Wineries Listed by County

Complete List of Wineries 

Alzante Wines - El Dorado, California The Winery Alzante does not currently have a tasting room or a true brick and mortar winery but their wines can be purchased on line and at several local restaurants. The Winemaker Brothers Patrick and Rick Quarry discovered a passion for winemaking from a roommate of Rick’s and decided to open their own winery. Although still working in other professions, they are part time winemakers as they prepare for retirements from careers in other disciplines. Read More... Amador Cellars - Plymouth, California The Winery This is truly a unique winery made from rice straw bales housed in concrete. The walls are 2 feet thick, and not only give the winery an old world charm, but also contribute to keeping the winery at a consistent temperature. The facility is located amidst the vineyards and offers lovely local views from the patio tables. The tasting room is small and cozy, located in the winery itself, and sells... The Winemaker Larry Long is the owner and winemaker at Amador Cellars. He and wife Linda started as home winemakers and now share the numerous winery duties. Read More... Amador Foothill Winery - Plymouth, California The Winery The estate is located at the 1700-foot elevation directly across from Deaver Vineyards in the California Shenandoah Valley AVA. The tasting room is small with a beautiful hilltop location and lovely local vineyard views, as well as impressive views of the Sierras in the distance. This is the perfect spot for a relaxing picnic lunch to accompany an excellent, food friendly, Amador Foothill... The Winemaker Katie Quinn, co-owner of the winery, received a degree in chemistry from Sonoma State University, and her graduate degree in enology from the University of California, Davis. Prior to Amador Foothill Winery, Katie worked at Gundlach Bundschu located in the Sonoma Valley. Read More... Auriga Wine Cellars - Camino, California The Winery In 1980, Richard and Diane Stading founded the Auriga vineyard site, located off Newtown Rd in Placerville. They do not offer tasting at the winery, but make their wines available for tasting in a cozy cluster of tasting rooms tucked away amidst towering pines less than a mile from the freeway in Camino. Auriga Wine Cellars has a second location, Wine Tasting on Main, located at 304 Main Street,... The Winemaker Richard was an award winning home winemaker prior to planting his first vineyards in Placerville. After getting his start with assistance and support from Paul and Maggie Bush of Madrona Vineyards in Camino to create Auriga's distinctive, hand crafted wines, Richard is now expanding his wine making to include Sangiovese and Merlot. Read More... Avanguardia Wines - Nevada City, California The Winery The winery is located in a rural area about a fifteen minute drive north of Nevada City. Built on a small knoll, it overlooks a scenic mountain valley. The valley is scattered with massive oaks and Ponderosa Pines at about the 2200-foot elevation and not far from the south fork of the Yuba River. The Winemaker The winery owners, Robert and Marilyn Chrisman, named the winery after the Italian word for avant-garde. Robert, the winemaker at Avanguardia, uses that spirit of innovation and creativity in the production of the estate wines. Read More... Avio - Sutter Creek, California The Winery The winery is located just southeast of Sutter Creek on Ridge Road, in a rolling foothill setting surrounded by vineyards and a beautiful rose garden. The Italian style tasting room is modern and upscale with a beautiful fountain and garden in the patio area. The estate is also home to more than sixty rescued, unwanted animals; a passion of the Watsons. The Winemaker In college, Stefano Watson majored in business, and began home wine making while pursuing his degree on the east coast. After college, Stefano and his wife Lisa lived in Atlanta, and worked mostly in sales and marketing positions which required weekly airline travel. After losing two co-workers in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Watsons decided it was time... Read More... Bantam Cellars - Plymouth, California The Winery Bantam Cellars is one of the youngest wineries in the Shenandoah Valley AVA, but one of the founders is certainly not new to the region. Garth Cobb is the son of Karly Wines owners, Karly and Buck Cobb. Bantam got its unusual name from one of the owner’s passion for raising Bantam chickens and roosters. The tasting room is beautifully done in oak that covers the walls and the tasting bar. The Winemaker Garth Cobb is the winemaker at both Bantam Cellars and Karly Wines. He grew up in the Shenandoah Valley area and went on to graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles. Read More... Barkley Homestead Winery - Fair Play, California The Winery The Barkley Homestead & Winery is located on a 67 acres estate in the Fair Play AVA of El Dorado County. The tasting room is surrounded by vineyards, pastures, gardens and ponds. The site also offers a Bed and Breakfast with six uniquely decorated guest rooms for those that want to stay in the region, as well as extensive event facilities. The Winemaker Shaun Wilhelm owns and operates the Barkley Homestead Historic Inn and Event facility and acts as the winemaker at the estate as well. Read More... Baumbach Winery - Auburn, California The Winery The winery started life as the Bernhard Winery (Old Rock Winery) in the 1870s. The winery building has been lovingly redone, and has a small tasting area in the barrel room. Next to the winery is the Bernhard Museum, which commemorates the Gold Rush era in the thriving city of Auburn. The winery is located adjacent to the Placer County fairgrounds. The Winemaker The winemaker at Baumbach Winery is owner Neal Baumbach. Mr. Baumbach is a neurologist who found he had a passion for making wines in the French and Italian style. He can often be found in the winery, and tasting room, and is typically happy to talk about his wine. Read More... Bechard Vineyard & Winery - Somerset, California The Winery Ted and Andrea Bechard purchased their estate in 2001. The winery site is in the Somerset area, near the North fork of Cosumnes River. Although the facilities are still under construction, the winery will arrange tours and tastings upon request. The Winemaker While working and traveling in France and Spain, the Bechard’s developed a love of wine and winemaking. After they returned to the States, they spent time working in the Napa Valley, obtaining valuable experience. This started the quest for land to build their own winery, which eventually led them to the Fair Play AVA. Read More... Bella Piazza - Plymouth, California The Winery Bella Piazza is a very modern, upscale winery, done in the Italian Villa style. Created by owners Erika and Jerry Wright, it is the sister winery of Villa Toscano, also located in the Shenandoah Valley AVA. The tasting room has a definite European flare, with lots of light colored wood and European style tile floors. There is a collection of upscale art and household goods for sale at the winery... The Winemaker The winemaker at Bella Piazza and Villa Toscano is George Bursick. Mr. Bursick has a master's degree in Enology from University of California, Davis. Prior to coming to Villa Toscano and Bella Piazza he worked at Ferrari-Caranno. Read More... Black Sheep Winery - Murphys, California The Winery Black Sheep Winery recently moved its tasting room to a beautiful farm house in the center of the small town of Murphys. The grounds are delightfully landscaped and offer plenty of room to relax when you taste. The Winemaker Steve Millier graduated from Fresno State University with a degree in enology. During his 30 years experience as a winemaker he worked for David Bruce Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains prior to coming to the foothills and working at such wineries as Stevenot and Ironstone. Steve and wife Liz also own Milliaire Winery. Read More... Bodega del Sur Winery - Murphys, California The Winery Bodega del Sur opened its doors in the winter of 2007. The winery, located in Mountain Ranch, is in the process of being remodeled, and will open to the public in the near future. The wines carry the unique style of Chuck Hovey, who gained a reputation for producing excellent Spanish varietals. The tasting room, located in downtown Murphys, offers a display of various South American and Spanish... The Winemaker The winemaker at Bodega del Sur is Chuck Hovey. Mr. Hovey has over 20 years of California winemaking experience and is considered one of the California pioneers with the Tempranillo grape. He was previously with Stevenot Winery prior to becoming a consulting winemaker. Read More... Boeger Winery - Placerville, California The Winery Boeger winery has a long and distinguished history in El Dorado County. The site was originally a farm and winery established in the 1850s by the Lombardo family. Although the original winery survived most of Prohibition by producing wines for local churches, it finally closed just around the time the 18th amendment was repealed. In 1972, Greg Boeger purchased the estate and established the first... The Winemaker Greg has moved on to managing the 90 acres of vineyard owned or leased by the estate. His son, Justin, who has a degree in viticulture and fermentation science from UC Davis, has been the winemaker at the two family wineries since 2000. Read More... Bray Vineyards - Plymouth, California The Winery Bray Vineyards is located on 50 acres of decomposed granite and rocky soils. The tasting room is done in a rustic wood style, with barrels as table bases. The winery was built to exist in concert with the environment, and great care was taken to preserve the beautiful old oaks that dot the property. The Winemaker John Hoddy started his working career as a banker, but soon discovered a passion for home winemaking, which lead him to take classes at the University of California, Davis. He has been the winemaker at Bray Vineyards since 2004. Read More... Brice Station Vintners - Murphys, California The Winery Brice Station Winery is located on High way 4 on the way to Bear Valley. This is a little piece of California history having started life as an old stage stop on a homestead, created by a deed signed by President McKinley. The estate also is home to the Quyle Pottery Kiln and Pottery Shop as well as an antique printing press and blacksmith shop. Right outside the tasting room is a patio area... The Winemaker The winemaker at Brice Station is Bill Bezy. Read More... Broll Mountain Winery - Murphys, California The Winery Broll Mountain Winery is located on Pennsylvania Gulch Road outside of Murphys, but the tasting room is located downtown. The estate is on 25 acres and done in the style of a Tuscan villa complete with 200 olive trees. In addition to wine, the estate makes its own olive oil and sells it in the tasting room. The tasting facility is done in rich woods and beautiful stone work, and is surrounded... The Winemaker The winemaker at Broll Mountain is Mark Kunz, who has worked previously for such wineries as Piper Sonoma, Matanzas Creek, Pellegrini, and B.R. Cohn. Mr. Kunz is also the winemaker at Calaveras winery Chatom Vineyards. Read More... Burch Hall & Coyoteville Winery - Grass Valley, California The Winery Owners Steve & Marsha Burch operate a tasting room and gift shop in historic downtown Grass Valley. The tasting room is beautifully done in a modern style but manages to embrace the quaint, historic feel of downtown Grass Valley. Besides wine, the tasting room has assorted wine-related gifts for sale. The Winemaker Steven Burch is owner and winemaker at Burch Hall & Coyoteville Winery. Steven received a degree in Viticulture & Enology from the University of California at Davis. Prior to opening Burch Hall, he worked as a Research Winemaker at Mondavi/Woodbridge and assistant winemaker at Flora Springs Winery in Napa. Read More... Busby Cellars - Somerset, California The Winery Busby is a small, but modern facility and is one of the northern most wineries in the Fair Play AVA. The winery site is on a small knoll with beautiful views of the picturesque countryside. The Winemaker Husband and wife Sherrie and Elliott Graham are the owners of Busby Cellars. Elliott has taken on the winemaking duties, focusing on brining out the varietal characteristics and taste of terroir from the estate’s mountain grown grapes. Read More... Butterfly Creek Winery - Mariposa, California The Winery The drive to the winery takes you through the 200 acres of beautiful foothill scenery including the picturesque St. Genevieve Chapel amongst the vines. The winery and tasting room are located next to a grassy picnic area near the banks of Butterfly Creek. The tasting room is small and cozy with some food and wine treats for sale. This is a perfect area for that picnic lunch and a nice bottle... The Winemaker The winery owner Robert M. Gerken is the winemaker for Butterfly Creek. The family purchased the estate in 1972 and soon began planting the estate vineyards before opening the winery. Read More... C.G. di Arie Tasting Room - Plymouth, California The Winery The tasting room is located on beautiful park-like grounds studded with giant oaks. A creek flows through the picnic area through several waterfalls and a pond stocked with koi. The tasting room