Cute spot! Wine was okay. Difficult to interact with the Somnelier. He clearly was not a people person. So why was he the only one attending shop, idk... read more

Rucksack Cellars - Inside, cool & cozy - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Placerville, California

See all

Camino & Apple Hill zinfandels are the best Zins in the world with Lodi area coming up as a close 2nd. Try the zin and the Barbera. Note: you might want to let these age a bit in your cellar if you have the kind of discipline that takes!! The picnic bench seating area features a waterfall. The grounds here are amazing and free EV charging cant be beat. Th3 level 2 chargers are there to use if your ride's got a plug-in ability. read more

See all

Very kind and knowledgeable owner, delicious wine, peaceful ambiance. Such a great find, my family & I can't wait to come back! read more

Rucksack Cellars - Vineyard - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Placerville, California

See all

We attended the Harvest Dinner at Rucksack, where we had a delicious dinner and lovely wine. Great service from Douglas and Tammy, and the winemaker/owners Maggie and Paul were so hospitable. Such a fun evening, and we left with several bottles of delicious wines. Thank you! read more

Had a wonderful rainy afternoon, having a flight here and talking to Douglas and the owner. Great place - we will be back.

Rucksack is not just a place for great local wines, but it's also the best place for a picnic with beautiful vineyard views. Friendly service, relaxed atmosphere, and wonderful wine makes for a delightful afternoon. read more

Right in the heart of the busy road to the orchards. We always hit the Apple Hill area the last weekend of October, and so does most of northern Nevada- it's Nevada Day. This road can be slow almost bumper to bumper traffic. Rucksack is an easy turn right into the large parking lot. They have a small tasting room but a very large two tiered outdoor seating area. There were even a pile of toys that kids could play with nearby. The beautiful day it was, we chose outside. We ordered our flights and they were presented on board. We were instructed to start at the left and work our way right. No other instructions and not much background on the wines were trying. And no info on the winery itself. I get with the Nevada Day they may have been busy, but not while we were there. We were left a little flat. This group really enjoys their wine experiences and education. Not full filled here. None of the sips excited anyone. I believe we left without any purchases. Rare. read more

See all

My husband and I stopped here after our visit at Boa Vista. It's literally a 1 minute drive, so stop here! We showed up like 40 minutes before closing and was so happy they still took us. We didn't have a reservation. It was a Friday afternoon and there was only one other group there, which I loved b/c the less people there are, the better for me. Anyways, the gal who greeted us was friendly and welcoming. I didn't get her name but I remember she said she was a long-time employee :) I asked her if it's usually that calm (b/c I Loved it) and she said it gets pretty packed on the weekends. makes sense. Their wine tasting includes 5 wines: 1 white, 4 reds and for $10! What a deal! I mean, you cannot beat that price. Their wine bottles are also very reasonably priced. The owner/wine maker made short videos you can watch that describe each of the wines you're tasting. just scan the QR code. For my taste, I'm personally more into white wines. I wish their tasting offered more than just 1 white. Perhaps if they offered a red flight, a white flight, and a red/white flight, this would be the perfect winery spot for me. If you love reds, this is your place! I still plan to return though b/c I loved the vibe here. It's outdoorsy w/picnic tables. Lovely views of the vineyards and the service was excellent. My husband mentioned to the gal that I like sweet wines and she brought us a 6th pouring of their moscato. This was my FAVORITE. It was chill and sweet. Upon leaving, she gave us another pouring to share, 2017 Mountain Nectar. It wasn't as sweet as the moscato but it'd be my next favorite. They also offer a picnic basket which I would love to try out on our next visit. read more

See all

You know that little spot next to Boa Vista that always has a "wine tasting" flag flying? The one you drive past every time to get to some of the more popular wineries, or forget about it after snagging too many apple donuts and cider? That place is Rucksack, and it's a hidden gem that you're totally missing out on! Even though it's located right on Carson St (the main Apple Hill road), as soon as you sit down at one of their benches, you forget all that. It's like a surprising little oasis in the most unexpected spot. The trees block the sound of traffic; the views are of vines and rolling hills; and the wine takes you somewhere else entirely! Though this is an offshoot of Madrona Vineyards right up the street, the wines are totally different and perfectly suited for our taste buds. The Barbera Rose - when available - is our absolutely favorite and we can't get enough of it! They also offer tasty little snack baskets if you're feeling peckish. Above all else, the service is always amazing - Nicole is friendly, informative, charming... just a wonderful human, and we are lucky enough to see her every time we visit! Overall, Rucksack is a humble (and family-friendly!) alternative to some of the other tasting rooms in the area. We will come back every time we are in the area! read more

See all

The only really drinkable wine was the GSM. butter chardonnay drinkers may like the chardonnay. All 4 of us were disappointed. There are many much better wineries close by. read more

