A Beer & Wine Lover's Guide to the Region
Jul 25, 2017 12:38PM ● By Style
Photo ©hiddenhallow - stock.adobe.com.
With a bounty of breweries and wineries in our backyard, we thought it’d be beneficial to put together an entire guide of our favorites. Read on to learn about the passionate people behind the pours, discover where the best tasting rooms in town are, find local restaurants cooking up beer- and wine-spiked dishes, and more.
The act of making beer and wine is an act of community—a way of bringing people together. We asked local makers, and masters of their craft, to tell us their stories—stories that are bound to give you, the humble consumer, an appreciation of the heart, soul and commitment that goes into every harvest, every brew and every pour.
Teresa Pstuty
536 Grass Valley Highway, Auburn, 530-878-5232
Crooked Lane Brewing Company’s brewmaster Teresa Pstuty blinds us with science on the regular; she holds a bachelor of science in chemistry and spent 10 years in the biotech industry as a field service engineer before entering the world of beer, and her science background still informs her brewing technique today. “In the brewery, I take an analytical approach,” says Pstuty. “I measure everything as the brew day progresses so I can maintain consistency.” And for Pstuty, consistency is key. “I believe the more measurements you can take in the process, the better you will be able to identify problems if they occur,” she says. The scientific approach is working—Crooked Lane recently won Best of Show and a double gold medal at the El Dorado County Fair, a silver medal for their Gnarly Goat and gold for the Wobblor Doppelbock at the California State Fair, and silver and bronze medals at the LA International Beer Competition. Not bad for opening just last August! It helps that Crooked Lane is a family (and friends) affair; Pstuty’s husband, Adrian, is co-owner, neighbor Paul Schilling handles the marketing, and close friend Kirt Braun handles sales. For Pstuty, establishing their roots in the Auburn community and providing a gathering space for locals feels just as much like success as the well-deserved accolades. As for the elephant in the room—the notion of Pstuty being a female brewmaster in a male-dominated industry—the reality is more positive (and inclusive). Says Pstuty, “Women are such a big part of the craft brewery explosion. We’ve become a big part of the customer base, and central players in the success of the industry. As co-owner, I had an advantage to assume the position of brewmaster, but I’ve been delighted at the way I’ve been received and the great treatment I’ve had in just about all my interactions in the beer community at large. Craft beer is no longer the domain of bearded men.”
Q&A
Favorite style of beer: I love any well-made beer, but West Coast IPAs are closest to my heart
Favorite beer and food pairing: Spicy Thai with IPA
Top 3 local beers to taste now: The Monk’s Cellar London Porter on nitro, Ol’ Republic Hell Beer, Crooked Lane Roaky Mandarin IPA
What you like most about local beer: Its freshness, and the fact that you can talk to the people who make it
TASTING ROOM ROUNDUP
Best One-Stop Shop
With multiple tasting rooms all in one place, you can point your Uber driver to any one of these and cavort freely.
Amador 360 Winery Collective
18590 State Hwy 49, Plymouth
209-245-6600, amador360.com
Camino Wine Tasting Plaza
3500 Carson Road, Camino
530-644-4018, finzinwines.com/maps.html
Old Sugar Mill
35265 Willow Avenue, Clarksburg
916-744-1615, oldsugarmill.com
The Underground Tasting Room
900 2nd Street, Sacramento
916-444-2349, theundergroundtastingroom.com
Andy Klein
240 Vernon Street, Roseville, 916-786-6665
The Monk’s Cellar is relatively new to Downtown Roseville, having opened in 2014, but Andy Klein is no newcomer. His first brewing job was with Sacramento Brewing Company back in 1995, he graduated the American Brewers Guild in 1996, and has worked in and around the Greater Sacramento region ever since. But he always dreamed of opening his own brewery “with a European/Belgian vibe.” The fact that Klein, along with business partners Paul Gould and Tom Rotelli, was finally able to realize his dream in his hometown has made it all the more special. “I grew up in Roseville, not far from where we opened The Monk’s Cellar. I remember as a child when Downtown Roseville was the place to be. We went down there for shopping, to watch movies, go out to dinner, etc. It’s nice to be a part of the renaissance and redevelopment of downtown.” Experience lends weight to The Monk’s Cellar’s success. Between Klein and co-brewmaster Peter York there’s a combined 40 years of experience (and according to Klein, between the two of them they’ve won well over 100 awards)—and that may be what ultimately makes their beer stand out from the crowd. “I’m fortunate to have Peter York as a co-brewmaster (quite honestly he does most of the work)...we both subscribe to making a variety of classic-style beers that are balanced and that everyone can enjoy. Many breweries are focusing on the latest craze in the industry; we believe in making great beer that has stood the test of hundreds of years from around the world.” Amen to that!
