Sierra Foothills

The Sierra Foothills are the rugged, high-country home of California's oldest Zinfandel — a sweep of decomposed-granite vineyards climbing the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, above and east of the Central Valley floor. Warm days ripen the fruit fully while cool mountain nights preserve freshness, so the wines are deeply coloured, robust and high in alcohol yet a touch more structured, spicy and rustic than their valley cousins — brambly blackberry and raspberry over a signature crack of black pepper, briary dried herbs and sweet baking spice. Amador County, and its Shenandoah Valley in particular, is the historic heart of the district and home to some of the most ancient Zinfandel vines in the United States.