It’s exciting to see the continued rise of talented winemakers and exceptional vineyards in the rugged Sierra Foothills. While Rhône varieties lead this modern revival, Zinfandel remains central to the region’s story—it's the grape that first drew coastal winemakers inland to places like Amador County. Long known for bold, robust Zins, Amador has been evolving. With the establishment of vineyards like Shake Ridge in 2001 and the influence of like-minded growers, the region has found a new sense of balance.

That’s why we were thrilled at Bowler to discover a bright, juicy, carbonic Zinfandel from “End of Nowhere,” sourced from old vines in Amador. It’s a fresh take on a classic grape—bridging tradition and innovation—and a perfect fit for our Sierra Foothills lineup.

Owner, winemaker, and farmer Chris Walsh grew up in Amador County. After college, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in architectural lighting design but soon found himself immersed in the wine world, working at spots like The Tangled Vine and Corkbuzz. In 2014, he returned home and bought a 20-acre property just across the dirt road from his childhood house. He named it Little John Lane Vineyard, after the road itself, and planted mostly Rhône varieties. Today, he farms about five acres organically, with plans to dry-farm once the vines mature.

While waiting for his own vines to produce, Chris has sourced fruit from well-farmed local vineyards, leveraging relationships built while working at Donkey & Goat, Terre Rouge, Matthew Rorick, and Shake Ridge. In the cellar, Chris keeps things minimal: native yeast fermentations, no fining or filtering, and just small SO₂ additions (totaling 40ppm or less). He ferments in old barrels, flex tanks, and T-bins, aging everything in neutral French oak. The result is pure, expressive wine that reflects both place and perspective.