Wines & Vines
Lake County may have three world-famous winegrowing regions as next-door neighbors (Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino), but visitors to Lake County will find that the wineries often feel a world away, as if they've discovered that out-of-the-way, best-kept secret wine region.
Today, Lake County's wine industry is booming with new, innovative wineries focused on sustainability, organic, and biodynamic principles and wines that are consistent award winners. Lake County has taken third place in winegrape sales for the third year in a row in 2007, just behind neighboring Napa and Sonoma counties. Nearly 100 labels make use of Lake County's distinct winegrapes.
The two dominant winegrape varieties of Lake County are Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, which flourish in the high elevations, clear air, and continental climate.
A range of Sauvignon Blancs are produced with luscious berries on Lake County's more fertile and flatter soils and are harvested at different stages of ripeness, making for either crisp, herbaceous, and mineral-style wines or peach, melon, and tropical fruit-flavored wines. As a result, Lake County has quickly become a leader in the North Coast for both fruit and wine made from this variety.
It's the red soils, with coarse fragments of black obsidian rock and other rocks and minerals that make Cabernet Sauvignon thrive here. The fruit is very concentrated in flavor, and yields are modest. Knowledgeable drinkers refer to Lake County's Cabernet Sauvignon as "classic," and the varietal only improves with age. Other red wines that do well in Lake County include Syrah, Barbera, Grenache, Zinfandel, and Tempranillo.
The High Valley AVA is home to newer, renowed wineries like Brassfield Estate Winery, Shannon Ridge, and High Valley Vineyard. The AVA is made up of both volcanic soils on its hillsides and alluvial soils on its valley floor, thereby making it perfect for a range of wines — from Syrah to Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio to Sauvignon Blanc.
So get ready for your real wine adventure. Plan a trip to Lake County to experience award-winning wines and exciting wine events and festivals—all in a setting that reflects the area's friendly, relaxed lifestyle.
Tasting Rooms, Wineries & Breweries
Lake County has a long wine history that dates back to the 1850s when early settlers first began planting vineyards, which flourished in Lake County's Mediterranean microclimates and soil rich in volcanic ash.Today, Lake County calls itself "The Undiscovered Wine Country," encouraging visitors to come and explore its high-elevation vineyards and vast and varied territory. Less well-known than the neighboring growing regions of Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino, Lake County is an ultra-premium winegrape growing region whose number of award-winning wineries continue to grow.
Wine bars and wineries operating tasting rooms with regularly scheduled hours, are at the top of the list; preceding wineries with tasting by appointment.
Tasting Rooms & Wine Bars
Beaver Creek Vineyards22000 Highway 29, Middletown, CA 95461 |
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| Beaver Creek Vineyards is located in Lake County, a truly unique corner of California. With the largest natural freshwater lake entirely in California, appropriately called Clear Lake, this county has been revered for centuries by the native populations of California, who prize the lake and its environs for their healing properties. Mount Konocti, an inactive volcano on the south shore of Clear Lake, gave the Lake County its volcanic soil and helped to create the area's lovely hills full of unspoiled vegetation and flora and its many hot springs, which have been long prized for their healing properties. | |||
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Bell Hill Vineyards125 Park Street, Lakeport, CA 95453 |
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| Bell Hill Vineyards is a family owned and run business that was founded in 2005. Phillip and Julia Maxwell have been growing wine grapes for about 30 years. Their vineyards are located in Kelseyville which produces Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2004 and 2005 vintages of Merlot have won multiple awards. Boat to Library Park and take a short walk to the tasting room. |
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Brassfield Estate Winery10915 High Valley Road, Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423 |
