7. Wine Tasting with Sierra Vista Winemaker John MacCready

The Buzz -- Meet Sierra Vista Winery and Vineyards owner and Winemaker John MacCready. He and his wife Barbara bought their property in 1972 and pioneered the rebirth of mountain viticulture in El Dorado County. Sierra Vista grows grapes used in Condrieu, Cote Rotie and Hermitage in the northern Rhone Valley and Mourvedre, Cinsault and Grenache whose lineage may be traced to Chateau Rayas and Chateau de Beaucastel, considered by many to be the best of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. John has been the president and vice president of the El Dorado Winery association, has been inducted into the Knights of the Vine and is a past and founding president of the Rhone Rangers, an organization dedicated to educating the public about Rhone style wines. An eco-friendly winery, Sierra Vista was the first winery in the El Dorado AVA to install solar panels. Additionally, they practice Sustainable Agriculture.