Sierra Vista Vineyards and Winery

Family owned and operated the winery is on Red Rock Ridge, half a mile high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains thirty miles west of Lake Tahoe in California. A beautiful view of the mountains from shaded picnic area makes this a beautiful spot for visitors to this newest and fast growing wine region. The winery specializes in Rhone varietals but has many other fine wines to sample.

The winery farms thirty-two acres of mountain vineyards on challenging slopes from 2800 to 2900 feet elevation. Mountain vineyards are low yielding with intense flavors, outstanding character and provide thrilling tractor driving. Extensive studies John MacCready made in the eighties showed the climate at Sierra Vista to be very similar to that of the Northern Rhone Valley of France. This was the deciding factor in determining which grape varieties to expand to in our vineyards. Rhone wines have developed into the perfect grape for the area and develop in time to emulate the better wines of Cote Rotie and Hermitage in the Northern Rhone.

The tasting room staff is an extension of the family. Thus you get the same friendly, courteous, knowledgeable treatment you would get from the owners and winemaker, Barbara and John.

During all four seasons there are people picnicking while enjoying a bottle of Sierra Vista wine and the Sierra Vista view of the Crystal Range of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Often in the winter there are days when you can picnic in short sleeves with comfort. If it is foggy in the Sacramento Valley, and there is no storm, the sun is shining on Sierra Vista and it will be many degrees warmer. However, in the summer when it is hot in the valley it will be 10 to 12 degrees cooler at Sierra Vista.