Also known as the Northern Sierra, Nevada County (in the towns of Grass Valley and Nevada City, Calif.) sits between Sacramento and Reno/Lake Tahoe with easy access off historic Highway 49 via Interstate 80. "Where the vines meet the pines" - home to more than 40 varieties of wine grapes and an abundance of small family farms.  People take their food and beverages  seriously here. Small town farms and chic urban eateries, breweries & wine tasting rooms comprise just a fraction of what's available in Nevada County.  More than a dozen wineries have made the foothills of Nevada County their home, joining Amador, El Dorado, Napa and Sonoma counties. Even Truckee chimes in on the oenophile options.  While many wineries keep their doors open for those exploring the countryside, local tasting rooms have bee n thriving in downtown Grass Valley and Nevada City. Along with wine, the Gold Rush also ushered in craft beer brewing - the region became a beer capital, thanks to the brewing skills of German immigrants, easy access to mountain spring water, rich hops and barley from the Sacramento Valley and later, refrigerated rail cars.  See history revealed in Nevada County's culinary tourism experiences!