Q&A
Favorite style of beer: English bitter (ESB, best or ordinary bitter)
Favorite beer and food pairing: A Belgian Wit (such as our Biere Blanche) with fresh chevre and a bit of lemon zest
Top 3 local beers to taste now: Auburn Alehouse Gold Country Pilsner, The Monk’s Cellar Biere Blanche, Loomis Basin Mandarin Wheat, Crooked Lane Kolsch, anything in the Crushable series from Moonraker
What you like most about local beer: It’s an amazing community of supportive people and businesses. I know if I ever need an ingredient or have a problem or a question, I can pick up the phone and any of the local brewers will be there to help. This collaboration is what has gotten the craft industry to where it is today. When you buy and support local, you’re supporting this community.
Best for Live Music
While you’re sipping, delight another one of your senses with great live music at these local spots.
Dono dal Cielo Vineyard
6100 Wise Road, Newcastle
530-888-0101, donodalcielo.com
Naggiar Vineyards and Winery
18125 Rosemary Lane, Grass Valley
530-268-9059, naggiarvineyards.com
Mastroserio Winery
7351 Fairplay Road, Somerset
530-417-4321, mastroseriowinery.com
Jim Gowan and Kenny Gowan
3277 Swetzer Road, Loomis, 916-259-2739
Kenny Gowan has beer in his blood. Not in the blood-alcohol way, but in a “lifetime of brewing” way. Loomis Basin Brewing is a family affair—wholly family-owned and operated with Kenny and his father, Jim, sharing the brewmaster roles together. Kenny was born in Bitburg, Germany, and according to him, “[that’s] where my father got his appreciation for great beer.” The appreciation continued when they later moved to Granite Bay. Recalls Kenny, “My father became a brewmaster when I was just out of high school, and I always grew up either in the kitchen or watching my dad and his buddies make great beer.” It didn’t take long for Kenny to catch the beer-making bug and went on to learn the ropes at Bulldog Brewing in Fresno, followed by several years at San Diego Brewing Company. In 2010, the Gowan family took the plunge together and opened Loomis Basin Brewing. Says Kenny, “The brewery is owned by both my mother and father and my wife, Linda. We’ve opened and consulted on quite a few other breweries and restaurants. Time felt right, and we felt we had enough experience under our belt that we might have a shot pulling this little venture off.” Seven years on, it’s well and truly pulled off, as they’ve won numerous awards at the California State Fair including gold this year for their Saint Patty’s Day Brown. But that’s not why they do it. Says Kenny, “To be honest, competitions aren’t number one on our list. We don’t brew beers for awards; we brew them for people and the smiles that come after drinking it.”
Q&A
Answers by Kenny Gowan
Favorite style of beer: IPA
Favorite beer and food pairing: BBQ and IPA
Top 3 local beers to taste now: Auburn Alehouse Gold Digger IPA, Moonraker Mosaic Crush, anything from Mraz Brewing
TASTING ROOM ROUNDUP
Soak in the Views
Next to food, the best pairing with wine or beer is a gorgeous view. Soak it all in at one of these locales.
