El Dorado Wine Country is a high-elevation American Viticultural Area (AVA) in the Sierra Nevada foothills, situated almost perfectly between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, about 45 minutes east of the city and an hour west of the lake. Along and just off Highway 50, you’ll find more than a dozen family-owned wineries producing award-winning mountain-grown wines from varietals you won’t find on a supermarket shelf.
The winemaker who grew and crafted what’s in your glass is usually the one pouring it. That’s increasingly rare in California wine country. Here, it’s the norm.
Here’s what’s worth a stop—organized west to east, the way you’d encounter them driving from Sacramento toward Tahoe.
In Placerville: Easy Off, Easy Back On
Placerville sits right on Highway 50 and serves as the natural anchor for El Dorado wine country. Several tasting rooms are downtown or just minutes from the freeway, easy to fold into any Tahoe trip without adding much time to the drive.
Nello Olivo Winery
Housed in the wine cellar of the historic 1853 Sequoia Mansion, just 1½ blocks off Highway 50, Nello Olivo is one of the most distinctive tasting room settings in the region. Winemaker Nello specializes in Italian varietals—Sangiovese, Barbera, Arneis, Fiano, and the rare Sagrantino—and has the medals to back it up: Best Sangiovese in California at the California State Fair and Best of all Reds at the Pacific Rim Wine Competition. It’s a cool, historic stop that earns the detour on its own.
Toogood Cellars
The downtown Placerville tasting room for Toogood Estate Winery makes an easy walk-in stop. They feature build-your-own wine and port flights, with over 14 ports open daily. If you’ve never done a dedicated port tasting alongside estate El Dorado reds, this is the place.
Crystal Basin Cellars
After more than two decades in the Apple Hill fruit barn that became a Camino landmark, Crystal Basin recently relocated to a new facility at 2850 Cold Springs Road in Placerville—a move designed to improve visibility and access for Tahoe-bound travelers. Enjoy the same award-winning wines, including a Gold-medal 2023 Primitivo, in a highly accessible location. With over 26 wines to choose from, there’s something for every palate.
Camino and Apple Hill: The Heart of El Dorado Wine Country
A few minutes east of Placerville on Highway 50, the Camino Exit (Exit 54) drops you directly onto Carson Road—home to some of El Dorado’s most established wineries. Allow an extra hour or two here if you can.
Boeger Winery
Founded in 1972, Boeger is one of the oldest commercial wineries in El Dorado—and one of the most decorated. They hold more than 120 medals for Barbera alone. The property dates to the mid-1800s, and the original 1872 wine cave is still in use. Pack a lunch for their picnic areas, browse the gift shop, and enjoy one of the most relaxed tasting room atmospheres in the region.
Madroña Vineyards
One of El Dorado’s pioneer wineries, founded in 1973 and farming at 3,000 feet—the high end of the AVA’s elevation range. They specialize in more than 26 estate varietals, including standout Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Open daily, their tasting room perfectly leans into the rugged mountain setting.
Bumgarner Winery
A family-run operation with tasting rooms in both Camino and Fair Play. The Camino location features award-winning Tempranillo – Double Gold, Best Tempranillo at the San Francisco International Wine Competition – alongside artisanal hard ciders and Friday night pizza on the patio during the summer months.
Chateau Davell
A standout for visitors who want food alongside their tasting. Chateau Davell pairs handcrafted, small-lot wines with locally sourced cuisine available on-site daily, and farms with sustainable practices throughout. This is a refined, delicious stop on the Apple Hill stretch.
Docmanov Winery
One of the region’s best examples of what happens when a winemaker commits to a rare varietal. Docmanov’s 2024 Counoise earned Double Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, a striking result for a grape most California tasters have never encountered. If you want to taste something genuinely unusual and excellent, this is the stop.
Starfield Vineyards
Sitting just five minutes outside Placerville on a hilltop property with panoramic views, Starfield is the kind of place that earns a longer stay. They earned Double Gold for both their 2023 Aglianico and 2024 Fiano at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition—two Italian varietals thriving at elevation. With Roman-style pizza, three miles of nature trails, and a stunning lakeside view, it’s one of the most well-rounded winery experiences in El Dorado.
