In Northern California, Gold Country typically refers to the historic region of the Sierra Nevada where land was rich with gold deposits, thus ushering in the Gold Rush. But Yolo County is a different kind of Gold Country. Here, the land is rich with the liquid gold it produces. No, not crude oil. Instead, land in Yolo County produces olive oil, honey, beer, spirits, mead, agave, and wine.
Yolo County is an agricultural powerhouse known for its pastoral landscapes dotted with farms, orchards, and ranches. But it also produces agricultural goods of the liquid variety. Local orchards grow olive trees, beekeepers keep hives, vineyards cover the hillsides, and farms turn out ingredients used in craft beer making and spirit distillation.
Best of all, you can plan a getaway centered on the liquid gold found in Yolo County by visiting the very spots where ingredients are grown. Many hotels in Yolo County are just steps away from farms and vineyards, so you can sample Yolo’s liquid gold straight from the source!
Olive Oil in Yolo County
Yolo County is one of the top olive oil producing counties in the state. A Mediterranean-like climate with warm, dry days means olive trees thrive here. Best of all, you can taste this form of liquid gold at several spots throughout Yolo County. One place to start is Seka Hills Olive Mill in Brooks. Led by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, they offer a range of oils made from different varieties of olives. Bondolio in Winters offers private tours, where you can stroll through the olive tree grove and sample oils in their lovely tasting room. Or, you can pick up a bottle of Yolo-produced olive oil at the Davis Farmers’ Market.
Honey and Mead in Yolo County
All those fruits, veggies, and nuts grown in Yolo County need to be pollinated. Enter: honeybees. Honeybees are a crucial part of Yolo County’s agricultural landscape. The Hive in Woodland celebrates all things honeybee. You can tour their pollinator gardens, sample honey, and enjoy a honey-centric bite to eat. They also offer mead, better known as honey wine. You can also pick up Yolo County honey at the Winters Fruit Stand and the Davis Food Co-op.
Beer, Wine & Spirits in Yolo County
Yolo County truly is a hidden gem when it comes to wine. There are numerous wine-growing areas within the county, from the lovely Capay Valley in the north to the Clarksburg region in the south. You can explore wineries along the Highway 16 corridor or those perched alongside the Sacramento River. The town of Winters has several quaint tasting rooms as well.
Not a wine lover? Luckily, there are plenty of craft breweries in Yolo County in Winters, and Davis. Many of these spots use ingredients sourced from area farms, and some even offer special brews based on what’s in season. Perhaps best of all, you can often sample their beers in picturesque settings and chat with the brew masters directly.
Other types of liquid gold in Yolo County are distilled spirits. In Winters, Patio 29 Spirits makes vodka, gin, rum, and whiskey, all made from locally sourced grains such as corn, rye, wheat, and barley. You can sample their products at their friendly tasting room, where they also serve up classic pub fare.
Yolo County is also gaining a reputation as a renowned grower of agave — the plant used to make tequila and mezcal. It should be noted, however, that to be labeled as tequila or mezcal it must be made in Mexico, so products made in the US are called American Agave Spirits. To that end, Yolo County is growing Blue Agave for producers across the state, including Shelter Distilling in Mammoth Lakes, Jano Spirits in Napa, and Calavé Spirits in Chico.
Plan Your Getaway to Yolo County Gold Country Today!
From sunny olive groves to buzzing pollinator gardens, there are plenty of places to explore in Yolo County’s gold country. Here, the land offers a bounty that goes beyond fruits and veggies — wine, beer, honey, olive oil and other forms of liquid gold are made here. You can sip wine while overlooking vineyards, taste honey among bee-friendly gardens, and sample olive oil in the mill in which it was made. Check out the many lodging specials in Yolo County and plan your getaway today!