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With a Tuscan-style winery located at his vineyard estate in High Valley Jerry Brassfield has an idyllic setting for grapes and guests alike. With official AVA status granted in 2005, the High Valley appellation is one of California's newest, and unlike many California coastal valleys that typically run north-south, High Valley's orientation is east-west, approximately one mile wide and five miles long. The valley's topography has created several distinct microclimates and its geology has resulted in a combination of volcanic soils along the hillsides and alluvial soils on the valley floor, which sits at an elevation of 1,800 feet. Excavation is underway on one of the largest wine cave systems in North America. Totaling 75,000 square feet when complete, currently 15,000 square feet of the wine cave system is finished and houses 1,500 barrels of wine. The system is interconnected and has four entrances with plans for a public area to hold wine club parties and special events. Brassfield's meticulously planted vineyards on the cooler valley floor are perfect for white varietals such as Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc, while the hillside vineyards are ideally suited for red varietals such as Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet, and Merlot. A covered Picnic Pavilion is available for guests and is surrounded by centuries-old oak trees that dot the natural wildlife corridors and traverse the vineyards. Brassfield is quickly gaining prestige for its estate-grown varietals, many of which have racked up impressive awards. |
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Ceago Vinegarden5115 E. Highway 20 |
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| Situated along two miles of lakeshore, the agricultural resort-style winery, Ceago Vinegarden, owned and operated by Jim Fetzer of the prominent winemaking family, promotes a holistic farming environment for plant and animal life. A showcase of biodynamic winemaking and agriculture, the development surrounds a Hacienda-style compound of buildings with herb gardens, grapes, kiwis, olives, walnuts, figs, lavender, a variety of seasonal plantings and winegrapes — the primary production crop — including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc. Domestic and wild animals wander the property, demonstrating how both animal and plant kingdoms work together in an agricultural environment. | |||
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Chacewater Winery and Olive Mill5625 Gaddy Lane, Kelseyville, CA 95451 |
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Chacewater. A small village on the Southern tip of England, the origin of the Manuel family tree. The symbol. The mark of a Chacewater church craftsman. The name Chacewater honors our ancestral family in Cornwall, England. Because of their adventurous and hardworking nature, we are able to fulfill our passions today. |
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Don Angel Cellars165 Main Street, Lakeport, CA 95453 |
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| Miguel Angel graduated from college with a major in Business Administration. When he first moved to California, if somebody had told him that he was going to be making wine he would have probably laughed at them. Today 23 years later....he's making wine and loving it! He was hired by Jed Steele in 1996 as the Cellar Master for his newly acquired winery in Kelseyville. Miguel worked for Jed till 2004, after being his Assistant Winemaker for the last 3 years. When Miguel left Steele Wines, he knew then that it was his time to fly solo. He got his first job as a winemaker in a nearby winery only half a mile down from Steele Wines. Now after all this time he has his own wine label. | |||
Gregory Graham Winery13633 Point Lakeview Road |
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| After 20 years as a winemaker in the Napa Valley, Gregory Graham wanted to grow his own winegrapes to produce wines in exactly the style he favors. Quality is paramount in every detail – from pruning to bottling – with a focus on maximizing the fruit characteristics of each varietal. In the vineyard, he harvests the grapes at optimum maturity, and in the winery, he uses gentle, small-lot winemaking techniques. The result: wines with bright, fresh fruit aromas and flavors, with intensity and softness. The winery produces Syrah, Grenache, and Zinfandel from the estate vineyard, and Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier using grapes grown by other highly respected growers in the area. Gregory Graham Winery and its Crimson Hill Vineyard are located in the Red Hills AVA. | |||
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Hawk and Horse Vineyards13048 Hwy 29, Lower Lake, CA 95457 |
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| Hawk and Horse Vineyards is passionately dedicated to quality from the ground up. From the selection of vines and vineyard site, to the most carefully detailed farming practices, they pay special attention to every aspect of the wine growing process. With soil and climate perfectly suited to growing Bordeaux varieties of world class distinction, they specialize in Cabernet Sauvignon. Their award-winning wines are attentively hand-crafted from fruit grown on their certified organic vineyard located in the Red Hills AVA. Family owned and operated, they take great pride in their farming practices and are certified Demeter Biodynamic and CCOF organic. | |||
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Lake County Wine Studio9505 Main Street |
