After arriving in Northern California’s Lake County, one quickly learns a few interesting facts from the locals: 1) the county has the cleanest air in California, 2) Sauvignon Blanc thrives in the region’s volcanic soils and high elevation, and 3) as expressed by Brian Fisher, Executive Director of Lake County Tourism, the people here tend to be explorers, off-the-gridders, and pioneers.
Pioneer seems the most appropriate description, especially considering some of the innovative practices taking place in the region. From a first-of-its-kind Master Vigneron Academy taught in Spanish to vineyard management to cutting-edge regenerative practices using sheep in the vineyards, Lake County pioneers are bravely fighting and taming Mother Nature and digging into the obsidian and moon-tear soil to create new frontiers for themselves.
Named after Clear Lake, California’s largest natural freshwater lake, the county has rugged mountains that surround the region with never-ending windy passes that make horse-drawn buggy travel unimaginable. Yet, the original pioneers made the daunting journey to Lake County. Later, tourists ventured north from San Francisco to enjoy what was the Lake Tahoe of the times. Pro tip: For sensitive stomachs, make the extra 10-mile drive up Highway 101 and cut through Ukiah rather than braving Hopland Pass or Cobb Mountain.
Once in Lake County, one is greeted by a landscape out of a Jurassic Park film. In the center of Clear Lake, the 4300-foot-high Mount Konocti, a dormant volcano, stands majestically, as beautiful as a Hawaiian island. It offers hiking trails with panoramic views, and locals and tourists flock to the surrounding Clear Lake for boating, kayaking, fishing, and birdwatching.
Pomo Indians settled in the area over 10,000 years before Spanish soldiers arrived in 1821. By the mid-1800’s, pioneers and Europeans arrived.
One of the most exciting developments in recent years is Lake County’s emergence as a training center for the wine industry. Once known for growing Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties for neighboring AVAs, the region is now a hub for Sauvignon Blanc production. This unique wine exhibits distinctive flavors due to the region’s high elevation and diverse microclimates. The county’s commitment to education is evident in its courses like Pruning School and Vigneron Training, the first of their kind in northern California.
With its location slightly inland from the Pacific Ocean and borders abutting world-renowned winemaking regions Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and Mendocino County, Lake County is becoming an attractive and lower-cost alternative to those seeking something new. With many priced out of the surrounding areas, Lake County is the perfect place for wine pioneers to experiment with obscure varieties and try out innovative winemaking methods.
KELSEYVILLE PEAR FESTIVAL
Kelseyville’s small-town cred is on display each year during Pear season when it holds one of Lake County’s most well-known events—the Kelseyville Pear Festival. The first commercial Barlett Pear was planted here in the late 1800s—and its claim to fame is that in 1885, the Lake County Bartlett Pear was exhibited at the New Orleans World’s Fair. // www.pearfestival.com
Sip N Pick at The Mercantile
SHANNON FAMILY WINES, Kelseyville
Shannon Family Wines is at the forefront of Lake County’s innovative winemaking scene. Its Project Ovis (ovis is Latin for sheep) uses sheep to control cover crops and weeds and for soil fertilization. Their operations are 100 percent Certified Sustainable, regenerative, and organic, and Shannon won the 2021 California Green Medal Environment Award.
In addition, the family-owned brand makes excellent wine, including the delicate, complex white, rosé, and sparkling wines made under its Cricket Farms label by Argentian-born Winemaker and Director of Winemaking, Jeronimo Da Valle. Another standout: 2023 Organic Mother Vine Cinsault Rosé made from Croatian Cinsault vines traced to 1870.
And there’s more—Shannon owns what seems to be the county’s hotspot—The Mercantile—with daily special events like Taco Tuesdays and Friday Night wood-fired pizza. The wine bar offers tasting flights of Shannon wines and sandwiches, salads, picnic, and gourmet food items. One gorgeous accouterment is the Sip n Pick Zinnia field, where guests can use clippers to hand select a bouquet to take home, gratis. // www.shannonfamilyofwines.com
MASTER VIGNERON ACADEMY & LAKE COUNTY PRUNING SCHOOL
Lake County Winegrape Commission’s Master Vigneron Academy (MVA) began in 2012 as a professional workforce development program for experienced vineyard supervisors. It has evolved into a credentialed program that provides in-depth knowledge of quality wine-growing practices and improves farm worker productivity. The program is taught in English and Spanish and is available to most vineyard workers. The Master Vigneron Academy program shows the region’s commitment to sustainability, addressing the training needs of supervisors and representing an investment in a critical piece of sustainable farming—people.