is done in a fun retro style and is the former site of both Kelson Creek and the Sonora Winery and Port Works tasting rooms. The Winemaker Chaim Gur-Arieh and his wife Elisheva are the co-owners of the C.G. di Arie Vineyard, with Chaim being the primary winemaker. Chaim is an inventor and scientist by trade and before becoming a winemaker was best known for the invention of Captain Crunch cereal and Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing. Read More... C.G.Di Arie Vineyards & Winery - Mt Aukum, California The Winery The El Dorado County estate offers tasting by appointment only. The tasting room and is located on beautiful park-like grounds in Shenandoah Valley is described in the Amador County section of this guide. A creek flows through the picnic area complete with waterfalls and a pond stocked with koi. The Winemaker Chaim Gur-Arieh and his wife Elisheva are the co-owners of the C.G. di Arie Vineyard with Chaim taking on the winemaking duties. Chaim is an inventor and scientist by trade and before becoming a winemaker, was best known for the invention of Captain Crunch cereal and Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing. Read More... Cantiga Wineworks - Somerset, California The Winery The Winery Cantiga Wineworks, founded by Rich & Christine Rorden, specializes in classically styled wines suited to the dinner table, and to extended cellaring. The tasting room is located on Highway E16 just south of the intersection of Buck’s Bar Road, Grizzly Flat Road and E16. Cantiga's new Estate tasting room, scheduled to open some time in 2008, is located 1/2 mile down Grizzly Flat Road,... The Winemaker Rich Rorden uses an old, "minimal intervention" technique seldom seen today to achieve his unique style. Read More... Cedarville Vineyards - Fair Play, California The Winery Cedarville winery was completed in the year 2000 as a 5500 sq ft facility in the Fair Play area. By building underground caves for wine storage, and by constructing the accompanying buildings in the side of the hill, the winemakers are afforded great control over temperature throughout the winemaking process. The Winemaker Jonathan Lacks and Susan Marks are both graduates of UC Davis with majors in Enology. After working for years in Silicon Valley, the couple moved to the Fair Play area where they have been producing their own wines since 1998. Read More... Chalet Fleur de Lys Winery - Fair Play, California The Winery Chalet Fleur de Lys is located in the Fair Play area. The tasting room, like many of the boutique size wineries in the area, is located in the barrel room. The owners, Robert and Mireille Lajoie started with the purchase of 20 acres in 1996, and later purchased additional property on beautiful Perry Creek Road, where the winery is now located. The Winemaker Robert and Mireille were originally from Montreal and came to the United States in 1971, finally ending up in Coloma. They both had a love of agriculture, and after spending time working for both Windwalker and Perry Creek Vineyards, they planted their first grapes and began their career in winemaking. Read More... Chappell Winery & Vineyards - Mariposa, California The Winery This relatively young, family operated winery began business in 2004 and produces all of its wines from estate grown grapes. Located just a few miles east of Mariposa on Highway 140, the estate is above the 3000 foot elevation which results in warm days and cool nights. The main building and cellar extends 60 feet into the hillside, allowing for natural temperature and humidity control. The Winemaker This is truly a family owned and operated winery, with family members performing all jobs except pruning and picking the grapes. Doug Chappell, a teacher turned vintner, is the winemaker at Chappell. Read More... Charles Spinetta Winery - Plymouth, California The Winery The tasting room of the Charles Spinetta Winery is beautifully done in warm woodsy colors and doubles as an art gallery for many very talented California artists. There is a very picturesque picnic area next to the winery, with plenty of inviting tables to spend time enjoying your purchases with a little food. The Winemaker The Spinetta family has been a part of the Foothill agricultural scene for generations. Charles’ grandfather produced wines east of Jackson, in Amador County, during gold rush up until prohibition. The winemaker at the estate is Adam De Lange. Read More... Chateau Rodin Winery - Placerville, California The Winery This small foothill winery has all of the winemaking tools in a cellar below the family residence. The tasting room is small, but eclectic and cozy. Very often, the winemaker doubles as the tasting room host, accompanied by his dog Hercules. From the front patio you get a great view of the vineyards with an outstanding foothill vista in the distance. The Winemaker Mr. McKay worked as an electronics research engineer in Van Nuys prior to starting Chateau Rodin. After several trips here from Southern California, he and his wife decided to move to the region to start a winery and vineyard. Read More... Chateau Routon - Fair Play, California The Winery Bob and Sheila Routon purchased the estate property in 1995 to use for a horse ranch, but kept an eye towards growing grapes. Located on a wonderful hilltop, the tasting room has a large deck with incredible views across the scenic vineyards to the Sierra peaks in the distance. The Winemaker When the Routon’s started their search for a winemaker, they did it with an eye to making great Port style wines. Their efforts brought them to Jim Olsen, a winemaker with 30 years of experience making Port style wines. Read More... Chatom Vineyards - Murphys, California The Winery Chatom Vineyards is located just west of Murphys in Douglas Flat, CA. Gay Callan purchased the estate for the vineyard in 1980 and completed the winery and tasting room in 1990. The tasting room building is decorated in a foothill wood frame style with beautiful oak tones and is surrounded by delightfully landscaped gardens and picnic area. The Winemaker The winemaker at Chatom is Mark Kunz, who has worked for such wineries as Piper Sonoma, Matanzas Creek, Pellegrini, and B.R. Cohn. Mr. Kunz is also the winemaker at Calaveras County winery, Broll Mountain. Read More... Chevalier Winery - Placerville, California The Winery Chevalier Winery is located about 4 miles from Highway 50 outside of the little town of Shingle Springs. The drive to the winery takes you through scenic rolling foothills covered with towering blue oaks and gray pines. The winery itself is built into a sloping hillside in a microclimate that belies its elevation. Across from the winery was once located one of the first commercial wineries in... The Winemaker Jeannette is a local El Dorado County native, and Pierre came here from France. Together they take great pride in producing grapes and wines in the French style; nicely blended and balanced. Read More... Chiarella Winery - Angels Camp, California The Winery Chiarella Winery currently operates a small tasting room in Angels Camp elegantly decorated in a modern, Italian style. In addition to the estate wine, there is olive oil and other gift items available for sale. The wines are currently made at a local custom crush facility, but there are a winery in the works, and should be open in the not too distant future. The Winemaker Nathan Carella is the owner and winemaker at Chiarella. Nathan grew up in an Italian family with a deep passion for food and wine. A respiratory therapist by profession, he pursued the art of winemaking as a hobby before opening the winery, with the tasting room opening in 2006 and the winery becoming bonded in 2007. Read More... Clos du Lac Cellars/Greenstone Winery - Ione, California The Winery Clos du Lac Cellars, originally named Greenstone Winery, was purchased by Tim Evans in 1996. After acquiring the winery, he renamed it to its present title, and converted it to a French Country Chateau style facility. The tasting room is beautifully done in light colored woods and features lots of natural light. In the tasting room, one can purchase wonderful works of art, or upscale wine related... The Winemaker Winemaking at Clos du Lac is a family affair. Winery President Tim Evans acts as the lead winemaker, and his brother Kelly is in charge of the day to day production. Read More... Clos Saron - Oregon House, California The Winery Located on the lower north east slope of a broad valley, Clos Saron is uniquely positioned to collect large amount of cold flowing off of the Sierras. That, along with the fact that the vineyard slope orientation keeps it shaded most of the day makes the vineyards at the winery the perfect spot for growing Pinot Noir. The Winemaker Gideon Beinstock, the winemaker and owner of Clos Saron, studied winemaking in the Burgundy and Rhone region of France. He believes in a minimalist approach to winemaking, using gentle extraction methods, no filtering or fining and expressing the terroir of the vineyard and not just the grape varietal. Gideon is also the winemaker at Renaissance Winery. Read More... Colibri Ridge Winery - Fair Play, California The Winery The Colibri Ridge Winery is located inside a small barn-like structure, which is a combined tasting and aging room. Colibri means “hummingbird” in French, a theme found throughout the winery. Inside the tasting room, there is a selection of gifts available for sale, as well as a selection of the Colibri wines. The view of the foothills from the small picnic area is exceptional. The Winemaker John Alexander is the owner and winemaker at Colibri Ridge. If your travels bring you there on a weekend, you are likely to have the good fortune to meet and discuss his winemaking with him personally. Read More... Conti Estate/Charles B. Mitchell Vineyards - Somerset, California The Winery The winery is built on a picturesque oak covered hilltop, with a scenic outdoor picnic area that includes picnic tables. The tasting room has been beautifully decorated in a light colored wood, and includes several oak barrels and a large bar area. As well as their award winning wines, there is a gift shop that sells some attractive accessories. The winery is known for its ‘wine future’... The Winemaker Norman Saley is the in-house winemaker at Charles B. Mitchell. He works with consulting winemaker Allen Kreutzer of Drytown Cellars. Mr. Kreutzer consults with a number of wineries in the Sierra Foothills in addition to operating his own boutique winery. Read More... Convergence Vineyards - Plymouth, California The Winery The winery is located on a 100-acre estate in the beautiful rolling pasture land of western Amador County. It gets its name from the convergence of three creeks; the Amador, Rancheria and Dry Creek, which all meet on the estate near a 100 year old cottonwood tree. The tasting room is in a new ranch style building with an attached covered porch area that offers lovely views of the rolling oak... The Winemaker Stephen worked for 17 years in the winery business in both Napa and Sonoma Counties, before purchasing the in Amador County estate with his wife Jamie. A home winemaker who has also taken classes in enology, Stephen's passion for winemaking led him to search high and low for the perfect place to start his own vineyard and winery. Like many others before him,... Read More... Cooper Vineyards - Plymouth, California The Winery Cooper Vineyards is done in a Mediterranean style, with a very inviting patio that wraps around the front and side of the facility. The views of the local vineyards, and relaxing atmosphere, make this a great spot to take in the Shenandoah Valley atmosphere. The Winemaker The Coopers produce their wines with help from winemaker Michael Roser. Mr. Roser trained with locally famous Rich Gilpin of Lavender Ridge in Calaveras County. Read More... Costello's Mountain Brow Winery - Sonora, California The Winery Located between the Gold Rush towns of Sonora and Columbia on Highway 49, the winery is situated on a knoll with local views of the vineyards and surrounding hills. The tasting room offers a whimsical selection of gourmet wine and food supplies. Directly outside the main doors is a large patio area at the entrance with tables and benches to enjoy the ambiance. The Winemaker Jim Costello, the winemaker for Mt. Brow is the grandson of an Italian immigrant and home winemaker with a lifetime passion for wine. He followed his grandfather’s footsteps and soon converted that to love to a commercial operation in 2003. Read More... Coufos Cellars - Rough & Ready, California The Winery The winery is located at the 1800-foot elevation on the side of a small valley surrounded by towering pine and oak forests. The twenty acre site, which is scattered with older farm buildings and vineyards, was originally a dairy farm. The old buildings are being cleverly preserved and incorporated into the winery design. The small, but inviting tasting room was originally a blacksmith shop where... The Winemaker Husband and wife team Henry Coufos and Janet Wheeling are the co-winemakers at Coufos Cellars. They had a great love of agriculture and decided to purchase a farm in the Foothills region, finally settling on the old dairy near the gold mining town of Rough & Ready. They decided to combine their love of farming with their equal love of great wine, producing... Read More... Coulson El Dorado Winery - Camino, California The Winery Coulson recently moved their tasting room to a location very close to their original location - in a small shopping area just off Carson Road. We will be updating the information on that soon. In 1972 it became El Dorado Vineyards producing small batches of red wines. Ed Coulson purchased the facility in 1995 and renamed it Coulson El Dorado Winery. The tasting room is small and located on the... The Winemaker Ed Coulson, like so many of the foothill winemakers, was an engineer with a love for home winemaking. After winning numerous amateur wine competitions, he decided to turn his hobby into a career in 1995 and purchased his El Dorado winery. Read More... Crystal Basin Cellars - Placerville, California The Winery CBC began as a Co-op winery in 1981. They have recently moved their winemaking operation into a new location just off Carson Road, which started its life as a fruit processing and storage facility. The northern part of the building is a cold room, with 24-inch thick insulated walls, which is currently being utilized for wine storage. Some will remember this as Coulson Winery, but the tasting room... The Winemaker The winemaker at Crystal Basin is Peter Zimmerman. Peter is a winery partner who has held this position for over 14 years. Read More... David Girard Vineyards - Placerville, California The Winery The winery is on the site of the Sam Winje homestead, one of the original Coloma pioneering family patriarchs. Roughly 100 feet to the east of the estate’s main entrance once stood one of the earliest kit houses brought around the Cape in the late 1800s. When the homestead was sold, the house was disassembled and is sitting in pieces at the El Dorado County Fair Grounds, waiting to be... The Winemaker Mari Wells is a graduate of UC Davis with a degree in winemaking and enology. She worked previously at Chatom Vineyards prior to coming to David Girard. Read More... Deaver Vineyards - Plymouth, California The Winery The Deaver facility is set amongst the beautiful oak woodlands of Amador County. The tasting room itself is housed in a building reminiscent of an old Dutch Barn, with a country inn on site for those who would like to make it more than just a day trip. Across the parking lot from the tasting room is a picturesque old barn next to a small pond, with a couple of inviting picnic tables. The Winemaker Winemaking has been a part of the Deaver Family for over 100 years in Amador County, and grape growing even longer. The family decided to begin producing wines again in the 1980s, and the current winemaker Ken Deaver is producing some of the areas nicest old vine Zins. Read More... di Vittorio Winery - Diamond Springs, California The Winery The winery is located on thirteen acres in the Camino region of El Dorado County, but has no tasting facility on site. Tasting is offered in an industrial park located in the small town of Diamond Springs, sharing the facility with Cash and Carry Foods. The Winemaker Estate owners Al and Sally di Vittorio are medical professionals who learned a love for winemaking from Al’s father. Sally has supplemented this hands-on training with winemaking classes at the University of California, Davis. Read More... Dillian Wines - Plymouth, California The Winery Tom Dillian’s family has been a part of the Amador County community for four generations and the winery estate has been in the family since 1917. The tasting room is small, but very modern on the inside, decorated completely in black and white. The exterior is modeled after the early 1900s farm home that was originally on the site. The Winemaker Tom Dillian’s family is part of the D’Agostini Amador County wine dynasty. He learned winery and vineyard management at the family winery, and worked as a vineyard manager for numerous local growers. After managing several local vineyards, and years of home winemaking, in 2003 Tom decided to start his own winery. Read More... dkcellars - Fair Play, California The Winery The winery is located on top of a ridge on the southern end of El Dorado County in the Fair Play AVA. The tasting room is light and airy, done in a modern style, and sells gourmet food items, artwork, photography, and children’s clothes, as well as the wine. The Winemaker The winemaker at dkcellars is Dave Pratt. He and wife Kim became interested in the area when attending an El Dorado County Passport weekend and purchased the estate in 1997. While learning the winemaking trade, Dave mentored with other local winemakers and now produces award winning wines with each new vintage. Read More... Dobra Zemlja Winery - Plymouth, California The Winery Dobra Zemlja is Croatian for ‘Good Earth’, and that theme certainly holds true with this beautiful site. The winery is located off the main road on extensively landscaped grounds. There is a picnic area under towering trees with views of the nearby pond and vineyards beyond. Tasting is done in the hand-made wine cave found under the historic restored barn that dates to the 1800s. The Winemaker Milan Matulich, the winemaker at Dobra Zemlja, brings his eastern European heritage to his wine style. He makes wines that are meant to be the heart of every family celebration. Read More... Domaine Becquet Winery - Valley Springs, California The Winery The winery at Domaine Becquet is located on 13 acres of land on Lime Creek in the Valley Springs area of Calaveras County. There are two tasting rooms, one at the estate and the other in the town of Murphys. The Winery is designed to resemble a French hunting estate, and features a restaurant that serves lunch Wednesday through Thursday. The food is created in a French and German traditional... The Winemaker The winemaker at Domaine Becquet is also the proprietor, Charles Becquet. Although a fifth generation Californian, Charles was raised in France where he worked as an international management and political consultant. Read More... Dono dal Cielo - Newcastle, California The Winery Karen and Bill McGillivray created the estate in 2001 by planting ten acres of Zinfandel vines. The winery building is located in the low rolling foothills, on the site of a farm and orchard originally established in the 1930s. Although there is little to no wine tasting offered at the winery, they have recently opened a tasting room with three other Placer County wineries called The Wine... The Winemaker The winemaker at Dono dal Cielo is Derek Irwin. Mr. Irwin has worked for such distinguished wineries as Bouchaine and Viansa Vineyards, both of which are located in the Los Carneros AVA. Read More... Double Oak Vineyards & Winery - Nevada City, California The Winery Double Oak is situated roughly 15 miles north of Nevada City on Sierra Ridge, not far from Malakoff Diggins State Park. The beautiful, light and airy tasting room is decorated with artwork created by local artists. Don’t forget to bring a picnic lunch so you can spend time taking in the foothill ambiance on the tasting room patio. The Winemaker The winemaker at Double Oak is Bob Hilsman. He endeavors to produce wines with as little manipulation as possible, allowing the mountain terroir to take center stage. Read More... Drytown Cellars - Drytown, California The Winery Drytown Cellars is located off Highway 49 atop a knoll just outside the little city of Dry Town. The tasting room is connected to the winery, and located next to the barrel room for a little ambiance. It is not uncommon for one of the owners to be pouring wines in the tasting room, giving you an excellent opportunity for a little wine related discussion while tasting. The Winemaker Allen Kreutzer is the winemaker at Drytown, but also works as a consulting winemaker for Kirigin Cellars in Gilroy and Conti Estate in El Dorado County (formerly Charles B. Mitchell). He has a degree from UC Davis in Fermentation Science and has worked in the industry for over 20 years. Read More... Fawnridge Winery - Auburn, California The Winery Stewart and Stephanie Perry purchased their estate in 1989. Originally starting as a sheep ranch, they decided to switch to grapes when it became obvious there was a resurgence of the wine industry in this historic area. The winery sits on top of a ridge with wonderful views of the Sacramento Valley, making this the perfect spot to relax during your hectic day of wine touring. The winery has... The Winemaker Stewart and Stephanie Perry were avid wine enthusiasts who discovered a love of making the wine themselves. After years spent enjoying wine, they opened a winery of their own in 2004. Read More... Fenton Herriott Vineyards - Placerville, California The Winery Situated on a hilltop at the foot of the picturesque agricultural region of the eastern El Dorado County AVA, Fenton Herriott Vineyards is one of the newest wineries to open in this thriving wine region. The winery tasting room is small, but very inviting, surrounded by vineyards and wonderful local views. There are picnic tables available to enjoy the ambiance. The Winemaker Proprietor Guy Herriott discovered he had a passion for winemaking, and although a newcomer as a winery owner, is dedicated to making fine, handcrafted wines. He shares winemaking duties with Chrissy Loewecke at the boutique winery. Read More... Findleton Estate and Winery - Camino, California The Winery Although there is no public access to Findleton Estate & Winery, they operate a tasting room which is located in a multiple winery tasting facility in Camino. Nestled amongst towering pines and close to Highway 50, the facility has a very nice picnic area and a fun wine gift shop. The Winemaker Tom Findleton is the owner and winemaker at Findleton Estate and Winery. Tom has had experience as a home winemaker for over 30 years before deciding to retire and dedicate more time to the vineyard and winery. His daughter, Carrie, is also involved in the vineyard and winemaking process. Carrie studied Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis and has experience... Read More... Fitzpatrick Winery and Lodge - Fair Play, California The Winery Fitzpatrick, built in 1980, was the first winery established in the Fair Play area. There is a beautiful mountain lodge attached to the tasting room that offers overnight accommodations and serves food on weekends. The tasting room sells deli cheeses, meats, crackers, soft drinks, beer and condiments every day the winery is open. There is a wonderful selection of Irish gifts and music offered... The Winemaker Brian Fitzpatrick started as first a home beer brewer and then a home winemaker and viticulturist. His passion for the craft drove him to his entry into the professional winemaking arena. Read More... French Hill Winery - Mokelumne Hill, California The Winery The winery is located in a remodeled warehouse in the Gold Rush town of Mokelumne Hill. The tasting room is attached to the winery, and is full of beautiful and unusual pieces of art consistent with the wine theme. The Winemaker Rod Ruthel is the owner and winemaker of French Hill Winery. Mr. Ruthel is an accomplished artist and has made quite a name for his incredibly beautiful wine label designs. Read More... Frog’s Tooth Winery - Murphys, California The Winery The tasting room from Frog’s Tooth Winery is just off Main Street in the Gold Rush town of Murphys. The tasting room is beautifully decorated in a modern style, with lots or rich woods and wonderful natural light. This is one of the youngest wineries in the foothills, having opened in October 2007. The winery offers logo shirts, hats, and miscellaneous wine accessories for sale in the tasting... The Winemaker N/A Read More... Garnet Sun Winery - Camino, California The Winery One of the newest wineries in El Dorado County is the small, family owned Garnet Sun Winery. The winery’s whimsical tasting room is located in a inviting plaza of four wineries tucked away amidst towering pines less than a mile from Highway 50 in Camino. Also included at the wine tasting plaza is an inviting picnic area and a intriguing wine gift shop. The plaza is a hot spot for live music and... The Winemaker The winemaker at Garnet Sun is owner Michael Beem. Michael, whose family owns a premier Pinot Noir winery, Casa Cassara, in the Santa Rita region of Santa Barbara, has had a lifetime affair with winemaking. In addition to his start in Santa Barbara, he has a long history in the Sierra Foothills region having worked with such wineries as Toogood and Perry... Read More... Gold Hill Vineyard - Placerville, California The Winery The winery is located in the hills above the Coloma Valley, and has great local views of Mount Murphy and Dutch Falls. The tasting room is located on the bottom floor of the building where they offer not only wine, but some fun gourmet foods as well. The real surprise is that the winery is also an operating brewery and offers three different Ales, a Porter and a Stout. This makes it a great... The Winemaker Hank Battjes was an electrical engineer who had a great love for winemaking. He bought his estate in 1980 and spent 10 years commuting back and forth to Bay Area; coming home to the foothills on the weekends. Read More... Grace Patriot Wines - Placerville, California The Winery The winery currently produces their wines at another winery in the El Dorado AVA, but plans to move it to the vineyard site at a future date. The estate is located on the historic site of the Irving Ranch, which has produced premium fruit