Amador Brewing Company
9659 Main Street, Plymouth
209-507-1900, amadorbrewing.com
Avio Vineyards
14520 Ridge Road, Sutter Creek
209-267-1515, aviowine.com
Gold Hill Vineyard and Brewery
5660 Vineyard Lane, Placerville
530-626-6522, goldhillvineyard.com
Holly’s Hill Vineyards
3680 Leisure Lane, Placerville
530-344-0227, hollyshill.com
Lewis Grace Winery
2701 Carson Road, Placerville
530-642-8424, gracepatriotwines.com
Mount Aukum Winery
6781 Tower Road, Somerset
530-620-1675, mountaukum.com
Rancho Roble Vineyards
340 Fleming Road, Lincoln
916-645-2075, ranchoroble.com
Sentivo Vineyards and Winery
7460 Fairplay Road, Somerset
916-936-3306, sentivovineyards.com
Story Winery
10525 Bell Road, Plymouth
209-245-6208, storywinery.com
Marco Cappelli
2120 Four Springs Trail, Placerville, 530-647-8505
Marco Cappelli has been a winemaker since 1987, and his life story is as vibrant as the wines he produces. The son of Italian-born parents, Cappelli grew up in Monterey and Carmel. After some casual college mead-making led to an introductory wine class at UC Davis, he caught the winemaking bug the following year and worked a harvest at Napa’s Louis Martini Winery. Recalls Cappelli, “The experience convinced me that making wine would be my life’s work.” After obtaining a degree in fermentation science at UC Davis, he spent 20 months in Italy at Chianti Classico and France at Sauternes, before returning to California where he came under the mentorship of the “dean of American winemakers,” the renowned André Tchelistcheff. “André was my mentor and not only guided me through those formative early years but also shaped my overall view of wine and the industry—something I’m still grateful for many years later,” he says. One of Cappelli’s earliest realizations became one of the most long-lasting. Says Cappelli, “It took me many years to understand how modest the winemaker’s role really is in making fine wine. The most important part of the process is ensuring that the vineyards are well-maintained and the fruit is picked at the right maturity. All we really do in the winery is preserve the fruit in the form of wine—the basic quality and character of the wine is already established before the grapes arrive at the winery. I am reminded of this every vintage.” Cappelli has been with Miraflores since 2014, after 17 years at Napa Valley’s Swanson Vineyards, and his wealth of experience has not lessened the humility with which he approaches winemaking. “There’s nothing especially different or innovative about the way I make wine; in fact, I probably use fewer ‘tricks of the trade’ than most winemakers. Miraflores has a remarkable location and a unique terroir; we try to put less of ourselves in the wine and make more of an effort to showcase the natural character of the fruit.”
Q&A
Favorite varietal: White Rhône blends
Favorite wine and food pairing: Short ribs braised in chicken stock and Tawny port with a pinch of star anise paired with an old Mission Angelica
Top 3 local wines to taste now: Toogood Estate Zinfandel, Elevation Ten Tempranillo, Illuminare Cabernet Franc
What you like most about local wine: Local wines are so compatible with food; they’re balanced and have great varietal focus
TASTING ROOM ROUNDUP
Pet Friendly
Don’t leave them home: Bring your fur babies along for the ride! Pets are welcome at these spots.
