Wines from Lake County, California

Saturday, September 17th

4:30 - 7:00 PM

This week we will turn our attention to an emerging wine region of California, the Lake County AVA.  A subset of the larger North Coast AVA, Lake County is to the North of Napa and Sonoma, and to the east of Mendocino.  Clear Lake, California's largest body of fresh water, sits within the county and the rugged, volcanic topography surrounding it begets elegant red wines, of which Cabernet Sauvignon is the star performer.  Especially as the real estate in Napa has become some of the most expensive land in the world, wineries hoping to do more value driven wines of high quality have looked North to Lake County.  Viticulture takes place in the southern half of Lake County, mainly around Clear Lake, where the vines benefit from the temperature-moderating effects of the lake.  Ancient volcanoes have provided Lake County with much of its terroir. Ridges and hills throughout the county have been formed by ancient lava flows, and vineyards are planted on hillsides with a variety of different slopes and aspects to take advantage of the prevailing weather patterns.  Vineyards were first planted here in the 1870s, although Prohibition in the 1920s saw most of the vines ripped out in favor of other crops. The potential of the area was rediscovered during the American wine renaissance of the 1970s, and now Lake County enjoys a reputation for bright, concentrated red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Zinfandel, and fresh, aromatic whites made from Sauvignon Blanc.  We've selected a number of our favorites, and look forward to introducing you to this up and coming area!

Shannon Ridge Sauvignon Blanc
Lake County, 2015
 
Vigilance Chardonnay
 Red Hills, Lake County, 2014
 
Shooting Star Pinot Noir
Lake County, 2014
 
High Valley Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
High Valley, Lake County, 2013

Shooting Star 'Black Bubbles' Sparkling Syrah
Lake County, NV