Driving from Sutter Creek I was in the town of Amador City when I saw the sign for the End of…read moreNowhere. A very boutique winery, they specialize in natural wines - it was the first time I came across a winery that only served natural wines in the area! Founded in 2016, the winery produces only 2,000 cases a year. The wines are produced using locally grown estate grapes as well as grapes from Clarksburg, Acampo and Lodi. Their estate wines are grown in Pioneer at an elevation of 3,300 feet with 13 (!!!) different varietals on only three acres. They tend to be Rhone varietals as well as Barbera which does well in the area. They use neutral oak for barreling. The tasting flight at $10 had six different wines to sample. My favorite was the 2023 Phantom Limb Zinfandel which uses carbonic fermentation. With an alcohol content of 13.8% the certified organic grapes were harvested from the D'Agostini Shenandoah Vineyard using whole bunch fermentation. With concentrated dark red fruit notes, it had flavors of fruit punch with medium tannins. The other wine that stood out was the 2023 Strange Currencies, featuring Nero D'Avola. I am a huge fan of Sicilian varietals and this one did not disappoint. Strange Currencies was slightly more acidic with red fruit aromas and flavors of dark cherries and lots of tannins. This could easily be cellared for a few years. Finally the 2023 Little Faith, Skin Contact White was an orange wine using chenin blanc, pinot gris, chardonnay and orange muscat. It was bottled with residual sugar with a Cap'n'Crunch aroma on the nose and reminiscent of orange soda and lemon rind. It was considered one of their "large production wines" at 450 cases. With such unique names, the actual tasting room lended itself to the eclectic and whimsical wine labels. Lots of wood abounds with colorful original paintings. They are actually quite well known for their burgers, for $14 you can get grass-fed 6.5 oz patties with a variety of toppings. Imma coming back to try the food next. The patio outside is welcoming overlooking a garden area. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area!

"The End of Nowhere" what a cool name. It's the name of a local Amador City wine label. Their wine…read moretasting room is right in historic Amador City. I'm personally not a wine drinker, I dropped into their tasting room for the food. They were grilling burgers on the grill on the front patio. The smell of those burgers just hit me hard. I had to try one out. So glad I did, it's one of the best burgers I've eaten. Onto the food... ohhh that burger was outstanding. It's not any ordinary burger. Heck no. The 6.5 oz patty meat blend is a thing of lamb, bison, and Wagyu. I have never had that blend before. I can't stop thinking about it. Plus the chef caramelized the onions, spread a housemade mustard aioli, used quality white American cheese, and an artisan burger bun. Bam... delicious! $14. We also ordered a simple salad $5. Nice serving size. It was gorgeous looking and fresh tasting. The wine tasting room is modern, bright, and comfy. The staff is super welcoming. Wine tasting is $10. The End Of Nowhere wines was founded by Chris Walsh. His philosophy is sustainable farmed grapes, 100% native yeast fermentation, no filtration, minimal sulfur, neutral all aging.... gets you some delicious wine! In 2014, he came back to his childhood stomping grounds after many years working as a sommelier in New York City to plant a 10 acre vineyard in Pioneer, CA. Now the wine label uses those grapes and other local grown organic grapes. The shop also has a front and back patio area which the creek runs alongside. The back patio has a deck and lower plaza. The particular day I visited, there was no event or live performance so it was quite beautiful and serene back there. They do host a ton of events. Large shade trees and the creek running alongside (which right now is running at a low stream) sounding like well... a babbling creek. Check out their website endofnowhere.wine for their calendar of events. And they have a bunch of events lined up. Here a a few .... Art n burgers, wine tasting n chef sampling, oyster fest, and wine and local reknown chef dinners. Quality fine wine and dining taste with a small town welcoming vibe.

This is a little gem! Small store that's packed to the hilt of all things cooking! What more…read morecould a city girl ask for in the mountains! Owners/staff friendly and helpful.

