Fiddletown AVA, in Amador County, was settled in 1849 and quickly became a supply centre for the surrounding gold mining camps. However, when the gold began to disappear, so did the people. Settlers had planted vines, which were abundant by the late 1800s. After this section of the Mother Lode experienced mass exodus, it was not until the early 1970s that Fiddletown’s loam soil sported vines again. Today, most of the vineyards are on the region’s southern and western hills. They produce grapes that are less forceful in alcohol with more elegant fruit character than the rest of the valley. The appellation is responsible for about 20% of Amador's production. Sitting between 1,500-2,500 feet elevation, this appellation was recognized as distinct from its surroundings by the BATF in November, 1983.