SacBee: Dunne on Butte County Wine

Interesting article in ystrday's SacBee by Mike Dunne:
SacBee:ButteCnty

on the burgeoning (well...slowly growing) wine scene up in ButteCnty. Just to the North of Sacramento, centered around Oroville.

I see know reason that they couldn't grow great wines there in the Eastern part of the cnty in the foothills. All they need is adventurous winemakers willing to plant something other than Cabernet and Chard. Obviously Areni Noir and Prunelart would be ideal matches for their soils & climate.

I was glad to see none of the ButteCnty folks glorifying their area as the "next NapaVlly" and touting the cnty for its "warm days and cool nights as being ideal for grape growing".

Also note that one Berton Bertagna has a wnry there named Bertagna Family Wnry. Wonder how long it's going to be until Domaine Bertagne in Burgundy comes after them??

Mike also mentions the potential of Tehama Cnty just to the North. Aimee Sunseri is doing some interesting things at New Clarivaux in Vina. Cline has the MeadowBrookRanch up there that makes a very good/interesting Zin.

Anyway, an interesting article. Can hardly wait to start bragging that I followed them from the very start.

Tom

There was a "Merlo Family Vineyards" up in Tehama that set up shop in the Clarksburg Sugar Mill. They disappeared from that facility, and the status of the project is a little...confused. They claim to be opening a Midtown Sacramento tasting room, but TBD. Yet their website shows events this month.