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| Located in historic Upper Lake just across the street from the restored Tallman Hotel, the Lake County Wine Studio (LCWS) offers visitors a true taste of wine country. Hard-to-find artisan wines from over thirty-five select local producers are available for tasting and sale at the eco-friendly studios' straw-bale tasting bar. The first multi-winery tasting room in Lake County, the LCWS also boasts a gallery for local artists and a gift shop. LCWS hosts monthly art and wine receptions (first weekend of the month that includes both Friday and Saturday), and food and wine pairings. LCWS also hosts a Local Cuisine Scene, a food and wine pairing, on the second Friday of the month February through December and on the third Friday in January. Fondue is available with 24-hour advance reservation. Wineries represented are: |
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Langtry Estate & Vineyards21000 Butts Canyon Road |
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| As far back as 1854, Langtry Estate & Vineyards — formerly Guenoc Estate Vineyards & Winery — has been a home to winegrapes. From 1888 to 1906, it was home to actress Lillie Langtry, who continued the grape-growing tradition of the land and whose face continues to grace the Guenoc label. In 1963, the winery was established by the Magoon family who also planted extensive vineyard acreage and were among the first in California to plant the five major red Bordeaux grape varieties. By 1981, Guenoc Valley was approved as an AVA — the first single-proprietor AVA in the country, with such spectacular views, some people travel to Guenoc just to have a look. Today, under new ownership, Langtry Estate & Vineyards continues to thrive with a Petite Sirah that has won more gold medals and best of show awards than any other Petite Sirah in the world. | |||
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Laujor Estate Winery8664 Siegler Springs North, Kelseyville, CA 95451 |
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Laujor Estate is a small production boutique winery located in Kelseyville. Their breathtaking vineyards sit high above the clouds at an elevation of 2300' in the highly acclaimed Red Hills Appellation. Enjoy compelling views of rolling hills and miles of surrounding vineyards as far as the eye can see. Meet the owners and winemakers in the tasting rooms as they look forward to spending time with visitors and sharing their knowledge and story about the dream that brought them to this beautiful countryside. |
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Moore Family Winery11990 Bottle Rock Road |
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| The Moores, who have been in the wine business for decades building wine caves for Napa Valley wineries, completed their own masterpiece in Lake County after 12 years – a 70-acre mountain-top estate winery complete with wine caves, organic vineyards, a picnic area, and two ponds. Weddings are welcome on the beautiful grounds and local musicians play monthly concerts through the harvest season. The tasting room has a Mediterranean flair with picture windows of the stunning mountain views. | |||
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Mt Konocti WineryPO Box 365/2550 Big Valley Road, Kelseyville, CA 95451 |
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| Mt. Konocti Winery originates from family pear farmers who joined together in 1926 as the Lake County Fruit Exchange, an agricultural cooperative. From that day forward, Lake County Fruit Exchange operated as one of the major processor, packer and marketers for Lake County and Mendocino County pear farmers. In 1976, the Lake County Fruit Exchange changed their name to Mt. Konocti Growers, to better reflect the local farmers the cooperative was serving. In 2004, Mt. Konocti Growers expanded into the wine industry, providing services for wine making, custom crush, barrel storage, case storage and vineyard management. In 2007, the Carpenter Family, Gayaldo Family, Hanson Family and Oldham Family – all members of Mt. Konocti Winery – began bottling wines. The tasting room, located in a 58-degree Barrel Room, opened in 2011. The Mt. Konocti Winery tasting room features timeless treasures of local history, a rustic feel and romantic charm! | |||
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Noggle Vineyards & Winery700 Long Valley Road |
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| A family-owned boutique winery located in the secluded Old Long Valley region of the blossoming Lake County appellation, Noggle Vineyards and Winery produces Cabernet Sauvignon from a six-acre vineyard that sits on a 1,500-foot bench below Round Mountain and above the North Fork of Cache Creek. A combination of mineral-rich volcanic soil and hot summer temperatures with breezy, cool nights promotes a slow, even ripening of the grapes. | |||
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Rosa d'Oro Vineyards3915 Main Street |
