Drytown Cellars

The wines are amazing. The staff is helpful and the owners are extremely friendly. I have visited all the wineries in the Shenandoah Valley and this is my absolute favorite. It is not the fanciest of wineries… the atmosphere of the tasting room could be improved on, but the staff makes up for the lack of atmosphere. I don’t even bother with the other wineries now.
The events are always fun. The food is great and the company, even better!
Love, love, love this place!

My fiancé and I stopped here because it was on the way to our hotel, and we are so glad we did! What a wonderful experience! I don’t know much about different wines but my fiancé is a complete wine snob, and we both loved it! Prices are extremely reasonable too! Definitely recommend!

Ok, I have a coworker that raves about this place. No bottle over $ 20 he tells anyone that will listen. No bottle with a cork is what we discovered. We stopped by a couple months ago to check it out on a whim. The atmosphere was casual and pleasant enough, and the people were super friendly, but we had a hard time finding any wine we liked. They had an extensive tasting list which might be part of the strategy. The second or third white we tried tasted like sulphur. Sulphur from a hot spring? Not so good. Thought it was a joke. Switched to the reds. Red on Red, a blend, was the first one we tasted that was okay. Tried a couple more and found the Syrah which was decent and on sale, which was good! We also liked the Cab Franc that had a very smokey flavor that you either love or hate from what we hear. So we found a couple that were decent and the Cab Franc that we liked, but the other 10 or so we tasted were pretty terrible. If your looking for cool folks to hang out with this might be a good stop for you. If you want really good wine you might look elsewhere.

What a great business. I went to daffodil hill this weekend but it was rained out so I decided to go wine tasting. I drove right by this place but decided to make a U-​turn. That was a great decision. It’s not like the fancy other wineries that I belong to. It’s pretty laid back. Right away we were greeted by a couple friendly people, they offered up generous samples of about 8 different wines. Usually I see these wineries pour a drop for you after begging and feeling uncomfortable. These guys know how to do it right. I joined their wine club ASAP, even though I already belong to 2 others (which I’m cancelling). Customers brought their dogs which I thought was cool even though I don’t have dogs. I was looking at the bottling machinery when a guy approached me and started telling me all about the process, I told him I was growing grapes and made a mess of my wine process this last year, he offered to teach me and provide free yeast and chemicals for next time. Turns out he’s the owner, what a great guy. He does business the way I do. Very rare these days. And it pays off, I bought a case of their Pinot Noir and Red on Red. I loved every wine they had except the Chardonnay. For red wine lovers this is the spot. Can’t wait to go back.

Drytown Cellars is a must-​include stop in your wine tasting itinerary! They have an extensive selection of both reds & whites to taste & purchase. Everything is consistently good. The futures are a great deal & every time I pick up my futures, the wine is even better than I remember. Drytown Cellars rolls out the red carpet for their wine club members & customers alike. If you become of member of only one wine club, I would recommend this one. If you enjoy reds, be sure to try the Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Primitivo, Zinfandel, Syrah & Petite Syrah!

Loved the Chardonnay and my hubby loved the Sangiovese. The winemaker was very friendly and made us feel right at home. Staff was ultra friendly as well. Great prices. Don’t forget to pet the dogs (dingo look alike) on the way out.

Great wines and equally amazing prices. Stopped in on the way through and was very surprised. Definitely not new to wine, and living in wine country I’ve been wine tasting at great places through Sonoma and Napa counties. This was right up there with them.

This place was okay… wine was eh, staff seemed a little out of it not very friendly to start out. But an okay stop before heading to sutter creek area. Had an okay port.

