There's Zin in Them Thar Hills!

Grapes are the new gold in rustic Amador County in the Sierra foothills. And Shenandoah Valley is the mother lode, with more than two dozen wineries along its route. Just as zesty as the zins here are the characters who produce them, like former fighter pilot and nuclear physicist Buck Cobb and his wife, Karly, a former Rockette, who run Karly Winery. Karly's tasting room defines kicked back: The sign on the door reads "No, Really—This Is the Tasting Room" and leads to a kitchen complete with fridge and sink. Story Winery is another nugget. Its tasting room is a little wooden shed (pictured) perched high over the Consumes River Canyon. Enjoy the summer concert series starting in late May: bluegrass, friendly folk, and a bottle of zin. Eureka!

TIP: Want to overnight it? Base yourself in Sutter Creek, a Gold Country mining town that looks a lot like it did in the glory days. Eureka Street Inn, off the main road, is a friendly four-bedroom bed and breakfast that doesn't go overboard on the doilies and potpourri.

Click here for a map of the region.

Karly Winery, 11076 Bell Rd., Plymouth, 209-245-3922. Open 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm daily.

Story Winery, 10525 Bell Rd., Plymouth, 800-713-6390. Open 11:00 am - 5:00 pm daily.

Eureka Street Inn, 55 Eureka St., Sutter Creek, 800-399-2389.