Sierra Foothills - El Dorado

The history of wine production in El Dorado Wine Country dates to the mid 19th century. While best known for Zinfandel, El Dorado wineries excel at producing several other grapes as well. These include Chenin Blanc, Petite Syrah, Chardonnay, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Cabernet Sauvignon. During the growing season, the climate of El Dorado Wine Country is generally sunny with warm days and cool nights. Many varietals need a lot of sunlight to ripen, but also require cool evenings to retain acidity. Grapes like Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Barbera all need enough heat for flavor development, but also need acidity for structure and balance. El Dorado Wineries search to find this balance.Like most wine growing regions in the Sierra Foothills, the terrain of El Dorado Wine Country is composed of very unfertile soil that is suited for high quality grape growing. El Dorado Wineries grow their vines in decomposed granite soil on elevated mountain slopes.