in the region since 1891. The Grace Family purchased the ranch in 2000 and has continued that history with the production of premium wine grapes used in their... The Winemaker The winemaker at Grace Patriot is Tyler Grace, son of owners Steve and Bea Grace. He earned an Earth Science degree at Dartmouth College in 1994 and a biology degree from the University of Oregon in 1996. He went on to major in Enology and Viticulture at California State University, Fresno. He has worked at such wineries as Heitz Cellars, Quail Ridge and... Read More... Granite Springs Winery & Vineyards - Fair Play, California The Winery The winery was founded by the Russell family in 1981 and was later purchased by the Latchams, another Fair Play wine family. The tasting room has many awards hanging from the ceiling and walls, attesting to the quality of their products. It’s a very pleasant place to spend an hour or so tasting and talking about the wines with the friendly and knowledgeable staff. The Winemaker The managing winemaker for Granite Springs is Italian born Ruggiero Mastraserio. Ruggiero is also the winemaker at Granite Spring’s sister winery, Latcham Vineyards. He is committed to making wines true to his Italian heritage and regularly consults with winemakers located in his homeland. Read More... Grant- Ed Winery (formerly Ramey Schulten) - Oregon House, California The Winery The Ramey Schulten Winery was founded by Grant Ramey, the original vineyard manager for Renaissance Winery and Edward Schulten, a master sommelier and winemaker from the Netherlands. The two had been winning awards at amateur contests for over 20 years when they decided to open a commercial winery in 2004. They currently share space for their winery with Renaissance, in the main winery building... The Winemaker Winemaking duties are shared by Grant Ramey and Edward Schulten. Grant, who studied at UC Davis, is a native of Yuba County and was the vineyard manager for Renaissance for 28 years. Edward Schulten was born in the Netherlands and learned his winemaking style from some of the great wine institutions in France. Read More... Green Family Winery - Auburn, California The Winery The Green Family is dedicated to making wines with as little human intervention as possible. They are devoted to making foothill wines from the grapes that grow well here, Rhone and Italian Varietals. Although wine tasting at the winery is by appointment only, they have recently opened a tasting room with three other Placer County wineries called The Wine Rack, which is located in downtown... The Winemaker Co-founder of the Placer County Wine and Grape Association, Charlie Green has been very active in the local wine community for several years. Although a vintner first, he started making wine at Green Family in 2000. Read More... Grey Fox Vineyards - Oroville, California The Winery It is a quirk of the region that the Grey Fox Vineyards are partially in the Sierra Foothills area and the Central Valley region of California. The winery building is built into the side of the hill with whimsically painted doors. The walls of the tasting room are covered with great historical articles regarding the local wine growing region. The grounds are incredibly beautiful, from the... The Winemaker Winemaking duties are shared by partners Bruce Arrigoni and Gary Cecchi. Both have taken classes at Davis, but bring a different interpretation to the winemaking process; Gary is the chemist and Bruce has a farming background. Read More... Hatcher Winery - Murphys, California The Winery The Hatcher Winery and tasting room is located in the town of Murphys. The tasting room is in the basement of the historic Segale Building, which gives it an old world wine cellar feel. There are a small amount of gift items for sale in the tasting room. The Winemaker Matthew Hatcher started as an amateur winemaker and decided to make his passion a career. He is assisted in his winemaking duties by his brother Sewell as well as Scotty Hancock. Read More... Holly's Hill Vineyards - Placerville, California The Winery Holly’s Hill Vineyards is located on a ridge top at the 2700’ elevation with an incredible view of the Cosumnes River Canyon. The tasting room is quite inviting with a good-sized deck off the rear to take in the view while relaxing with their wonderful Rhone style wines. The Winemaker Tom and Holly Cooper are the owners of the winery and their daughter, Carrie Bendick, is the winemaker. After completing her education as a vintner, Carrie came returned to the estate to work with her parents at Holly’s Hill. Read More... Il Gioiello Winery - Fiddletown, California The Winery Il Gioiello means ‘the jewel’ in Italian. This is a perfectly accurate description of its fantastic location on a scenic knoll with striking vineyard and foothill views. The estate is located on a finger of land bordered by the Fiddletown, Fair Play and Shenandoah AVAs. The Winemaker David Fenech is a graduate of the University of California, Davis with a degree in viticulture and enology. He started his career at Amador Foothill Winery prior to coming to Il Gioiello. Read More... Illuminare Estate Winery - Camino, California The Winery Aaron and Cheri Hill left their home in Alaska and moved to sunny California in 1999. It wasn’t long before they discovered the wonderful wines of El Dorado County and decided to open their own winery there. With the help of family and friends, they founded Illuminare Estate Winery in 2000. The tasting room is one of a group of wineries that share a wine plaza in Camino, a great spot to enjoy... The Winemaker Aaron Hill is the owner of, and winemaker at, Illuminare. He worked with other local winemakers while he learned the craft and opened his own boutique winery. Read More... Indian Springs Vineyards - Nevada City, California The Winery The estate is located at the 1800 foot elevation and is surrounded by 230 acres of vineyards. The tasting room is in Nevada City and is beautifully designed around the mountain vineyards theme. The tasting room sells not only wines, but a large selection of great wine gifts as well. The Winemaker Consulting winemaker Jed Steele works closely with winery owner Dennis Ball to create the wines of Indian Springs. Jed Steele has a long list of credits from his long career in winemaking. His career started at Stony Hill Winery in the late 1960s. He was the founding winemaker at Kendall Jackson, winemaker at Edmeades in Mendocino County and is now a sought... Read More... Irish Vineyards - Vallecito, California The Winery The winery is located on the site of the Batten home and estate, a gold rush estate built in 1867. The tasting room is located in the barrel room, and has a great supply of fun Irish gift items for sale. There is a lawn area, picnic tables, and a pond where one can relax and enjoy a bottle of wine amongst lovely local foothill views. The Winemaker The owners of Irish Vineyards are Russell and Joan Irish, who pursued dreams of owning a winery and raising their children in a rural atmosphere. Russell Irish takes on the winemaking duties at the estate. Read More... Ironstone Vineyards - Murphys, California The Winery This is a destination unto itself, and although a producing winery, it’s easy to get lost in all of the other things going on at the tasting room site. The estate has a gold panning area, a gold country museum, a 14-acre lakeside park, an extensive event facility that can accommodate professional level concerts, and a large wine related gift shop. But that isn’t the end of it; they also have a... The Winemaker The winemaker at Ironstone is owner Steven Kautz. Steve graduated from Fresno State University with a degree in Enology and a minor in Viticulture. In 2004, the California Travel Industry Association named him ‘Winemaker of the Year’. Read More... Iverson Vineyards & Winery - Fair Play, California The Winery Iverson sits atop a beautiful knoll on the 32 acre estate surrounded on three sides by vineyards. The tasting room has an inviting veranda on the front, with white wicker chairs to enjoy the view. Near the tasting room is a group of patio tables that offer expansive local and foothill views. Inside, the winery offers gourmet food items and wine gifts for sale. The Winemaker Rich Gilpin, owner and winemaker at Lavender Ridge in Calaveras County, is the winemaker at Iverson Vineyards. He is a well known consulting winemaker in the region, working with several other local wineries as well. Read More... Jeff Runquist Wine - Plymouth, California The Winery Located directly on the wine trail in the Shenandoah Valley of California is an exciting new tasting room for Jeff Runquist Wines. The facility is invitingly done with its high ceilings and large windows, making the room open and airy with pleasant views of the nearby vineyards. Windows into the adjacent barrel room enhances the overall atmosphere. Although the tasting room may be recently... The Winemaker Jeff Runquist has had many years of experience making wines with the grapes of Amador County. He worked for Montevina before moving on to the Napa Valley Cooperative Winery in St. Helena and then J. Lohr winery in Paso Robles. He created his own brand in 1996. In addition to running his own winery operation, Jeff works with McMannis Family Vineyards in Ripon... Read More... Jodar Vineyards & Winery - Camino, California The Winery The winery was created in 1990, but the first crush was completed in an unfinished winery with no ceiling or walls. The tasting room was at a remote site off Rock Creek Road for several years, but was moved to the Camino Hotel in 1997. In April of 2005 the current tasting room on Carson Court was completed. Although small, the new Spanish style white stucco building is light and airy with red... The Winemaker Jodar Vineyard and Winery is a true family affair. Estate proprietor Joni Jodar manages the tasting room, while Vaughn Jodar is the winemaker. Read More... Karly - Plymouth, California The Winery Karly winery is a short distance off the main road, set in a lovely setting surrounded by vineyards and great local views. The tasting room is small, rustic, and inviting. They have a number of theme baskets for sale and often offer cheese to pair with their wines, making the tasting experience that much more complete. The Winemaker Buck Cobb was an Air Force jet fighter pilot and later a nuclear engineer who moved to Amador with his wife Karly to retire. It wasn’t long before he discovered the allure of Amador County Zins and became a committed winemaker. His son, Garth, has recently assumed winemaking duties at the winery. Read More... Karmere Vineyards and Winery - Plymouth, California The Winery The Karmere tasting room is located amongst the rolling vineyard land of the Shenandoah Valley, featuring wonderful local views. The tasting facility is large, with a warm European flare. The light woods, tile floors and beam ceilings make the room bright and inviting. In addition to wine, the tasting room has a number of upscale household items for sale. The Winemaker Ryan Flock is the winemaker at Karmere. Prior to this position he was at Rosenblum Cellars in Alameda, California. Read More... La Bella Rosa Vineyards - Sonora, California The Winery The rustic style tasting room is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens and a picturesque pond. While tasting wines you can shop in their extensive gift shop and then take a stroll through the incredible gardens, a great way to spend the afternoon. The Winemaker The winemaker at La Bella Rosa Vineyards is owner Ron Peterson. Mr. Peterson was a general contractor before taking up viticulture and winemaking fulltime. Read More... La Rocca Vineyards - Forest Ranch, California The Winery La Rocca is a family owned and operated business with two generations working in various phases of the process. The tasting room is located in wonderfully eclectic downtown Forest Ranch, on the road to Mt. Lassen National Park, 16 miles east of Chico. The winery is 4.1 miles from the tasting room (further east on highway 32). The Winemaker Philip La Rocca is a dedicated organic vintner. He prides himself on the production of certified organic grapes used to produce wines with no sulfites or chemicals of any kind. Read More... Laraine Wines & Gerber Vineyards - Murphys, California The Winery The estate started as an escape for David and Laraine Gerber from the hustle of the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. The couple restored the original 1880s farmhouse, and then planted vineyards. The farmhouse is now the tasting room of the winery they opened in 1993. Surrounding the tasting room is a large oak shaded lawn area which features several picnic tables. The Winemaker John Gibson has been the winemaker at Laraine Wines since 1993. Having worked previously for Stag’s Leap Cellars and Vine Cliff Winery, he now specializing in assisting small, family owned wineries, and produces his own wines under the Salexis label. Read More... Latcham Vineyards - Somerset, California The Winery Latcham Vineyards, established in 1981, sits in a pastoral setting snuggled amongst the oaks and vineyards. On a lawn area just outside of the tasting room there are picnic tables and several benches to enjoy the scenery. The tasting room is done in a western style with lots of wood and charm to match. The Winemaker The managing winemaker for Latcham (as well as Granite