Dono dal Cielo Vineyard & Winery

This weekend we went home to the foothills to spend Mothers Day weekend with my mom and family. On Saturday, my sister and I planned a fun day with our Mom to spoil her for Mothers Day and show her how much we appreciate everything she does for us. We started the morning with manicures and pedicures. Then, we stopped to get supplies for a picnic lunch and drove out to Dono dal Cielo winery for the afternoon.

You may be surprised, but Auburn is a great place to go wine tasting. The Placer County Wine trail is becoming more popular, and it's so fun to have it right in our backyard. Dono dal Cielo is actually a place Andrew and I toured for a wedding venue. When we were there, the woman who showed us around and poured our tasting told us about the property next door, Gold Hill Gardens, where she was getting married. Turns out, we had a tour scheduled the next day and that was the venue we chose! So it was fun to be back at Dono dal Cielo and right around the corner from our wedding venue. 

Dono dal Cielo is a great place to go spend the an afternoon enjoying a picnic and wine tasting. It had been raining, so we spent our time inside listening to the live music and enjoying a cheese plate. But I am looking forward to going back in the summer and having a picnic by the pond on the grass. I'm hoping they put in a few bocce courts and lawn games come summer, then it would really be perfect! 

They're known for their zinfandel wines, but they also have a few whites to choose from as well. My sister is a wine club member so we were able to taste for free, but it's only $5 for about five tastings otherwise. We also ordered a really impressive cheese plate from the local Newcastle Market (one of our favorite spots). It was really busy with many groups of people enjoying the afternoon. That coupled with the live music made for a really fun atmosphere. They have a number of tables both inside and outside on a covered patio so there is plenty of space to sit an enjoy your wine and conversation. 

It was such a nice day spent with my Mom and sister. We rarely spend time together just the three of us, and I know it meant a lot to my mom on Mothers Day. And it was nice for my sister to get out of the house for some "me" time and enjoy a pedicure and wine tasting. I am lucky to have such wonderful, strong women in my life as role models. 

If you're ever in the Auburn area, you should definitely make time for the Placer County Wine Trail! There are a lot of great wineries to see (taste), and Dono dal Cielo is a must!