Staycations abound at Sierra Foothills wineries

“STAYCATIONS” ARE ALL THE RAGE. WITH MORE PEOPLE saving money, staying close to home for a summer vacation makes sense.

Fortunately, the Sierra and its foothills offer many pleasant getaways.

Here’s one of our favorites: Take a day-trip or overnight journey to a winery in Nevada County, the region’s up-and-coming wine growing region.

The gently rolling hillsides of oak trees and ripening grape vines are a welcome reprieve from the summer heat of Sacramento, Marysville, Chico or Reno.

Locals might also be surprised to learn that a winery is so close to home. Some notable examples: Naggiar is close to Lake of the Pines, and Pilot Peak is near Lake Wildwood.

Nevada County has 16 wineries, and many of them are expanding despite the worst recession in decades. The wineries offer free summer concerts, picnicking and dining under the stars. More of their wines are winning prestigious awards too, challenging the more established, neighboring wine growing regions.

“We always wanted to be a destination winery,” says Lynn Wilson, co-owner and winemaker at Pilot Peak Winery in Penn Valley. “People come here, picnic and have a glass of wine. With the recession, you don’t have to spend a fortune to have a good time.”

Pilot Peak offers free comparative wine tasting on weekends. The winery also offers live music and light dinner fare, or tapas, on Friday nights at an event called “Sunset @ The Peak.” Seating is provided on a stonewalled, tiered terrace, where you can watch the sunset.

Sierra Starr, of Grass Valley, has “music in the vineyards” on July 12 and August 9.

You can bring a chair and enjoy an afternoon picnicking on the lawn while listening to live music. Wines are available for tasting, and free hot dogs and popcorn are offered to children.

This summer, Sierra Star also is opening a new wine tasting room in downtown Grass Valley, at the corner of Mill and Main Streets. It will be the largest tasting room in the area, helping to anchor the historic downtown.

In August, Avanguardia Wines, which specializes in hand-crafted artisan blends, is opening a new tasting room across the street. Across town, in historic Nevada City, Carrington’s Fine Wines offers a wide selection of local wines.

For overnight getaways, Nevada County offers a wider selection of B&Bs, historic hotels and motels than most other neighboring wine-growing regions. Lodging and winery officials are also discussing plans to provide shuttle service to nearby wineries.

After touring the wineries, visitors can find restaurants that serve locally grown wines. Club 141, a hip tapas bar in downtown Grass Valley, serves glasses and bottles including Lucchesi, Sierra Starr, Montoliva, Smith, Indian Springs and a newcomer, Bent Metal.

Since Nevada County’s wineries are family owned and operated, they are small enough that you can meet the winemaker and owners when you visit. It reminds us of the early days in the Napa Valley—before much of the region became over-commercialized.

“I’ll be pouring our wine in the new tasting room,” said Rob Chrisman, owner and winemaker at Avanguardia. “People are very interested that we grow all of our own fruit, and they like that we’re a small, hands-on operation.”

Speak Your Mind

Tell us what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • Follow us on PinterestFollow us on Pinterest