Foothill Wine

California's Foothills
Wine Region

Wines of the Sierra Foothills

It's been called "Gold Country" since the mid 1800s when people from all over the world came to the Sierra Foothills to seek their fortunes during the great California Gold Rush, and some planted grape vines they brought from Europe. Now there are wonderful wines made by the wineries of the Foothill Region

Along with picks, shovels, and rockers, the people who came to California for gold also brought grape vines, and planted vineyards near the gold fields. And so the early history of the State of California included the making of wine -- mostly with mission grapes, which came north from the formerly Spanish missions. But along with the mission variety, another grape -- quite different -- was imported from somewhere in the Adriatic region (Italy or maybe Croatia) -- and the wine made from this grape became known as Zinfandel.

Zinfandel quickly became the most prominent wine of Gold Country, and these vineyards operated non-stop, even during the prohibition years. Amador County was the only county in the state to actually expand its vineyard acreage during prohibition, with the grapes taken to San Francisco and other cities for home wine makers. The Shenandoah Valley Museum at Sobon Estate Winery (above) displays artifacts of that early era, in an historic winery building.

It's The Soil

Ask a foothill winemaker what gives foothill wines their unusual robust taste, and they'll tell you "it's the soil." Most of the vineyards at the 2000 foot elevation are set in a soil made of decomposed granite, a product of erosion from the Sierra Nevada range. This granitic soil is typical of the Shenandoah Valley in Amador County, around Murphys in Calaveras County, and in the Fair Play/Somerset area in El Dorado County. The view from Oakstone, near Fair Play (above), is a typical valley scene.

At the higher El Dorado elevations (close to 3,000) the soil is composed of finely crushed volcanic rock thrown up by volcanoes in the Lake Tahoe area some ten million years ago. Lava Cap Winery, takes its name from the soil in its more than 130 acres of vineyard. Boeger Winery is nearby but a little lower in elevation.

Both types of soil have good drainage, and very few nutrients, making the vines send their roots deep into the soil to hunt for food and water. The substantial root structure provides the grapes with the flavors of the specific vineyard site. Some of the vineyards are dry farmed -- with no summer irrigation. These vines bask in the intense summer sunshine, and produce skins with a deep blue/black color. Stressed vines produce richer, more deeply flavored Zinfandels, Cabernets, and Syrahs.

The Wineries

Sierra Foothill wineries are spaced north to south from Nevada County -- a high area where most of the grapes are imported from other foothill areas -- through El Dorado County; south in the Shenandoah Valley of Amador County (and a few other Amador ridges and valleys), to Calaveras County, in the small valleys surrounding the historic town of Murphys. Milliaire Winery, owned and operated by Steve and Ann Millier, is found on Murphy's Main Street, in a former gas station.

Almost all of the more than 60 wineries in this region are owned and operated by families. the wine is hand crafted in small quantities. The few larger wineries, including Montevina which is now owned by Napa's huge Sutter Home operation, is also occupied in experimentation with new varieties which are being introduced to the foothill area. Montevina has been at the forefront of the movement to grow northern Italian varieties in the Shenandoah Valley.

So, varietal wines such as Sangiovese (which makes Chianti in Italy), Nebbiolo (the grape used for making Barolo), and Barbera, are providing exciting new ventures for the winemakers. Vino Noceto, a small family Amador winery specializes in Sangiovese, almost to the exclusion of everything else.

Visiting the wineries is quite a different experience from visiting the large and glitzy Napa and Sonoma wineries. Most wine tasting operations are small and cozy. Some wineries are downright rustic. Others are modern buildings but most have the owners in their tasting rooms, and often the winemakers are pouring wine except during the crush season. This informal type of tasting provides a great opportunity to get to know the wines, and hear how the wines are made.

Villa Toscano unveiled its sun-washed Mediterranean style winery and tasting room and has become a destinatio winery. Other new wineries are under construction, and more vineyards are being planted in former orchards and cattle-grazing fields. For those who are within driving distance of the Sierra Foothills, a day or two spent visiting wineries can be a richly rewarding experience. The winemakers are friendly, the wine is great, and the scenery is spectacular.