Sierra Foothills, California
Written By: Brian Freedman on Tue, Jul 3rd 2007
Region of the Week: July 3, 2007
Less widely known than some of California's marquis growing regions like Napa and Sonoma, the Sierra Foothills nonetheless produce some truly remarkable wines, not the least of which is the classically concentrated, exuberantly fruity and spicy zinfandel that the golden state is known for. Of course, it makes sense that this AVA in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains should be home to such a classic rendition of "America's grape variety" - the wine-making culture of the Sierra Foothills goes back nearly to the time of the great gold rush in the middle of the 19th century. So in that sense, the Sierra Foothills are just as inextricably linked to America's winemaking past as the grape it grows so well. Wines labeled as part of the Fiddletown, California Shenandoah Valley, El Dorado, and Fair Play AVAs are all Sierra Foothills in designation. In addition to zinfandel, also keep your eyes open for grape varietals like syrah and the lesser-known (and completely unrelated) petit sirah.
