McConnell Estates Winery

A winery? In Elk Grove? In the 1990s, brothers Mike, Howard, and Alan Wackman--part of a fifth-generation farming family--sold the sheep from the family ranch and began growing grapes instead. Today, they cultivate 1400 acres, selling much of the crop to larger operations and reserving a small percentage for their own boutique label. McConnell Estates offers a range of varietals including Zinfandel, Tempranillo and Petite Syrah, and is known for its 'fruit-forward' wines--meaning it's easy to taste the flavor of each particular grape. The tasting room, housed in a vintage white farmhouse, is open to the public on weekends and also sells wine-related gifts and accessories. Unlike at some snootier Napa Valley establishments, the wine samples are free.