Amador
Cellars
11093 Shenandoah Road
Plymouth, CA 95669
tel: 209.245.6150
hours: Friday through Sunday 12 -
5pm.
Click
here for map & directions.
website: www.amadorcellars.com
email: larry@amadorcellars.com
Amador Cellars
is a unique winery located in
the heart of Amador County’s
lush Shenandoah Valley wine country.
Built in 2003 of rice straw and
concrete the winery and tasting
room conveys Old World architecture
and style that emphasizes simplicity,
utility and function. Its two
foot thick and sixteen foot tall
walls impart mass and depth while
the roof is covered in corrugated
steel that was allowed to rust
naturally giving the structure
a timeless quality. It sits on
a knoll overlooking rolling vineyards
in the shade of a stand of Valley
Oak. A perfect spot for enjoying
a picnic and fine wine.
At 1500 and 2050 feet in elevation
on soils derived from decomposed
granite our estate vineyards
are farmed to yield small crops
of extraordinary tasting fruit
-- the perfect beginning to vinting
great wines. Our wines are made
in a style that emphasizes varietal
character of the fruit augmented
by subtle oak and vanilla flavors
from oak barrel aging. All of
our winegrape is harvested by
hand at the peak of ripeness,
fermented in either oak barrels,
open top bins or stainless steel
tanks for 5 to 12 days and then
aged in oak barrels for 8 to
20 months. We have focused on
varieties that do well in Amador’s
warm climate -- Zinfandel, Italian
and Rhone Valley varieties as
well as Chardonnay.
Celebrate
weddings, special events or a
special business gathering! Please
come join us for wine tasting,
beautiful views and an unique
Old World wine tasting experience.
The Amador Cellars Tasting Room
is staffed by owner/winemaker
Larry Long and his wife, Linda.
Larry's 82 year old father, Bill
Sr. (fondly known as "Pops"!),
is regularly present to serve
barrel samples and to describe
the unique straw bale winery
construction to our guests. Linda
Fechner, Larry's friendly and
engaging sister, provides guests
with a memorable wine tasting
experience. Other family members
and friends can be counted on
to chip in and help at special
events. If you are lucky, Bailey,
our 4 year old Golden Retriever
Winery Dog will escort you from
the parking area to our tasting
room door.
2003 Chardonnay One of our best
sellers, this light, friendly
wine is a must for your wine
bar and ready for consumption
now. Crisp, fruity, with just
a touch of oak this wine is great
with appetizers and light food
fare. $14.00
2004 Chardonnay The grape for
this wine came from Calaveras
County. It is 100% Chardonnay,
barrel fermented and aged sur
lees (over the yeast) for 8 months
in neutral French Oak. It has
a delightful creamy texture with
light citrus, pear and apple
flavors. Best served chilled
at 50-55 degrees. $16.00
2003 Sangiovese A very popular
wine for its light fruit flavors,
a hint of earthiness and soft
tannins. This variety originated
in Tuscany and is the dominant
grape in Italy's Chianti wine.
This wine pairs well with most
foods and especially lighter
fare. SOLD OUT
2002 Barbera This high-acid,
Italian varietal was produced
from 100% Barbera. It was made
in a style to emphasize varietal
fruit flavors and offers soft
tannins and vanilla flavor from
aging in American oak barrels.
It has a delightful mixed berry
aroma and flavor with a light
finish. Ready to drink now. Pairs
well with Italian and Asian foods.
$16.00
2002 Zinfandel This wine was
produced from our Estate Grown
Zinfandel. Delicious ripe fruit
and the use of 30 days extended
maceration (wine stays in contact
with skin and seeds) were key
to this wine's character. It
offers developed fruit flavors
of blackberry, bramble and licorice
enhanced with smooth tannins
and notes of vanilla from aging
in American Oak barrels for 20
months. Our Zinfandel is an excellent
accompaniment to grilled meats
and tomato-based dishes and pairs
well with other bold and spicy
foods. $18.00
2003 Zinfandel This wine was
produced from 100% Estate Grown
Zinfandel - Rocky Point and Westside.
It offers flavors of bramble,
dark berry and spice with just
a touch of oak from barrel aging.
It has a strong backbone of tannins
that will soften with age. A
Silver Medal winner at the recent
Amador County Fair, it can be
enjoyed immediately; try with
pasta and grilled meats - a great
barbeque wine. $16.00
2003 Zinfandel Reserve This wine
was produced from select lots
of our Estate Grown Zinfandel.
It was aged in American Oak for
20 months and bottled last June
yielding 100 cases. This wine
is just beginning to show its
true potential capturing the
essence of Zinfandel with wild
berry, black cherry, spice and
peppery flavors. Complementing
the fruit and in nice balance,
are layered tannins, a hint of
acidity and soft oak. It can
be enjoyed now with pasta and
grilled meats or aged for 4-5
years. $24.00
2004 Zinfandel, Rocky
Point Vineyard Rocky Point is a 5 acre section
of our estate vineyard (aka Eastside)
which encompasses the Winery
with a history of producing remarkable
Zinfandels. The 2004 vintage
is a good example with its exuberant
wild berry, pepper & spice
aromas and flavors, just the
right amount of bramble, firm
tannins and a touch of oak and
sweetness. Excellent depth, balance
and range of flavors -- a true
Amador County Big Zin. Drinkable
now and will improve with time
in the cellar. 601 cases bottled.
$24.00
2004 Zinfandel Westside Harvested
from the Westside of our Estate
Vineyard this wine has a good
balance of bramble, spice and
pepper and zesty acidity, with
firm tannins and subtle oak from
18 months of American & French
oak barrel aging. Enjoy this
rustic Zinfandel with grilled
meats, spicy foods and of course
by itself. $24.00
2003 Syrah Rich and full bodied,
this wine was produced from grape
grown in our Shenandoah Valley
neighborhood and is a blend of
young and old vineyards. The
grape was destemmed and crushed
into small bins for fermentation,
then pressed into French and
American oak for barrel aging.
This wine is impressive for its
dark color and rich aroma. There
is plenty of fruit with soft
tannins and a touch of oak. It
exhibits a delicious array of
berry flavors with hints of violet,
cinnamon and grapefruit. The
wine has some tartaric acid crystallization
typical of country-style wine.
Enjoy now through 2007 with cheeses,
grilled meats and pasta. $18.00
2004 Syrah Rich and full bodied,
this wine exudes aromas and flavors
of blueberry, sage, lavender
and violet. Soft tannins and
18 months of barrel aging in
French and American Oak add to
the vitality of aromas. This
wine was produced from the same
vineyards and with the same style
as our 2003 Syrah. $25.00
2003 Rapscallion A blend of our
Zinfandel and Syrah from this
vintage. The Syrah adds additional
fruit flavors and slightly reduces
the acidity and alcohol level
of our Zinfandel - a nice complement
for both wines and a true Rapscallion.
A great every day red wine for
just about any occasion available
in our standard 750 ml bottle
and our 1 L jug. $16.00
2004 Rapscallion This big, chewy
wine is a blend of our 2004 Syrah
(17%) and our 2004 Zinfandel
(83%). Lots of dark berry flavors
and firm tannins create a good
mouth feel and a delightful finish.
Serve this by itself or with
dishes with robust flavors. $25.00
