Amador Foothill Winery

A few changes have started to take place at Amador Foothill Winery!

Winemaker Tom plans to bring several of the wine tanks into the cellar where they can be more readily monitored and cared for.

Allie is beginning to give attention to the exterior vegetation.

Fun to see the new developments start. The crush will start next week! 

Thomas D. Jones, President & Winemaker

Raised in Northern California Thomas (Tom) graduated from University of California, Davis with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Geology, 1980. He worked a harvest for a micro-winery near the California Coast soon thereafter. Enthused by all aspects of winemaking, Tom attended graduate school at University of California, Davis in the 1980s.  While completing a Master of Science degree in Food Science (Enology & Viticulture) Tom became the founding winemaker for his family’s winery, Lava Cap, in Placerville, California. He developed Lava Cap’s reputation for award-winning wines from 1986 to 2013 and then chose to retire to begin new endeavors.

In the fall of 2014, Tom took over as owner and winemaker at Amador Foothill Winery located in Amador’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Tom stated “For a winemaker there is no substitution for walking the vineyards, observing the conditions, and most importantly tasting the ripening grapes to determine when they are bursting with flavor. Our new estate affords me control from the vine to the bottle for all of my wines.”

Tom brings a joy of engineering and old world finesse with recognition of showing the best from the vineyard to handcraft his balanced, flavorful wines. He is well known for exquisite white wines, including Chardonnay, as well as supremely well-structured red wines such as Zinfandel and Barbera.

Tom lives with his wife Beth near the winery. In his free time he enjoys exploring the remote regions of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and playing golf.

August 18, 2014 (Plymouth, CA).
Tom and Beth Jones, former stakeholders of Lava Cap Winery, have recently purchased Amador Foothill Winery in the Shenandoah Valley of Amador County. In this noted Zinfandel region of the Sierra Foothills, Amador Foothill Winery was established over three decades ago. Tom’s winemaking aspirations drew him to the exceptional terroir and adventuresome winemaking spirit in the Shenandoah Valley Appellation. Both Tom and Beth are enjoying the warm welcome that they have received so far and look forward to opening the tasting room this Fall 2014. Purchasing Amador Foothill Winery near the onset of the 2014 harvest is daunting but Tom will build on the long legacy left by former winemaker-owners Katie Quinn and Ben Zeitman. The winery enjoys a panoramic Sierra view and new gravity fed crush techniques paired with old growth vineyards will allow a new leaf to develop in the Amador Foothill Winery story.

Beth will open the tasting room to visitors this Fall. Join her at the winery Friday through Monday 11 am to 5 pm for a chance to taste and chat.