Andis Wines
11000 Shenandoah Road, Plymouth
209-245-6177, andiswines.com
Boeger Winery
1709 Carson Road, Placerville
530-622-8094, boegerwinery.com
Casque Wines Tasting Room
9280 Horseshoe Bar Road, Loomis
916-652-2250, casquewines.com
Crystal Basin Cellars
3550 Carson Road, Camino
530-647-1767, crystalbasin.com
D’Artagnan Vineyards
813 Sutter Street, Suite A, Folsom
916-597-0158, dartagnanvineyards.com
Everhart Cellars
5821 CA State Highway 49, Pilot Hill
530-885-9463, hart2hartvineyards.com
Sera Fina Cellars
17000 Latrobe Road, Plymouth
209-245-4300, serafinacellars.com
Via Romano Vineyards
3400 Carson Court, Placerville
530-269-9463, vrv.vin
Viña Castellano
4590 Bell Road, Auburn
530-889-2855, vinacastellano.com
Brennan Holmes and Mike Suflita
4480 Yankee Hill Road, Suite 100, Rocklin, 916-259-1511
Brennan Holmes and Mike Suflita form the brewing team at Out of Bounds Brewing, and they agree on most things. For example, they both prefer the title “head brewer” to “brewmaster.” More importantly, they play well together. Says Suflita, “We have a unique situation at Out of Bounds because we have two head brewers. My relationship with Brennan is 100-percent collaborative and not at all competitive. It’s great to have a person to bounce ideas off, and we’ve each had a hand in every beer we’ve brewed here.” Both are graduates of the master brewers program at UC Davis; Suflita has been with Out of Bounds going on three years, and Holmes came aboard in 2015. When asked what makes their technique stand out, Holmes says, “Our willingness to experiment with almost anything and not having dogmatic ideas about what beer and beer styles should or should not be.” Suflita elaborates: “We use a lot of unique ingredients—fruits, spices, wood, etc. A lot of our beers have something extra added. We do traditional styles, too, but we’re always pushing the limits of our creativity.” That creative room feeds their enthusiasm for the job and for creating exciting new products. Suflita continues, “Brennan and I have a lot of creative freedom at our brewery. My favorite part is coming up with new beer ideas and seeing them through to fruition.” Fruition has meant quite a few awards for Out of Bounds (California State Fair and the U.S. Open Beer Championship to name a few), and after the success of their first barrel-aged offering, both Holmes and Suflita look forward to expanding their offerings with the opening of a full restaurant, Out of Bounds Brewing Folsom Craft Kitchen and Biergarten, (anticipated for this coming fall). To paraphrase a quote by former ESPN announcer Dan Patrick: “You can’t stop Out of Bounds Brewery, you can only hope to contain them.”
Q&A
Favorite style of beer: Hoppy-session beers and sours are always high on the list (Mike); Czech-style pilsners (Brennan)
Favorite beer and food pairing: Pretty much everything goes well with goat cheese (Mike); any beer with bacon (Brennan)
Top 3 local beers to taste now: Sudwerk Dry Hop Lager,
Auburn Alehouse Gold Country Pilsner, Heretic Evil Twin (Mike); Berryessa IPA, Moonraker Yojo, Sudwerk Fünke Hop Farm (Brennan)
What you like most about local beer: You can find pretty much any style locally and odds are it’ll be much fresher than something shipped across the country (Mike); local beer tends to be fresher since it doesn’t have to travel too far from the source, which is important with time-sensitive styles like IPA; also, you tend to find more one-off beers in the local market, rather than just the brewery’s mainstays (Brennan)
TASTING ROOM ROUNDUP
Kid Friendly
These wineries and breweries welcome kids, so you can make your next trip a family day out.
Berryessa Brewing Company
27260 Hwy 128, Winters
530-795-3526, berryessabrewingco.com
Holly’s Hill Vineyards
3680 Leisure Lane, Placerville
530-344-0227, hollyshill.com
Jack Russell Farm Brewery
2380 Larsen Drive, Camino
530-647-9420, jackrussellbrewery.com
Knee Deep Brewing Company Tap Room
13395 New Airport Road, Suite H, Auburn
530-797-4677, kneedeepbrewing.com
Dr. Grover Lee and Kevin Luther
4200 Wise Road, Lincoln, 916-543-0323
At Wise Villa Winery, it’s not just the wines that are special, it’s the way they’re produced, and who is producing them. Employee Kevin Luther advanced from assistant winemaker to co-winemaker in 2016 and together with Dr. Grover Lee their rare talents and enthusiasm combine to create the exceptional wines that made them the winner of the prestigious Golden State Winery of the Year Award at the California State Fair in 2015. Kevin Luther came on board at Wise Villa almost seven years ago and says, “Grover had a vision for Wise Villa that matched my own, a style that stood out from the pack. We established a really unique style, drawing from the best of the old French and European philosophies of winemaking—crisp acidity, lower alcohol, balanced flavors—and combined them with a lot of experimental techniques to accentuate a bolder flavor that truly expressed our land and style here.” Those experimental techniques are key, says Dr. Lee. “Our winemaking technique is extremely different than how wine is made by most winemakers. I would say that processes applied would probably fall within the one percent of how wine is made worldwide.” For example, the meticulous sorting of grapes and colder temperature of their no-crush fermentation process in the winery means that, according to Dr. Lee, their “tannins are much softer, without that bitter bite at the end from using this detailed clean sorting and cold fermentation, plus other labor-intensive procedures.” Luther believes in the process just as much as Lee. “…Bottom line, the core of our quality comes from focusing on purity and quality at every step.” It’s a labor of love for the two winemakers. Where do they find inspiration in such hard work? Easy, says Luther. “Seeing people enjoying the wine. They might not know the hard work, soul-ache, and passion that went into the glass, but that doesn’t matter. Seeing their happy, tipsy faces and laughter is the point. They don’t have to know the flavors, the subtleties, the artistry...It’s about sharing that moment, that joy, with friends, with food, with a good life. [Knowing that] what we do results in something that enriches the lives of people makes me go home with a smile on my face.”