Springs) is Italian born Ruggiero Mastraserio. He is committed to making wines true to his Italian heritage, and regularly consults with winemakers located in his homeland. Read More... Lava Cap Winery - Placerville, California The Winery The founder of Lava Cap Winery, David Jones, was a Geologist and Professor who began his career in viticulture and winemaking as a home hobby. The first 65 acres of the estate were purchased in 1981, and in 1986 the winery was completed. The tasting room is small, but sells some great wine cookbooks and several wine gift items. Adjacent to the tasting room is an expansive deck, with picnic... The Winemaker The winemaker at Lava Cap is son Tom Jones. Tom has an MS degree in enology from UC Davis and was President of the El Dorado Winery Association in 1991 and 1992. Read More... Lavender Ridge Vineyards - Murphys, California The Winery Lavender Ridge Vineyards are located in the town of Copperopolis at the southwest edge of Calaveras County. In addition to the vineyards, the estate boasts 500 lavender plants and 50 Olive Trees. The beautifully designed, small but fun, tasting room is located in the town of Murphys. The display of lavender and lavender products for sale gives the shop the feel of a Provence farmhouse. There... The Winemaker Rich Gilpin was the winemaker at Windwalker Vineyards for ten years before purchasing the estate in Copperopolis with his wife Siri. Rich is a graduate of the University of California at Davis with a degree in enology. Read More... Le Mulet Rouge - Sutter Creek, California The Winery Although the winery is located in the Fiddletown AVA of Amador County, their wines are offered for tasting in downtown Sutter Creek at a tasting room shared with two El Dorado County wineries, Gold Hill and Crystal Basin. The tasting room is located in a historic Victorian right on the main street, and features selection of fun wine gift items for sale. Le Mulet Rouge also produces wine vanity... The Winemaker Jack and Sheila Feichtner are the owners of Le Mulet Rouge. Jack takes on the winemaking duties and has a background in physical science including physics. He previously worked in research at both Westinghouse and Lockheed-Martin. Sheila was originally in education and project management and has pursued training and experience in the winery business. Read More... Long Creek Winery - Oroville, California The Winery The Long Creek Winery is located at the 800 foot elevation in the far northern Sierra Nevada Foothills just east of Oroville. The tasting room is beautifully done in an Italian Villa style with stone floors, great wine theme artwork and a small, but inviting oak tasting bar. A great deal of care went into the design of the Winery building to minimize the use of any power for cooling and the... The Winemaker Lou and Yola pride themselves on an old-world Italian style achieved with new world technology. Lou started as a home winemaker and has been making wine for 12 years; commercially since 2000. Read More... Lucchesi Vineyards & Winery - Grass Valley, California The Winery Mario and Linda Clough planted their first vineyard in 1999, and the winery followed in 2002. Wine tasting is offered at both the winery and a tasting room located in downtown Grass Valley next to the theatre. The tasting room is invitingly styled and offers the sale of gourmet food items, gift baskets, and logo clothes as well as wine. The Winemaker The winemaker at Lucchesi is Kristen Vartan. Kristen came to Lucchesi from Frank Family Vineyards in the Napa Valley where she was the assistant Winemaker. Read More... Lucero Winery - Dobbins, California The Winery The estate, located in the small town of Dobbins, has been in the family since 1906. The property was originally used as a cattle ranch and farm. When the current owners, Dan and Marian Lucero retired they decided to start a vineyard. The Winemaker The winemaker at Lucero Vineyards is winery owner Dan Lucero. To enhance his winemaking skills he has taken numerous classes at University of California at Davis. Read More... Madrona Vineyards - Camino, California The Winery Richard and Leslie Bush, the founders of Madroña Vineyards, are considered to be among a handful of local pioneers responsible for bringing fine wines back to this Sierra Foothill winemaking region. The vineyards were established in 1973 and the winery was built in 1980. The tasting room is medium in size, with a warm inviting feeling accented by the generous use of wood in the interior design.... The Winemaker The first winemaker and founder of Madroña Vineyards was Richard Bush. Dick and Leslie’s son, Paul, has since taken over the winemaking duties and has continued the tradition of making small batches of hand crafted fine wines. Read More... Milliaire Winery - Murphys, California The Winery Steve & Liz Millier came to the Sierra Foothills in 1982 to spend time learning the winemaking trade at the successful Stevenot Winery. In 1983 they began producing their own wine in the basement of their home, and at a neighboring winery. In 1990 the winery moved to its present location in what had been the Flying A gas station. The spot is not far from downtown Murphys on the edge of Murphys... The Winemaker Steve Millier graduated from Fresno State University with a degree in enology. He worked as a winemaker for David Bruce Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and then moved to the foothills where he made wine for a number of different wineries, including Stevenot. Steve and wife Liz also own the Black Sheep Winery. Read More... Mining Camp Winery - Shingle Springs, California The Winery Mining Camp is an example of a small, single operator sized Foothill winery. The winery itself is in a small barn style building with the tasting room in the front. The tasting room is small and cozy. When you drive up the gravel driveway, the road winds itself in a circle around the winery and the parking is on the left as you almost finish the circle. The Winemaker Bill Thompson is a retired Engineer/Chemist from the Space Industry who worked on such projects as the space shuttle. Like so many winemakers in California, he got his start as an award winning home winemaker who decided to make it a profession. He considers himself a history buff and has quite a bit of knowledge of the El Dorado County area. Read More... Miraflores Winery - Placerville, California The Winery The winery is located in a modern, California Mission style facility situated on a picturesque knoll over looking the 39 acres of vineyards. On another knoll nearby you will find a great little picnic area to take in the peace and natural beauty of the site. The tasting room is located in the winery building, and has not only their great wines for sale, but some fun gift items as well. And, if... The Winemaker The winemaker at Miraflores, Marco Cappelli, has become quite well known throughout the Foothills wine country. He has a degree from the University of California at Davis in enology, as well as extensive training throughout Europe. He was previously the winemaker at Swanson Vineyards in Rutherford, and Saintsbury Winery in Carneros. Read More... Montevina Winery - Plymouth, California The Winery Montevina has a long history in Amador County, as it was the first new winery opened in the area after the repeal of prohibition. Cary and Vicki Gott, as well as W.H. Fields, founded the winery in 1973 with Cary Gott acting as the original winemaker. In 1982 the Gotts left Montevina, and W.H. Fields operated the winery until 1987 with Jeff Myers as winemaker. In that year the winery was sold to... The Winemaker Montevina has two premier winemakers, the first is Jeff Myers who has a degree in Enology from UC Davis and has been with Montevina since1982. The second is Chris Leamy who has a degree in biological sciences from UC Davis, and joined Montevina in 2000. Read More... Montoliva Vineyard & Winery - Chicago Park, California The Winery Montoliva Vineyard & Winery is a celebration of the Italian immigrant history of the Chicago Park region. Along the lines of that theme, the boutique winery creates a fascinating Super Tuscan style wine which is a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Aglianico. The winery grounds also include an extensive herb garden for visitors to enjoy during the summer months. The Winemaker The winemaker at Montoliva Winery is owner and vineyard manager Mark Henry. He was a home winemaker who read several books on vineyard management prior to leaving his home in Seattle and settling in the Sierra Foothills. He chose to highlight the Italian varietal potential of the area which is reflected in the bold style of the Montoliva wines. Read More... Mount Aukum Winery - Somerset, California The Winery Located on of a mountain top near the small town of Fair Play, Mount Aukum Winery has a fantastic, nearly 360 degree view that includes Sacramento, Mount Diablo, the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the surrounding Foothill region. The winery offers barrel sampling and outdoor picnicking, so take some time to relax on the patio, drink in the view, and drink in some of Mount Aukum’s award winning... The Winemaker Lance Campbell, originally from Texas, first discovered wine as a bartender in San Francisco. He later learned the winemaking trade at Chateau St. Jean and Seghesio. When he and his wife Brandie found this mountaintop in 2001, Lance encouraged other family members to join in his dream and the Mount Aukum Winery was created. Read More... Mount Bullion Vineyards - Mariposa, California The Winery Mount Bullion is located in the rolling foothills along Highway 49 about 9 miles north of Mariposa, near the town of Mt. Bullion. The estate is situated in a picturesque Foothill valley not far from the site of John Fremont’s Las Mariposas Grant. The Winemaker Husband and wife team of Harold and Kris Casto manage the vineyards and winery of Mount Bullion. In addition to managing the vineyards and tasting room, they are the winemakers at the estate. Read More... Mt. Vernon Winery - Auburn, California The Winery Jim and Lynda Taylor established their winery in 1996. The artfully designed tasting room started life as a milk house in the 1950s. The entire room is almost a mural of grapevines, and features a modern wood bar. The winery also has wine caves that can hold up to 200 French and/or American Oak barrels. Although there is a tasting room open at the winery, they have recently opened a second... The Winemaker The Winery is run by father and son duo of Ryan and Jim Taylor. Ryan is the actual winemaker with father Jim doing all of the thousands of other jobs that running winery requires. Read More... Muir-Hanna Vineyard - Sonora, California The Winery The Muir-Hanna Vineyard and Winery is actually located in the Oak Knoll district of the Napa Valley with a tasting room operated in Sonora. Founder of the winery, John Muir Hanna, if the grandson of naturalist John Muir. He decided to locate his tasting room in Tuolumne County in order to celebrate the family history. The tasting room is littered with memorabilia and historical information... The Winemaker The winery is owned and operated by Bill and Claudia Muir Hanna. Their son Michael is the winemaker at the winery. Read More... MV Winery, Miller Vineyards - Fair Play, California The Winery MV is a new winery in the Fair Play region with a lot to offer to the wine tourist. The estate is set in the rolling oak woodland and pine forests of southern El Dorado County. The cozy new tasting room, with its high ceilings and natural light, enjoys scenic views of the estate. A larger tasting facility is in the planning stages amidst the towering pines and oaks near a seasonal stream along... The Winemaker John Miller started as a wine collector and later a home wine maker with a love of fine wines. After purchasing the estate in Fair Play he began working with such locally popular winemakers as Lance Campbell and Marco Cappelli. John believes that to make a great wine you must use the best grapes and age in the best barrels available, utilizing primarily new... Read More... Naggiar Vineyards - Grass Valley, California The Winery Owners Mike and Diane Naggiar began as Viticultural hobbyists in Saratoga, CA. After 32 years in marketing and sales for Hewlett Packard, Mike decided to retire and grow grapes full time. After a long search, the Naggiars found 160 acres in Grass Valley and started their vineyard. After several years of vineyard management, the family decided to start a winery in this region of big skies,... The Winemaker The wines of Naggiar Vineyards are made with the help of consulting winemaker, Derek Irwin. Mr. Irwin has a degree from University of California, Davis, and years of winemaking experience with such wineries as Cosentino, in Yountville, and Bouchaine and Viansa, in Los Carneros. He is currently consulting for wineries across California, South America, Italy,... Read More... Narrow Gate Vineyards - Placerville, California The Winery The winery, situated amidst the oak and pine forests of Pleasant Valley, has a beautiful modern European flare to its tasting room. There is a lovely inviting patio area that is just perfect for relaxed conversation while enjoying the beauty of the pine-covered knoll. The Winemaker Frank Hildebrand, the winemaker and owner of Narrow Gate, is a University of California, Davis, graduate