For Black Friday deals that don't involve malls and crowded parking lots, winemakers in the hills of Amador County are inviting people to taste and buy.
Robert Morse, the winemaker and owner of Il Gioiello and Morse Wines, said the winery at 22355 Lawrence Road will have a variety of specials and tastings.
"This will be a rare day. This will be the first Friday we have ever been open," said Morse as he stood on the patio of his tasting room before a wood fire. "We will have special food and Montepulciano vertical tastings. We will do our '06, '07, '08 Montepulciano, which have been some of our favorites out here. We will have specials on those."
Wine grapes represent the single largest farming commodity in Amador County, according to the Amador Vintners Association. The association has 36 members with tasting rooms in the Shenandoah Valley, Fiddletown, Sutter Creek, Willow Creek and Ione areas.
About 3,700 acres are planted in wine grapes. Zinfandel is the leading variety planted in the western foothills 40 miles east of Sacramento, but barbera, sangiovese, syrah and sauvignon blanc are also grown.
Il Gioiello will also have specials on other wines and pour some wines that are not usually available in the tasting room.
"We will have some really good pricing, like somewhere between 50 and 70 percent off on some of those wines," Morse said. And, as with other Amador County wineries, there is no wine-tasting fee.
Morse said an Amador County winery Black Friday is all about relaxing. There will be no rushing around, he said.
"Hopefully, we will get some good weather, and people will come out and remind themselves that what everybody else is doing is a bit nuts," he said. "Wine makes a great gift."
Other wineries marking Black Friday:
• Dillian Winery, 12138 Steiner Road, will be selling its 2009 Reserve Barbera and 2009 Reserve Primitivo to everyone for $29.99 a bottle. Normally, those wines are priced at $34 and only available to wine club members.
• Story Winery, 10525 Bell Road, has early-bird specials from 9 to 11 a.m. The best deals end at 11 a.m.
• Renwood, 12225 Steiner Road, will offer 50 percent off on select case purchases Black Friday through Monday.
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