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Vino Tahoe, producing wines under the Pansare Cellars label, is a micro-winery on Ridge Road in Sutter Creek that sits on land with deep roots in Amador County’s viticultural past. The property was once part of the pre-prohibition winemaking movement in the region, located near where UC Davis operated its first Sierra experimental station in the 1890s. The founders discovered the land during family ski trips to Kirkwood, when they would admire the scenic beauty of Ridge Road and the charm of Amador County’s boutique wineries. When the historic property became available in 2016, they jumped at the chance. Both founders hold winemaking diplomas and viticulture credentials from UC Davis, including graduate-level coursework through the OIV/UCD Wine Marketing program and hands-on experience at the UC Davis experimental vineyard.
Vino Tahoe holds the distinction of being the only CCOF certified organic estate vineyard in Amador County. The vineyard was planted in 2020 — quite literally on the first day of COVID-19 lockdowns, made possible under agricultural exemptions. At 1,860 feet elevation, the site matches the growing degree days of Napa’s famed To Kalon vineyard. The soil is Supan Cobbly Loam, a volcanic formation that accounts for just one percent of California’s terrain, giving the wines a distinctive mineral character balanced by the bright acidity that Sierra breezes encourage. The winery practices no-till farming and maintains bird, bee, and animal-friendly habitat throughout the property. In the cellar, the approach is equally hands-off: hand harvesting, hand sorting, strict sanitation, no harmful additives, and only minimal sulfites for microbial stability.
The flagship planting is Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 6, historically known as the “Jackson Clone,” the same genetic material that launched premium Napa Cabernets in the late 1990s. The portfolio also includes red, white, rose, and dessert wines. Since debuting their labels in July 2024, the wines have already earned impressive accolades, including Best of Class at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, plus recognition at the Sunset International, Orange County, West Coast Wine, and Sierra Foothills competitions. Sustainability runs through every aspect of the operation — the winery runs off-grid on solar power with Tesla battery storage, achieving net electricity production. Even the packaging reflects this commitment: Xpur technical corks reduce TCA contamination, lighter-weight glass cuts carbon footprint, and tin foil capsules have been eliminated entirely.
The tasting room is open Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with tastings held in a red barn patio during warmer months and an 1880s farmhouse during winter. The venue is family-friendly with ADA-accessible parking, and weekday tastings are available by appointment. Located about two hours from the San Francisco Bay Area, thirty minutes from Folsom, and an hour from both Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe, it is an easy day trip from much of Northern California.
Hours
Tasting Room
Sat–Sun 11:00 AM–4:00 PM
Mon–Fri Closed
Events at Vino Tahoe.