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Sierra Foothills Wine Country

The El Dorado AVA is comprised of rugged, mountainous terroir. The thin, austere soils of the region are ideal for Zinfandel; but Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Barbera, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. Sierra Foothills Wineries are known for producing these wines.

The Fair Play AVA is a hill-top sub-region of Sierra Foothills Wine Country. The AVA has relatively fertile soil compared to other grape growing regions in the Sierra Foothills. But this is balanced by the wine region’s extremely high elevation and cool, windy climate. So the soil is forgiving compared to other Sierra Foothills Wineries, but the climate is marginal.

The oldest Sierra Foothills Wineries are in the Shenandoah Valley AVA. Wine has been made here since the Gold Rush. It’s located in Amador County, and has a sunny climate that produces wines of considerable depth. In addition, there are some extremely old Zinfandel vineyards in this historic part of Sierra Foothills Wine Country.

The Fiddletown AVA is also in Amador County and sits adjacent to Shenandoah Valley, but at a higher elevation. If the soils were any less fertile, they simply would not be able to sustain vineyards. But this feature produces extracted Zinfandel with dark pigments, strong tannins and high alcohol.

> A Few Popular Sierra Foothills Wineries

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