Placer Valley Wineries

What's new are the raves the area's foothill vintners are receiving for their wines. Rancho Roble Vineyards in Lincoln, Ophir Wines and Pescatore Vineyard in Newcastle, and Secret Ravine Vineyard & Winery in Loomis are established small production wineries at the forefront of Placer Valley's wine movement, dubbed the "Gold Crush" by local wine wags.

California's 1849 Gold Rush brought more than precious metal-seeking miners; entrepreneurs supplied the miners with the goods they valued back east and in the old country. By 1895 almost 100 wineries were operating in the Mother Lode area, more than Napa and Sonoma combined. Prohibition brought this thriving wine industry to a halt in 1920, and most vineyard land was converted to pear, apple and citrus trees.

Today, there is a juicy renaissance going on in the hills of Placer County - vineyards and wineries are returning to the foothill slopes. The granite soil and Mediterranean-like climate are ideal for the cultivation of wine grapes, and the new, small wineries are producing a wide range of offerings that blend New World winemaking techniques with Old World vines.

Explore our wine region using the maps below. You can either click on the name below or on the icon on the map to get more information about the winery.