One of my favorite things about Spring and Summer in the Northern California is the plethora outdoor based wine and food events.  One of the most memorable of such events for me was the Amador Four Fires event I last attended in 2016 (yes it was that memorable!)

Amador Four Fires Festival (A4F), is a new concept of wine and food festival celebrating four wine regions that inspire the award-winning winemaking and winegrowing in Amador County, paired with international traditions of open flame cuisine at the historic Amador County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, California.  The event will take place on Saturday, May 5th this year.

Distinct from the typical “walk around” style wine event, A4F embodies four wine-making regions which inspire Amador winemakers and winegrowers: Southern France, Italy, Iberia (Spain and Portugal) and Heritage California.   All wines poured will have been vetted by an experienced panel of judges and sommeliers.  Guests have the opportunity to taste wines from more than 40 wineries.  A4F will be spread across a ten-acre site, divided according to wine regions, with plenty of room to visit with the winemakers, sample the foods (I’m going to come back to the food!) shop in a bountiful “County Store” featuring locavore delectables and crafts.

All proceeds from A4F benefit the Amador County Fair Foundation.

Wines

Nearly 200 wines from over 40 wineries are poured. Zinfandel, Barbera, Tempranillo, Syrah and many more are served with food of the four regions, Southern France, Italy, Iberia, and Heritage California.

Here’s a sampling of my some of my favorite wines from the last time I attended A4F.

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Heritage California Zone

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Food

The event features local chefs from Amador County and surrounding areas who will be preparing their culinary delights prepared over open flame.  Imagine huge pans of simmering paella, herb-encrusted lamb on a spit, and bistecca fiorenza.  These delightful bites and more, will pair well with an array of wines from the four regions that inspired Amador winemakers and winegrowers.

You can see the menu here.  Don’t be surprised if you start to drool a bit (I did!)  

Beer vs. Wine Round Two

Back by popular demand! Come meet a panel of beer and wine experts as they discuss these beloved libations. An in-depth debate on food pairings among the two is followed by open discussion and questions from guests. Beer- and wine-lovers unite to soak in the unique insight of a panel of renown experts

Immerse Yourself

All day participate in Amador Cigar Club’s fun smoke & libation pairing takes, Informal Chats and Cooking Demos by all five participating chefs; experience a Sensory Station featuring barrel woods, soils, and other origins of wine scents and flavor. Throughout the day, scheduled talks include “Wine Tasting 101: Sip, Swirl, and Smell,” by G. M. Pucilowski, Certified Wine Educator; “Man vs. Woman: Which gender makes the better wine judge (and winemaker)” with Mike and Martha Dunne, renown wine judges; “Keeping it in the Family: Meet multi-generation wineries and what the current generation is doing differently (a lot!), “Women in Wine: Meet four award-winning women winemakers” and find out the challenges and rewards; “Wine & Food Pairings: There are no rules” with Phil Werfelmann, Sommelier followed by a panel Q&A session where by G. M. Pucilowski, Certified Wine Educator joins Phil to answer your wine pairing questions.

The last time I attended I thoroughly enjoyed a seminar about what make the Amador County terroir so unique.

Pro Tips for Surviving A4F

• The event is scheduled from 11a-4p.  Remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint – pace yourself and take some breaks.
• Alcohol is dehydrating. It’s important to stay hydrated. Drinking water will also help keep your palate clear (taking a sip between tastes is a good idea). It’s best to bring plenty of water with you.
• Skip wearing strong perfume, cologne, after-shave lotion, hair spray or deodorant. You may be used to your own scent and not notice, but strong scents can interfere with others wine tasting experience.
• Drink responsibly.  Take a sip then spit.  Also feel free to use the dump buckets set out on the tasting bar for excess wine, or a wine you may not enjoy.
• Alcohol is metabolized more quickly on an empty stomach.  There will be plenty of food available during the event, but be sure to have a good breakfast before the event.

In spite of the rain, my wife, a friend and I had a great time when we went a couple of years ago.  I’m looking forward to attending again this year! You can purchase tickets here.

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