In the quest to learn more about wine, I have stumbled across many wines, tasting rooms and places to visit worth mentioning. The gems of the wine industry offer premium wines, great staffs that welcome rather than tolerate you, and pristine views of amazing wine-growing regions.

Where are these secret wineries? First of all, don?t think of Napa. Second, avoid all roads that lead to Napa. Last, stay close to Sacramento and go to the Sierra Foothills and Lodi. That?s right, and I repeat: do not go to Napa! The Sacramento area hosts some of the most approachable and hospitable wineries in the industry ? wineries that are close, friendly and produce great wines usually available for tasting at no charge.

El Dorado County is recognized as one of the premier producers of Zinfandel, Barbera and Syrah in the United States. The El Dorado County vineyards nestled in the Sierra Foothills not only grow prize-winning grapes, but the region also fosters a different attitude in wine making and marketing. The wines that are produced in the Foothills are typically fruit-driven, high in alcohol and consumer-friendly on the palate right away. Furthermore, the vintners in the foothills actually like newcomers and encourage people to visit and learn.

Some of the top spots to visit in El Dorado include Boeger, Perry Creek and Firefall. Boeger is located in Placerville near Apple Hill; tasting room hours are daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The tasting fees are minimal and apply to reserve wines only. Be sure to try Boeger?s famous Barbera and Reserve Tempernillo.

Perry Creek Winery is located in the Fair Play region of El Dorado County just southeast of Placerville. This little winery above the Cosumnes River is the home of Sacramento Zinfandel wine celebrity Zinman. Zinman appears around town on ties, T-shirts, prints and on the label of a rockin? Zinfandel by winemaker Nancy Steele. From the vines of Fair Play?s hillsides, Steele has created a palate-coating Zin? that boasts the spicy flavors of ripe berries, succulent plums and a tinge of chocolate and smells of ripe berries and vanilla; in short, a fruit-bomb that will go off in your mouth.

On the way to Perry Creek you will pass the tasting room of Firefall Vineyards. Firefall?s tasting room is not at the winery because the vineyards and winery are so far out of the way. To better accommodate customers, Firefall has opened a tasting room on the highway leading to Fair Play in Mt. Aukum. When in route to Fair Play, be sure to stop at Firefall?s tasting room and try their juicy, spicy Sangiovese and the 1849 Red Wine Blend; both cost less than $10.

If you can still find one, purchase one of the much sought-after tickets to the El Dorado Passport Weekend of April 13 and 14. Passport Weekend offers the opportunity to visit all of the wineries in the area for one tasting fee. There are also many special events scheduled for Passport Weekend only.

More information, directions and maps can be obtained on the El Dorado Winery Association Web page at www.eldoradowines.orgThe wine region of the Shenandoah Valley in Amador County neighbors El Dorado. The most popular wine makers of the region include Sobon Family Vineyards, Karly and Youngs Vineyards.

Sobon Family Vintners, who also own and produce Shenandoah Valley Vineyards wines, are one of the longest established family wineries in the foothills. Owner, grower and maker Leon Sobon is renowned for his crafting of tasty and well-balanced wines. Among all the wines that Sobon offers, be sure to try the Cougar Hill and Reserve Zinfandels for a treat. All Sobon wines are organically grown and dry farmed (no water added).

Karly produces several Zinfandels that are known for their massive fruit-driven flavor, spice and crowd-pleasing appeal. The old-vine Zin from the Sadie Upton Vineyard and Warrior?s Fire Zin? are excellent examples of what Karly has to offer. Karly also produces Sauvignon Blanc and Rhone type wines blended from Rousanne, Marsanne, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. Karly is located near Plymouth; tasting room hours are from noon to 4 p.m. daily.

The labels on Youngs Vineyards bottles depict Harlequin clowns, jokers and jesters, but their wine is no joke. Youngs Vineyard produces some of the most hotly pursued wines in the Sierra Foothills and is quickly achieving cult status. Youngs wine is such a hot item that cars and bodies line up by the hundreds on the weekend of April 20 and 21 to purchase 100 percent of the wine available for sale at the winery for the entire year. On the sell-out weekend, Youngs provides catered food and live bands that add to the festive atmosphere. If you can?t make it to the winery sell-out, do not despair; most retailers also receive an allocation of Youngs Zinfandel, Cabernet, Syrah and Barbera. Youngs can be reached at (209) 245-3005.

For contact information, maps and directions to the Amador region, check out the Amador County Vintners Association Web page at www.amadorwine.com/index.htm.

If the Foothills of El Dorado and Amador are still too far away for you, stay really close to home and wait until May 22 for Wine & Jazz on the River from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Waterfront Park in Old Sacramento. Winery representatives from Amador and El Dorado will be on site pouring samples and answering questions. For more information on this event, logon to www.kvie.org/wineandjazz or call (916) 641-3651.

In the sandy flatlands of the Sacramento Valley South of Sacramento there are a handful of wine grape growers and wine makers that are beginning to make waves in the proverbial pool of wine.

One such up-and-comer from the valley floor is Bogle Winery in Clarksburg. Bogle produces some of the best value premium wines in the industry. The fruit that Bogle makes wine from is primarily grown on their own estate along with some special-purchase grapes from areas such as Fiddeltown. Bogle?s Petite Syrah was named best wine value by the Chicago Value Wine Challenge and truly does pack bang for your wine buck. The Old Vine Cuvee Zinfandel that won a gold at the California State Fair and Reserve Zinfandel are also considered among the best values on the market today. The winery and tasting room at Bogle is easily accessible just south of Sacramento off Highway 5. For maps and directions log on to the Bogle?s website at: www.boglewinery.com, or call the tasting room at (916) 744-1139.Lodi is the home of Michael-David Phillips Vineyards, the producers of newly-released Seven Deadly Zins, a blend of seven distinctly different Zinfandels from seven different vineyards. Michael-David Phillips also offers a selection of well-made award winning Syrah, Viogner, Symphony (a dessert wine), Mouvedre, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. Information about Michael-David Vineyards can be found online at www.lodivineyards.com.

Special events hosted by Lodi area vintners include “Vines to Wines,” an open house weekend with the winemakers with tasting at eight Lodi wineries on May 18 and 19 from 11a.m. to 5 p.m., and Reggae and Rhone Style Wines in August.

If great wines at competitive prices, good times and short drives are appealing to you, forget Napa and stay close to home. Visiting wineries near Sacramento has as much or more to offer as the boys in Napa.