Our Sierra Foothills Flights and Bites Adventure – Part 2
Posted on June 25,2022 By John and Linda Compisi
Wine grapes were first planted in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada during the California Gold Rush of the late 1840s and early 1850s. Federal recognition of the viticultural area occurred on November 18, 1987. Since this humble beginning, there are now over 30,000 acres of vines planted in the Sierra Foothills Appellation and over 400 wineries. Most of these wineries are small, boutique and family owned. Zinfandel is the grape variety most commonly planted, followed distantly by Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Italian varieties such as Barbera and Primitivo also do well here. Interestingly, most vines are planted between 1,500 and 3,000 feet above sea level. Additional information about the Sierra Foothills AVA was provided in Part 1.
Fairplay AVA is a significant subset of the greater Sierra Foothills AVA. Claiming over 25 wineries, the boundaries of the AVA include rolling hills at elevations between 2,000 and 3,000 feet above sea level, making it the California appellation with the second highest average elevation after the Squaw Valley-Miramonte appellation (Squaw Valley referenced here is not the ski resort now named Palisades Tahoe).
Following our brief stay in Folsom, CA, where I had participated in judging many great wines from the greater Sierra Foothills AVA, we decided to spend our free day in Fairplay at the recommendation of one of the judges in my panel who was very familiar with the wineries around Folsom. Be assured, Fairplay is not on the beaten path. Located about 40 miles, generally east of Folsom half of which is via Highway 50. For perspective, the popular California Shenandoah Valley AVA is about 15 miles southwest of Fairplay.
Fairplay and the town of Somerset remain mostly rural beauties unspoiled by the tourism and development of places like Napa or Sonoma. They are marked by their rolling hills and California Live Oaks. Worth the ride for this alone. Many of the wineries in Fairplay have sophisticated and well-situated tasting rooms that do food pairings and walk-ins are welcome but be aware: many of them are only open Thursday through Sunday or less.
We were returning to Reno later that evening so we only had one morning and afternoon. We choose three wineries to visit and each offered a unique experience. First up was E16.
E16 was founded by Robert Jones who was inspired by memories of his grandfather who grew grapes in Lodi back in the 1940s. Jones was a successful technology professional prior to buying his Fairplay property in the late 1980s. The tasting room is ‘wine country’ elegant and the staff were both knowledgeable, local and friendly. The tasting list was eclectic with Italian, Rhône and a few other varieties. Most of the wine is from estate fruit, the Baby Rattlesnake Vineyard, but they also source grapes from renowned vineyards like Doctor’s, in the Santa Lucia Highlands (SLH) and Martealla Vineyard in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County.
Club members have access to a tasting area in the barrel room. Great ambiance.
We enjoyed and purchased the 2018 Barbera, El Dorado, Baby Rattlesnake Vineyard and the 2018 Pinot Noir, from the Doctor’s Vineyard in the SLH. Each of these demonstrated exceptional winemaking which allows the character of the fruit and the terroir to show through.
Next, we ventured to Element 79. This expansive tasting room backs up to their vineyards with a full-length patio stretching along the back. The name is inspired by the fact that Gold is the 79th element in the periodic table, if you remember what that is. Being located in Gold Country, this made a lot of sense. Perhaps coincidentally, the owners, Les and Sharon Heinsen, were married in 1979.
We must add, Les was walking through the parking lot when we arrived and saw us heading to the tasting room. He stopped us and introduced himself, walked us back to the tasting room and placed us in the hands of his tasting room manager. This gentleman understands hospitality.
The tasting room was very busy and the tasting flights allowed for a wine only tasting for $10/person (one free with bottle purchase), a chocolate pairing and a cheese pairing. The latter two for $15 with a discount when wine is purchased. Reservations are encouraged but walk-ins are welcome. We were seated on the patio and enjoyed the early March sunshine. We purchased a few bottles including the 2018 Olivia’s Cuvee (a Syrah/CabSauv blend) and the 2017 Alloy (a Zinfandel/CabSauv blend).
Our final tasting room stop in Fairplay was Bumgarner Winery. The vibe at Bumgarner was much more farmhouse or hippie-ish than the sleek sense one got at Element 79 or E16. We felt very relaxed in the outdoor picnic area behind the tasting room. After enjoying a brief tasting (had to make the drive back to Reno) we purchased a couple of bottles including a Silver Fork Wine, a second label to the Bumgarner Brand with a focus on local, sustainable business. The wine was packaged in a reusable flip top bottle. Return the bottle and get a credit on the next bottle. A unique and interesting concept that is planet friendly.
The name Silver Fork has a regional reference to the Silver Fork of the American River located just up Hwy 50. The Bumgarner flagship wine is their Cabernet Sauvignon. Besides the Fairplay tasting room (open Wednesday – Sunday) that we visited, they have another tasting room in Camino that is open 7 days a week.
Dining in Fairplay is a bit limited but we were very pleased with the fare at the Creekside Cork and Brew in Somerset. The Creekside Burger was quite flavorful. Be aware, they are not open on Tuesday or Wednesday.
We sincerely enjoyed our brief but deliciously undisturbed Fairplay experience. Add it to your list of undiscovered wine areas to visit soon.