Q&A
Answers by Kevin Luther
Favorite varietal: Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon
Favorite wine and food pairing: Seafood with Wise Villa’s Albarino
Top 3 local wines to taste now: Casque Wines and PaZa Wines are producing some amazing wines; and, of course, Wise Villa
What you like most about local wine: Small, local wineries in Placer County are producing small-batch, handcrafted wines with a real sense of artistry and sense of place; and when you visit the wineries, you often get to taste them with the winemaker, who also works the tasting room.
TASTING ROOM ROUNDUP
Games Galore
From cornhole to giant Jenga, you’re bound to find something to challenge your compromised hand-eye coordination here!
11151 Trade Center Drive, Suite 104, Rancho Cordova
916-635-2537, americanriverbrewingcompany.com
EDH Brewing Company
875 Embarcadero Drive, El Dorado Hills 916-939-6827, edhbrewing.com
Julietta Winery
51221 Clarksburg Road, Clarksburg
916-744-9090, juliettawinery.com
Stoney Creek Inn and Vineyard
8320 Stoney Creek Road, Somerset
916-342-7287
Saluti Cellars
7505 Grizzly Flat Road, Somerset
530-626-0800, saluticellars.com
Terre Rouge and Easton Wines
10801 Dickson Road, Plymouth
209-245-4277, terrerougewines.com
Zack Frasher
12970 Earhart Avenue, Suite 100, Auburn, 530-745-6816
If you ask Zack Frasher what makes him stand out as a brewmaster, he’s quick to answer. “Developing and making NE-style IPAs [that are] popular in Northern California.” Moonraker’s cloudy IPAs have been making big amber-colored waves since their 2016 opening, but Frasher’s still humble about his role in all of it, even down to the title. “I usually don’t like the term ‘master.’ At age 33, I don’t really consider myself a master of anything!” Frasher started homebrewing in 2008 and worked at The Brewmeister before joining up with Moonraker. Since the brewery’s opening last year, there’s plenty of mounting evidence of Frasher’s mastery: Earlier this year, Moonraker’s Extremis IPA beat out Russian River Brewing’s legendary Pliny the Younger in a blind-tasting at The Bistro Double IPA Festival in Hayward; last year, their Miss Conduct Blonde Ale won a gold medal at the California State Fair and a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado, and Mosaic Crush took gold at this year’s San Diego International Beer Competition. What’s more, RateBeer named Moonraker the ninth best brewery in the world and best new brewery in California, so if you meet Frasher, maybe don’t call him a brewmaster to his face, but behind his back, fans and devotees of Moonraker’s product will continue to bow down to a definite master.
Q&A
Favorite style of beer: IPA
Favorite beer and food pairing: IPA and cheese
Top 3 local beers to taste now: Auburn Alehouse Gold Digger IPA, Bike Dog Mosaic Pale Ale, Knee Deep Simtra Triple IPA
What you like most about local beer: The local aspect creates a friendship amongst brewers to help each other out within the industry.
