Woodside Vineyards has been credited with being one of the first wineries to pioneer the "boutique winery" movement in California and is the oldest winery in San Mateo County. Wonder collection of vintage cars on display. Woodside Vineyards is open Sat. & Sunday.

The Irving family immigrated to the United States from Nova Scotia. Grandfather John Irving worked in the Comstock Lode silver mines near Virginia City, Nevada before moving to Jackson, California to mine gold. In 1890, they acquired an 84 acre ranch east of Placerville. It was known as the four mile ranch because it straddled the main road east, formerly the route of the Pony Express. An existing house on the property was present at the time of their acquisition and is listed on the county tax rolls from 1885.After years of clean up and restoration, the ranch has become one of the show places in the Apple Hill area. The property has approximately 16 acres of wine grapes, as well as, peaches and eight varieties of apples farmed by a local retail fruit operation.

Tyler and Trevor Grace, fourth great-grandsons of Lewis Grace, have established themselves as skilled winemakers through years of education and hands-on experience.

Tyler began his journey with an Earth Science degree from Dartmouth, but after a brief period as a field geologist, he pivoted toward winemaking, earning a degree in enology and viticulture from Fresno State. His global experience started with a year of travel, working at notable wineries such as Heitz Cellars in Napa and in Coonawarra, Australia. This "endless harvest" gave Tyler invaluable opportunities to work under expert winemakers during wine's most crucial stages of development.

Returning to California, Tyler deepened his skills as an enologist at Quail Ridge Winery in Rutherford, followed by a role as assistant winemaker at Bell Cellars in Yountville. There, he specialized in Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, while gaining experience with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Viognier. In 2007, Tyler arrived in El Dorado County to help establish the family vineyard and winery. His exposure to both traditional winemaking and hand-tended boutique wine production has shaped his current winemaking philosophy. Today, Tyler focuses exclusively on Lewis Grace wines, combining his Napa Valley expertise with Sierra Foothills practices to create high-quality, boutique wines.

Trevor Grace, holding a master's degree in viticulture and enology from UC Davis, brings 15 years of winemaking experience in El Dorado and Amador County. Trevor has worked with over thirty grape varieties, honing his craft with an emphasis on high-elevation winemaking, a key aspect of his family’s vineyard. His ongoing mastery of these subtleties complements Tyler’s experience, together producing exceptional wines under the Grace family name.

Just like wine, some of the best things in life do not just change, they evolve: developing gradually into a better, more complex state with time. The same is said of Blue Rock’s commitment to producing vintages true to their European roots. Wines on the estate are crafted with the type of knowledge and modern finesse that only come with experience.

Blue Rock’s technique enhances the uniqueness of each wine`s character while aIso maintaining the soul of its history and the integrity of the land.

The result: vintages that feel like an accessible luxury because they exceed expectation, but for a reasonable price. It’s like getting upgraded to first class when you least expect it.

Blue Rock will produce only small quantities of luxurious red wines that express their sense of place. Blue Rock, therefore, will always make wine from grapes grown exclusively on the 100 acre Estate in Sonoma, Alexander Valley.

Established in 2000, Housleys Century Oak Winery has quickly made a name for itself with our family approach to award-winning wines at affordable prices. We have been fortunate enough to garner scores as high as 96, 95 & 94 points from respected competitions and many Gold Medals from judges and tastings across the country. Open the first Saturday of every month from 12-4 and by special appointment.