Calaveras County is situated in the Sierra Foothills of central California, just south of Amador County. It is one of eight counties that are part of the Sierra Foothills AVA. There are two dozen wineries in the county; with about the same number of varieties planted in this county. Leading cultivars include Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Barbera along with some Spanish varieties that include Albariño, Tempranillo and Garnacha, while there is also a sprinkling of Rhone varieties such as Syrah, Mourvedre and Roussanne. Red wines account for most of the production, these are generally rich and quite spicy. (Wine/Appellations)