FUN-travel: Wine Tasting – Plymouth to Murphys – Day 3
May 1, 2015 by Susan Clarke
- Very sorry to say, the coffee and breakfast was subpar at the Shenandoah Inn. Thank god they had Starbucks just a few miles down the road in Jackson.
- Lovely drive to Murphys (about an hour) consisted of mile upon mile of endless green rolling hills covered with grasses and patches of clustered wild flowers bursting with colors in yellow, orange and purple. Occasional large oak and pine trees dotted the hills before turning into completely forested mountains in the distance. Rows of planted vines mixed with sprawling ranches, grazing cows, sheep, and horses.
Victoria Inn
1st stop – Chatom Winery just outside of Murphys – recommended by the girls at Klinker Brick. Nice selection of reds and whites and their wine club is a flat rate $39 for 2 bottles, tax and shipping included.
2nd stop – Murphys – we heard it was cute and it is! Victoria Inn was our pick to stay somewhere special and quaint. It’s right downtown within walking distance to everything.
- Our lunch choice was spot on! We shared a bowl of homemade split pea & ham soup for starters. That and the burrito was plenty for both of us and a perfect “fill up” for wine tasting.
Shops On Main Street
FUN-food – Grounds – Big Burrito filled with chicken, rice, ranchero beans, chilies, onions, cheddar & jack cheese, smothered with “chili gravy” and topped off with olives, sour cream and homemade salsa.
- We spent the afternoon strolling Main Street and tasting wines at Hatcher, Renner, Hovey, Twisted Oak and Newsome-Harlow. While we bought some bottles along the way, our wine club pick was Newsome-Harlow. Everyone was tasty! There are a total of 19 wineries on Main Street and it was great to not have to drive anywhere.
FUN-food – Alchemy Market & Wine Bar – 1st course – crispy fried calamari & jalapeno peppers served with a parmesan chipotle aioli – 2nd course – iron skillet mussels in a light sauce of sherry & fresh herbs with a side of truffle fries – 3rd course – fennel crusted seared ahi served over mixed salad greens with kalmata olives, marinated red onions, oranges & feta dressed with a lemon oregano vinaigrette. Their complimentary cheese bread is to live for!
- While it was highly recommended, only 3 restaurants serve on Tuesday nights. I made reservations at 3:00 and discovered they had live music starting at 5:30. This was the most FUN I’ve had in a restaurant in a long time! Our server Chris was off the charts exceptional. When I asked to see the manager I was told, “There isn’t one.” I went back to the kitchen to meet Chef owner, Jason, to commend him on the great food and service. His empowered staff takes pride and it shows!
- Every Tuesday (except January – 4-course beer pairing) is Winemaker’s Night featuring $5 glasses of local wines, $20 a bottle, and free live music on the patio from 5:30 to 8:00.
FUN-fact – The Murphys Historic Hotel remains the crown jewel of the Mother Lode anchoring the town of Murphys at the corner of Main Street and Algiers. One of a hundred Wells Fargo Bank stops.
Murphys Hotel Saloon