Sierra Foothills AVA
| Wine region | |
Vineyards near Vallecito, California | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1987 |
| Years of wine industry | 185 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California |
| Sub-regions | California Shenandoah Valley AVA, El Dorado AVA, Fair Play AVA, Fiddletown AVA, North Yuba AVA |
| Growing season | 100-300 days |
| Climate region | Region II-III |
| Precipitation (annual average) | 20 in (508 mm) |
| Soil conditions | weathered igneous, volcanic, metamorphic & metasedimentary overlying granite |
| Total area | 2,688,000 acres (4,200 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 5,700 acres (2,307 ha) |
| No. of vineyards | 150 |
| Grapes produced | Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Grenache, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Viognier, Zinfandel |
| Varietals produced | 48 |
| No. of wineries | 211 |
Sierra Foothills is a vast American Viticultural Area (AVA) encompassing portions of seven of the twelve California counties in the foothill "belt" of the Sierra Nevadas in north-central California, an interior range that extends about 360 mi (580 km) in a northwest-southeast orientation from Mt. Lassen to Walker Pass near Bakersfield. The viticultural area is approximately 160 mi (260 km) long and lies 40 mi (64 km) to the east of Sacramento. 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 viticultural area named "Sierra Foothills" 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 of 1849. Over 280 vineyards/wineries are located within its boundaries.