Northern California’s beauty is found even on a grey dreary day. El Niño’s influence was unmistakable during a recent quiet weekday visit in early January. The weather wet and cold, with periods of heavy downpour, still, undeterred, great friends treated Kathey and me to a wonderful day of wine tasting. What better pastime than to drive about Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley in the Sierra Nevada foothills, sipping classic zinfandels—originally from Croatia—and other varietals from Spain, (more…)