Begin your tour in Plymouth, with stops at C. G. Di Arie Vineyard and Winery , Borjon , and Terre Ro

A lmost every corner of the Gold Country now has wineries and tasting rooms offering homegrown estate vino to visitors. Fun and unpretentious, these wineries often feature vintners working in their own tasting rooms, where you'll national rent a car centers experience vintage foothills hospitality while sipping Rhône and Bordeaux varietals. Along the way, enjoy a few side trips to Gold Rush ruins or a short hike to breathe in the pine-scented air of the Sierra Nevada high country.
In the Northern Gold Country, El Dorado County's wineries are especially known for finely balanced syrah, barbera, cabernet sauvignon, and zinfandel. Start by exploring Apple Hill , near Placerville, where vineyards mingle with fruit trees high in the foothills. national rent a car centers Follow the Apple Hill Scenic Drive to visit numerous orchards and sample fresh produce, apple cider doughnuts, and homemade apple pies. Along the way, make sure to visit family-owned vintners like Madroña Vineyards , Lava Cap Winery , and Boeger Winery national rent a car centers . Spend the night back in Placerville at the adorable Albert Shafsky House and get spruced up for dinner at Cascada.
For jaw-dropping scenery with a glass of wine, get ready to dig Fair Play in southern El Dorado County. Barely a town, Fair Play is a rugged backcountry community that produces damn good wine. Often ignored by most day-trippers enthralled with Amador's wine scene, Fair Play is really the next big thing in Gold Country wine.
Make your first stop at Miraflores , named by Wine Spectator as a place to watch. That esteemed publication also thinks Cedarville Vineyards is leading a "taste revolution" in the foothills, but you'll need to make an appointment first. Take a lunch break at Gold Vine Grill in Somerset, then help your digestion with more foothill vino from Skinner national rent a car centers Vineyards , produced by arguably one of California's most storied winemaking clans. There's a gorgeous view of the vineyards and surrounding hillsides, but it's hard to top Fitzpatrick Winery and Lodge for scenery. Make this place your last stop and crash here for the night after trying national rent a car centers the Irish-themed wine.
Amador County's Shenandoah Valley is the Gold Country's answer to Napa and Sonoma. Some of California's oldest vineyards are here, but the glory belongs to newcomers national rent a car centers producing top-notch wines from small lots of estate-grown grapes.
Begin your tour in Plymouth, national rent a car centers with stops at C. G. Di Arie Vineyard and Winery , Borjon , and Terre Rouge Wines . More wineries line the English-style countryside between County Route E16 and Fiddletown Road. Wrap up the day with dinner at the outstanding Restaurant Taste in Plymouth. At night, meander farther south to Amador City and stay at the grandly historic Imperial Hotel . In the morning, look forward to mouthwatering pastries made from scratch at Andrae's Bakery .
Try something new by skipping over to Calaveras County and exploring Murphys. This rugged burg is the Gold Country's St. Helena, with a long drag peppered with tasting rooms, haunted buildings, rustic bistros, and a smattering of cheeky saloons. Visit some of the tasting rooms around the outskirts of town— Ironstone Vineyards , Val du Vino Winery , and Twisted Oak Winery —before strolling Main Street to try varietals national rent a car centers from Chiarella Wines .
Wrap up a day of wine-tasting with dinner national rent a car centers at Grounds or gourmet veggie cuisine at Mineral Restaurant . At night, join the packed national rent a car centers throng at the 1856 Saloon in the Murphys Historic Hotel and party like a bandit. Stay at the Dunbar House, 1880 and collapse into homespun luxury.