Grab some wine friends, jump in the car and take a short river road drive to the scenic Clarksburg appellation. Just minutes from Sacramento, situated in the north end of the Delta is the sweet spot for Wine Lovers…Old Sugar Mill. Five award-winning wineries are eager to entice wine tasting travelers with their creations and share knowledge about the Clarksburg wine region.

Highway 160 meanders along the northern Delta, where vineyards lap up against the levees, leading directly to the historical Old Sugar Mill. With the closure of the sugar beet processing plant in 1993, the abandoned buildings languished for years. As local developer John Carvalho remembers,

“I had this vision of coming around the (river) bend and knowing this is a gorgeous building and a unique spot that people would enjoy someday.” In a multimillion-dollar restoration project, Carvalho realized the potential of the mammoth structure and surrounding land, putting progress into motion. Today, rising up from the Delta dust and debris is a stunning winery and production facility that is vibrant and full of life.

Upon entering the cavernous Galeria do Vinho, visitors are treated to rotating art exhibits by Delta and Yolo County artisans and shoppers are offered an eclectic array of crafts and gift ware. In addition, indoor/outdoor space is available for private functions, including weddings, corporate meetings and of course winemaker dinners.

Back Row, Left to Right: Todd Taylor, Anthony Kelly, Craig Carvalho, Jim Clements & Rod Ruthel
Front Row, Left to Right: Gloria Taylor, John Carvalho, Donna Heringer

Don’t miss the popular Sunset Wine and Jazz Series, held first Thursday of the month, while Saturday’s offer BBQ & Blues. Oktoberfest is right around the corner! In addition, there’s ongoing gourmet food and wine pairing, chef demonstrations, music, and tours of the facility.

Five wineries have jumped into the inaugural vat, each offering their unique wine making style and technique, and most days will find the owners and/or the winemakers pouring wine themselves – a rare and refreshing opportunity in the wine world today, and one you Must See!

CARVALHO
FAMILY WINES

Carvlho Family Wines began their label in ‘02, but the family’s wine making roots were planted over 100 years ago in Portugal. Primarily using Clarksburg Appellation fruit, the winery produces small lots of handcrafted ultra-premium wine. “If you stood on the rooftop of the building, you could see the vineyards where our grapes come from,” says John Carvalho.

Must Taste: Chenin Blanc: a perennial favorite and gold medal winner in Best of Region and Best of Class at the California State Fair; fruity and smooth. Try the Tempranillo and their Cabernet Sauvignon, too

As Carvalho says “Our philosophy is to produce really nice, easy drinking wine, with true characteristics of each varietal.”

Tasting: Wed.-Sun. 11-5… (916) 744-1625
www.CarvalhoWines.com

Heringer Estate’s family winemaker is sixth generation farmer Michael W. Heringer, who continues to carry on the family tradition of hard work, innovation and resourcefulness, not to mention producing award winning 100% Clarksburg wine.

Must Taste: Heringer’s ’04 Petite Sirah, light on tannins, full of blackberries. Take a sip of ‘05 Chardonnay – intense and elegant. 2004 Petite Sirah Port-no need for cake because it has arrived! This dessert wine is luscious and seductive. Heringer speaks passionately about wine: “It’s hard to get a captive audience when you talk about alfalfa or corn, but wine is different. It is social, it is family, and it is beautiful.”

Tasting: Thur.-Sun. 11:00 – 5:00 … (916) 744-1094
www.HeringerEstates.com

Todd Taylor Wines is family owned and produced by Todd and Gloria Taylor. Todd Taylor Wines are single vineyard designated wines the budding winemaker crafts smooth and complex wines. “I spent five years working with vineyards all over the state to find fruit that stands up on its own and makes the full bodied red wines that I like to drink.” extended maceration is All of our limited production wines are made using a cold soaking technique to create fruit forward wines with enhanced varietal character. Then, employed to develop deep rich color, fully developed flavor and a complete balanced tannin profile in each wine.

Must Taste: 2005 Syrah- fresh picked cherries, currant, and strawberries, with an added touch of spice. 2006 Sangiovese: In a blind tasting challenge, most tasters would guess this to be a crisp white wine. Surprise! Raspberries, violets and pink grapefruit flavors make this delicious red worth savoring.

Must See: Taylor’s micro crushing facility at Old Sugar Mill.
Tasting: Fri.-Sun. 11:00 – 5:00 … (916) 744-1120
www.ToddTaylorWines.com

French Hill's owner/winemaker Rod Ruthel possesses a long list of accolades for the elegant wines he handcrafts – all gold medal winners - using grapes from Amador and Calaveras counties. His decadent selection of ‘05 wines is available for sampling at the tasting room. Just as notable as the magic he creates inside the bottle, is Ruthel’s illustrious reputation of the magic he draws on the wine bottle. French Hill’s original tasting room is located in Mokelumne Hill, where tasters can sample his 2004 vintages. What brought French Hill to Old Sugar Mill? “It’s located on a beautiful road in a spectacular brick building,” the winemaker says, adding that the Sugar Mill is a one-stop wine destination, with over fifty quality wines to sample.

Must Taste: Pinotage, Barbera, and Alicante Bouchet: all elegant selections.

Must See: French Hill’s unique gift shop.
Tasting: Fri.-Sun. 11:00 – 5:00 … (916) 744-1710
www.FrenchHill.com

The Solomon Wine Company is the newest addition to the growing list of wineries in Old Sugar Mill. Solomon produces three distinct wine labels, and each is anxious to show tasters their colorful personalities!

As owner/shareholder Rich Boone says, Old Sugar Mill is a unique wine tasting destination, and appeals to the sophisticated Sacramento-area wine market.

Must Taste: Muse Mingle, produced from Amador grapes, fruit forward and an excellent wine for seasoned wine drinkers as well as Cloud 9 “Seity” produced from the oldest Zinfandel vines in California. Black pepper and strawberry notes are evident, but it’s the unique chocolate quality stemming from the soil that makes this low production wine so distinctive and sought-after. Garsa “Portrait” is a mouth-watering tawny –style dessert wine crafted in the Portuguese port tradition. While sipping, strong notes of hazelnuts and cognac come to mind.

Must Try: Apollo Olive Oil at the tasting room.
Tasting: Fri.-Sun. 11:00 – 5:00 … (916) 744-1131
www.SolomonWine.com

Just like the delicious wines they produce, each of the five unique wineries offers their distinctive personalities and a promise for more good things to come in a bottle. The Holidays are coming, the leaves are turning, and the view from Old Sugar Mill couldn’t be sweeter. So, what are you waiting for? A glass is waiting just for you!

Old Sugar Mill is located at 35265 Willow Avenue in Clarksburg, CA. For additional information call (916) 744-1615 ext. 234 or visit their website at www.OldSugarMill.com and please don’t forget to mention you saw it in D’Vine Wine & Visitors Guide.