3 budget-friendly wine regions in Northern California

Are you tired of paying $40 and up (sometimes way up) for soulless wine “experiences” in tasting rooms that look like European palaces? Has the corporate sheen taken the shine off the simple pleasures of swirling, sniffing, and sipping? Fortunately, you can still find rustic, down-to-earth wine regions in Northern California that focus squarely on the wine and the people who are passionate about making it.

The California Shenandoah Valley AVA in Amador Wine Country is home to bucolic Sierra foothills scenery and some of the Golden State’s most celebrated winemakers.

In the Central Valley, the Lodi appellation offers abundant riches. More than 80 wineries grow a whopping 125 grape varieties, all washed down alongside a vibrant downtown dining scene.

And in the pastoral Suisun Valley, just east of Napa Valley, the dozen or so boutique, family-run wineries are finally getting well-deserved attention after Napa behemoth Caymus moved into the valley in the spring of 2022, bringing the media spotlight with them.

Each of these 3 regions is worth a wine-soaked weekend getaway, or you can visit all three in a weeklong road trip. Here are some favorite discoveries from my own visit. And one of the best parts? None of my tasting fees topped $25, and all the fees were waived with the purchase of 1 or 2 bottles. 

The centerpiece of the winery’s über-popular tasting area is a large white-chandeliered tent, which is set up between the vineyard and an eye-catching wine cave dreamed up by Charlie.

During my visit last spring, Michael checked in guests while Charlie roamed from table to table, pouring wines. Three of their adult children—Jess (distribution), Steve (wine club management), and Robert (a chef)—were also mingling with guests. “We kind of fell into this, but we fell in love with it at the same time,” Steve says.

In his 4 decades as a winemaker, Jeff Runquist has developed relationships with grape growers all over California. As a result, he’s built the Fort Knox of Gold Country wineries, producing more than 20 distinct wines from pedigreed vineyards in the Sierra foothills, Sonoma, and Paso Robles, to name a few. And judges have noticed: Jeff Runquist Wines was voted Winery of the Year in Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition 6 times in the past 7 years.

When I visited last spring, the knowledgeable staff poured me several samples, with an emphasis on muscular reds like petite sirah, barbera, syrah, and a zinfandel from the estate vineyard that dates to 1890—all accompanied by a small plate of salami, cheeses, and crackers.

Another nice touch? Runquist includes the grower’s name on most wine bottle labels, right above the winemaker’s name. “I always felt growers never got the credit they deserved,” Runquist says. “They’re as passionate about growing the grapes as we are about making the wine.”

What makes both labels unique is that Easton holds many of his wines back until they begin revealing their nuances, meaning you can purchase a “library” wine for the price of a current release. He applies the classical élevage maturation technique to both reds and whites, noting that bottle aging can also build complexity and depth of flavor in white Rhône varietals like marsanne, roussanne, and viognier.

A nice bonus: Easton’s wife, co-owner Jane O’Riordan, is an accomplished chef. Wine tastings are accompanied by Jane’s mouthwatering muffaletta-style olive spread.

For Old West elegance, generous portions, and creative California cuisine, head to Luka’s Restaurant in Jackson.

Celebrate special occasions with the seasonal 3-course and 5-course prix fixe menus at Zagat-rated Taste Restaurant & Wine Bar in Plymouth. It may be the best dining experience in Gold Country.

Picnic supplies: Choose from more than a dozen signature sandwiches or build your own at the Mother Lode Deli & Catering in Jackson.

Take a 50-minute guided tour (adults, $20) at the federally protected, privately owned Black Chasm Cavern near Volcano, renowned for its rare helictite cave deposits.

About a mile from the cavern, Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park has the largest collection of bedrock mortars in North America. There’s also a reconstructed Miwok village with a traditional ceremonial roundhouse, a worthwhile museum, 2 short but pleasant hiking trails, and a picnic area.