We came here for locals weekend which also happened to be our anniversary weekend. Douglas was amazing and poured our tasting to pair with the cheese basket we ordered. We loved everything so much that we ended up purchasing a bottle. We will definitely be back with friends! read more

Rucksack Cellars - Cheese basket and wine tasting - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Placerville, California

My wife and I went up to the area to taste some different wines, and see the area around Placerville this weekend. This was one of our first stops and it was really nice. It is in Apple Hill and they were thousands of cars in the area. The views from the tables were beautiful. The wines were quite good, not great, but worth the money. Our favorite was the 2019 Sierra Foothill Chardonnay. We were drinking it and noticed a fruity flavor. Nothing overpowering, but very, very subtle and amazing. It had 1% muscat and that made a huge difference. Please, you have to try it if you are in the area. That alone was worth the visit. The people doing the serving were oh so pleasant and helpful. It was a very nice experience and would highly recommend stopping by. The $5 tasting fee was the most reasonable of any we went to. They wave the fee if you buy a bottle. read more

Cute stop in applehill. It's a charming winery with a cute outdoor seating area. Wines were okay, not for my taste buds. Staff were friendly. read more

This review is a few weeks in the making but rucksack is so good it deserves any good publicity. My wife and I went up to the Camino area in El Dorado county for a day of wine tasting and rucksack was by far our favorite. The views are extraordinary, the mountains and vineyards make it very relaxing when tasting outside. From the whites to reds we loved everyone-the rose was my favorite and my wife liked the Barbera the best. While I understand there are a ton of wineries not only in el dorado county but the surrounding Northern California area rucksack deserves attention for excellent service, delicious wines and a spectacular view. Cheers! read more

Meh. Wine was tolerable at best. $5 for a tasting of 5 wines, most of which were entirely forgettable. The space is nice with a pretty view, although overall it's quite small. Parking is a pain if it's at all busy. Staff is awkward and off putting. One of the servers talked to us like we were toddlers. Literally spoke in a cadence and tone that you would expect to hear when someone is talking to a small child. So strange. The other was doing his best to be knowledgeable, but it was just weird. Telling us that many people don't know that "Zin" is short for "Zinfandel" was beyond weird. Anyone who drinks wine even on a casual basis knows this. We won't be back. read more

They've been in business for three years and are affiliated with Madrona Vineyards. Madrona Vineyard is a five star this place is a two star. The woman tried to cheat me out of $10.00 for a bottle of wine and I had to catch it. The wine is really not that good. I went ahead and bought it because it paid for A portion of the tasting fee. Drive on bye as there are better places to partake in . read more

I sent two of my team members on a wine tour that included this winery, about two weeks ago. They loved it so much that they brought back a bottle of cache blend for me ( so nice of them!)...it was amazing. They also informed me that they bottle a Cabernet franc, which happens to be my favorite varietal, so I will definitely be making a trip up here shortly! Looking forward to a great experience. read more

I love this place! Friendly down to earth owners great wine good dog!! I can't wait to go back!

Very fun, tasting bar is outside so recommend a spring or fall visit as it can probably get pretty hot in the summer. We enjoyed our sever and the wine. read more

Got a flat tire and had to pull over and what better place to pull over than at a winery!!!! Thank you very much to the very nice lady and man for serving very good wine.. Helped sooo much on passing the time.. read more

This new winery is a delicious spin-off from Madrona! Since we're members we automatically get to try Rucksack. These are beautifully crafted wines and the service is friendly - we felt right at home. We attended one of their first events - delicious food and wine pairing walking through the vineyards and grounds. Join the club so you get to visit both wineries!! Cheers! read more

Gorgeous views and the rustic setting pair perfectly with these wines. The Barbara and Barbara Rose are a must for patio parties ...

What a beautiful winery, a great place to stop for a picnic and some great wine! The wine is delicious and a must try! Paul, the winemaker is so gracious. If you're really lucky, you'll meet Sprocket, the most lovable dog ever! 6 stars!!! read more

What a lovely setting to taste wine. The $5 tasting fee includes a Govino glass. The winery is currently pouring five wines and all are well crafted. They are newly opened and offering a unique tasting experience in Apple Hill among the vines. I recommend it. read more

We went here with a large group on Friday, and the owners made us feel like we were afternoon guests in their backyard -- VERY VERY gracious, and informative about their winemaking. The wines are amazing! The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are like none other of those varietals you will ever taste; they bring out the unique minerality of the area. The owners' vineyard is managed, though not certified, organic. Their tasting room is a large outdoor patio, so dress for the weather & enjoy; their dog is super laid back and will probably enjoy meeting yours. There is a larger off-street parking lot. BONUS - if you save your washable plastic wine glass & return with it, your subsequent tastings are free. The Chardonnay, Cache red blend and spicy Barbera were my picks, but you will find your own favorites at this lovely boutique winery. read more