What a cute little store! A friend told me to check them out when I was in the area and Im glad I…read moredid. So much good stuff for your kitchen...many of them things you didn't know existed but now you simply must have. Give these guys a look!

Secret places are exciting. Even more so when you find them off the beaten path in a Gold Rush…read moretown... Located inside the Amador City Mercantile, Binz Wines is so easy to miss. But head on through the shop, and enter the coolest tasting room in Amador County. Binz has a "speakeasy" vibe to it; like you've entered a "secret hide-away". That being said, this is not one of those places with low lighting and hushed voices. Quite the opposite. This is a vibrant venue filled with conversation and laughter. The original artwork on the walls is an added delight. On Saturdays there is live music showcasing local talent. Owners Gordon and Virgie Binz are great hosts. Long-time winemaker Gordon makes small-batch wines that are delicious. And the prices are so reasonable for the high quality wine that he makes. We wanted a bit of food to go with our wine. No problem! Virgie handed us the menu from the restaurant next door (Small Town Food and Wine). In no time at all a Cheese and Charcuterie Plate filled with an abundance of tasty bites was delivered to our table. Also on the menu are salads, sandwiches and flatbread pizzas. Our Saturday afternoon was filled with good wine, food, and music. But quiet...don't tell anyone. It's our secret.

Virgie!! Amazing beautiful lady!…read more The wine doesn't even matter. Come here for this for beautiful lady!!!!

What a great day out! We had some of our Australian friends in town and thought to take them on a…read morewine tour day departing Sacramento. We had a mixed age group and I was looking for something that wasn't just a limo service but a tour type of service that could showcase and explain the area and the wines. After lots of research I am so glad I found Amador Uncorked! Justin was the best host and provided a wealth of knowledge to us, not just on the area and the wineries, but also about wine in general! Justin was flexible to meet our needs and we were so happy with his service from start to finish! I would highly recommend a day out with Justin! (Ps ask for the wine slushees if it's middle of summer = the best!) Thank you again for a great day out-- Heather Belinda Jerry Jan and Brenda!

Justin was a wonderful host and great leader for our group. We had a great time. It was so nice to…read morebe able to relax and not worry about balancing too much fun with safely driving. Justin brought along wonderful lunches for us to enjoy as well. I am looking forward to our next wine tasting adventure.

Hmmm. So we booked this after a couple of years of not booking-covid, life, etc. last time our…read moredriver was awesome. . In the positive victoria showed up and did the driving. Negative was that she almost- surly? Like you could tell she was definitely not happy to be there. Says she was thinking about buying the business from a current owner. Also the rate online was 25 per hour. She charged us 180 for 5 hours-apparently 30 per hour plus her pre-determined "tip". Hmmmm. Not worth fighting over and definitely cheaper than a dui but if there are options, maybe try those. I just paid the lady and I definitely wish her well but that was not awesome.

I planned to have them drive 6 of us wine tasting several months ahead of time and I informed them…read moreI booked the tastings/made the schedule. Dannette came 30 mins late, no reason or apology given. She was upset that she didn't get to sit with us at the second winery. She left us at the third winery to pick up our take-out order and should have been back within 40 minutes. Almost an hour and a half after she left, she finally answered my call and said she'd be back soon- she came 30 minutes after the winery had closed, she was not in our car/ was in a different car (that didn't fit all of us), had not picked up the food. She didn't have gas and again had no apology or reason for any of this. It was very unprofessional, dangerous, and quite frankly scary. We almost called law enforcement since we didn't know where she had taken our car. Do NOT recommend going anywhere near this business.- WAY BETTER OPTION https://www.amadorwinecountrytoursllc.com/about