Grab one of the second-floor rooms with a shared balcony overlooking Jackson’s historic main drag at the National Hotel. The property, which dates to 1862, was lovingly restored with Western antiques throughout. Balcony rooms start at $120; AAA discount available.

Bokisch’s Grand Reserva—100% tempranillo—spends 3 years in the barrel and 2 years in the bottle, meeting the most rigorous aging standards of the beloved Rioja wine. It tastes like Spain in a glass.

The winery also has a Tizona label for French varietals including petit verdot, picpoul blanc, and old vine carignane. Finally, Bokisch’s prime location in the Clements Hills AVA boasts excellent vineyard views, and the expansive lawn and ample outdoor seating invite lingering. Bands perform outside on Friday nights in the spring and fall. 

Ryan Sherman, a full-time realtor with a pharmaceutical background, helped his friend Russ Fields purchase this property in 2005. Fast-forward 2 decades, and these friends and partners have built a cult-like following for their small-lot, minimal-intervention wines. “It’s about finding good fruit sources and not being too heavy-handed in the cellar,” says Sherman, a self-taught winemaker.

Fields Family Wines produces only 1,200 cases a year. All the grapes are handpicked, the reds are unfiltered and unfined, and they use only French oak. Highlights include estate vermentino, estate tempranillo, old vine carignan, old vine cinsault (from the Bechthold Vineyard, planted in 1886), old vine zinfandel, and the Sans Souci Red Blend, which Sherman describes as a light Grand Cru Beaujolais.

A visit to this small, rustic tasting room is like stepping back in time. “This is what it was like for people fortunate enough to taste wines in California back in the 1970s and ’80s, before they were clubbed over the head with American oak and high-octane residual sugar,” Sherman says.

Owners and fifth-generation grape growers Steve and Lori Felten live on this property, where both their ancestors planted zinfandel in the early 1890s. And like Lodi itself, Klinker Brick—named for the dark bricks on the couple’s house and garage—built its reputation on zinfandel but has evolved to excel with numerous varietals.

They now make 25 wines, including several dry, crisp whites—all handpicked, whole-cluster pressed, and fermented in stainless steel—and they distribute to all 50 states and 15 countries.

Head winemaker Joseph Smith has been with Klinker Brick for 17 years, and original winemaker Barry Gnekow is a consultant, which results in wonderful consistency from year to year.

Despite the large operation, the winery retains a friendly, down-home feel. Steve and Lori retire to the large indoor tasting room almost every afternoon to enjoy a glass (usually a sparkling rosé for Lori and a cabernet for Steve) before closing time. “It’s the personal touch,” Steve says. “We’re not corporate. We didn’t buy into this business. We grew into it organically.”

Guantonios Wood Fired is as good as it gets for authentic Italian-style pizza. They don’t take reservations, so arrive early to beat the dinner crowd.

For traditional southern Italian fare, head to Pietro’s Trattoria, a bustling Lodi institution for nearly 40 years.

Picnic supplies: Fiori’s Butcher Shoppe and Deli is a friendly neighborhood joint that offers nearly 50 hot and cold specialty sandwiches. The sliced-meat counter includes my personal favorite: jamón serrano, a dry-cured ham.

Rent a city cruiser from Lodi Cyclery ($46.80 for the day) and ride to Lodi Lake Park, where you can swim, kayak, picnic, and hike or bike through the nature area, where I saw deer munching on vegetation near the trail.

Micke Grove Regional Park ($5–$10 per vehicle) is home to a 65-year-old Japanese garden (free), a 5-acre zoo (adults, $5), and the agriculture-centric San Joaquin County Historical Museum (adults, $7). 

The Poppy Sister Inn bed-and-breakfast has 4 guest rooms in a 1907 mustard-yellow Victorian home on a quiet, tree-lined street. The home-cooked breakfasts are terrific, the downtown restaurants are within walking distance, and the rocking chairs on the wraparound porch are the perfect place to sip a glass of Lodi wine. Rates start at $150.

