy any palate.
The Holiday Spirit Weekend is the perfect time to buy Christmas gifts for the wine lover in your family. Giving wine for a holiday gift is not only a great conversation starter, but allows you to
share something you have personally experienced and pick out just the right varietal for that special person. Many wineries will be offering holiday specials this weekend - see below for more information.
Ticket Information
Madera Wine Trail Passport Glasses are available for $25 from any participating winery both days of the event and is your pass to free wine-tasting on the Trail all weekend long.
Pre-sale tickets are available for $20. Tickets may be purchased online at www.MaderaWineTrail.com through November 7, 2010. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the following locations through November 12, 2010:
Birdstone Winery
Chateau Lasgoity
Cru Wine Company
Idle Hour Winery (Oakhurst)
Quady Winery
San Joaquin Wine Company
Vino & Friends
Designated Drivers are always welcome on the Madera Wine Trail, and they are always free. Be sure to ask for a "Designated Driver - Madera Wine Trail" VIP kit at your first stop on the Trail.
Participating Wineries
Birdstone Winery - 9400 Road 36, Madera, (559)645-1825,
Begin your 2010 Madera Wine Trail Holiday Spirit Weekend experience at Birdstone Winery. Birdstone will
host live music and a number of talented local artists throughout the weekend. For lunch each day enjoy a delicious dish of Fiori Di Pasta Ravioli's smothered in a light red cream sauce, a garden fresh Caesar Salad, and garlic butter toasted Bruschetta topped with Pesto and Roma tomatoes - all prepared by Chef Michael Mazzoni and Chef Cathy Barrows. Great food, art, music, award winning wines and warm friendly people make Birdstone Winery a necessary stop on your wine trail adventure.
Chateau Lasgoity - 11219 Road 26, Madera, (559)674-8291
Come join us at the Chateau during the Fall Wine Trail weekend. Where you will find exceptional wines offered at great prices. Chateau Lasgoity patrons don't miss out on our major case discounts only offered this weekend. Live music both days from local band, "The Tools." Lunch is available from Full-OBull
deli of Madera. We look forward to seeing you at the Chateau.
Cru Wine Company - 20146 Road 21, Madera, (559)673-6372,
Get a kick start into the Holiday Spirit with CRU Wine Company (formerly Mariposa Wine Company). New name and new look. Located just west off Highway 99, at Avenue 20. We will provide the passport, wine and cheer, all you need to bring is your taste buds. Experience our new picnic area, beautiful Tasting Room and patio, along with the many new and exciting things going on at CRU. Winemaker Ken Post will be doing some special barrel tasting of some of our up and coming surprises and he has
also been known to have a few other tricks up his sleeve. Make CRU a must stop and enjoy the world class wines, great local art, jewelry by Two Bottle Blonds, live music, tasty food and more. Be sure to take advantage of our Holiday deals on wine and stock up for the season. The CRU Crew looks forward
to seeing you.
Ficklin Vineyards - 30246 Avenue 7 ½, Madera, (559)661-0075,
Make Ficklin Vineyards a stop at Madera Wine Trails, Holiday Spirit Weekend. Ficklin Vineyards is pleased
to showcase our legacy of award winning Port, including our 1996 Vintage Port, Aged 10 Year Tawny, Old Vine Tinta, and many other Port styles. Accompanying our legacy of Ports are our more recent award winning table wines, including Chardonnay, Rose, and Cabernet Sauvignon. In addition to our full selection of table and dessert wine is an assortment of vendors to pair beautifully with our selections of wine. We are featuring wild cats from the Cat Haven. We are bringing in two
experts to demonstrate wood working on lathe and hand rolling cigars. Howard Atamian is coming with his lathe and making an array of wood products. Aldo Rodriguez, owner and operator of Casa del Tabaco, is going to sell and hand roll cigars from Cuban seed to pair splendidly with our Ports. With these demonstrations we are also going to having cheese, jewelry, and chocolate.
Idle Hour Winery - 41139 Highway 41, Oakhurst, (559)760-9090,
Start your wine trail at Idle Hour Winery and take a drive up to Oakhurst and see the Fall colors. Taste our award-winning wines while enjoying our 6 acre property on the Fresno River. Bring a picnic while enjoying local artists such as photographer Rikki Alley and painter Judy De Rosa, who will display beautiful photos of the Yosemite mountains area, paintings and handmade jewelry. Local musicians will entertain you as well.
