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Do you love grapes and want to experience the real soul of California wines? Then the Madera Wine Trail and other Madera Wineries and Tasting Rooms should be on your bucket list. What is considered by many as the best-kept secret in California wines is your chance to enjoy premium flagship alongside small vineyards where you can talk to the winemakers themselves.
Tradition is an understatement in the Madera Wine Region. It's not just one of the oldest grape-growing regions in California but also one of the oldest in all of America. In the late 1800s, immigrants from Italy, France, and Armenia settled here, growing grapes similar to their homelands. Using their old-world wine-making techniques and expertise, two major wineries began to ship their wines worldwide. While few original wineries survived the prohibition era, new ones emerged in the late 1930’s.
This region is long known for producing award-winning port and dessert wines, such as the Old Vine Tinta Port from Ficklin Vineyards. In the past few years, the Madera distinction has experienced a new renaissance in all types of wine. Its microclimate is cooled by the San Joaquin River in the southwest and the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the east. Add to that the varied soil types in the county, and you create a great foundation for developing premium wines.
Spring on the Westbrook Wine Farm
Of course, we have the “old guard” of Ficklin Vineyards, producing the most awarded port in the U.S. since 1948. And Papagni Wines, who's been crafting wine for over 95 years since Demetrio Papagni emigrated from Italy. Once you've tasted a Papagni wine, it's easy to see why they are one of the most award-winning wineries in the state.
Toca Winery
Along the way, many more wineries have added to the wonders of this region.
Toca Madera Winery – Making small-lot estate wines from warm weather grapes such as Tempranillo and Moscato Giallo.
Quady Winery – An internationally acclaimed maker of sweet wines such as Vya Vermouth and Starboard (Port).
San Joaquin Winery – Owned & operated by farmer Steve Schafer, he followed his dream to produce wines from a Madera vineyard.
Birdstone Winery – A family-owned vineyard producing many award-winning wines from varietals such as Dolcetto, Malbec, Primitivo, and many others.
Idle Hour Winery & Kitchen – Oakhurst’s first winery uses sustainably grown grapes, embracing the old-world style of native yeasts & gravity flow.
Westbrook Wine Farm – Near Bass Lake in the Sierra Nevada foothills, they produce wines in the traditional Claret style by co-fermenting grapes rather than making separate varietal wines and blending them.
Dorval Estate Winery – Overlooking the beautiful backdrop of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, this hidden gem is known for its world-class, award-winning Argentinean and Syrah wines and white and rose styles.
CRU Winery - The Madera tasting room and winery sources fruit from the finest vineyards throughout the central coast of California. They focus on Burgundian varietals. Recently, the 2021 Sarmento Vineyard Pinot Noir received 95 points from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
The Madera Wine Region provides an experience few other AVAs can. You can experience old-world techniques and state-of-the-art technology all on the same day. Madera County winemakers celebrate each other’s unique wine and winery styles, and so can you!
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