Cruv

California wine region

Amador County Wineries and Tasting Rooms

Some of Amador's dry-farmed Zinfandel vines date to the 1800s, and Sutter Creek's tasting rooms sit a short walk apart.

55+ places in Cruv · 35+ upcoming events

Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play
Rows of bare, pruned grapevines with a green cover crop on a hillside, with oaks and pines on the hilltop under white clouds, in the Sierra foothills of Amador County, California.

At a glance

Places in Cruv
55+
Upcoming events
35+
Known for
  • Zinfandel
  • Barbera
  • Sangiovese
Nearest city
About an hour east of Sacramento

Areas in Amador County

  • Shenandoah Valley

    Amador's main wine area, with wineries spread around the small town of Plymouth, so plan your stops ahead. Its vineyards sit at about 1,000 to 2,000 feet, mostly in decomposed granite soils.

    35+ places in Cruv

  • Greater Sutter Creek

    Tasting rooms, shops and restaurants sit close together in Sutter Creek's historic downtown, so you can visit several on foot. Vineyard estates are nearby.

    15+ places in Cruv

Also in Amador County: Fiddletown.

Know before you go

Reservations
Plan to book: many Amador wineries recommend or require a reservation, though some welcome walk-ins. Larger groups and anyone arriving by limo or bus should call first.
Tasting fees
At some Shenandoah Valley tasting rooms, a wine purchase covers the tasting fee; elsewhere, ask, since each winery sets its own.
Getting there
Amador County is about 40 miles east of Sacramento. For Shenandoah Valley wineries, head to Plymouth.
Best time to visit
Spring can bring wildflowers to the hillsides, and fall brings harvest. Summers in the Shenandoah Valley run hot, so plan for the heat.
Getting around
Highway 49 links Plymouth, Amador City, Sutter Creek and Jackson. Bring a designated driver, or book a rideshare or a tour.

Spring brings wine festivals and fall a harvest celebration, with more winery events through the year.

Amador County on the map

Map of California showing Amador County east of Sacramento (California wine regions)

Nearby wine regions

  • El Dorado County

    Hillside vineyards climb from about 1,000 to 3,500 feet, with wineries spread from Apple Hill near Camino south to Fair Play.

    55+ places in Cruv · 40+ upcoming events

  • Calaveras County

    Most of Calaveras County's tasting rooms are in the Gold Rush town of Murphys, pouring Barbera and Tempranillo along with old-vine Zinfandel.

    25+ places in Cruv · 20+ upcoming events

  • Lodi

    Old-vine Zinfandel shares Lodi's vineyards with more than 100 other grape varieties, and most tastings need no reservation.

    60+ places in Cruv · 85+ upcoming events

  • Placer County

    Mostly family-run wineries, most of them pouring Zinfandel, in Gold Country foothills that begin about 30 miles east of Sacramento.

    20+ places in Cruv · 30+ upcoming events