I was coming back from Sutter Creek on my way to Plymouth to pick up a wine club release from another winery. I found Drytown cellars by serendipity. I think what first caught my eye was all the cars. I found out when they have their wine club releases they have a party for members. First impression is low key, not flashy. NO TASTING FEE — which is becoming less common. They had about 15 varietals they were pouring, so obviously you have to pick your favorites. Their prices are VERY REASONABLE with everything under $ 19 except their port. I tried a white variety I had never had, Verdelho, interesting — if you like white try it out! They have a port called Vino de Mocca, which is loaded with coffee/​mocha notes. It would be awesome over a dessert like ice cream! It was a little too much for me, but it would be a home run for a lot of people! Note, usually ports are sold in 375ml bottles, theirs are in standard 750ml bottles — INCREDIBLE VALUE!
I liked their Primotivo a lot and a couple others. Most of the grapes they used are sourced form the Sierra Foothills, but they have several Estate Grown varieties. They were also doing free barrel tasting (futures). There were four varieties. I tasted one of the best Cabernet Franc wines I have ever had. Very Earthy yet not overwhelmingly. I bought 6 bottles at a great price and also purchased 6 bottles of their Tempranillo future. Nice fruit, some good tannins, smooth.
I hate to say this, but my second favorite wine was their very inexpensive red blend, usually around $ 10/​bottle. Obviously every year is going to be different, this one «Red on Red» is an incredible buy at $ 10! They had a full case special for $ 78.00. INCREDIBLE. I bought a case! do the math, that’s a bargain price at $ 6.50 each!!!. I would stack it up against a lot of $ 20 wines and it would hold it’s own. An AWESOME Sipping wine.
I didn’t join their wine club because I had purchased 24 bottles and I like keeping more different vineyards in my ‘cellar’. I can’t wait for the Cabernet Franc to be bottled. I’m probably going to wish I had bought twelve of those.

Probably the closest winery to Sacramento so it made sense that I hit it up first. Damn good Barbera, I took some of that home.
Many of the bottles have a fun local story on backs of wine labels. There’s a roaming dog and you can clearly see the bottling operation going on across the bar. This place is super casual and there’s not much seating so I wouldn’t recommend it for groups. The wine was affordable and good but not close to my favorite in the area.
I could see this place being good for beginner tasters. They can see the operation happening, it’s not busy so they can bend the pourer’s ear and ask questions and the prices won’t intimidate you. I liked that out pourer told us where she buys her wine in the area. Just overall a completely non pretentious vibe and a fun time for a quick afternoon tasting.

First stop on our Tour de Wine! Couldn’t be more pleased with Drytown’s service, hospitality, and if course, wine! Start to finish, they made us feel comfortable and at home. Thank you Drytown Cellars! One of our favorite stops on the trip!

I visited Drytown Cellars with a wine tour bus this past weekend and the folks here were wonderful hosts! They had set up a table with snacks in a separate area just for our party. The wines were very, very good for the price — the reds were about $ 20/​bottle and they have an excellent table wine for only $ 10. The barbera was my favorite. The staff pouring were so patient and walked through each wine when we asked, even if we were a big obnoxious group!
This is the kind of place I like to enjoy some great wine — laid back, friendly, doggies to play with and no frills. Places like this don’t need a big fancy tasting room because the wine speaks for itself and the staff is so welcoming.

This is one of my favorite wineries in the area. The staff is always super friendly (Sandy is amazing).You are never overlooked or rushed and the wine is fantastic. They have many unique varietals and the price range makes it an unbelievable deal. They recently enlarged the tasting room and the new bar is beautiful. The view is great, this winery should not be missed

Yesterday, the day after Christmas, we made this our first stop of the day, and it was a good call. We were the only people in the place, and when that happens it is quite often a very good thing.
If you haven’t been here, know there are a plethora of wine options, and they are all tasty. On this visit we really enjoyed the ‘red on red’. It was a different blend than last summer and it was very good for the $ 10 price.
Again, as I mentioned last time, this is not a real ‘high maintenance” place. While we were there this time we got to watch the owner working on the bottling line, and we even had the chance to visit with him briefly. He was very candid and comfortable to listen to.
We tasted good wine, met the guy that made them, spent some money, and all is good.

I absolutely love this winery, so much I joined their ‘Wet One’s’ wine club. I always stop for a tasting on my way up to Angel’s Camp. Tastings are free. The wines are very affordable, all are under $ 20. They are dog friendly. The grounds is very cute and charming. The owners and staff are warm and funny. This place is so laid back and unpretentious I absolutely love it here.

We were on our way back from Sutter Creek and saw a lot of cars parked here so we turned around. So glad we did! This place was awesome, the Pinot Noir was my favorite followed by the Charbono. I don’t remember the exact name, but there was one wine with Chocolate in the title that I was surprised to like. It was like a Port, which I typically do not care for.
Great wine, great servers. We’ll be back!

Came yesterday and forgot our tasting associates name but she was very friendly, informative and loved her job. She never pushed the wine club membership on me or any of the other guests and so I think I may join for that reason. Saw the winemaker and his wife, very cute, almost as cute as their dogs. This is what I expect when I come to this area. No tasting fee and offered many wines to try. I came home with a Malbec. Affordable wines done by people who enjoy what they do and it shows.

