Fiddletown AVA
Fiddletown is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Amador County, California, United States. The area was established on November 3, 1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted from the Fiddletown Wine Grape Growers in Amador County to establish a viticultural area to be known as "Fiddletown." The region was first settled in 1849, during the California Gold Rush. Settlers who stayed in the area eventually planted grape vines, which became abundant by the end of the nineteenth century. Most of the vineyards in the Fiddletown AVA are located in the south and west portion of the region on Sierra Nevada slopes between 1,500 to 2,500 feet (457–762 m) above sea level. About 20% of the wine produced in Amador County comes from Fiddletown viticultural area.
| Wine region | |
Creek running through the Fiddletown wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1983 1987 Amended |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California, Sierra Foothills AVA |
| Other regions in California, Sierra Foothills AVA | California Shenandoah Valley AVA |
| Soil conditions | Sierra-Ahwahee and Sites series; deep loam of decomposed granite |
| Total area | 11,500 acres (18 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 310 acres (125 ha) |
| Grapes produced | Barbera, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, |