Wine

You don’t have to go to Napa for deliciously divine wine

Some say that Butte County grapes have been kissed by Bacchus himself. So, naturally, the area must be rich in fine wines. While there are only a handful of wineries open for tours and tastings in the county, and most of them were set up by hobbyists-turned-pros, don’t let that fool you. Take a tour—a purple tongue awaits you.

Spring usually arrives early in the foothills of our county, summers are long and hot, and fall weather is usually dry. It all adds up to terrific grape-growing country—that is, if you plant the right varietals. In Butte County that means those of Italy and the south of France—we’re talking major Mediterranean. Syrah, for example, pours forth its dark fruited abundance and does well in our decomposed granite soils. Also, sangiovese delights the palate and adapts well to our sun-drenched heat.

These pleasing wineries offer many events throughout the year. Give a call, book ahead. Arranging a tour is highly recommended. You might be pleasantly surprised by the quality and beauty of Butte County’s fledgling wine industry. Here’s a look at five local favorites:

Quilici Vineyards is owned by Gary Quilici, a former restaurateur—famous for owning and operating The Depot Restaurant in downtown Oroville for more than 28 years. Its 10 acres of grapes include the Italian varietals of barbera and sangiovese, the Rhone wonder syrah, as well as zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon. It arguably boasts the best panoramic view of all of Butte County’s wineries; vineyards laid out in a west-to-southwest slope that overlooks all of the Northern Sacramento Valley: drink it in!

If Grey Fox Vineyards endorsed a theme, it would be “supple.” Go for the Dolcetto, but try their other Italian varieties; barbera and sangiovese, too. Syrah and viognier are planted here, creating a certain je ne sais quoi, so too is a dash of cabernet sauvignon and muscat dolce. Grey Fox employs high-tech tools to keep check on their grapes. A water-sensing system signals to orbiting satellites that relay back down to Earth whether or not the vines are too stressed—all via e-mail! (No joke.) Grey Fox is a partnership, a conjoining of the Arrigoni and Cecchi families formed more than 25 years ago. “We met at a flying club in Solvang,” says Bruce Arrigoni. “Coincidentally, I was thinking about buying a vineyard at the time.” Pleasant people and pleasant wines.

Lou Cecchi (no relation to the Cecchis of Grey Fox) is the winemaker at Long Creek Vineyards and Winery in Oroville. He receives the abundance of the 8 1/2 acres worth of cabernet sauvignon, syrah and assorted other reds. With a production of about 2,500 cases per year, Long Creek’s wines are meticulously cared for and have garnered many awards throughout the state. Beware, Lou loves to talk his craft. He’ll have you down in the cellar examining his bit of winemaking magic quicker than you sip their Sierra Foothills “Collage,” a terrific blend of proprietary reds grown on the estate.

Organic growers LaRocca Vineyards guarantee no added sulfites. In all their organic zeal the LaRoccas sometime fail to mention they also make some pretty good wine. Phil LaRocca’s winery is also Butte County’s largest. Its vineyards reside in two locations, cabernet and merlot planted atop Doe Mill Ridge at 2,700 feet in elevation; and zinfandel, chardonnay and chenin blanc at the base of Sutter Buttes. At both sites, the soil is heavily influenced by volcanism. It adds a certain terroir to the wines. Drink them up at the LaRocca tasting room in Forest Ranch, north of Chico.

And for those who still yearn for the mystery and allure of Napa, save your three-hour (one-way) drive and head up Cohasset Road for a visit to Odyssey. There, Norm and Janice Rosene have created a wonderland of a wine experience. If the wines don’t strike your fancy (which we doubt), the art and architecture of the place will. It’s sort of like Napa’s Clos Pegase Palace, just not so overdone. In fact, its stately architecture was created by Janice’s father, Mr. Papadakis. If that sounds Greek to you, it is: thus the name of the winery (Homer, The Odyssey, get it?). The artwork, too, is a family affair of sorts. Both Norm and Janice met and graduated from UC Davis as zoology majors. What do you do with a degree in zoology? Open a winery of course (OK, maybe that doesn’t make perfect sense. But it certainly worked out for them.) The place exhibits stunning artwork crafted by fellow Davis graduates. “The idea of wine, art, music and architecture is what I’ve always wanted to do,” claims Norm Rosene. From what we’ve seen, and tasted, he’s succeeded.

Get your wine fix

Grey Fox Vineyards
90 Grey Fox Ln., Oroville, 589-3920, www.greyfox.net. Wine tasting and tours noon to 5pm.

LaRocca Vineyards
A 15-minute drive east of Chico on Hwy. 32 in Forest Ranch. 899-WINE, www.laroccavineyards.com. Open Sat.-Sun. 12-5pm. Call for winery tours and private samplings.

Long Creek Vineyards and Winery
233 Ward Blvd., Oroville, 589-3415, ww.longcreekwinery.com. Call for an appointment.

Odyssey Winery and Vineyards
6237 Cohasset Rd., Chico, 891-9463. Saturdays 1-6pm

Quilici Vineyards
72 Quail Hill Pl., Oroville, 589-5088. Call for an appointment.

Some other notable wine destinations:

Creekside Cellars
250 Vallombrosa Ave. Ste. 500, 894-7696. Wine and cheese shop and tasing room offer wine tastings with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and outdoor seating. Store open Tues.-Sat. 11am-7pm. Tasting room open Thurs.-Sat. 4-7pm.

Monks Wine Lounge & Bistro
128 W. 2nd St., 343-3408. An extensive wine list with more than 100 labels available (more than 50 by the glass). Cheese boards, prawns, soups (cold and hot) and desserts. Menu changes often. Open seven days from 4:30pm.

Redwood Forest Restaurant
121 W. 3rd St., 343-4315. Filet mignon, grilled salmon, vegetarian and pasta dishes and delicious desserts. Wine tastings and retail wine sales. Lunch Tues.-Sat. 11am-3pm; dinner Wed.-Sat. 5:30-9pm.

Stanford Oaks Winery
9345 Stanford Ln., Durham, 891-1264, www.stanfordoaksweddings.com. Features Tuscan Ridge wines and is a beautiful wedding locale.

New Clairvaux Winery
26240 7th St., Vina, 839-2200, www.newclairvauxvineyard.com The wine here is known to be excellent. Run by monks and founded in 1955, it is also a unique winery experience. Located in Vina, about half an hour northwest of Chico on Highway 99.

Vino 100
704 Mangrove Ave., (in Park Plaza shopping center), 898-VINO. Where the buying is as enjoyable as the drinking. 100 great wines for $25 or less. Wine tasting Mon.-Fri. 4pm-close; Sat.-Sun. noon-close.