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Both Madera and Fresno County are holding two-day wine trails this weekend. It's a chance for people to sample of the world's best wines.
Michael Blaylock is a local winemaker with more than 30 years of experience. He says the Central Valley's luscious grape selection makes for the some of the best wines in the world. "Most of the grapes -- or wine grapes, raisin grapes, table grapes -- come from this area. So people always talk about Napa and Sonoma. Sure they make fantastic wines but the wine's you drink come from here."
Blaylock showed us the inside of Quady's Winery in the North Valley. It's one of ten places people can enjoy wine, music and art at this weekend's Madera Wine Trail. Local wineries are using events like these to try to spread awareness about Valley vino and why it's often times better than the more prestigious Napa Valley or the Central Coast.
"We're constantly doing things all year, not just our wine trail weekend. So, constantly reaching out and spending more money on the out of area marketing," said Wendy Eachus with the Madera Wine Trail, "We do as much as we can. Unfortunately advertising and marketing is very expensive."
Joey Milla of Milla's Vineyards is one of 14 wineries participating in Fresno County's Wine Trail this weekend. Both Fresno and Madera counties are benefiting from places like Yosemite. The tourist destinations brings in an international crowd that gives owners a chance to impress people.
"We get a lot of people. We're actually getting calls from all over the state. And even out of state. We get people coming down from the Bay Area. People are coming up from Southern California," said Milla.
Brand new bright blue signs help direct people to these places. Another small step in an effort to gain big business here in the Valley.
