We're going to be traveling to Tahoe this August/September and have one day free. We would like to drive to a vineyard or two if there are any close enough for a day trip. Please help me out!

Yes, there are wineries within reach of South Lake Tahoe. There is a new viticultural area in the El Dorado hills called FairPlay. You can preview and get a map from www.fairplaywine.com.

This is an old wine growing area, but these are not old famous wineries. You'll be tasting up & coming, not too fancy wines from family owned & operated wineries. The benefits are that you'll likely get to talk to the winemaker and the wines you'll be tasting aren't things you'll be able to find at the supermarket. And you might be able to say, I visited that place way back when...

If you're going to be in N. Lake Tahoe the distance to Fairplay is not much shorter than the distance to Napa, so you'll have to choose.

Hope that helps.

Hi kentzebra

We drove from our cabin in North Lake Tahoe (Sunnyside)at the end of August last year and it took us about 3 1/2-4 hours. It depends on the day and traffic (this was a Monday early am and the traffic coming out of Tahoe and Sacramento was fairly heavy)around Tahoe, Sacramento and Napa. It definitely can be done. We spent a whirlwind 3 hours and visited 4 wineries, but had to fly out of Sacramento later that day so we had to allow time for after work traffic. I would definitely suggest you go for the day, just plan which wineries you want to visit.

Have fun!

I should have noted I was speaking of Napa and Sonoma.

If you go West on 50 you can drop down to Placerville or Camino to Wineries. The drive would be about 1 1/2 hours.

Placerville:
Boeger Winery Inc.
1709 Carson Rd.
530/622-8094
Gold Hill Vineyard
5660 Vineyard Ln.
530/626-6522
Harvest Cellars
530/626-3480
Jodar Vineyard & Winery
2393 Gravel Rd.
530/626-4582
Lava Cap Winery
2221 Fruitridge Rd.
530/621-0175
Sierra Vista Winery
4560 Cabernet Way
530/622-7221

Camino:
El Dorado Vineyards
3551 Carson Rd.
530/644-2854
Madrona Vineyards
High Hill Rd.
530/644-5948

Here is a better map. It shows both the Apple Hill area of El Dorado that Suzie mentioned wineries from, and the Fairplay area that I mentioned:

http://www.sierrafoothillmagazine.co...s/winemap3.jpg

As mentioned, the Apple Hill and other El Dorado county wineries are within an easy day trip. (Don't try for Napa/Sonoma - that is a 7 to 8 or more hour drive round trip)

But one slight clarification - the wineries are mostly in El Dorado County - but not IN El Dorado Hills. El Dorado Hills is a large housing development between Sacramento and Placerville.