Camelia N.
Yelp
This is one of the more venerable working wineries in the North Sierra Foothills, with a wide range of appealing and affordable wines in the $15 to $30 price range. The tasting room is spacious enough for dozens of guests, including a charming outdoor deck that overlooks the winery facilities themselves as well as parts of Deer Creek.
There is a gift shop area as well as a mini art gallery displaying paintings by local artists, as well as numerous wine related pictures, posters, and collectibles. The love for the grape is all around you. Tastings include a regular flight of five wines or a premium flight that showcases lesser known varietals like Dolcetto, Tempranillo, and Primitivo alongside excellent French as well as Italian varietals like Sangiovese.
The style is food friendly and balanced with grapes sourced from quality vineyards in the Sierra Foothills, especially Nevada County, where the winery is located. A Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is also made, along with a Sonoma County sparkling wine. There are also red and white blends that cost around $12 with case or club discount if you are looking to make a larger purchase for a special event like wedding or big birthday celebration.
I loved the single vineyard Cabernet Franc, for its restrained ripeness and aromas of violet, herb, and dried flower petals, but the Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel were delicious as well and made cleverly with small percentages of other grapes in many cases. Among the whites, the Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc were especially appealing to my palate for their dryness and distinctive fruit essences.
You can compliment your wine with cheese plates prepared by Wheyward Girl creamery in town, along with cured meats, crostini, and other light snacks. Especially if you have time and the weather is nice, you could easily spend a full two hours enjoying your wine on the deck. We did! Highly recommended as an ideal first impression sort of wine tasting experience should it be your first time visiting Nevada City's charming and historic central business district.