Wineries and Wine Tours in Lake Tahoe

For more than a century, the area around Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Mountain range has been a wine-producing region of some note, though not as wildly popular as other portions of California. Specifically, the region is well known for producing Zinfandel varietals and many experts dub it one of the best places in the country for the production of this type of wine. However, most of the wineries in the area do not limit themselves to producing just Zinfandel but, rather, offer a good variety of other tastes for the wine aficionado.

Unlike the Sonoma or Napa Valleys, you won’t find one winery after another in the Lake Tahoe region. But there are a few notable ones that are indeed worth a stop and wine tasting is a good activity to enjoy when you need a few moments to rest and relax.

Most are open year-round and are eager to welcome visitors for a tour.

Tahoe Ridge Winery

Located in Minden, Nevada – about a 40 minute drive from most of Lake Tahoe – the Tahoe Ridge Winery has been open for about 15 years and is run by a couple that has a real passion for the wine industry. The owners note that they have planted more than 20,000 vines and researched about three dozen varieties to come up with what they believe is some of the best wine in the area. Tahoe Ridge Winery was also responsible for the first all-Nevada-grown Chardonnay. The first batch sold out quickly.

Wine tasting in the warm and inviting tasting room is always complimentary. There’s also a gourmet gift shop on site that sells an excellent selection of domestic and imported beer, packaged food items, wine accessories, books, jewelry, and apparel. And for lunch, the Bistro serves salads, pizza, appetizers, and a variety of other light fare.

Picchetti Winery

The Picchetti Winery of Cupertino, California recently opened a tasting room in South Lake Tahoe. Conveniently located near the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center, it’s a small facility but a nice place to stop in and sample some great vintages from one of the oldest wineries in California, well known for their Zinfandel, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Private group tastings are available with reservations.

Wine and Harvest Tour

If you don’t mind traveling a little further, you can take advantage of the weekly Wine and Harvest Tour, which departs from Lake Tahoe and takes guests to the Placerville, Calif. area, about 50 miles away. The tour happens each Wednesday year-round and takes about 7 hours to complete. It takes guests to a few family-owned wineries in El Dorado County, to a microbrewery, and to an orchard that sells cider, baked goods, and more. The tour includes wine tasting and lunch and the climate-controlled bus picks up at several Lake Tahoe resorts.  This tour is available through a variety of tour vendors.

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