Sierra Foothills NV Wine

The Sierra Nevada foothills east of Reno are Nevada's most credible wine-growing territory. At 4,500 to 6,000 feet elevation, temperatures are significantly cooler than the flat Nevada desert, with cold nights that preserve grape acidity and intense UV radiation that concentrates flavors. The soils are a mix of decomposed granite and volcanic material, similar to the California Gold Country wine regions on the other side of the Sierra. Churchill Vineyards in Fallon, established in 1990, was the state's first licensed winery and demonstrated that Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Riesling could achieve genuine quality when irrigated from the Truckee River system. The wine tourism experience here is genuinely surprising for visitors who associate Nevada exclusively with Las Vegas casinos.