who attended multiple enology extension courses. He and wife Teena are proud members of the California Rhone Rangers. Read More... Nevada City Winery - Nevada City, California The Winery The winery has been operating in downtown Nevada City since 1980, located in the historic Miners Foundry Garage. It was the first bonded winery to be opened in Nevada County since Prohibition. The tasting room is a beautifully modern, bright, and airy facility with great gourmet food supplies and wine gifts for sale.. The tasting room is located one block west of the main street of Nevada City... The Winemaker Winemaker Mark Foster has a B.S degree in Biology, and a master’s degree in Zoology, Industrial Engineering and Enology. Having worked previously at Smother’s Brothers, Chalone, and Madroña wineries, Mark came to Nevada City in 1992. Read More... New Clairvaux Vineyards - Vina, California The Winery Although actually in Tehama County, New Clairvaux is closer to Chico than to Red Bluff or Redding, and is close enough to be included in a Butte County adventure. This is the only Monastic Winery in the Americas and a nexus of California and European wine history. This small estate is the juncture of centuries of monastic wine history, a railroad magnate and one of California’s most colorful... The Winemaker The winemaker at New Clairvaux, Aimee Sunseri, is a UC Davis graduate and a fifth generation California winemaker. She is descended from the founder of Nicolini Winery in the Napa Valley, the second oldest winery in California still operating under the same family and is a cousin of the Boeger family of Boeger Winery in El Dorado County. Read More... Newsome-Harlow Winery - Murphys, California The Winery The winery is a partnership of three like-minded quality conscious individuals. Scott Klann is the winemaker, and Mark Skenfield is the viticulturist. Hugh Swift joined the group when he was assisting Scott and Mark with their partnership agreement. The first commercial vintage was in 2000, and the downtown Murphys tasting room opened in 2005. The Winemaker Scott Klann has worked as winemaker for many of the local wineries, including Chatom and Stevenot. He currently is the winemaker at Twisted Oak as well as Newsome-Harlow. Read More... Nine Gables Vineyards - Plymouth, California The Winery The estate is built on the site of pre-prohibition Peroni Winery, which specialized in Zinfandel and Mission wines. As the wine and grape business slowed, unfortunately the Peroni’s pulled out some of the old vineyards and planted them to walnut trees. Pam and Jerry Notestine purchased the estate in the late 1980’s. The winery has a very attractive picnic area with an unusual fountain, styled... The Winemaker The winemaker at Nine Gables is owner and founder, Jerry Notestine. He produces wines in small, hand made batches that spend 18 months in Oak before being bottled. Read More... Nua Dair - Ione, California The Winery Nua Dair, or ‘New Oak’, was previously known as the Argonaut Winery. The tasting room is located in the barrel room of the winery, with a creative tasting table off to one side. There is a small porch off the front of the winery that offers a lovely view of the oak pastureland that features an inviting gazebo. The Winemaker The winemaker at Nua Dair is Mark McMaster. Prior to purchasing the winery, Mark was a Certified Public Accountant for 25 years and an avid home winemaker. Upon discovering his passion for winemaking, Mark took classes as the University of California, Davis, in enology. Read More... Oakstone Winery - Fair Play, California The Winery Founded in 1997 at the 2500-foot elevation, the winery takes its name from the black oak that is growing out of a huge grinding rock on the estate grounds. Carrying the oak theme, the beautifully designed tasting bar is made of a solid oak slab. Near the namesake grinding stone is a beautiful picnic area for relaxing in the shade of the oaks on a warm foothill afternoon. The Winemaker Dividing the two wineries between the larger producing, more mainstream Oakstone, and the lesser- known Obscurity, seemed the perfect way to highlight the minor varietals in a setting more specific to their market share. Winemaker and Proprietor, John Smith, earned his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry and worked as a developer of scientific and medical... Read More... Obscurity Cellars - Fair Play, California The Winery Obscurity Cellars is the second winery in addition to Oakstone owned by John and Susan Smith. Having a second winery enabled the Smiths to showcase their lesser-known grape varieties in a low key format. Selected Obscurity wines are available for tasting and sale on Saturday and Sunday in the Oakstone Winery tasting room. The Winemaker Dividing the two wineries between the larger producing, more mainstream Oakstone, and the lesser- known Obscurity, seemed the perfect way to highlight the minor varietals in a setting more specific to their market share. Winemaker and Proprietor, John Smith, earned his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry and worked as a developer of scientific and medical... Read More... Odyssey Winery and Vineyards - Chico, California The Winery The beautiful Greek style designed Odyssey Winery is set amongst rolling vineyards in a gentle sloping valley just north east of Chico. This winery has the distinction of being built by the owners without much in the way of outside help. The tasting room is decorated with some unique art, giving it a modern, upscale feel. The winemaker believes in a minimalist approach to winemaking, using... The Winemaker Norm Rosene is the winemaker at Odyssey. He is a dentist by trade, but was bitten by the winemaking bug early on. He practiced as a hobby vintner for several years prior to deciding to take his skills commercial. Read More... Ophir Winery - Newcastle, California The Winery The winery is run by a partnership of Craig Green, Paul Burns and Mike Abbott. Craig was the first to discover Placer County, moving there in 1979. Paul Burns was the next to make it to the area, moving next door to Craig. The winery has no tasting room at this time, but tasting can be scheduled by appointment. The Winemaker Mike Abbott started winemaking in the 70s at the Gemello winery in Mountain View area of the Santa Clara Valley. A graduate of the University of California at Davis with a degree in political science., he later returned and pursued classes in winemaking at the UCD Extension facility. Read More... ParaVi Vineyards - Camino, California The Winery The tasting room for Primus is small but upscale and modern. The bar is tastefully done in a beautiful dark cherry wood, with an inset glass case full of antique wine bottle openers. Tasteful pieces of artwork are hung throughout the room, and the light fixtures are actually wine bottles suspended from the ceiling with their bottoms removed. The winery charges a $5 fee to taste, half of which... The Winemaker The winemaker at Primus is consulting enologist Brian Bumgarner. Mr. Bumgarner also owns and manages his own wine consulting business. His philosophy of winemaking at Primus is small batches of hand crafted wines, with little manual intervention during the process. Read More... Perry Creek Winery - Somerset, California The Winery A chance trip through the foothill town of Fair Play resulted in the creation of one of the Fair Play area’s most well known wineries. Michael Chazen fell in love with the Fair Play area and found a 155-acre estate to call home. Perry Creek Vineyards sits on a ridge top looking down over the Cosumnes River. The winery and tasting room facilities are done in the old California mission style and... The Winemaker The winemaker at Perry Creek Vineyards is Joseph Flemate. He joined Perry Creek in 2006 after a career in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. He shares the management of the winery with operations manager Stefan Tscheppe from Austria, and winemaker and viticulturist Garrett Buckland from the Napa and Sonoma regions of California. Read More... Pescatore Winery - Newcastle, California The Winery Pescatore Winery is located on 15 acres in the rolling lower foothills just outside of Newcastle. The tasting room is done in a beautiful European style, with a full kitchen and a large outdoor patio. The beautiful local views make this a great spot to relax while tasting a few of the estate wines. The Winemaker The winemaker at Pescatore is retired teacher David Wegner. He prides himself in making wine in small, hand-made batches using a more Italian traditional style. Read More... Pilot Peak - Penn Valley, California The Winery The Mediterranean influenced tasting room and winery is located on a stone terraced hilltop, with beautiful gardens and a wonderful view of the local foothill region. The winery offers a unique twist on the tasting method, allowing tasting on the terrace. The tasting includes tasting notes and special "pairings" to enhance the experience. The co-owners of the winery have been big supporters of... The Winemaker The winemaker at Pilot Peak is co-owner Lynn Wilson, an Aeronautical Engineer by training. To build his winemaking skills, Wilson completed course work at the University of California at Davis, and worked alongside consulting winemaker Derek Irwin. Read More... Quilici Vineyard - Oroville, California The Winery The winery, located in the beautiful rolling Sierra Nevada Foothills just east of Oroville, has breathtaking views of the Northern Sacramento Valley. All tasting is by appointment only, so call ahead. The Winemaker Gary Quilici, the winemaker, was a successful restaurateur for 30 years who had a passion for winemaking. He began making wine as a hobby over 20 years ago and began making them commercially in 2001. Read More... Rancho Roble Vineyards - Lincoln, California The Winery Rancho Roble Winery is located in the lower foothills on 20 acres, just four miles from the town of Lincoln. The owners, Mark and Therese Adams, are active members of the local art community and their Terra Cotta wine label is a tribute to the Gladding McBean terra cotta factory in Lincoln. The winery has the distinction of being the first bonded winery in the Lincoln area. The Winemaker Mark Adams is the winemaker and vineyard manager at Rancho Roble Vineyards. For a nominal fee he offers a personalized tour of winery and vineyards, followed by a tasting of the most recent vintages. Read More... Renaissance Vineyard & Winery - Oregon House, California The Winery Renaissance Vineyard and Winery is located in a remote area of Yuba called Oregon House. The grounds are beautifully landscaped with formal European style gardens, ponds, and great vineyard views. The tasting room has floor to ceiling windows that offer a view of the small lake. There are nearby picnic tables where you can enjoy your lunch. The winery offers numerous tasting experiences,... The Winemaker Gideon Beinstock, the winemaker at Renaissance, studied winemaking in the Burgundy and Rhone region of France and believes in a minimalist approach to winemaking. By using gentle extraction methods and not filtering or fining, he can create wines that accurately express the terroir of the vineyard, and not just the grape varietal. Gideon is also owner and... Read More... Renwood Winery - Plymouth, California The Winery Renwood was founded in 1993, and in 1994 added Santino Winery to the estate. The winery continues to produce wines under both labels. The tasting room, done in a Spanish Mission style, is very large with several different rooms to accommodate multiple parties for tasting. The room that houses the tasting bar is decorated to look like an Old West saloon with a redwood bar. There is a wonderful... The Winemaker Dave Crippen, originally from Covey Run in Washington State, is the managing winemaker at the Renwood estate. Even though the winery produces in excess of 100,000 cases of wine a year, the select vineyard Amador Zinfandels are still handcrafted. Read More... Scott Harvey Wines - Sutter Creek, California The Winery Scott Harvey Wines has Napa as its winery base, but has a tasting room in the historic Gold Rush town of Sutter Creek in Amador County. Located in an older, Victorian style home, the tasting room has a warm and inviting feel. Establishing a second tasting room in Amador County was natural for winemaker Scott Harvey. He is seen as being one of a handful instrumental in the resurrection of the... The Winemaker Although primarily known as a Napa winemaker today, Scott Harvey, is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento, and gained experience in both the Rhineland Pfalz region of Germany, and Amador County. He has worked for such wineries as Montevina, Story, Santino and finally Renwood. His is often thought of as one of the who’s who in Zinfandel... Read More... Secret Ravine Winery - Loomis, California The Winery The winery is located on Secret Ravine Creek, directly across from Indian Creek Country Club near the town of Loomis. Owned by Ron and Vicki Morris, this is the site of a historic vineyard which was planted with Zinfandel vines during the Gold Rush. The winery owners love to share the grape growing and wine making process with their customers, and put a great deal of time and effort into the... The Winemaker Secret Ravine Winery is not only family run, but was created as a great way for the family to work