Worth the Short Detour: A Few Miles Off US-50
These wineries sit just a few miles from Highway 50 but are well worth the brief diversion, particularly if you’re making a dedicated wine country stop rather than a quick roadside pull-off.
Lava Cap Winery
Named for the volcanic soil on which it sits, Lava Cap is incredibly visitor-friendly, offering weekend live music in summer and a tasting room with large windows overlooking the winemaking facility. The volcanic terroir adds a distinct mineral quality to the wines, including a Double Gold 2023 Cabernet Franc from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
Delfino Farms / Edio Vineyards
One of El Dorado’s most distinctive properties—a working farm and winery that hosts the Folk on the Farm summer concert series (June through September), featuring grassroots country, bluegrass, and folk at sunset. Taste estate Rhône varietals, including a crisp Grenache Rosé, in a gorgeous farm setting.
Wofford Acres Vineyards
At the end of a country road in Camino, Wofford Acres rewards the extra few minutes of driving with some of the most dramatic views in the AVA—a promontory overlooking the South Fork of the American River Canyon. Taste award-winning small-batch wines, including a gold-medal La Mancha Red Blend and estate Syrah, from a winemaker with deep California cellar credentials. Come for the wine, stay for the view.
Holly’s Hill Winery
One of El Dorado’s most respected Rhône specialists, Holly’s Hill farms estate Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Roussanne, and Viognier at elevation. They are a definitive go-to for visitors who want to understand why the Sierra foothills are one of the best Rhône-growing environments in the state.
Sierra Vista Winery
Situated on Red Rock Ridge, about 30 miles from Lake Tahoe, Sierra Vista is one of California’s most established Rhône-focused producers—Syrah was planted here in 1979, among the earliest plantings in California. Stop in for the deep competition credentials and stay for the vineyard views.
Narrow Gate Vineyards
A boutique, biodynamic producer with a devoted following among El Dorado wine enthusiasts. Worth seeking out if you’re spending a full day in the region exploring the high-elevation differences that set the granite soils apart from the rest of the state. If you’re a port lover, don’t miss the Chocolate Splash.
Planning Your Highway 50 Stop
- Reservations: Most El Dorado tasting rooms welcome walk-ins without reservations—though calling ahead is required for groups of 8 or more.
- Access: The Camino/Apple Hill cluster is best accessed from Exit 54 off Highway 50. Placerville tasting rooms are right off the freeway or within walking distance of the historic downtown.
- Time Allocation: Allow 30–45 minutes per winery. A two-stop visit adds less than two hours to your total Tahoe drive time.
Find a winery and plan your visit at ElDoradoWines.org/Wineries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there wineries near Lake Tahoe?
Yes! El Dorado Wine Country is the closest wine region to Lake Tahoe, located about an hour west of South Lake Tahoe via Highway 50. The region includes 30+ family-owned wineries in the Sierra Nevada foothills between Placerville and Camino, making it the most accessible wine-tasting destination for Tahoe visitors heading to or from Sacramento.
Which El Dorado wineries are closest to Highway 50?
The closest tasting rooms to Highway 50 include Nello Olivo, Toogood Cellars, and Crystal Basin Cellars in Placerville (all within minutes of the highway), alongside Boeger Winery, Madroña Vineyards, Bumgarner Winery, Starfield Vineyards, Docmanov Winery, Wofford Acres Vineyards, and Chateau Davell in the Camino/Apple Hill area (all accessible via Exit 54).
Where can I stop for food and wine tasting between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe?
For dedicated food and wine pairings right off the highway, Starfield Vineyards offers Roman-style pizza; Chateau Davell serves locally sourced artisan cuisine daily; Edio Vineyards offers food pairings (reservations recommended); Narrow Gate Vineyards offers weekend picnic boards and boxes; Holly’s Hill sells picnic supplies; and Bumgarner Winery features a wood-fired Friday night pizza patio series during the summer.
What makes El Dorado wineries a good road trip stop?
Unlike lower-elevation regions, El Dorado’s vineyards range from 1,000 to 3,500 feet, providing huge diurnal temperature shifts that give mountain-grown wines their signature crisp acidity. Furthermore, because these properties are family-owned, visitors get an authentic experience where the winemakers themselves are often the ones pouring in the tasting room.
