Stone barrel-cave tasting room pouring Spanish and Rhone-style wines.
Viña Castellano is an estate winery on an 8-acre Sierra foothills vineyard set within the Mendez family's longtime Auburn ranch. Its most distinctive feature is a stone barrel cave, built by lining the space with large granite stones removed when the vineyard was planted, where winemaking began by 2005 and where guests now taste at the bar or bistro. The winery specializes in Spanish-heritage varietals, and while it is known as a Tempranillo expert, the lineup also includes Verdejo, Garnacha, Monastrell and a Syrah-based Rosado. Tastings carry a modest fee that is waived with a bottle purchase, and from June through September visitors can enjoy wine by the glass or ice-cold sangria at a seasonal waterside wine bar. It is an atmospheric, dog-friendly stop on the Placer wine trail.