together. The family patriarch, Ron Morris, is the winemaker at Secret Ravine. Read More... Shadow Ranch Vineyard & Winery - Somerset, California The Winery Located on 80 acres the estate is on a portion of a pioneer era ranch that dates back to the 1880’s. The tasting room is located in the remodeled farmhouse, and features great use of the original wood. The tasting bar has the upscale feel of an old west bar, but with modern amenities. The original farm outbuildings have been preserved as they have stood for decades. The inviting picnic area,... The Winemaker The winemaker at Shadow Ranch is Sam Patterson. Sam has a Viticulture and Enology degree from the University of California at Davis, as well as a degree in business. He has worked as a viticulturist and vineyard manager in the Napa Valley, Carneros, Amador and El Dorado, wine regions before coming to the Fair Play AVA to produce his own grapes and create... Read More... Shenandoah Vineyards - Plymouth, California The Winery Leon and Shirley Sobon purchased the 74-acre Steiner Ranch in 1977. They converted the ranch to a winery, with its main facility sitting atop a hill overlooking the pastoral Shenandoah Valley. The tasting room is located in a wonderful old stone building that was converted from a masonry garage structure found on the original estate. The walls of the tasting room are covered with incredible... The Winemaker Leon Sobon was a research scientist at Lockheed research lab, and a hobby winemaker, when he and his wife Shirley decided to leave the Silicon Valley of California and take up winemaking as a career and lifestyle. It was Leon’s love of the Zinfandel grape that drove them to the Shenandoah Valley. Their son, Paul, today assists his father as winemaker at the... Read More... Sierra Knolls Vineyard & Winery - Grass Valley, California The Winery The winery has incredible views of the Sacramento Valley and Coast Ranges. Located on a hill top the winery is able to capture the afternoon sun which allows the facility to be 100% solar. The facility was all built by hand, including the hand dug wine cave near the entrance to the tasting room. There is an outdoor eating area with patio tables and a picnic lunch with an outdoor kitchen coming... The Winemaker Winemaker John Chase creates small-batch, handcrafted wines for the Sierra Knolls estate. He is assisted in this endeavor by his wife Linda Chase, and partners Steve and Brenda Taylor. The partners were all home winemakers prior to opening Sierra Knolls. Read More... Sierra Oaks Estates - Fair Play, California The Winery Sierra Oaks Estates has no public access at its winery and vineyard site, but does maintain a tasting room at, what locals call, Gray’s corner; better known as the intersection of Mount Aukum and Fair Play roads. The facility itself is long and narrow, with a long tasting bar that can handle numerous tasters at the same time. They are also able to offer barrel tasting on site by bringing casks... The Winemaker Jim and Toshi Brown are both retirees from Bay Area business careers. Jim was a home wine maker who decided to try his hand first as a viticulturist, and then as a commercial winemaker. Read More... Sierra Starr Vineyards - Grass Valley, California The Winery Sierra Starr has two tasting rooms, one at the winery and one in downtown Grass Valley. The one located in the historic downtown region of Grass Valley is a very modern facility with a long bar to accommodate a large number of tasters. The tasting room at the winery has a real cabin in the woods feel, with semi-rustic wood interior and lots of natural light. The winery is open only during... The Winemaker The Starrs owned a nursery in Monterey Bay when they purchased the vineyard in Grass Valley with the intention of moving their nursery to the estate. Instead, Phil Starr planted more vineyards and opened a winery, as so often happens when the vineyard and wine making bug strikes. Read More... Sierra Vista Vineyards and Winery - Placerville, California The Winery The winery is located in the Pleasant Valley area of the El Dorado AVA. The founders, John and Barbara MacCready are among a small group of pioneers who are credited with the re-emergence of fine winemaking in the El Dorado County area. They purchased the Sierra Vista estate in 1972, and followed with their first crush in 1977. Located atop Red Rock Ridge, the winery’s lawn and picnic area has... The Winemaker The winemaker is John MacCready, an electrical engineer by training, but a winemaker by passion. John is a past president of the El Dorado Winery Association as well as the Rhone Rangers. Read More... Silver Fox Vineyards - Mariposa, California The Winery Located a few miles east of Mariposa at the 3000 ft elevation. This high elevation allows the estate to take full advantage of the cool evening influences from the high Sierras directly east. The tasting room is in a barn style building with a wide verandah complete with a picnic tables and chairs to relax in the middle of a hard day of tasting. The Winemaker The winery and vineyards are operated by owners Marvin and Karen Silver, and Tanya and Davis Zastrow. Marvin Silver also takes on the winemakers duties. Read More... Single Leaf Vineyards & Winery - Fair Play, California The Winery Single Leaf Vineyard & Winery completed their winemaking facility in 1992. Scott and Pam Miller opened the facility to the public for tasting in 1993. The tasting room has a Foothill style flare to it, with a beautiful view of the vineyards and local area off the patio. The Winemaker The winemaker, Scott Miller, has a Masters degree in Biology. In his studies, he developed an interest in fermentation science that led to a quest to understand the wine industry and its products. This quest led to the discovery of the Zinfandel varietal and the natural move to the California Zin country. Read More... Smith Vineyards & Winery - Grass Valley, California The Winery The winery was established in 1987 in a restored vintage red barn. The tasting room and winery are located in an enchanting site among towering pines and vineyards. The sunny days and cool nights at the 2500 foot elevation allow for wines with great acid and depth of flavor. The Winemaker Gary Smith, with his wife Christina, is the second generation of his family to run the vineyard and winery. They have enlisted the aid of their three sons to assist the family winemaking efforts. Read More... Sobon Estate - Plymouth, California The Winery The Sobon Estate started life as Uhlinger Winery in 1856. It was purchased by Enrico D’Agostini in 1911, and remained in that family until 1989 when Leon and Shirley Sobon of Shenandoah Vineyards purchased the winery as a 30th anniversary gift to each other. They reopened the winery in 1990 under its new name Sobon. The tasting room area now contains a museum that celebrates winemaking and... The Winemaker Leon Sobon was a research scientist at Lockheed research lab, and a hobby winemaker when he and his wife Shirley decided to leave the Silicon Valley of California and take up winemaking as a career and lifestyle. It was Leon’s love of the Zinfandel grape that drove them to the Shenandoah Valley. Their son, Paul, assists his father as winemaker at the two... Read More... Sogno Winery - Shingle Springs, California The Winery Sogno, like many of the foothill wineries, is a fairly new and stylish facility. The tasting room is very inviting; bright and airy with an Italian style to it. The overall estate is quite large with extensive event facilities. They also offer limited over night accommodations on the estate grounds. The Winemaker The estate founder, Rich Davis, is also the winemaker at Sogno. Rich prides himself on a pioneering spirit when it comes to wine making. He is always looking for new varietals and blends, and is quite successful in turning them into excellent wines. Because of this pioneering spirit, Rich has made Sogno a great place for the budding wine enthusiast to... Read More... Solune Winegrowers - Grass Valley, California The Winery The name Solune is a combination of the French words for sun and moon. When the 15 acre estate was purchased in 2001, it had three acres already planted to vineyards. The winery is in old red barn surrounded by towering pines and includes a small tasting area. Outdoors, you will find picnic tables and a great spot to enjoy the beauty of the landscape. The Winemaker Originally from Quebec, Canada, Jacques Mercier took a Sommelier diploma program as his first step in developing an overall passion for wine and winemaking. He later became an award-winning home winemaker, and then went on to become a certified wine judge. He decided to be a full-time winemaker after moving to California, and bought the property near Grass... Read More... Stevenot Winery - Murphys, California The Winery Barden Stevenot, a 5th generation resident of Calaveras County, is the founder of Stevenot winery. He is most often credited as being responsible for bringing fine wine production back to Calaveras County. In the late 1960s, he bought the Shaw Ranch and converted an old hay barn into a winery. He planted vineyards, and in 1978 the winery opened. The 500-acre estate includes one of 2 tasting... The Winemaker The director of winemaking at Stevenot is Kate MacDonald. She originally worked for Stevenot at the beginning of her career and returned in 2007 after working throughout the foothills and Napa Valley. Read More... Stonehouse Vineyards & Winery - Plymouth, California The Winery The Stonehouse winery and tasting room is a large, modern facility that showcases a Thomas Kincade Gallery in addition to the estate wines. The facility also includes overnight accommodations at their Stonehouse Inn, and there are plans for a Thomas Kincade style wedding chapel in the near future. On the patio outside the tasting room are located several patio tables to accommodate a picnic... The Winemaker Mitchell B. Shultz is a man of many talents. He was a corporate pilot for Jeff Jackson, of Kendall Jackson, from whom he first heard of the Sierra Foothills’ potential for producing great red wine grapes. He and his wife also operated a bakery and wine bar in Sonoma County prior to coming to Amador, which they sold when they purchased the estate. Read More... Stone's Throw Vineyard & Winery - Camino, California The Winery Bree and Mike Adams purchased the estate in 1997. Originally an apple farm, the Adams immediately began its conversion to a vineyard and winery. There is an small, indoor tasting room where sampling the estate wines is done on the top of used oak barrels. There is also an outside tasting area used whenever the weather allows. It has a long, oak bar that runs almost the whole front of the... The Winemaker Owner Mike Adams is the winemaker at Stone’s Throw. He, along with wife Bree, are also the owners of two locally popular restaurants, Poor Reds and St. Pauli Inn. Due to the boutique size of the winery’s production, the two restaurants and the winery are the only locations where these wines are offered for sale. Read More... Story Winery - Plymouth, California The Winery The Tasting room for Story Vineyards is located on a hilltop overlooking the Cosumnes River Canyon. The tasting room is small, but beautifully done, and carries several wine related gifts for sale. The winery was opened in 1973 by Eugene Story, and was later sold to the current owners, Bruce and Jan Tichenor, in 1992. The views from the tasting room picnic area are breathtaking, and it is well... The Winemaker Bruce and Jan Tichenor both are retired pharmacists from Bay Area. They decided to live their dream of winemaking and purchased the Story Winery and vineyards in 1992. Read More... Stover Oaks Vineyard & Winery - Placerville, California The Winery Stover Oaks was established in 1997 by Sam and Linda Stover. In 2004 they sold the winery and vineyards to Lou and Jan Garcia. The tasting room is small but has a warm, homey feel to it. The walls are covered with artwork, and there is a small gift area. The deck off the back has several picnic tables and a lovely view of the vineyards. The Winemaker The Winemaker, Lou Garcia, has had a varied background in a number of different business endeavors. In addition to being the winemaker at Stover Oaks he is the CFO of Roshambo Winery in Healdsburg. Read More... Sutter Ridge Winery - Sutter Creek, California The Winery Sutter Creek Vineyards is the home to the Sutter Ridge Winery, located just five minutes from downtown Sutter Creek on Ridge Road. The recently remodeled tasting room offers wine related and foods for sale as well as the estate wines. Located near the picnic lawn and rose garden and native California vegetation are 2 Bocce Ball courts. Available by appointment only are equestrian, hiking and... The Winemaker A third generation California grape grower, John Bree, is the founder of the winery. His son John, and daughter Gretchen, are also a part of the winery and vineyard business. The elder John continues to be the winemaker along with the assistance of Eric Costa, who is an acknowledged expert on the history of winemaking in the Sierra Nevada Foothills. Read More... Tanis Vineyards - Ione, California The Winery The winery is located amidst massive oaks and vineyards not far from the small town of Ione. The intimate tasting room is located in the barrel room, which adds to the ambiance of the experience. Although