If you're looking for the perfect way to experience Lodi wine country, I definitely recommend Coche…read moreVino Wine Tours! Jesse and Sarah are wonderful hosts who make your wine tasting experience special. I also have to give a big shout out to Nicole who I first worked with when we brought out a group of 8 to Lodi in 2023. She was so easy to work with figuring out what wineries to visit during our first visit to Lodi. This time around she was our driver and it was great getting to catching up with her. From the moment they pick you up at your lodging until they drop you off, everything is handled seamlessly so you can relax and enjoy the day. They offer several tour package options to fit different preferences and budgets, and every package includes a delicious charcuterie snack that is always a highlight. They are even willing to accommodate your dietary preferences and needs. One of the packages includes lunch and we have never had a bad lunch with them. Their knowledge of the local wineries, friendly personalities, and attention to detail make each tour feel personalized and memorable. Whether you're visiting Lodi for the first time or you're a returning wine lover, Coche Vino provides a fun, stress-free, and enjoyable experience. This will have been the 5th time using them and I am so thankful that we found them. We had a fantastic time and will absolutely book with Jesse and Sarah again!

We had an amazing day with Coche Vino Wine Tours this past weekend and honestly, I'm still shocked…read moreat what a screamin' deal this is. At $160 per person, we got a private tour that included transportation (hotel pick-up / drop-off), four winery stops with all tasting fees covered, charcuterie boxes, and a catered lunch. Our driver Nicole was fantastic! She was fun, engaging, and made the whole day feel like we were touring with a friend. Getting our own private 18-passenger bus for just the three of us was the cherry on top! Jesse met us at our 3rd winery with lunch from Papapavlo's... it was so good, and the carbs were appreciated after two winery stops. Nicole had maps on the bus, and I was so excited to discover how many Lodi wineries are dog-friendly -- denoted by paw prints on the map legend. Now that I know Coche Vino will happily accommodate my doggo on the bus, I am one thousand percent scheduling another tour to bring him along! I would have appreciated a little more communication around the itinerary ahead of our tour. We were asked about our wine preferences, but we didn't receive any winery suggestions and our confirmed itinerary didn't arrive until 6pm the night before our tour. As a Type A planner, it would have done me well to collaborate a bit more on the perfect day together. That said, where they took us was spot-on (Lucas, Michael David, m2, and Heritage Oak) and now I have some baseline knowledge of the Lodi Appellation to proactively make suggestions for the next tour. We had such a nice time, and Coche Vino delivers something really special.

Hopped on the Whiskey Wagon on a whim and had an absolute blast!!! I live in San Andreas and…read morebetween work and property maintenance I hardly ever get out to do anything fun, add that to the recent storms and I've been too nervous to drive the icy windy roads at night. Gold Rush Tour Company gave me a completely stress free night, all I had to think about was what to order at each stop. If you're a local who needs a stress free night out I 100% recommend the Whiskey Wagon and Gold Rush Tour Company in general. If you're visiting the area and don't love planning every minute of you trip, you can trust Gold Rush Tour Company to show you the best of what Calaveras has to offer!

We took a tour with my mom, 90-year-old uncle, and cousins that were here to visit. It was super…read morefun. Jorge was fantastic! He made sure my uncle was comfortable and cared for at each stop. We loved the views and the wine at Aloria, which we had never tried before.

I planned my cousins bachlorette trip up here mid march (St. Patricks day weekend). I was trying to…read moreplan a girls day out, and definitely wanted to do some wine tasting but didn't really want to be a Designated driver. I found Courtwood by searching online, and I'm SO happy I found Chris @Courtwood! I was a little bummed I didn't find any available tours on their website, so I reached out via email. Chris promptly sent a reply with pricing, details, and that it would be quite packed in Murphy's, so she would take us on a private tour around the outlying wineries (good call, none of the wineries were too packed and we had a lot of "private time" at each vineyard). Chris picked us up right out front of our hotel right on time, had a smile and made sure she knew who the bride was and made her feel extra special! We stopped at Twisted Oak, Chatom, Ironstone (for lunch), and Aryael Vieux (TOP FAVE!! I'll be reviewing these wineries soon). Chris took care of everything, all we had to worry about was sipping wine and having a wonderful and relaxing time. Hanging out with Chris was like having another friend just along for the ride! We picked up a loaf of fresh bread at one of the wineries, and mentioned that we wanted to get some butter later on, Chris told us she needed to pick something up too and that we could come with her! I can't say enough good things, they even include a slideshow of your trip (chris takes photos throughout the tour) and email it to you promptly after your tour. If you are in the area, I would definitely come here and take a tour with Courtwood,

