County-by-County Guide to Wineries Near Sacramento

Northern California is known the world over for its high-quality wines. While Napa and Sonoma get most of the attention, there are hundreds of other growing regions that also produce world-class wines. Best of all, many of them are located within minutes of Sacramento! Not only can you sip everything from Albariño to Zinfandel, in many cases, you can also enjoy a great meal or listen to live music, all while relaxing in a charming, wine-country setting.

It’s a little-known fact that wine is produced in every county in the greater Sacramento region — including Sacramento county itself! In fact, the region is home to more than 200 wineries, each with its own distinct personality. There are slick urban wineries, massive Tuscan-style estates, and even rustic tasting barns hidden away on bucolic farmland. There are also spots where you can enjoy a winery picnic near Sacramento.

Following is a comprehensive county-by-county guide to some of the best wineries in the greater Sacramento area.

El Dorado County Wineries 

Photo courtesy of Lava Cap Winery

Warm summer days and cool mountain nights mean the wines grown in the El Dorado County foothills are balanced, vibrant and well-structured. Varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Syrah do well here, as do more than 100 other varietals.

Wineries in El Dorado County stretch from Pilot Hill in the North to Rescue in the west. But perhaps the most well-known wine growing regions are in Placerville/ Camino and Fair Play/Somerset in the south.

Placerville/Camino wineries pepper the wooded hillsides of the Apple Hill region, just north of Highway 50. Apple Hill is best known for its U-pick orchards and family-friendly fall festivities, but it’s also a vibrant wine growing region. Some wineries to check out include Lava Cap Winery, which produces hearty Cabernet Sauvignon and fruit-forward Chardonnay, and Madroña Vineyards, which is known for its Malbec and Gewurztraminer. Boeger Winery is another good bet, where you can sip beneath the trees overlooking a scenic pond.

Down in the Fair Play/Somerset area, there are dozens of great wineries to choose from. Some to try include Toogood Estate, where you can sip Grenache or Port in a wine cave, Perry Creek Winery, which specializes in peppery Zins, or Element 79 Vineyards, which has tours, tastings, and special events such as brunches and food pairings. The Fair Play Wine Region also hosts an annual Harvest Festival each fall.  

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Wineries in Nevada County

Photo courtesy of Naggiar Vineyards

Sacramento-area wine lovers know Nevada City and Grass Valley turn out some of the most underrated wines in the greater Sacramento region. Located in Nevada County, these growers capitalize on the area’s cool mountain air and rocky soil, suitable for Old World varietals from Italy and France. Laid-back tasting rooms range from sleek, art-filled spaces to rustic spots in country barns.

The quaint downtown areas of both Nevada City and Grass Valley are lined with tasting rooms. Some to check out include Szabo Vineyards in Nevada City and Lucchesi Winery in Grass Valley. Also in downtown Grass Valley, Sierra Star Winery makes sparkling almond and sparkling peach wine, as well as a Sauternes-style dessert wine.

If you’re looking for the classic wine country experience, there are several scenic wineries tucked throughout the county as well. Some to consider include Naggiar Vineyards/Route 49 Wines, which has a Tuscan-themed tasting room overlooking their lovely 135-acre estate. Gray Pine Winery is a boutique, small-batch winery in the Penn Valley area that specializes in Bordeaux red varietals, while Montoliva pours Italian varietals on their no-frills outdoor patio overlooking the vines.

The Placer County Wine Trail

Photo courtesy of Rancho Roble

Rolling, oak-dotted landscapes define the foothills of Placer County, whose wine-growing regions benefit from warm days and cool nights. Coupled with well-draining soil, these conditions are ideal for growing Italian, Iberian and Rhône varietals such as Grenache, Sangiovese and Viognier. You can also download a map of the Placer County Wine Trail to make sure you don’t miss a thing!

Placer County has no shortage of unique tasting rooms. One of the most unique is Bonitata Boutique Winery, located in an 1874 stone winery building partially buried in the hillside in Auburn, which is now the Bernhard Museum. Also in Auburn is Viña Castellano Winery, a Spanish-style winery that hosts special events such as Flamenco and Spanish guitar. 

In Lincoln, Rancho Roble Vineyards offers Rosé or Barbera in a scenic country setting overlooking a pond, while Wise Villa Winery has a gourmet Tuscan-style restaurant. In Loomis, Casque Wines turns out small-batch Rhône and Bordeaux-style wines on their estate neighboring the Flower Farm Café, where you can pick up salads and sandwiches for lunch.

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Top Wineries in Yolo County

Photo courtesy of Match Book Wines

With its warm Mediterranean climate, Yolo County is an up-and-coming wine region. It’s perhaps best known for its wine scene in the Clarksburg area along the Sacramento River south of Sacramento, where Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Petite Sirah thrive. Here, you can visit one of the 14 tasting rooms at the Old Sugar Mill, a revamped historic sugar beet refinery. Nearby Scribner Bend serves tastes of its Pinot Grigio and Tempranillo in a 100-year-old barn and has special events such as concerts and yoga classes.

But Yolo County’s wine scene extends further north as well. At Matchbook Wine Company near Woodland, you can sample bold, fruit forward wines such as Petit Verdot and Chardonnay; in summer, they have live music and food trucks. Up in Winters, Turkovich Family Wines and Berryessa Gap Vineyards both have charming downtown tasting rooms as well as scenic estate wineries. Down in Davis, Great Bear Vineyards produces award-winning wines, such as their double gold Sauvignon Blanc. Great Bear was even named best White Wine Micro Winery of 2023!

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Wineries in Sacramento County

Photo courtesy of McConnell Estates Winery

Sure, Sacramento has its share of boutique wine bars, but it also has dozens of small, family-run wineries as well, especially in outlying areas. Elk Grove is becoming a hotspot for wine lovers, with new wineries popping up alongside old favorites. McConnell Estates produces Merlot, Vermentino and sparkling wine and offers tasting in a historic farmhouse. Christopher Cellars is another good choice, which has live music and food trucks every Friday, as is Adkins Family Vineyards, a sustainable winery that offers food from neighboring Sheldon Inn.

In Walnut Grove, Grand Island Vineyards pours Chenin Blanc and Petite Sirah at its expansive estate fronting the Sacramento River. In Galt, Valensin Vineyard offers tastings on their scenic patio overlooking a manmade lake — you can even go pedal boating, paddleboarding or water skiing!

No matter which direction you take, you’re sure to come across a great winery in the greater Sacramento area. From Auburn to Clarksburg, Winters to Camino, there are plenty of spots to sip and savor all the region has to offer. Or, you can sample them all during the annual Legends of Wine event, held every September in downtown Sacramento as part of the Farm-to-Fork Festival.

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