Twenty minutes south of Sacramento, the Sacramento River Delta flattens into mile after mile of vineyard. The Clarksburg American Viticultural Area (AVA) produces some of California’s best Chenin Blanc and Petite Sirah, and most of its tasting rooms stay uncrowded year-round. If you’ve been driving past the River Road signs for years without stopping, this is the guide to finally make the turn.
What Clarksburg Wine Country Is
Clarksburg is a small Delta community in Sacramento County, about 15 miles south of downtown Sacramento. The area became a federally recognized wine region in 1984 and is best known for Chenin Blanc—a grape variety that thrives here thanks to warm days and cool evenings coming off the Delta. Chardonnay, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel also do well in the region, and several of the wineries farm estate fruit that never leaves the property.
The drive from Sacramento is easy: take Interstate 5 south to the Hood-Franklin Road exit, head west, and pick up River Road heading south. Total drive time from downtown Sacramento runs about 25 minutes. The road itself—flat, two-lane, lined with vines and old Delta farmhouses—is part of the experience.
Four Tasting Rooms Worth the Drive
Bogle Family Vineyards
37783 County Rd 144, Clarksburg, CA 95612
Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bogle is one of California’s most widely distributed family-owned wineries, and the Clarksburg estate is where it started. The formal Tasting Experience ($20 per person, $15 for wine club members) runs Thursday through Sunday by reservation, with walk-ins welcome when space allows. Monday through Wednesday, the more casual Vineyard Sips option is available for $10 per person. For either, the pours are estate wines and the setting is a working vineyard. Check hours at boglewinery.com.
Heringer Estates
37375 Netherlands Rd, Clarksburg, CA 95612
Open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Heringer Estates has been farming this land for three generations. Reservations are recommended but walk-ins are welcome. Tasting fees are not listed publicly; check heringerestates.com or call (916) 744-1919 before you go. The estate focuses on wines grown and bottled entirely on-site.
Scribner Bend Vineyards
9051 River Road, Sacramento, CA 95832
Open Friday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Scribner Bend sits directly on the Sacramento River. The tasting room has river views and focuses on small-lot Delta wines. Hours are limited—Friday through Sunday only—so plan accordingly. For tasting fees, call 916-744-1803 or check scribnerbend.com.
Elevation Ten
Clarksburg, CA
Open Friday through Monday 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Elevation Ten is one of the newer producers in the region, with a Friday-through-Monday tasting schedule that makes it accessible for long weekends. Reservations can be made through elevationten.com. Street address not published on the site; use the booking link to get directions.
The Details
- Drive time: About 25 minutes from downtown Sacramento via I-5 south or Highway 160
- Best days: Thursday through Monday, when all four tasting rooms above are open
- What to bring: A cooler if you plan to buy bottles; most tasting rooms have minimal food on-site
- Dogs: Policies vary by winery; call ahead
- Nearby services: Gas and restaurants are in West Sacramento or Davis, not in Clarksburg itself
- What the region is known for: Chenin Blanc, Petite Sirah, Chardonnay—all well-suited to the Delta’s diurnal temperature swings
When to Go
November and December are a good window for Clarksburg. The vines have dropped their leaves by mid-fall, and the Delta gets fog—but the tasting rooms are warm, the crowds are thinner than in spring, and several wineries hold holiday wine club events and limited releases through the end of the year. Wine-buying for Thanksgiving and Christmas entertaining is a practical reason to make the trip, and you get to taste before you commit.
The region draws far less traffic than Napa or Sonoma, and that’s the point. No reservations are required at some wineries, the pours are generous, and you can visit three or four spots in an afternoon without rushing.
Bottom Line
Clarksburg is Sacramento’s closest wine country and one of California’s most underrated AVAs. Four tasting rooms are within a few minutes of each other along River Road and Netherlands Road. For a Saturday afternoon that doesn’t require a freeway traffic jam or a hotel room, it’s one of the better options within range of the city.
For more Sacramento-area day trips and places to go, see 7 Spectacular Escapes Less Than 2 Hours from Sacramento, or if you want to compare it to a hillside wine country experience, the Amador County Wine Harvest guide covers the Sierra Foothills route. And if you’re doing holiday wine shopping, The Best Wineries Near Sacramento for Holiday Tastings rounds up all four regional options in one place.