Or better yet, end your wine trail day at Idle Hour Winery and book a room at the Queen's Inn Saturday evening, where you can enjoy the blazing fire pits and a great selection of wines and beer in the wine bar. Call 559.683.4354 to make your room reservations today.
Quady Winery - 13181 Road 24, Madera, (800)733-8068
Mike's Place in Quady Winery will be the place to hang out for good wine and a fun time. Our winemakers Michael Blaylock and Darin Peterson will guide you through a vertical tasting of our library port wines STARBOARD/PORT made with traditional Portuguese varietal grapes. Joel Lopez of Perfect
Blend Fine Cigars will be on hand to advise you on the right cigar to go with that special wine. Grab a glass of port, a cigar, a spot on one of the couches and enjoy the game. Walk through the winery and delight in our Muscat wines; Essensia, Elysium, Electra, Red Electra and Deviation. Enjoy our aperitif wines
Vya Sweet and Vya Dry. Holiday treats will be paired with our wines for a synergistic experience. Blues and Rock by Howl'n Howard and BrotherWard. And of course... Wine Trial Discounts.
San Joaquin Wine Company - 21801 Avenue 16, Madera
Our friendly staff at San Joaquin Wine Company, home to Moody Press Cellars and Green Eyes, awaits
you on this November wine trail. San Antonio Chef Don Wittschiebe is back to pair culinary delights with
our newly released 2007 Moody Press Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 Moody Press Zinfandel, and our 2009 Moody Press Chardonnay. Start your holiday shopping early with jewelry designed by Kelly Kirschner of Serendipity Studios. Saturday, get into the groove to the music of local band, Rhythm Review. On Sunday, enjoy the sounds of the Kingsburg High School Wind Ensemble as they play their way to Carnegie Hall. Wine club members will be able to pick up their latest club shipment including a special gift. Stop by and see what other surprises San Joaquin Wine Company has in store for you.
Westbrook Wine Farm - O'Neals (559)868-3499
Plein Aire Wines - by appointment only
Dependable favorites and exciting discoveries await fifty serious wine lovers each day at Westbrook Wine Farm Vineyard and winery in O'Neals just forty minutes northeast of Fresno and Madera. We will be showing our award winning red wines from the stellar 2007 vintage to include Fait Accompli "Renaissance", Cabernet Sauvignons Lodi, Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 4, and our Petite Sirah, John Simpson Vines,a Gold Medal and Chairman's Award winner at this year's Orange County Fair Wine Competition. White wine aficionados will be able to contemplate our cheeky Uber Rhenish Dry Riesling and multi-layered Viognier/Valdiguie. There is also sure be a proliferation of provocative Oenobabble. We will be offering special "Wine Perp" prices throughout this event.
Please call 559-868-3499 or email westbrookwine@netptc.net
early to secure your confirmed reservation.
Thank you for your kind consideration of our wines.
Ray and Tammy Krause
www.westbrookwinefarm.com
Under 21 not admitted. A non-smoking property. |
Good eats and Sweet Treats
Casa Velascos in Bass Lake and Oakhurst | Casa Velsasco in Oakhurst
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Casa Velasco, which opened in 2002 in Bass Lake, quickly became a popular stop for locals and visitors alike craving good, homemade Mexican food. The restaurant grew so popular in fact, they recently opened a second in the nearby town of Oakhurst.
"The second restaurant came as an opportunity to expand," said Yolanda Velasco, who owns the restaurants with her husband Efren. "We have a good landlord who offered us the opportunity, and we thought we'd go back and try it again. So far, the community reception has been really good."
The positive reception comes from the Velasco's dedication to good service and good food. "We take care of our customers and feed them quality, homemade food," said Yolanda. "We make our tamales, our Chile Relleno and our sauces from scratch."
Yolanda said that Chile Relleno, as well as their fajitas, are the restaurants' most popular menu items. "They are our best sellers," she said.
To see their menu, visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/CasaVelasco. |
Madera County for the Holidays
Come to California's Gateway to get in the spirit | | The Madera Tractor Parade of Lights is held each December, the first Thursday after Thanksgiving. |
The Holidays are a wonderful time in Madera County. The high country has a beautiful blanket of snow, perfect for the family with kids looking for the quintessential white Christmas, and the valley communities are perfect places to escape for those looking to get away from snow. Once again we see Madera County is diverse.
