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Wine Weekend gives visitors a taste of the trail

By Jarrod Lyman / Community Correspondent

(Updated: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 3:24 PM)

Wineries along the Madera Wine Trail enjoyed visitors from the region and beyond during the annual Holiday Spirit Wine Weekend.

Idle Hour Winery in Oakhurst was the starting point for a lot of residents from the Fresno area, according to co-owners Anna Marie dosRemedios and Deb Payne. "A lot started the trail up here and then worked their way back down," said dosRemedios.

Wines poured included Idle Hour Winery's viognier, merlot, two cabernet francs, a cabernet sauvignon, a petite syrah and its tempranillo.

While the winery enjoyed a lot of visitors from out of town, dosRemedios said it also had a lot of locals stopping in. "The community has been so supportive, from helping with the crush, to wine samples like today," she said.

Marci Williams, a part-time Coarsegold resident, was one such visitor. "They have the best wine. I even take my shoes off for them," she said, referencing the crush the winery held in September. "I did it to music. I loved it," she said.

Westbrook Winefarm in O'Neals also enjoyed a lot of visitors according to proprietors Ray and Tammy Krause. "It's been going very well, we've had a good response," said Tammy Krause. "It's a fun Wine Trail event because it's right before the holidays."

All of the winery's appointment timeslots were filled, with more than 50 people per day sampling wines like its fait accompli or the viognier and valdiguie blend. Jan Williams of Madera Ranchos was one of the guests Saturday. "It is delightful," he said. "The wine is great, the company is entertaining. It's very enjoyable."

Tammy Krause said many people were on the trail searching for their holiday wines, and Williams was no different. "I like the Clone 4 Cabernet Sauvignon," he said. "That's what I'll be taking to Thanksgiving dinner."

The next big event on the Madera Wine Trail is the 2010 Wine and Chocolate Wine Trail Weekend Feb. 13 and 14.