I really don't have enough good things to say about Chris at Courtwood Wine Tasting Tours. I was…read moregiven the task of setting up a wine tasting tour in the Murphy's area for a bachelorette group of 9 people. We stayed in Angel's Camp in a friend's cabin, and being unfamiliar with the area, I completely put my trust in Chris to arrange everything for us. She exceeded my expectations (and made me look like I had done a lot more than I had!) She asked a lot of questions about our group and the types of wines we liked so that she could tailor the tour very specifically. Preferring the boutique wineries to the large scale Ironstone types, Chris took us to six different wineries that ranged significantly from Twisted Oak, to Prospect 772, to Aerial Vieux. As a large group Chris coordinated with Kristen, who also leads tours in the area to caravan us around in their large air conditioned vans. It seemed like she had personal relationships with the various winemakers and their staff and was able to get us some kind of behind the scenes cave tour/vineyard tour/private tasting room access everywhere we went. I have to say the best thing about the day was the lunch. Chris set it up on a long table outside Chatom winery and it literally looked like something straight out of Sunset Magazine. She brought local cheese and interesting dips, and the salads were presented in ball mason jars. It really was so well done, I think Chris might have a future in putting on lunches in addition to taking tours! After the tasting, Chris and Kristen took us into Murphy's, waited for us while we had dinner, and then took us all the way back to Angels Camp. I highly recommend Courtwood for small and large tours alike. Chris was just wonderful!

I booked last minute for a car service for wine tasting in Lincoln and BK did not dissappoint. They…read moretook major Covid-19 precautions handing us a bag with hand sanitizer and a face mask. I was really appreciative and their diligence in stopping the spread. Our driver Kalvinder was so nice and sweet. We were able to hook up our blue tooth and have our own tunes during our wine tasting. They had cold waters for us in a cooler in between wineries. I was impressed by the professionalism and cleanliness of the Suburban. The price was so worth it for six of us to be driven around to wine taste. I highly recommend BK for your transportation services!

From the owner: Bk Best Wine Tasting Tours Transportation & Airport Transfers…read more If you need a private wine tasting tours transportation, then you should book today, but you must be 21 years old or older. Private wine tours allow your party to choose your wineries and plans for the day. You can get a customized wine tour for groups of all sizes. This way, you can have a fully customized trip perfect for your group. We'll pick you up from your home or hotel and take you on a tour of your favorite wine-growing region and wineries. You can have a beautiful day for wine tasting at all wineries. We provide luxury transportation service in Sedans, Suburbans, Mercedes Sprinter Vans, and Party-style Buses if you need safe and a reliable transportation so book now!

Great little place to visit, Corinne Moore puts together some great blends. I had a great time and…read moredelicious wines!

I can't believe I haven't written a review for Wine Tree Farms yet. My wife and I happened upon…read morethis gem last year while driving around. When you first drive up some might thing that no one is home. But trust me, please go ahead and go inside, you will not be disappointed. Wine Tree Farms is owned and operated by Corrine and her son. They are both wonderful people and are very knowledgeable about wines. The neatest thing about this winery is that they are 100% solar, off the grid. Corrine doesn't do the typical Zinfandels that you will find all over this valley, but instead she does some wonderful Grenaches, Syrah's, and Mourvedre's, along with blends of each. Each have their own unique taste and are very good. I am not a big wine drinker, but I do enjoy Corrine's wines.