One of the most popular events is the Madera Tractor Parade of Lights. Combining the agrarian lifestyle prevalent in Madera County with good old fashioned Holiday Spirit, this event is fun for the family. While the parade is filled with numerous tractors and other drivable farm implements, you'll see all sorts of vehicles, as anything can be entered in the parade as long as it is covered in lights. The parade occurs the first Thursday after Thanksgiving every year.
If you're in to Christmas trees, than you'll see many throughout Madera County. Oakhurst, Madera, Chowchilla and Bass Lake each of tree lighting ceremonies throughout December. Imagine a month of unending Christmas tree lighting events, and you will imagine a month full of fun.
If you'd like to take home a specially decorated Christmas Tree, then perhaps the annual Christmas Tree Auction. Come home with a beautifully decorated tree, with the money going to a great cause. Click here to learn more about the auction, or visit http://www.YosemiteThisYear.com to learn more about all the great events.
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Discounts, deals and promotions
Businesses offer incentives to stay in Madera County
Want to stay at Bass Lake? Miller's Landing is offering 20% off all cabin rentals through May 15.
Have you had the chance to ride the logger yet this season? Time is running out, but you can still make it. Sierra Mountain Lodge will be operating the first two weekends in November, as well as over Thanksgiving Weekend of Thursday through Sunday - weather permitting. They will also be operating the Jenny Railcars Thursday and Friday of Veteran's Day. www.YMSPRR.com or www.Facebookcom/ymsprr
Yosemite Skyway Vacation Rentals is offering a deal where you can stay for four nights for the price of three. Visit them online at www.yosemiteskyway.com.
Paradise Springs is offering their Villa with 7 bedrooms (sleeps 20) with large rock fireplace (wood supplied), dining/entertainment room, custom kitchen, outdoor bbq, fire pit and more, for a winter special rate of $700 per night plus tax. (Two night minimum.) A perfect spot for Holiday gatherings!
The Sierra Mono Museum is having their annual Membership Dinner on Saturday, November 13 at the Kennedy Hall at North Fork School. Members dine for free, otherwise it's only $10 for a traditional turkey feast with acorn and amazing raffle prizes. (559) 877-2115.
Stay for 3 nights at the Madera Valley Inn and receive a $25 retail/restaurant gift card of your choice, good at more than 20 different locations, upon checkout. Nights do not have to be consecutive.
Ducey's on the Lake, under new ownership and management, has a trio of specials they are running. You can enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving Day buffet from 11 am until 7 pm featuring Roast Turkey or Prime Rib. Adults cost $28.95, seniors pay $22.95 and kids 4-12 are only $14.95.
For every day dinners, Ducey's is featuring three course meals for between $7.50 and $14.50 from 4 - 6pm every day.
For breakfast, try Ducey's Double Duece Breakfast Special. Enjoy two eggs and pancakes for only $3.99 every day from 7-10 am.
The Redwoods in Yosemite also have several promotions going for winter time visits. Enjoy two nights in a vacation home for as little as $338. The Redwoods also has various group packages starting as low as $195. To see more, click here.
Take a day trip out to Hilmar Cheese and celebrate their Spirit of the Season. Beautiful decorations and themed trees and delicious Hilmar cheese gift baskets and boxes, the perfect way to enjoy a special meal with friends and family. Saturday, November 13 is their Holiday Open House. Meet California Farmstead cheesemakers and gourmet food purveyors from 10 am until 3 pm, enjoy delicious copmlimentary gourmet food and sweet samples, cheese tasting and a variety of activities. To see the full schedule, visit their website at www.hilmarcheese.com.
Interested in taking a whitewater rafting trip next year? Book now with Zephyr Whitewater and book your 2011 trip for the 2010 rate. Visit their website at www.zrafting.com for more information.
The Sierra Mountain Lodge in Ahwahnee is offering successive discounts, the longer you stay, the more you save. Stay for one night, and take 10% off. Stay for two nights, and save 20%. Stay for three or more nights, and save 30%.
Enjoy a five star, gourmet Thanksgiving Feast at Erna's Elderberry House, central California's only Five Star Restaurant. Click here for the menu.
Century 21 Ditton Vacation Rentals has several deals going on. Many Bass Lake Vacation rentals homes are offering a winter special. Reserve on particiapting home for 3 nights and get the 4th free. Offer excludes holidays. If you or one of your family members are currently serving in the military, you will receive a 10 percent discount on a Bass Lake Vacation Home.
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