A longtime El Dorado County winery and tasting room appears to be growing its local footprint.
According to records from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Crystal Basin Cellars has filed to open at 2850 Cold Springs Rd in Placerville. The application, submitted January 22, 2026, is currently pending state approval.
While Founder Mike Owen could not be reached for comment, a team member confirmed that a new Placerville location is in the works, noting that the winery is “working out some details.”
Crystal Basin traces its roots back to 1980, when Mike’s family began making wine at home, according to the winery’s website. By 2000, Mike and his wife Melissa transitioned to commercial production, eventually relocating to their current Camino property in 2006. The 80-year-old structure has lived several lives—pear barn, cider house, apple barn—before becoming what the team calls its “grape barn.”
Today, Crystal Basin Cellars produces wines made exclusively from grapes sourced within a 30-mile radius, showcasing fruit grown at elevations ranging from 600 to 3,400 feet across El Dorado County. The winery has earned multiple Gold medals at major competitions and hosts regular events, including crab feeds, oyster festivals, and themed tastings.
Crystal Basin Cellars currently operates two tasting rooms: its primary winery at 3550 Carson Rd in Camino’s Apple Hill region and Crystal Basin Station at 813-G Sutter St in Folsom.
Stay tuned for updates as the Placerville tasting room moves through the approval process.
