Wineries to not miss in Gold Country?

We’re spending 4 days or so around Plymouth, CA at the end of September and would appreciate some recs of exceptional wineries in the area. I know it may be problematic at that time, especially with small producers, but we’re going there after a stay near Yosemite and hoping for some memorable finds. TIA.

Ken Zinns should be along shortly…

In fact, maybe do a search of Ken’s posts. He’s the man to help you.

Turley and Terre Rouge are must hits for me. Bonus…they are right next to each other off Shenandoah Rd!

Thanks, Truett! For sure you can search for my posts on visits to Sierra Foothills wineries, or search the index of my Grape-Nutz articles for Sierra Foothills write-ups: Grape-Nutz wine touring notes

Here are some general recommendations - depends on what varieties and styles interest you, and you can check out the winery websites as well as my write-ups for more information. Of course visiting in late September means you’ll be there right in the middle of crush, so it will probably be tougher to visit directly with winemakers, and some of the smaller places that require an appointment (such as Cedarville and La Clarine Farm) may be too busy to see you depending on the day, but definitely worth a try to contact them.

Easton/Terre Rouge is an easy recommendation in the Plymouth area, and Turley for sure if you’re a fan of their wines. Had a nice visit to Deaver recently, and Andis and Vino Noceto would also be good stops. There are plenty of others in the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding areas that I haven’t been to recently. Lots of tasting rooms in Amador City and Sutter Creek, a few miles south of Plymouth. The End of Nowhere was really nice in Amador City, and Baiocchi and Yorba are among the tasting rooms in Sutter Creek.

In the Fair Play region of southern El Dorado County - a short drive north from Plymouth - Cedarville, La Clarine Farm, and Skinner are highly recommended. The first two will require an appointment. Other worthwhile stops in the area include Gwinllen, Santino, and Element 79. Not too much farther north from the Fair Play area are several good wineries in the Pleasant Valley region, including Holly’s Hill, Sierra Vista, and Miraflores.

Taste is a very good (though somewhat pricey) restaurant in Plymouth. Andrae’s Bakery in Amador City is a must for pastries and coffee plus picnic supplies, and Amador Vintage Market in Plymouth is another high recommendation for picnic fare. Pokerville Market in Plymouth is a good stop for groceries and also has good deli sandwiches. If you manage to venture as far north as Placerville for dining, Allez! in Diamond Springs (just outside of Placerville) is very highly recommended - tiny place with great food and reasonable prices, but no reservations.

Hope that helps you, Peter - have a great time!

In addition to Turley and Terre Rouge (free tasting) I would also checkout Amador Cellars and Vino Noceto which are close by.

Weird. I thought I’d posted earlier yesterday but couldn’t find the post when I checked for responses… so I posted again.


Thanks Ken, and everyone. We’ve been to Murphys before (driving South from Tahoe) but never as far North as Plymouth. Looking forward to it.

Here’s the other post, with my thoughts…

Forlorn Hope is in the foothills now…

Yes, but a 1+ hour drive from Plymouth. Figured that might be outside the range that Peter might want to do. They’ll be pretty busy with harvest / crush at that time too.

Hi Peter-
For sure, Ken’s recommendations are incredibly helpful! I like that area as well, so here are a few of mine.
For restaurants, Taste generally gets the most mentions (right in Plymouth). Amador Vintage Market (also Plymouth) would be a great place to get picnic fixins.
Amador 360 is a tasting room in Plymouth that features a number of wineries at any one time, so it can be a good one-stop shop for tasting.
My overall favorite winery is Easton/Terre Rouge. Just fantastic across the board, with a great array of older vintages as well.
Turley is right down the street, and worth a stop.
A newer location that I’d recommend is Iron Hub. The wines are generally good, what I’d call varietally correct (some single-vineyard Zins are very good). However, a big reason to go is that it’s situated on a hilltop with amazing views of the surrounding area, and a great patio with tables where you could sit for a picnic or just some glasses of wine.

I agree with all the recommendationas given here, esp Ken’s.

In addition, Hog Wild BBQ in Placerville is great and reasonably priced…their Brisket is esp good. I make a point of stopping by (when I possibly can) whenever I’m up there checking my fruit. Woo Hoo.

Thanks to all for the recs. FWIW, our favorites were Hatcher, in Murphys; Runquist, Helwig, and Terre Rouge/Easton in Plymouth; Holly’s Hill in Placerville; overall BEST in our opinion was Skinner in Fairplay. Amador 360 (in Plymouth) is a ‘must stop’ too, as it pours for a bunch of local wineries that don’t have tasting rooms. Lots of Rosé, Viognier, Barbera and Zin just about everywhere.

Food: Taste was awesome. Amador Vintage Market had great sandwiches and sides. Both in Plymouth. Andrae’s, in Amador City, had great coffee and tea plus maybe the best cookie I’ve had in years - it’s called the Nibbly!

Also a plug for the Air BnB loft we stayed at. Wine Country Loft at Spirit Oaks, in Plymouth. A huge, well appointed loft, on a private farm property just five minutes outside the main part of Plymouth. Well worth every penny.