California's heritage wine

Sunset, Oct, 1995 by Lora J. Finnegan

A short drive away is A. Rafanelli Vineyards and Winery, 4685 West Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg; (707) 433-1385. Open 10 to 4 Tuesdays through Sundays through October. Tours, tasting by appointment. The spicy, rich, plummy estate-grown Zinfandel is oak-aged to ensure a long finish.

Lytton Springs Winery, 650 Lytton Springs Rd., Healdsburg; 433-7721. Call ahead for winter hours. Single-vineyard bottlings include field-blended quantities of Petite Sirah and Carignan, resulting in a Zin with pepper and cassis in the nose and an intense fruitiness.

Preston Vineyards, 9282 West Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg; 433-3372. Open 11 to 4:30 daily. The tasting room shouts Lou Preston's love of Zinfandel -- in neon. His style: ripe, jammy flavors with spicy notes and understated tannins.

Quivira Vineyards, 4900 West Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg; 431-8333. Open 10 to 4:30 daily. This handsome barnlike structure sits in the midst of a vineyard; picnic tables look downvalley. Quivira's well-structured Zins are typically very fruity.

Are the earthy, deeper-flavored Zins from the cooler Russian River Valley more to your taste? A mini-tour of that region can begin west of Santa Rosa off Guerneville Road.

DeLoach Vineyards, 1791 Olivet Rd., Santa Rosa; 526-9111. Tasting 10 to 4:30 daily, tours at 11 and 2 daily. The Barbieri Ranch, Papera Ranch, Pelletti Ranch, and Gambogi Ranch limited bottlings come from vines planted at the turn of the century; they provide a range of aromas and flavors, from smoke to bright, fresh raspberry.

Joseph Swan Vineyards, 2916 Laguna Rd., Forestville; 573-3747. Tasting 11 to 4:30 weekends. Some single-vineyard bottlings (Frati Ranch, Stellwagen, Zeigler) are hard to find but worth seeking out. Look for ripe cherry flavors, lean tannins, and a certain earthiness on the finish.

Gold Country Zin in Amador County

In Amador, Zinfandel is king, ranking first among the country's wine-grape plantings. Some of the oldest commercial grapevines in the state are here, including a few graybeards planted during the Lincoln administration and still bearing fruit. The grapes harvested from the rocky soil of these warm, rolling Sierra Nevada foothills yield wines known for their complexity, earthiness, berry fruitiness, and high alcohol. Those who prefer big, fairly tannic Zinfandels will be happy here -- though some area winemakers strive for balance over raw power.

Amador's wine country is about a 3-hour drive northeast from the Bay Area, so you may elect to stay overnight. Consider Amador City or Sutter Creek as a base both offer good restaurants and cozy inns. For a map of Sierra Foothills Association wineries, call the Amador County Chamber of Commerce at (800) 649-4988.

Here in the Shenandoah Valley, wineries cluster like grapes on a stem. To tour this compact wine region near Plymouth, take off from State Highway 49 onto Shenandoah Road and head east, then follow signs to the wineries on Shenandoah School and Steiner roads.

Amador Foothill Winery, 12500 Steiner Rd., Plymouth; (209) 245-6307. Open noon to 5 weekends and holidays. Out front, a couple of picnic tables overlook a small pond and vineyards; inside, you may have to make way for the winemaker as he tends to the tanks near the tasting bar. Bold, firm Zinfandels stand out.