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| Run by father and son, Nick and Paolo Buttitta, Rosa d'Oro is rooted in family and old-world Italian traditions. Using only organic farming techniques, this unique pair is responsible for the entire process — from planting to winemaking, bottling to selling. Specializing in Italian varietals like Primitivo, Barbera, Dolcetto, and Aglianico, the Buttitta family opened the doors to their very own tasting room in the heart of downtown Kelseyville, with an atmosphere that makes guests feel right at home. | |||
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Shed Horn Cellars21108 Calistoga Street, Middletown, CA 95461 |
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| Shed Horn Cellars is the vision of long-time Lake County resident and award-winning winemaker Michael Wood. For many years Michael produced wines for prestigious Lake County wineries. After years of training, gaining knowledge, and experience, he decided to pursue his own winemaking passion and his vision for Shed Horn became a reality. Being an avid outdoorsman, Michael found a name for his winery easily with the idea of the powerful elk. With his enthusiasm for the business and the assistance of his family, Shed Horn Cellar's started producing wines from the mountainous, wild, volcanic soils of our areas most esteemed vineyards. We are pleased with our history, starting with one 3 barrel lot in 2004, we have grown to more than 1000 cases annual production. Being a small producer, we only enter the three major competitions and are proud that we have consistently won gold medals and shown very well year after year. | |||
Six Sigma Ranch & Winery13372 Spruce Grove Road |
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| With a background in math and statistics, it's no wonder owner Kaj Ahlmann named Six Sigma Ranch and Winery after a methodology. Six Sigma is a measure of quality and process improvement that strives for near perfection. Each of Kaj's wines is designed using this concept's data-driven principles — from vineyard planting to customer service. Six Sigma's 4,300-acre ranch was developed with the intent to maintain its natural state. In fact, not only are the vineyards responsible for producing superb wines, they also serve as wildlife corridors for the deer, bobcat, wild turkey, wild pigs, and bears to live in perfect symbiosis with the land. Even the winery makes use of the landscape by storing its barrels in a wine cave carved directly into a hillside. | |||
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Steele Wines, Inc.4350 Thomas Drive |
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| Jed Steele, founding winemaker of Kendall-Jackson, established Steele and Shooting Star Wines in 1991, co-leasing a small winery until the summer of 1996 when he purchased and opened the old Konocti Winery between Lakeport and Kelseyville. In 2002, Jed and his son Quincy Steele, began a small project which became the new label named Writer's Block, which has blossomed into an acclaimed line of wines. Steele Wines also produces small quantities of single-vineyard Chardonnays, five single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, three single-vineyard Zinfandels, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Late Harvest Chardonnay. All three labels have won numerous awards. | |||
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Terrill Cellars Winery16175 Main Street |
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| It was after a very vivid dream that Brad Terrill created Tuscan Village. The miniature Italian-style village features a deli, art and gift shop, an amphitheater featuring live music on Fridays, a welcoming orchard, and a charming little wedding chapel in regular use. The Terrill Cellars winery was built with an original wall from the Lower Lake Livery Stable from the 1860s. Tasting is offered both indoors and out. | |||
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Thorn Hill Vineyard8170 S Highway 29, Lower Lake, CA 95457 |
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| Thorn Hill Vineyards is one of California's most distinctive boutique wineries. Owners, Amy and Jack Thorn's attention to creating exceptional wine extends throughout the wine making process so that our customers can feel confident that a bottle of wine with the Thorn Hill label is consistently exceptional. Current varietals of Thorn Hill Vineyards' limited production wines from Lake County are the Red Rock Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and our late harvest Petite Sirah Port. Also available at the Red Hills tasting room are Thorn Hill's Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Chardonnay as well as our Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Merlot. The tasting room has a Tuscan flair and guests can picnic on our stone terraces overlooking stunning mountain views and a landscape of rolling hills, vineyards, cypresses and olive trees. |
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Wildhurst Vineyards3855 Main Street |