The Lake County Pruning School, also offered by the Lake County Winegrape Commission, is an immersive training program given in English and Spanish by Vine Master Pruners Jacopo Miolo and Jett Johansson. The duo shares knowledge and teaches innovative pruning techniques. The program is a collective project addressing the entire area instead of a single property. and highlights fundamental principles such as controlled branching, vascular flow, small cuts and crown buds, and protective spare wood. // www.mastervigneron.org
Arnot Roberts Rosé grown at Luchsinger
LUCHSINGER VINEYARDS, Lakeport
Bernie Luchsinger, a charming figure who could be the face of Lake County’s past and future winegrowing industry, owns and runs the Luchsinger Vineyards with his daughter, Pilar Luchsinger White. Born in Chile and moved to Lake County in 1968, Bernie is known for growing and selling obscure grape varieties like Trousseau, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cao, and Souzao. His vineyards are Certified Sustainable, and to give an idea of their quality, the fruit has graced the bottles of brands like Arnot-Roberts, Scribe Winery, and Jolie-Laide Wines. // www.luchsingervineyards.com
WILD DIAMOND MOUNTAIN, Lower Lake
High on Wild Mountain, this space-age winery may have one of the best views in the county through its glass-walled enclosure sitting on the top of Wild Diamond Mountain overlooking acres of vineyards and valleys. Winemaker Bruce Regalia leads tastings of the wide variety of primarily Rhone and Bordeaux varietal wines while explaining the region’s “diamonds,” also known as “moon tears”—shiny crystals, rocks, and particles left from volcanic activity. He showcases his convivial spirit with an actively social member’s club and sometimes hosts diamond-hunting parties for members. // \ www.wilddiamond.com
Brassfield Estates
BRASSFIELD ESTATE, Clearlake Oaks
It’s situated on High Serenity Ranch at the top of High Valley AVA, with an altitude matched by only 1 percent of vineyards in the world. Majestic and opulent, Brassfield Estate’s expansive property is filled with artwork and sculptures. Hosts drive guests through the woods on windy one-lane roads from a building to a vineyard to a tasting room to a guest house. One special guest house property has views of the vineyards with what seems like an up-close Mount Konocti. // www.brassfieldestate.com
Brian Hilliard and Pedro Rubio of Beckstoffer
BECKSTOFFER VINEYARDS, Kelseyville
Many Napa wine enthusiasts think of To Kalon Vineyard when they hear Beckstoffer. In Lake County, it means Red Hills, where Beckstoffer Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are grown on the high-elevation hillsides. Beckstoffer Vineyards owns high-quality grape-growing properties in Napa Valley, Mendocino County, and Lake County’s Red Hills. Located in the northern Mayacamas Mountains on the southwest edge of Clear Lake, the Red Hills AVA lies at the foot of Mount Konocti in volcanic hills ranging from 1,350 to over 3,700 feet in elevation. General Manager Pedro Rubio and President and COO Brian Hilliard manage the Lake County land, including massive Obsidian blocks from past volcanic eruptions. // www.beckstoffervineyards.com
CHACEWATER WINERY AND OLIVE MILL, Kelseyville
It’s not every day one can share olive oil with a monk, but Chacewater Mill Master Emilio De La Cruz makes it seem completely ordinary. The Chacewater olive mill, the only olive press in Lake County, is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and produces a wide range of extra virgin olive oil varieties, including flavored options, Emilio’s specialty. Additionally, winery owner Paul Manuel spends a lot of energy planning tasting and other events, making Chacewater a very social place. A picnic area on-site has been the venue for many lively festivities. // www.chacewaterwine.com
Blue Wing Saloon in Upper Lake
THE TALLMAN HOTEL AND BLUE WING SALOON, Upper Lake
The historic Tallman Hotel has been hosting travelers since the early 1900s and is still the prime lodging in the area. It’s fully modernized with amenities like private outdoor Japanese soaking tubs and gardens. It melds nicely with the next-door Blue Wing Saloon, and in between the properties, nightly live music plays while guests dine on delicacies like Jambalaya and Grits & Greens. // www.tallmanhotel.com
HUTTOPIA, Lower Lake
For anyone who feels glamping is their thing, Huttopia is the place. Six Sigma’s 4,300-acre ranch and winery offer beautifully designed, fully equipped, solar-powered tents or lodges to delight all the senses. They typically feature comfortable beds, stylish furnishings, private bathrooms, and even kitchens or kitchenettes, making the experience more enjoyable and less rustic than traditional camping. // www.sixsigmaranch.com
