Sierra Foothills is a vast American Viticultural Area (AVA) encompassing the foothill "belt" of the Sierra Nevada in north-central California, United States. It was established on December 18, 1987 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after evaluating the petition filed by the Sierra Foothills Winery Association of Somerset, California for the establishment of a "Sierra Foothills" viticultural area in portions of Yuba, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa Counties. Wine grapes were introduced to the area in the nineteenth century during the California Gold Rush. Over 280 vineyards/wineries are located within its boundaries.

History

Wine grapes were planted in the foothills of Yuba County in the 1850's and 1000 acre were dedicated to cultivation, but by 1930, as a result of Prohibition, the vineyards were replaced by orchards of peaches and prunes. After Repeal in 1933, wine grape growing re-surged in the valley lowlands. The viticulture in Yuba County has been associated with the Sacramento Valley because from the mid-1930's to the early 1980's wine grapes were not being cultivated in the foothills of Yuba County.

Terroir

"Sierra Foothills" viticultural area encompasses Sierra Nevada's north-central foothill "belt", an interior range that extends about 360 mi in a northwest to southeast orientation from Mt. Lassen to Walker Pass near Bakersfield. The area is approximately 170 mi long from Yuba County to Mariposa County and lies 40 mi to the east of Sacramento with elevations ranging from 500 ft above sea level, e.g., Jackson Valley and Auburn Ravine, to 3500 ft in Mariposa County. In comparison with the North Yuba viticultural area which ranges in elevation from 1000 to(-), the Sierra Foothills viticultural area fully encompasses the range in elevation for the North Yuba viticultural area. The area encompasses 4200 sqmi and is one of the state's largest viticultural areas. The characteristics which distinguish the Sierra Foothills viticultural area from surrounding areas are summarized as follows:

Vineyards

Sierra Foothills has 5700 acre being cultivated for wine grapes in about 180 vineyard/wineries. The most common grape variety is Zinfandel, which accounts for 2300 acre. Cabernet Sauvignon is planted on 600 acre, and Syrah is planted to 560 acre. The most common white grape variety is Chardonnay, planted to 289 acre. Other grape varieties are grown in smaller quantities. Vineyards are generally planted in locations 1500 to(-) above sea level. There are over 200 wineries located within the Sierra Foothills. Many are small, boutique wineries, often family-owned. The first known planting in the Sierra Foothills was in the Coarsegold Gulch area during the Gold Rush period.