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| Wildhurst Vineyards began in 1966 when fifth-generation pear grower Myron Holdenried planted a former pear orchard with 30 acres of Zinfandel grapes. In the years since, Wildhurst's handcrafted wines have consistently won top awards and high ratings.Winemaker Banyon Kirkendall's commitment to produce hand-crafted fruit-focused wines that showcase the quality of the Lake County winegrape growing region is evident in his signature wine – Sauvignon Blanc – and in the winery's other award-winning varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel. A friendly tasting room is located in the restored Odd Fellows Hall in downtown Kelseyville. | |||
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Bullion Creek VineyardsPO Box 741, Middletown, CA 95461 |
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| This family-owned vineyard is located on the north slope of Mount St. Helena. The grapes are grown in rich, mineral-laden, volcanic soils on the sunny side of the mountain, in the cleanest air in California, irrigated with the finest spring water, all of which help produce the highest quality, best-flavored fruit. From this is born their "Bullion Rouge" Cabernet Sauvignon. | |||
Fortress VineyardsRed Hills AVA, Kelseyville, CA 95451 |
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| Fortress Vineyards makes its wines from its high-elevation mountain vineyard 2,000 - 2,400 feet on a ridge of Mount Konocti directly overlooking Clear Lake. The elevation, well-drained soils, cooling lake influence, and sustainable cultural practices combine to produce outstanding fruit with small bunches of berries with concentrated fruit flavor. | |||
Obsidian RidgeHwy 175 at Red Hills Road, Kelseyville, CA 95451 |
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| Planted high on the ridge separating Alexander Valley and Clear Lake, Obsidian Ridge is a 105-acre vineyard set on a northwest-facing parcel that ranges in elevation from 2,300 to 2,640 feet. Located in the Red Hills appellation, the site is part of the youngest volcanic flow in the North Coast region and is composed of intensely red soils shot with obsidian rock and gravel. Obsidian Ridge is one of the highest vineyards in all of California and benefits from cool evenings due to good circulation, high elevation, and breezes off the Mayacmas Range. The sunlight intensity at 2,640 feet creates thick grape skins, resulting in wines of deep color and intensity. Planted with premium Bordeaux clones, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, this is mountain Cabernet country. | |||
Red Lava Vineyards and Winery8200 S. Highway 29 |
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| At Red Lava Vineyards, legendary wine begins in the vineyard. The vineyard site features red volcanic soil abundantly mixed with shiny, black obsidian and Konocti diamonds, steep hillsides at an elevation of 1,600 feet, southern exposure to capture ideal sunlight throughout the day, and cooling breezes from Clear Lake and Thurston Lake that moderate the hot summer climate to provide ideal growing conditions. Sustainable farming practices protect the land that nurtures the vineyard. All of these elements come together to create an exceptional expression of estate-grown, handcrafted wine. | |||
Robledo Family Winery2040 Soda Bay Road |
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In 1968 Reynaldo Robledo, Sr. learned how to prune a vine. He spent the following three decades working in several vineyards learning more and more about this unique type of farming. His experience grew until he was eventually managing vineyards with hundreds of acres and many men. During these years the family purchased fourteen vineyards, totaling approximately 300 acres, in Napa, Sonoma, and Lake County. Although they still sell most of the fruit to other wineries, they now produce their own estate wines. |
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Kelsey Creek Brewing CompanyMicrobrewery |
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| 3945 Main Street Kelseyville, CA 95451 (707) 245-8402 www.KelseyCreekBrewing.com |
Wed thru Saturday Noon - 8:00 pm Sunday Noon - 6:00 pm |
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Craft brewery on Main Street in Kelseyville using locally-sourced ingredients to create distinctive beers.
Old World TavernTraditional Food |
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| 175 N. Main Street Lakeport, CA 95453 (707) 263-7777 oldworld-tavern.com , www.facebook.com |
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 11:00 am - 10:00 pm Friday and Saturday 11:00 am - 11:00 pm |
Sunday 10:00 am - 9:00 pm Champagne Brunch (Sunday) 10:00 am - 2:00 pm |
Old World Tavern offers a full selection of premium draft beers, 30 in all, 12 on tap. The selection includes traditional European beers and regional micro brews. Also offered are a menu of hearty foods with traditional dishes like New York steak, Caesar salad and variety of soups. New items on the menu like the Euro burger (a mix of ground beef, pancetta and salami) have become their signature dish. Everything is made and served fresh daily using local produce that is in season.
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