Sierra Vista: An El Dorado Original Since 1974

In 2024, Sierra Vista Wines proudly celebrates 50 years as one of the first and original wineries in the Sierra Foothills. This medium-sized boutique winery and vineyard is nestled in the picturesque landscape of El Dorado County, CA. Sierra Vista Winery seamlessly integrates the artistry of winemaking with the natural beauty of its 50-year-old legacy vineyard.

Each vintage begins with meticulous vineyard management, where skilled viticulturists tend to the vines, ensuring optimal grape ripening and quality. Harvesting is executed with precision, as grapes are hand-selected at their peak of maturity to capture the essence of the terroir.

Upon harvest, the grapes are immediately processed by a team of experienced and passionate winemakers and barrel hands. The winemaking process—encompassing crushing, fermenting, aging, and blending—focuses on preserving the unique characteristics of each varietal.

Sierra Vista Winery embraces sustainable and eco-friendly practices throughout its operations, reflecting a commitment to environmental stewardship. The winery features a welcoming tasting room where guests can savor a diverse range of wines grown, produced, and bottled on-site.

Knowledgeable Tasting Room staff members provide insights into the winemaking journey and guide visitors through curated tastings, creating memorable and educational experiences.

In addition, Sierra Vista actively hosts on-site wine events, live music, and food pairings, showcasing its exceptional products and engaging with the broader wine community. With a steadfast commitment to excellence, sustainability, and a passion for the art of winemaking, Sierra Vista aims to stand as a beacon of quality in fine wines.

photo courtesy photographer Randy Caparoso

Vinum Cellars, established in 1997 by first-generation California winemakers Richard Bruno and Chris Condos, was born from a dream financed on credit cards in Napa Valley. From the beginning, their mission has been to explore California's coastal vineyards and unique microclimates, seeking out the finest vineyards cultivated by the state's top growers. These long-time partners, mindful of their modest beginnings, ensure that every wine they produce offers an exceptional quality-to-price ratio. Each wine is meticulously handcrafted from single vineyards, adhering to a small-lot philosophy. From Coastal Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Vinum Cellars produces varietal wines sourced from single vineyards and appellations across California.

As an environmentally conscious winery, Vinum Cellars collaborates exclusively with sustainable growers to create eco-friendly products. Their packaging choices are deliberately made to reduce their carbon footprint, incorporating domestically produced lightweight Eco-Series glass and labels and cartons printed with non-toxic, water-based inks. Additionally, all packaging suppliers recycle 100% of the waste generated during the manufacturing process.

Fetzer Vineyards

Fetzer Vineyards was founded in 1968 in beautiful Mendocino County by Barney and Kathleen Fetzer. One of the first California wineries to branch out into serious Chardonnay production, Fetzer remains committed to sustainability and environmentally conscious wine production. Dennis Martin oversees all wine-making at Fetzer and is assisted by Charlie Gilmore and Michael Chupp, who are in charge of white wine making and red wine making respectively.

Bret and Elainea Engelmann started Engelmann Cellars in 2000 in an old raisin shed that his grandfather built on the 200 acre family vineyard back in 1957. Together Bret and Elainea have brought wine prduction up to 3,000 cases with 85 % sold directly to winelovers in the tasting room or online.