When the modern California wine trade began to gain momentum about four decades ago, one of the more instrumental players to establish Amador County as a fine-wine region was Montevina Winery.

Cary and Vickie Gott, who ran the place early on, were bold in exploring the county's potential, especially in the Shenandoah Valley, where Montevina was founded in quarters not much larger than a one-car garage. They took chances on nebbiolo, barbera and other grape varieties virtually unknown in the foothills, but their thoughtful and prescient experiments didn't stop there.

They recognized right away that the Shenandoah Valley primarily was zinfandel territory, and they set about exploring the variety's full potential, turning out all sorts of successful interpretations, from a light and frisky nouveau-style rendition to huskier and more forthright takes.

After a few years, the Gotts moved on, first to Monterey County, then Napa Valley. Montevina kept growing. A much larger facility was built. Additional vineyards were developed. New owners took over, and even its name was changed, to Terra d'Oro Winery, which initially was a second label for Montevina's higher-end releases.

Today, "Montevina" survives as a secondary label for Terra d'Oro's value portfolio.

And though the winery now is owned by large and diverse Trinchero Family Estates out of Napa Valley, the twin aspirations established by the Gotts continue: Terra d'Oro is first a zinfandel house, but the Gotts' initial commitment to exploration still is apparent in such wines as a leathery and earthy proprietary blend of Amador sangiovese and Napa cabernet sauvignon called Forte. It is a surprisingly vivid and complex interpretation of the black Southern Italian grape aglianico, and a dense and aggressive take on the black northern-Italian grape teroldego.

Yet zinfandel remains the winery's foundation, and at the tasting counter on any given day, visitors can sample a half-dozen varied styles between the two labels, from white zinfandel to port. At the heart of the lineup is four zinfandels turned out as dry table wines, but varying dramatically in weight and expressiveness.

When we stopped by the winery not long ago, the Terra d'Oro 2007 Home Vineyard Zinfandel was especially likable for its earthiness, smokiness and length. Terra d'Oro's 2006 SHR Field Blend Zinfandel was a meatier and sweeter take on the varietal. And the Terra d'Oro Deaver Vineyard Zinfandel was the most voluminous and ripest representative of the varietal in the place, seizing the fully ripe flavors for which Amador County zinfandel is recognized without crossing into prune and raisin territory.

Our favorite of the four this day was the Terra d'Oro Winery 2007 Amador County Zinfandel. It was the first of the four in the lineup, acknowledgment that it also was the gentlest.

Still, it's a zinfandel packed with the fresh blackberry and raspberry fruit and the clove spiciness for which the varietal is recognized in Amador. Of the four, it was the liveliest and longest on the palate. It's rich and solid, more medium-bodied than heavy, and while accessible now could benefit by three to five years of aging.

It fully captures the warmth and sunshine of Amador County, but in a manner that, well, is more mannerly than more brash and intimidating interpretations. And at $18, it offers the best value of Terra d'Oro's zinfandels.

Terra d'Oro winemaker Chris Leamy credits the wine's clarity and complexity to the winery's rolling 400-acre vineyard, in particular how it gives him grapes from varied elevations ranging from 1,000 feet to almost 2,000 feet, and stretching north and south across the valley.

"This geographic range helps to bring a bit more complexity and to really showcase what zin from this area can produce," he said. "I think this wine's most pronounced character is the classic spice/fruit nose that you don't find as much in other regions. The dominance of the clove/allspice character really speaks to the area."

Terra d'Oro Winery

2007 Amador County Zinfandel

By the numbers: 14.5 percent alcohol, nearly 14,000 cases, $18

Context: "This wine is awesome with grilled lamb or sausages," said winemaker Chris Leamy, "and I really think you can't go wrong with burgers. At the Volcano Union Inn (in nearby Volcano), this zin and their lamb burger would be heaven."

Availability: The Terra d'Oro Amador County Zinfandel is widely available in the Sacramento area, including branches of Nugget Markets, Raley's/Bel Air and BevMo.

Information: Terra d'Oro's tasting room, 20680 Shenandoah School Road, Plymouth, is open 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily. Tours are given at noon and 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

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Longtime wine critic and competition judge Mike Dunne continues his relationship with The Bee as a contributing columnist to the Food & Wine section and www.sacwineregion.com. His wine selections are based solely on open and blind tastings, judging at competitions, and visits to wine regions. Check out his blog at http://ayearinwine.blogspot. com, and reach him at mikedunne@winegigs.com.

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