Apple Hill, El Dorado wineries to fill up with Nevadans this weekend

While many may head into Carson City on October 31 to celebrate the state's birthday and parade, thousands of Northern Nevadans will be heading over the Sierra into El Dorado County to enjoy time at the county's winery and Apple Hill regions.

Why you ask?

Nobody really knows the answer, but the El Dorado Winery Association is embracing it.

"It took us several years to figure out why we were so busy on Halloween," said Paul Bush, the owner and winemaker of Madroña Vineyards.

Bush said they were inundated with visitors on Halloween no matter what day of the week it fell on, and if it happened to be a mid-week day they'd be very understaffed.

They saw the parking lots full of Nevada license plates and started talking to visitors as well as the other wineries.

"We finally figured it out!" said Bush.

He said Nevadans can identify with the style of their wines and with the small, family owned and operated businesses in the area.

"About one-third to one-half of our normal customers come from Nevada year-round," said Busy. "More and more are finding El Dorado County and they're like locals to us."

Many of the wineries are offering special Nevada Day savings that last all weekend. At Madroña they are having special cheese and wine pairings and offering 20% off to those that show their Nevada I.D.

Boeger Winery is having their Blacksmith Shop and Lexi Boeger's Pottery Studio open for demonstrations as well as free winetasting. Charles B. Mitchell is offering 20% off with Nevada I.D. and Crystal Basin is having a Halloween Party along with other specials. For a complete list of specials, visit the association's website.

Not to be left out, members of the Apple Hill Grower's Association are having Nevada Day specials all day Friday.

Even though Nevada Day is October 31, Nevadans get the last Friday of the month off as the holiday. State officials changed this in the year 2000 and caught Bush and his friends off guard. Prior to that year, Nevadans would fill up their winery on Halloween, then all of a sudden it changed to the last Friday.

Whatever day it falls on, El Dorado County is ready.

For more information and maps, visit their websites: Apple Hill and El Dorado Wineries.