TASTING ROOM ROUNDUP
No Tasting Fee
Just a smile and the pleasure of your company are required to taste the delicious offerings at these wineries.
Bogle Vineyards
37783 County Road 144, Clarksburg
916-744-1139, boglewinery.com
Cooper Vineyards
21365 Shenandoah School Road, Plymouth
209-245-6181, cooperwines.com
Frasinetti Winery and Restaurant
7395 Frasinetti Road, Sacramento
916-383-2444, frasinetti.com
Perry Creek Winery
7400 Perry Creek Road, Somerset
530-620-5175, perrycreek.com
Terra d’Oro
20680 Shenandoah School Road, Plymouth
209-245-6942, terradorowinery.com
BOOZY BITES
Eat your alcohol with these culinary creations from local restaurants that are made using beer or wine.
Beer-Battered Artichoke Hearts from GB Alehouse, 5540 Douglas Boulevard, Suite 150, Granite Bay, 916-797-4992, gbalehouse.com
Sienna Ale Kung Pao Calamari from Sienna Restaurant, 1480 Eureka Road, Roseville, 916-771-4700, siennarestaurants.com
Tagliatelle ai Funghi (Egg Fettuccine with Mushrooms in a Light Wine Sauce) from Vaiano Trattoria, 7160 Douglas Boulevard, Granite Bay, 916-780-0888, vaianotrattoria.com
Beer-Brined Chicken Wings from Black Vinyl Ale Project, 4810 Granite Drive, Suite A-1, Rocklin, 916-672-6292, blackvinylale.com
Guinness Fish N’ Chips from The Boxing Donkey, 300 Lincoln Street, Roseville, 916-797-3665, theboxingdonkey.com
Shanghai Stout Float from Auburn Alehouse, 289 Washington Street, Auburn, 530-885-2537, auburnalehouse.com
Pescado Street Tacos (Crispy Beer-Battered Cod) from Bar 101, 101 Main Street, Roseville, 916-774-0505, bar101roseville.com
Mongolian “Beer-Marinated” Beef from Fat’s Asia Bistro, 1500 Eureka Road, Roseville, 916-787-3287, fatsrestaurants.com
Spicy Garlic Mussels (Serrano Chiles, White Wine, Lemon Thyme and Grilled Baguette) from Land Ocean, 1151 Galleria Boulevard, Suite 241, Roseville, 916-407-5640 landoceanrestaurants.com
TAKE FLIGHT
Can’t decide which beer or wine to order? Try multiple small pours before committing to one at any of the spots below.
Beer
Boneshaker Public House, 2168 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 104, Rocklin, 916-259-2337, boneshakerpub.com
Final Gravity, 9205 Sierra College Boulevard, Suite 100, Roseville, 916-782-1166, finalgravitybeer.com
GB Alehouse, 5540 Douglas Boulevard, Suite 150, Granite Bay, 916-797-4992, gbalehouse.com
Hop House, 1475 Eureka Road, Suite 120, Roseville, 916-836-8406, hophousersvl.com
Old Town Pizza, 120 Church Street, Roseville, 916-668-7655, otpizza.net/roseville
Porter’s House of Draft, 7456 Foothill Drive, Roseville, 916-749-4791, portershod.com
Primo Pizza Burger and Brew, 2600 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 103, Rocklin, 916-259-1010, primopizzarocklin.com
The Brass Tap, 5150 Commons Drive, Suite 101, Rocklin, 916-246-2729, brasstapbeerbar.com/rocklin
Wine
Capitol Cellars, 5530 Douglas Boulevard, Suite 170, Granite Bay, 916-780-9030, capitolcellars.com
Citizen Vine, 825 Twelve Bridges Drive, Lincoln, 916-409-2361, citizenvine.com
*Hawks, 5530 Douglas Boulevard, Granite Bay, 916-791-6200, hawksrestaurant.com
*Available upon request
House of Oliver, 3992 Douglas Boulevard, Suite 140, Roseville, 916-773-9463, houseofoliver.com
Il Fornaio, 1179 Galleria Boulevard, Roseville, 916-788-1200, ilfornaio.com/roseville