“Farming is my first love,” says Brian Babcock, the gifted winemaker who owns this property that’s been in his family for 40 years. Babcock was raised on this land, helping his parents and sister tend cherry, prune, and pear trees before they switched to growing grapes.

Today, Brian and his wife, Katie, along with their 3 school-age children, “do everything from the dirt to the bottle,” says Katie, including overseeing Suisun Creek’s rustic patio tasting area, with its striking vineyard and mountain views.

The Babcocks grow 7 varietals on their 80-acre estate, which Brian coaxes into 8 small-batch wines (including a red blend) that showcase the best of the Suisun Valley terroir. “We’ve been growing grapes for a little over 30 years, so we know what works well for us,” Brian says.

While the chardonnay is their most popular wine, their most unusual is a rosé made with charbono, which is naturally a very dark grape. Once a year, their kids wake up early before school and stomp the grapes to make the rosé. “That’s our little tradition,” Katie says.

Lisa Howard grew up on her dad’s farm and vineyard, and today they make wine side by side—under different labels. “Before I was teaching her, and now I’m learning from her as well,” says dad Steve Tenbrink of Tenbrink Family Vineyards. Lisa, who has excelled with her Tolenas label, relishes the unique partnership. “I think it’s helpful that we can both be honest with each other about our wines, and we can give each other tips,” Lisa says.

The family support system runs deep here. Lisa’s husband, Cliff, helps manage the wine business, while her sister, Laura, is the hospitality manager, and her brother, Daryl, assists Steve with the winemaking. Tolenas’ inviting tasting area is set up in the large backyard of the siblings’ childhood home, shaded by a 100-year-old walnut tree. “We want guests to experience the love and joy that we had back here as a family,” Lisa says.

Her signature wine is a white pinot noir called Eclipse, a refreshing play on light and dark that was inspired when Lisa and Steve picked the grapes during the 2017 solar eclipse.

Dating to the 1930s, Wooden Valley is one of the oldest wineries in the valley, and the Lanza family has owned it since 1955. Today, it’s run by 4 brothers who grew up on the property. Larry and Ken are farmers and grape growers, Ron handles the marketing and the tasting room, and Rick is the winemaker. “We work together well, but we also kind of stay out of each other’s way,” Rick says.

Wooden Valley is the winery’s flagship brand for everyday vintages, whereas the Lanza Family label is reserved for wines from their best lots. Light-bodied sangiovese grown on the family land where Ron and Ken live is produced under the Lanza label, which is used for Italian varietals.

One of my favorites was the Saluti red blend, which results from an annual staff wine-blending collaboration, with $10 of the proceeds from every bottle sold going to the Alzheimer’s Association.

If you’re in the Suisun Valley on a Friday, head to The Landing at Village 360 for the weekly Spanish tapas dinner menu and live music in the courtyard overlooking the vineyards at BackRoad Vines.

In downtown Fairfield, Three Restaurant earns raves for its pasta dishes but also serves tacos, sandwiches, and wraps.

Picnic supplies: The Napa Deli in Fairfield features sandwiches named after surrounding wine regions and subregions. I devoured the Rutherford Roast Beef on sourdough with lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, and creamy horseradish Dijon.

From the Rockville Road parking lot, the 2.4-mile hike to and around Grey Goose Lake at Rockville Hills Regional Park ($3 day-use fee) features blue and coast live oaks, buckeye trees, and spectacular views of the valley.

The Western Railway Museum displays a large section of old streetcars and interurban electric cars, but the highlight here is a bumpy 50-minute city train ride on the Historic Sacramento Northern Railroad, with views of Mount Diablo and, on a clear day, Mount Tamalpais in the distance.

Fairfield, the home of the famous Jelly Belly Museum, is the closest city to the Suisun Valley. I enjoyed a comfortable stay at the Courtyard by Marriott Fairfield Napa Valley Area and took advantage of the 24-hour fitness center and the outdoor heated pool and hot tub. Rates start at $139; AAA discount available.