the winery opened in 2008, it has already developed a devoted following for its wines. The Winemaker Andrew Tanis started his winemaking career as a home winemaker. After moving to Amador County, he began working with local winemakers to produce his first commercial vintage in 2005. Read More... Terre Rouge & Easton Wines - Plymouth, California The Winery The tasting room is done in an French Provencal farmhouse style, featuring a lot of wood as well as tile floors. In addition to the wines, there are a number of upscale gift items and household goods for sale. Next to the tasting room is a large, shady lawn area with tables, perfect for a picnic lunch. The Winery name Terre Rouge (meaning red earth) is derived from the prevalent red soils found... The Winemaker The winemaker for both labels is Bill Easton. He spent 30 years in all phases of the wine industry, and in 1985 established the winery. In 1994 Mr. Easton moved the winery to its present location on Dickson Road. Read More... TKC Vineyards - Plymouth, California The Winery Harold and Monica Nuffer purchased the Amador County property in 1978. The vineyards and a winery followed soon after and were finished in 1981. The winery name is the first initial of each of their daughter’s first names. The tasting room and winery is a small building with lovely local views of oaks and vineyards. The Winemaker Harold Nuffer was a rocket scientist who found he had a love for making wine, and made homemade reds for years prior to creating TKC in 1981. At the time, he was still working in the China Lake facility, located in the southeastern California desert and commuting to Amador County to run the winery. Read More... Toogood Estate Winery - Fair Play, California The Winery This is another in a growing number of wineries with incredible built in wine caves. The caves at Toogood are 5000 square feet and include a beautiful, modern tasting room. The other interesting feature of the cave is a dining room that can be engaged for special occasions. Although wine caves are fun, they are much more than a mere gimmick, helping the wines to age slowly at a consistent... The Winemaker Marco Capelli, the wine maker at Toogood has a degree in Enology. He also gained experience at Louis Martini in St Helena, one year in Italian wineries and six months in France. He worked in Carneros and Oakville prior to moving to the Foothills. Read More... Truckee River Winery - Truckee, California The Winery At 6000 feet, this is the highest and coldest winery in the state of California. It is in close competition for that claim with a winery in Colorado for the highest in the country. The red barn winery is located in a gorgeous mountain setting, complete with pines and quaking aspens. The Winemaker The winemaker at Truckee River is Russ Jones. Russ received his degree in enology from the University of California at Davis, traveling from there to Oregon to work at Sokol Blosser Winery. A Lake Tahoe native, he and wife Joan moved back to the region and, in 1989, opened the first winery in the region. Read More... Twisted Oak Winery - Vallecito, California The Winery The downtown Murphys tasting room for the Twisted Oak Winery is located in the former home of Dr. Albert Michelson, the first American to earn a Nobel Prize (1907). The tasting room is surrounded by the beautifully maintained heritage gardens. There is a second tasting room located at the winery, with a tasting bar built on old wine barrels. The winery has a lovely picnic area that offers... The Winemaker Scott Klann from Newsome-Harlow is the winemaker at Twisted Oak. He previously worked as the winemaker for many of the local wineries including Chatom and Stevenot. Read More... Ursa Vineyards - Camino, California The Winery Ursa Vineyards recently moved their tasting facility to a cozy cabin style building tucked away amidst towering pines less than a mile from the freeway in Camino. The tasting facility is surrounded by a large wood deck, a perfect place to take in the beauty of the site. The Winemaker Greg and Deborah both have extensive experience in winemaking, coming from David Bruce Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. They pride themselves on producing wines with as little handling and intervention as possible to maintain the inherent fruit flavor of the varietal. Read More... Van der Vijver Estate - Fair Play, California The Winery The winery is located on a little knoll surrounded by giant oak trees and vineyards in the rolling hills of the Fair Play AVA. The drive to the tasting room has a definite whimsical feel with all of the yellow wooden shoes and Dutch highlights decorating the fences and gates. The tasting room is small and nicely done with a Northern European flare. The feel may be whimsical, but don't let that... The Winemaker Robert Van der Vijver was born and raised in the Netherlands, and spent much of his earlier years traveling throughout European wine country. He works to make his wines in the style and flavor of the regions where those varietals and blends originated, including his Merlot, which is more in the French style than Napa. Read More... Venezio Vineyards & Winery - Pilot Hill, California The Winery Venezio has a newer tasting room built in the farmhouse style. There is a beautiful long oak and granite tasting counter as well as a small gift area. The estate started with 11 acres in the Cool area, followed 12 years later with the purchase of 120 acres near Coloma and the South Fork of the American River. The Winemaker Jack Venezio was a home winemaker from Los Gatos whose passion for the craft drove him to take classes at UC Davis. From there the natural path was to establish a vineyard and winery. Jack’s son, Val, is now taking over as winemaker at the estate. Read More... Villa Spalla Vineyard & Winery - Mariposa, California The Winery The winery is located in a beautiful lower foothills valley just south of the town of Mariposa. The drive to the winery is past oak woodland, mountain vistas and pastoral ranch land. The Winemaker Dennis Spalla Morris is the owner of Villa Spalla. An attorney by trade, he practices his true love of winemaking at his Mariposa County winery. Read More... Villa Toscano - Plymouth, California The Winery This is the sister winery to Bella Piazza. It has a Lavish Tuscan Wine Villa style complete with outdoor sculptures and gorgeous koi ponds. The winery is done in beautiful light colored woods and European tile floors. The tasting room has an extensive gift shop where they sell upscale household items and art. There is a bistro across the courtyard from the winery that sells salads and... The Winemaker The winemaker at Villa Toscano, and Bella Piazza, is George Bursick. Mr. Bursick has a master's degree in Enology from the University of California, Davis. Prior to coming to Villa Toscano and Bella Piazza, he worked at Ferrari-Caranno in Sonoma. Read More... Vina Castellano Winery - Auburn, California The Winery The short trip from the wonderful Gold Rush town of Auburn to the beautiful gates of the Vina Castellano estate is well worth the drive. The vineyards and winery are set on 8 acres of rolling oak pastureland at about the 1300 foot elevation. Tasting is offered May through harvest at a Pavillion on the water Saturdays from 12 to 4 and by appointment. They also offer Cave Tours on request. The... The Winemaker The winemaker at Vina Castellano is Derek Irwin. Mr. Irwin has a degree in enology from the University of California at Davis, and has worked for such premium California wineries as Viansa and Bouchaine. He is considered a pioneer in California with Tempranillo, and feels it has a great home in the Sierra Nevada Foothills. Read More... Vina Moda Winery - Murphys, California The Winery Vina Moda Winery and tasting room is located in a refurbished rustic old barn on the site of the oldest bonded winery in Calaveras County. But there is nothing rustic about this tasting room. The design is beautifully classic in style with an incredible bar, that although cement, has the look of being a single slab cut from a giant thunder egg (geode). The plank ceiling, muted walls, painted... The Winemaker Nathan Vader is a partner and winemaker at Vina Moda. He has been a winemaker in the Calaveras wine region for over ten years and has enhanced that experience with studies in enology at the University of California at Davis. Read More... Vino Noceto - Plymouth, California The Winery Vino Noceto is set amidst the estate’s Sangiovese vineyards, dotted with beautiful old oak trees. The tasting room is in a barn style building and has heavy timber ceilings, rustic wood walls, and a tasting bar set on top of old wine barrels. There are patio tables outside the tasting room, and picnic tables under a towering oak near the vineyards. Those of us who grew up in the Bay Area will... The Winemaker The winemaker at Vino Noceto is Rusty Folena. Rusty came to the winery from Renwood Winery, just up the road, and is assisted at Vino Noceto by consulting winemaker Stacey Gregersen. Read More... Wilderotter Vineyard & Winery - Plymouth, California The Winery After 6 years of selling grapes to other wineries, Jay Wilderotter started making his own wine, but had no tasting room or distributors. Selling the wines strictly through family and friends, they quickly sold out, and Jay was able to open his own tasting room in 2005. A small but beautiful mission style building, Wilderotter is surrounded by 25 acres of vineyards. The winery also has patios... The Winemaker Jay Wilderotter was an Air Force Pilot who took night classes at the University of California, Davis, in enology. While stationed at a Sacramento Air Base, he found the property in Amador and purchased it for a vineyard site. After the family moved to Oakland, Jay traveled back and forth between the family home and the vineyard, working to plant the... Read More... Willow Creek Winery - Ione, California The Winery The winery is located in a quiet valley filled with massive oaks and foothill grasslands. The winery theme may be whimsical and fun, but they take their winemaking quite seriously. Tastings are offered in the winery's barrel room. The Winemaker N/A Read More... Windwalker Vineyards - Fair Play, California The Winery The tasting room is very bright and cheery with high ceilings and tile floors. They offer some really nice wine style home decor for sale along with their wonderful wine selection. The exterior of the building represents a very Sierra Foothill style architecture with two large deck areas that offer picnic facilities. The grounds are quite pleasant, with a small pond surrounded by vineyards. The Winemaker The winery was recently purchased from the Gilpin family by Jim and Alanna Taff. The Taffs have engaged winemaker Dominic Mantei to create the wines of Windwalker. Read More... Winery by the Creek - Fair Play, California The Winery Winery by the Creek is known for two things: incredible wine caves and a wide selection of wine. The caves, attached to the tasting room, contain not only a wonderful art collection, but also about 250 to 300 barrels of aging wine. The winery, like the Fair Play Bistro located next door, is owned by Charles B. Mitchell. The Winemaker Charles Mitchell, who grew up in the winegrowing regions of France, is the winemaker at Winery by the Creek. He is heavily influenced by the homemaking of his home country, producing wines in the European style. Read More... Wofford Acres Vineyards - Camino, California The Winery The winery was purchased by Mike, Paul and Ann Wofford in 2003 and named Wofford Acres Vineyards. Located on the edge of Red Bird Canyon, it has an incredible view of one of the tributaries to the South Fork of the American River. As you relax at one of the strategically placed picnic tables near the canyon’s edge you can understand the wineries slogan ‘Come for the wines, stay for the view’.... The Winemaker Paul has been a winemaker throughout California and has created award-winning wines for wineries in Santa Cruz, Napa, Santa Barbara, Russian River, Monterey as well as other Sierra Foothill counties. After 30 years of making wines for others, Paul and his wife, Ann, along with Paul's brother Mike, decided to purchase the Sierra Nevada Foothill winery and... Read More... Young’s Vineyard - Plymouth, California The Winery The winery and tasting room are located in a large barn style building. The grounds that surround the winery are beautifully landscaped with a pond and a fantastically landscaped garden area that in winter has an inviting fire pit. The tasting room is invitingly done in rustic woods with modern art pieces hanging on the walls. The Winemaker The winemaker at Young’s is Stell Young. He performs not only the winemaking duties, but the vineyard management as well. Read More... Zucca Vineyards - Murphys, California The Winery The Zucca Vineyards tasting room is located in a cellar below a 150-year-old historic building in downtown Murphys, giving it a wine cellar feel. There is also a small gift area for unusual wine related items. The actual winery is located on the New Melones Reservoir, surrounded on three sides by water. The Winemaker Carol and Gary Zucca share the winemaking duties. Gary started his career as a naval officer and has a PhD in sociology and organizational behavior. Carol taught biology and chemistry prior to becoming a winemaker. Read More...