Est. 1987

Placer County

Written by Fred Swan

Placer County lies in the Sierra Mountains and is one of eight counties within the Sierra Foothills AVA. It comprises 900,480 acres (364,411 ha) of land, plus 60,800 acres (24,604 ha) of Lake Tahoe. The county rises from nearly sea level in the west to 9,044 feet (2,757 m), the peak of Mt. Baldy’s west ridge. That mountain straddles the California-Nevada state line.

Winegrowing in Placer County began during the mid-nineteenth-century California Gold Rush. The region’s warm, sunny climate makes it ideal for Rhône and robust red varieties, though most anything other than cool-climate varieties can succeed. Most of the vineyards are located in the western part of the county, at altitudes ranging between 500 and 1,500 feet (152 and 457 m).

Placer County does not have a lot of planted acres overall. Its 25 wineries use local fruit, but also buy from vineyards elsewhere in the Sierra Foothills. The largest vineyard in the county only comprises about 10 acres (4 ha).

By the numbers

Year End 2019

1

AVAs
25

Wineries
0.003%

Total Plantings
11

Acreage Under Vine (Hectares)

27

Acreage Under Vine (Acres)

Key Varieties

Syrah, Zinfandel, Barbera, Viognier

Climate

Hot-summer Mediterranean

Key Soil Types

Decomposed Granite ,Sandy Loam

Overview

Placer County’s name comes from placer mining, which took place there during the Gold Rush of the mid-nineteenth century. Placer mining is the extraction of minerals from riverbeds. The American River is the largest in Placer County and it was downstream on that river, in El Dorado County, that gold was discovered in 1848, launching the Gold Rush.

Before the Gold Rush, the area which is now Placer County was home only to the Nisenan and Washoe tribes of Native Americans. The county was born in 1851, from portions of Sutter and Yuba Counties, in response to rapid population growth due to mining activities.

Gold mining remained a dominant driver of the economy for more than 30 years. During that time, however, other industries gained steam. Those included agriculture, lumber, and the railroad. Mining ended more than a century ago, but the area still benefits from Gold Rush-inspired tourism.

Today, Placer County is home to approximately 400,000 people. Aside from healthcare and local government, the largest individual employers in Placer County are Union Pacific Railroad, Hewlett-Packard, Northstar Tahoe ski resort, and Thunder Valley Casino Resort. The western part of the county is close to Sacramento, the state capital, and is orientated toward general business and agriculture. The eastern, more mountainous portion of the county is geared toward outdoor activities and tourism. Wine tasting is a popular and convenient activity for locals and tourists alike.