The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. They clearly enjoy wine and the process. More importantly, they make exceptional wine. We were lucky enough to try all of their whites and there special blush wine, inspired by the owner’s dog. Each wine was special in its own way, and each one was far superior than most wines you would try in Napa or Sonoma. Sadly, they only distribute locally so you must go to the winery… but it is totally worth it! And they are open daily, so there are plenty of opportunities.
Also, they are dog friendly, which is a huge plus in my book. 4.5÷5

My boyfriend and I were in nearby Sutter Creek at a BnB, and we decided to go wine tasting. We ended up at Dry Town Cellars because a) it was close, and b) they were open.
So…here goes:
WINE TASTING
The tastings were free, and we tried all the wines they carry. Honestly, I was impressed — both their whites and reds were very good. Also, BIG bonus — my boyfriend is partial to Malbecs, and they have some that were maturing in barrels, and let us have a taste. We both particularly liked the Petite Syrah and the Sauvignon Blanc.
What both of us enjoyed was how down to earth the tasting was. The guy pouring the wine was happy to supply us with a bit of local history about Amador county and Dry Town, while letting us enjoy the wine and most importantly, letting the wine speak for itself. As he put it — everyone’s palate is different.
PRICING
Cheap, which was nice — we bought a total of 12 bottles, which came to $ 160. The cheapest was probably the rose at $ 10 — I bought a bottle to make some yummy sangria with later. However, the wine was quite tasty on its own. We also got several bottles of Petite Syrah.
The most expensive bottle was around $ 30. Most were somewhere in the middle ($ 15 – 20). We also got two bottles of Vino de Mocca, even though that one comes from Kirigin Cellars. Good stuff.
All in all — definitely coming back!

Right off hwy 49, you might get rear-​ended pulling into the property.
The wines I will get to… but first the owner needs an introduction.
Allen Kreutzer is right out of a novel. Something Hemingway might have written. Allen is unique, winemaker, father, entrepreneur, drummer in a local band and just missed being a child of the 60’s. Ask him about Woodstock and he will engage you like a old friend. We need more Allen’s in the world — just not too many.
Allen was in the back around some barrels when we got there. He was copiously drinking from three glasses at a time — must have been blending. We were unnoticed for awhile but that gave us a chance to nose around.
Allen spotted us and quickly came up. We noticed a few unlabelled varietals had splashed on the front of his t-​shirt. We knew we were in the right place. He started pouring two glasses about ¼ full from a non-​descript bottle and asked what we thought of it. We liked it and he mumbled something about what wine he thought it was.
Then a few stories about life were exchanged. He got into the real line-​up of wines and splashed wine on the counter everytime he poured a glass.
He explained his view of the business and how he runs it. Another ¼ glass for both of us and a few more stories. Allen explains that his wines are of a higher alcohol content than typically you find with these varietals. A few more splashes on the counter top as more ¼ glass tastings continue. Allen is now finding bottles in racks and under the counter to augment the nine tastings we have already had. There is a dump bucket but neither of us are using it. Noon turns into 1pm and more people drive up, but not for tasting, but for cases, yes cases of his wine. All of his wines are between $ 12 and $ 20 and his club members get discounts from there. The wine club is 3 times per year with only two bottles per shipment — Allen’s way of doing business. Allen has vineyards, buys loads of grapes and makes wine for other wineries who put their labels on his wine. He selects from all of his activities and has his own Drytown label on a lot of reds.
As best as I recall, we tasted (not in this order):
NV Vaira Ranch Red
2009 Syrah
2007 Grenache
2010 Primitivo
2010 Tempranillo
NV Red on Red
2010 Muscat Canelli
2009 Reserve Zin
2009 Barbera
NV Vino de Mocca
and others
We bought the Reserve Zin and Vino de Mocca. The Red on Red was a big value along with the Tempranillo & Barbera. If we went back, we would buy a broader range from him.
Vina de Mocca needs some explaining. It is an 18% dessert wine made with coffee beans, cocoa beans and oranges added. Stuff crystallizes at the bottom of the bottle. It is like nothing else in the wine world.
Leaving Drytown Cellars was not easy and we had to eat & wait about two hours before re-​starting our wine tasting of Amador County that afternoon. Whew!