Hidden gems, West Sacramento: Part 1

Tucked in the curves and bends of the Sacramento River, south toward the Delta, is a hidden gem of the Sacramento area: the Old Sugar Mill. The industrial buildings and warehouses--worn from time and disuse--stand amid the farm land that surrounds it and the vineyards directly across the street from it. Belying the worn, blighted look of some of the buildings is the fact that the Old Sugar Mill houses local wineries in the community of Clarksburg, just south of West Sacramento.

Wine country, Sacramento style

The Old Sugar Mill was literally an old sugar mill that dates back to the 1930s. It's since been renovated but thankfully resisted the trend to go sleek and modern. Instead, it maintains hard-knock industrial look and feel--steel, brick and cement, the old fashioned way. As odd as it may sound, a lot of weddings are held there, amid the rubble of the reconstruction going on and the industrial feel of the area.

My wife and I went to this hidden gem some months ago, on a hot September weekend. We got there early before the crowds streamed in. There wasn't that pretentious air to the place, as you'd find in a winery in a place like Napa. The staff were warm and friendly, eager to answer questions and pour libations.

Inside the main building;
the tasting rooms are
along each side.

There are eight wineries housed there, each with their own tasting room and their own style of wines. My personal favorite is Heringer Estates--located in the Clarksburg area for 140 years. Their wines are a bit pricier than the usual Sacramento-area product (to me, that means Lodi, Amador County and El Dorado County), but they are really top of the line stuff and worth the extra premium.

Make the effort to head over to this side of the river and drive south on Jefferson Boulevard. There will be no regret from this little gem, hidden among the trees and farms and the winding river.