When most people are asked about Sacramento, California’s capital, they think of governing branches and quite possible our celebrated Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Many know that “theGovernator” enjoys fine things including great cigars, exceptional food and a deep love of wine. Fortunately, he doesn’t have to travel far to Napa or Sonoma to explore one of the state’s best-kept secrets: the historically significant and romantically unspoiled Amador County.

Just south and west of Sacramento, Amador County sits on the outskirts of the Gold Country and the Sierra Nevada Mountains where the well documented Gold Rush in 1849 brought great interest and wealth to northern California. Many of the fortune-seekers who flocked to the Sierra foothills in the 1850s were European immigrants who planted extensive vineyards upon their arrival. After the mines ran dry, many of these wine-loving prospectors turned their focus to the craft. By the 1890s, there were over 100 wineries in the foothill region, more than in Napa and Sonoma counties together at the time! Trouble came to the California wine industry in it’s entirety in the form of America’s Prohibition, and Amador County was hit hard. It took Amador a long time to bounce back and wasn’t until the 1970’s that wine was once again flowing from this region in any significant quantity.

Since 1856 Amador was established on the grape varietal for which it has become most well known and most planted, Zinfandel. And while the success of Zinfandel, which represents about 70% of the county’s planted grape total, carved out a reputation early on for the region; the selection of grapes today is varied as the conditions in which they are grown. The old zinfandel vineyards here are both dry farmed and low yielding- two key attributes for this varietal’s success. The wines are scented with plum fruit, mineral, clove and anise spice, and, on occasion, hints of raisin, salinity and cocoa. Zinfandels from Shenandoah Valley tend to be riper and earthier than those of Fiddletown, which display brighter, more cherry-like fruit. Having said all of that, local vintners are producing a broad array of wines and not just Zin. These include pungent and grassy Sauvignon Blanc, extracted and inky Petite Sirah, among the best jammy Barbera wines made in the state! Increasingly, many wine varieties usually identified with the Rhône Valley of France, especially meaty Syrah based wines and perfumed and peach nuanced Viogniers, are being produced wonderfully in Amador County.

The majority of Amador’s wineries are small, family-run operations that are quaint and charming. You will not find busloads of tourists here and there are no manicured golf courses and country clubs dotting the landscape. Each winery has its own distinct personality, and you are more likely than not to be greeted by the owner or winemaker who indeed may be the same person. For those of you here in San Francisco, getting to Amador is about a three-hour drive. When coming from an airplane distance away, and visiting Amador and the Gold Country is your primary goal, it may be easier to fly into Sacramento. Whatever your motivation, the real gold of the area today is no longer in the hillside mines but on the hillside vines!!

Any other Amador fans out there?