Visit El Dorado
Quick Tips on Touring
El Dorado's Wine Country
No wonder so many people consider El Dorado their “backyard wine country.” It’s just about 40 miles from Sacramento or South Lake Tahoe, and only 115 miles from San Francisco.
With its lush vineyards crisscrossing the Sierra foothills and its many hilltop tasting rooms, you’ll want to take your time exploring El Dorado’s back roads.
Here’s a tip: To get a taste of the El Dorado wine country, your best bet is to divide the region into four areas and map out a tour of the tasting rooms in one or two neighboring areas each time you visit.
Coloma Area
You can begin a tour off U.S. Highway 50 toward Coloma, along the route of early gold-seekers. Tucked between the American River and historic Coloma, you’ll discover the elegant tasting room of David Girard Vineyards and the hillside vineyards of Gold Hill Winery. Both are worth the short, scenic drive.
Apple Hill Area
From there, it’s easy to head toward the sloping vineyards and roadside bakeries of Apple Hill by traveling toward Placerville/Highway 50 via Cold Springs Road or Highway 49. On the west end of Apple Hill, you have Boeger Winery, the region’s first winery to be established following Prohibition. Choose from other well-established wineries like Lava Cap, which offers seating on a beautiful deck overlooking the canyon’s granite outcroppings. Nearby, Madroña welcomes visitors to its tasting room with award-winning mountain estate wines. Don’t miss the Jodar Vineyards tasting room, with its wrap-around deck and peaceful surroundings, before you come to the last wine stop in Apple Hill: hospitable Crystal Basin Cellars.
Pleasant Valley Area
Venturing south of Placerville, you can enjoy the El Dorado Rhone wine offerings and fabulous mountain and vineyard views of two award-winning wineries: Sierra Vista, established in 1977, and nearby Holly’s Hill, which overlooks the Cosumnes River canyons. Along Pleasant Valley Road, Narrow Gate Vineyards’ candlelit cellar is artfully nestled among tall pines. East on Sly Park Road, you’ll discover the old world architecture and canyon vineyards of Miraflores Winery. Chateau Rodin, back to the north toward Placerville, boasts 100-mile vistas.
Fair Play Appellation
Just about 30 minutes south of Highway 50, bordering Amador County, you’ll find the southern region of El Dorado’s wine country: the Fair Play district. A sub-appellation of El Dorado, this region is dotted with vineyards from 2,500 to 3,000 feet. The Fair Play Appellation includes Fair Play, Somerset and Mt. Aukum.
Near Somerset, Busby Cellars has a picnic area perched atop a knoll overlooking their vineyards. Along Mt. Aukum Road, Sierra Oaks Estates offers warm hospitality and a variety of wines. In Fair Play, you’ll have the chance to visit several wineries located along the loop created by Perry Creek and Fairplay Roads – including Windwalker and Perry Creek with their cheerful tasting rooms and verandas – and Single Leaf and Granite Springs, which are both casual and friendly. Don’t miss those wineries that are a bit off the beaten path, including Conti Estate/Charles B. Mitchell Vineyards. Off Slug Gulch Road, Oakstone Winery and Colibri Ridge welcome guests to enjoy picnic tables among stately oak trees and granite outcroppings.
If you’re looking for magnificent views that will give you a true appreciation of the region, make the trip up the hill to Fitzpatrick Winery and enjoy some organic wines. Or take your experience even higher by driving on to Mount Aukum Winery. Perched at 2,615 feet, its tasting room offers stunning views from the Sierra to nearly the Bay Area. You can end your Fair Play region tour with a visit to the farmhouse tasting room of Latcham Vineyards, located on Omo Ranch Road.
However you decide to tour El Dorado’s award-winning foothill wineries, you’re sure to experience winemaking at a higher level, as the local vintners like to say.