D'Vine Wine and Visitor Guide, serving Amador County, Calaveras County, El Dorado County, Placer County, Nevada County, San Joaquin County, Alameda County, Clarksburg and Delta region, Northern Sierra, Lodi Wine Region and Livermore Wine Region

Dvine Wine and Visitors Guide October 2007

Tomei's@384	Sutter Creek Inn
Bartley Cavanaugh	Wine Tasting 101
Culinary Corner	Wine Education Tempranillo
Past Issues

Old Sugar Mill
A Destination Sweet Spot for Wine Lovers

"By Fran Benavidez"

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 giftware. In addition, indoor/outdoor space is available for private functions, including weddings, corporate meetings and of course winemaker dinners.