History of Winegrapes in the Foothills

El Dorado County

Wine grapes have been grown in the foothill counties of El Dorado and Amador since about the 1850's, estimated around the time of gold discovery in Coloma. Early farm settlers, mainly grape growers and orchardists, supplied the mining communities with home made spirits and fresh fruit. During the early to mid 1900's the foothill grape industry peaked and declined in response to forces such as prohibition, grape phylloxera, and poor prices.

In the early 1960's pear decline, a devastating disease affecting El Dorado's premium Bartlett crop, caused orchards to be taken out as growers searched for an alternative crop. Several trial wine grape plantings were established in El Dorado County by 1965. They were evaluated by the UC Davis Department of Enology, who confirmed the suitability of the area for wine grape production, producing wines of distinctive quality.

Amador County

Meanwhile, Amador County grape growers, many arriving from Italy, survived Prohibition by selling fresh grapes and continued to plant, mostly Zinfandel. Some of these growers also experimented with "dry farming", producing intensely flavored berries. In the late 1960's the Amador wine grape growing area was "rediscovered" by home winemakers who passed their impressive wines made from Amador grapes onto commercial Napa Valley winemakers.

Source: "Old Vines, A History of Winegrowing in Amador county," by Eric J. Costa.