The Sierra Foothills were first famous for gold, but the appellation is now considered a highlight of California wine country. The Gold Rush, beginning in 1849, brought thousands of diggers and dreamers to the area. Vines, mostly Zinfandel, were planted to produce wine for the thirsty miners, and in time more than 100 wineries existed in this cool, craggy region. But the waning of the Gold Rush, and Prohibition, signaled a halt to the production of Sierra Foothills wine for many years.
In recent decades this nearly abandoned wine region has been rediscovered, and once more, powerful and robust Zinfandels are being produced in what is now the Sierra Foothills AVA (American Viticultural Area).
Within the Sierra Foothills, Amador County wine is noted as particularly fine. Although Zinfandel wine remains king in Amador County, wineries there are now experimenting and having good success with Rhône varieties, like Syrah and Viognier, and Italian grape varieties, such as Sangiovese.
