Nevada County

Nevada County is Gold Country high — Grass Valley at 2,400 feet, Nevada City at 2,500, granite and ponderosa on every ridge. The climate pushes zinfandel and Rhône varietals toward mountain-style ripeness, with cold nights even in August. Tasting rooms pour from barns and converted firehouses along Highway 49 and Ridge Road. The Yuba River cuts cold canyons fifteen minutes from town; South Yuba State Park and the Independence Trail open leashed walks with a river view. Pair a Nevada County syrah with an afternoon on the Buttermilk Bend. The foothills pour quieter here, and the dogs run off the last of the dust.