While wineries are not abundant in Nevada, there are a few near Vegas that are worth visiting. Each one carries a unique story about its origins and existence. We already published a post on the five best wine bars in Vegas, so now it’s time to tell you about these fine wineries near the Silver City.
Pahrump Valley Winery
The Pahrump Valley Winery is one of the highest-rated wineries near Las Vegas and based on their long list of awards, it’s worth a visit.
Having opened in 1990, the Pahrump Valley Winery so far has received more than 470 prizes, among them 3 Double Gold National Wine Awards. The winery’s production is not limited to Nevada-grown grapes only, and the brand carries four labels under its belt—Charleston Peak, Nevada Ridge, Pahrump Valley Winery, and Moody Creek Wines.
Some of the winery’s Nevada wines are the 2005 Zinfandel, 2010 Primitivo, and the 2011 Silver State Red Blend.
Onsite, the winery also hosts the award-winning restaurant Symphony, while in October the venue will be organizing the inaugural Stompapalooza wine fest where visitors could enjoy all of the winery’s awards winners.
Sanders Family Winery
When a winery carries the word “family” in its name, you know we are talking about tradition. The Sanders Family Winery has been carrying it for 31 years after “Jack Sanders founded the first modern winery in Pahrump” as stated on the winery’s website.
The place is one of the top wineries in the state and on the premises you can attend a free wine tasting.
In Sanders Family Winery’s portfolio, you can find the classics—Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay, along with offerings for a more specific taste like Ruby Port and Cream Sherry.
In addition to wine tasting, the winery regularly organizes entertainment events. On the premises, you can find a visitor’s center and even a performing arts amphitheater.
Vegas Valley Winery
Another winery that will make your Vegas trip more pleasant is the Vegas Valley Winery. In fact, this is the first winery to be established in the Las Vegas county after in 2015. That year a law was abolished that previously banned the establishment of wineries in counties of more than 100,000 inhabitants.
The place welcomes visitors every day of the week, and there’s no need for reservation for groups of up to 10 people meaning that you can spontaneously drop by for a tasting session. The venue also offers a private party area and a tour of the premises.
Some of the wines that you can try there are a 2014 Syrah, a 2015 Zinfandel, and a 2018 Rosé.
One of the more exciting things about this winery is its winemaking school Grape Expectations where you’ll be walked through the whole process of making wine.
Nevada Winemaking
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Everybody knows that Vegas is a miracle city. It rose from the desert to become the world's entertainment capital. Despite the rise of popularity of online casinos, the place is still widely popular as a gambling center, but it’s also home to some excellent wineries.
While Southern Nevada might be far from the likeliest place to grow vines, as we see, the area does well in the industry, bringing its representatives numerous awards. Thanks in part to climate conditions and advancements in growing and manufacturing methods, it’s been more than 30 years since commercial production of wine began here. In fact, since 1995 the University of Nevada, Reno has been involved in studying and developing best practices for vine growing in Nevada.
The fall of the law that restricted wineries to counties with less than 100,000 inhabitants, will likely bring further investments and innovations to the state’s winemaking business. One bonus when you visit these wineries is the proximity to Las Vegas. Swing by the wine bars there and you can try a vast variety of wines and other beverages, accompanied by a top-notch cuisine.
