The wineries have been here since the Gold Rush, first thriving in the Shenandoah Valley near Plymouth in Amador County. Here, the D'Agostini Winery was established in 1856. By the 1890s, more than 100 wineries operated in the region. Population declines and Prohibition forced all but a few wineries to close.

But the climate and soils were too good to leave alone, and today the foothills have enjoyed a resurgence in winemaking. The robust zinfandels and other red varietals are legendary for their quality. Today, these important California wine regions encompass dozens of wineries, many of them family-owned.

The Sierra Nevada foothills feature several regions in addition to the Shenandoah Valley: the Fairplay/Somerset area in south El Dorado County, Camino/Placerville, and Gold Hill in central El Dorado County, and the Nevada County wineries.

Amador Vintners Online features the wineries of Amador County. Here, more some 20 small and large wineries feature tasting rooms and picnic sites.

Calaveras Wine Association highlights ten wineries in this region.

This beautiful site features the wineries of El Dorado County.

• Amador County Wineries

• Calaveras County Wineries

• El Dorado County Wineries

• Mariposa County Wineries

• Nevada County Wineries

• Tuolumne County Wineries