Sierra Foothills

  • All of these AVAs are contained entirely within the geographic boundaries of the Sierra Foothills AVA:  California Shenandoah Valley AVA, El Dorado AVA, Fair Play AVA, Fiddletown AVA, North Yuba AVA
  • Established in 1987, an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the state of California
  • Contains portions of eight California counties: Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Tuolumne and Yuba
  • Stretches from Yuba County in the north to Mariposa County in the south, along the western portion of the Sierra Nevada, with Amador, El Dorado and Calaveras counties in the center
  • Runs like a narrow band between the too-hot valley and the equally inhospitable higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains
  • Vineyards are generally planted in locations between 1,500 feet (457 m) and 3,000 feet (914 m)
  • Zinfandel has the largest planting followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Barbera