January 2008 - The Vineyard Restaurant is awarded the “Crystal Tower” award from the Madera Compact. Madera Compact is an organization of of Madera Business and Educators. The award recognizes excellence in the business and education partnership. The Vineyard was recognized for work with Madera High food service and vocational education.

December 2007 - The Vineyard Restaurant wins Fresno Magazine’s “Best Restaurant in Madera” award second year in a row.

The Wine Spectator has recognized The Vineyard as one of the top restaurants in the Central Valley wine growing region.

August 2007 - The Vineyard hosts Alice Waters and other leaders of Slow Food to a dinner and lunch featuring locally grown food from T&D Willey Farms and Mary’s Turkeys.

Via Magazine features The Vineyard as one of the highlights of a trip down Highway 99.  

Winemaker’s Dinners

Madera County is blessed with unique, interesting, adventuresome men and women in the wine business. We have two Winemaker’s Dinners scheduled this summer with some of the best of this group.

On Wednesday July 25th 2007 we will host winemaker Michael Levin of Mariposa Wine Company and Cru. Michael is an entertaining and very knowledgeable winemaker. He makes great pinot noirs and some very exciting proprietary wine blends. This will be an exciting evening of different wines pared with an outstanding meal designed to complement these unique wines. This dinner costs $45 a person

On August the 30th 2007, a Thursday we will be joined by Ray and Tammy Krause, owners and winemakers of the Westbrook Wine Farm from O’Neals. O’Neals is in the Madera County foothills. They will bring some wonderful wines including their new Dr7y Reisling and always outstanding Bordeaux blend Fait Accompli. The Krause’s wine are unusual and very personal, well made wines that you will enjoy. This tasting with dinner costs $65 a person.

Both dinners begin with an aperitif from 6-6:30 with the first course starting @ 6:30. Price includes wines, dinner, sales tax and tip. You can make a reservation by calling 559-674-0923 or by emailing chris@vineyardrestaurant.com.  We look forward to seeing you for one or both of these exciting evenings.

Heritage Turkey Dinner
Oct 25th 2006 @ 6:30

Join us on Wednesday October 25th for a Heritage Turkey Dinner with all the trimmings. We will serve a 3 course turkey dinner featuring Mary Pitman of Mary’s Turkeys fame. Mary and her husband Ric Pitman grow these old breed turkeys in Madera and Fresno counties and process them in Sanger. These turkeys are flavorful and delicious.  After you taste this turkey you’ll want to serve one for your Thanksgiving dinner.

This will be a benefit dinner for Slow Food Madera. If you were at the last Slow Food event you heard Tom Willey talk about the concept of the ”100 mile meal”.  The idea is that all the food on the plate comes from within a 100 mile radius from the dinner.  We are going to attempt that with this dinner. Everything except the salt, pepper and the flour for the bread will come from within 100 miles of Madera. This includes the wines we will pour with dinner.

Turkey dinner, wine, tax and tip will cost you $30.00 a person. Call 559-674-0923 to make reservations. Space is limited for this dinner so call early. Hope to see you here.

Chris Mariscotti

The 2006 Vineyard Restaurant crush pictures are here!