A Visit to Lake County, July 2011 – Part Two 

 
 
After we spent some quality time at Vigilance vineyards, Clay Shannon and his team took us to see the famous Cross Springs, from where the name of ABC’s “Direct To You” line of Cross Springs wines comes. Only after enticing us to climb the rocky, wooded path to see the source of the springs, did they happily inform us that this is a popular black bear and rattlesnake hangout. I’ve never seen wine consultants move so quickly. We survived and made it to the Shannon Ridge vineyards, surrounding Clay’s and Margarita’s homestead, where they host an annual winery fiesta, to which we were invited.

 One thing you can’t help but notice is how high the Shannon Ridge vineyards are (almost 2,500 feet), overlooking Clear Lake in the High Valley AVA, and how steep the grape rows, at almost a 30º incline. Much of their property has to be harvested by hand, but the cool, westerly wind from Mendocino makes all the difference. We had an amazing view of the lake, but also of Mount Konocti on the other side of the lake, and even though Clay maintains it was not “love at first sight” (they first viewed the land on a foggy, overcast day) it became “love at long sight,” partly due to the well-drained soils, full of pumice stone, which make their vineyards some of the highest, most northern vineyards in California. They have a cold winter, a warm summer and low yields, which gives more intensity to the wines they produce.

 
 We saw Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Malbec plants, with Chardonnay on the cooler slopes and Sauvignon Blanc in the slightly lower “valleys” which were still well over 1,000 feet. At Morine Ranch, their steepest slopes, they have Rhone varietals like Syrah, Roussane and Viognier. Sheep work here, as they do at Vigilance, to maintain and preserve, and Clay pointed out that sheep are gentler than goats (and don’t damage the irrigation systems with excess chomping, as goats would). They have 88 acres under vine and are still growing, as each year they sell off less of their grapes to others, and produce more and more of their own wines.

 The Shannon Ridge Chardonnay is perfectly balanced between oak and fruit, with about 1/3 fermented in stainless and 2/3 in oak barrel. You get that buttery viscosity, but also keep bright pear and peach notes, making it very appealing to all Chardonnay lovers (both the 2009 and 2010 vintages are excellent). What I really enjoyed was the Sauvignon Blanc with hints of guava mingled with gooseberry, slightly softer than the Vigilance version, yet still full of great minerality.

 The big surprise for us were the reds that we don’t currently carry in Florida, the Tempranillo (Numanthia quality) and the “Two Bud” Zinfandel, named after their son and the tendency to prune the plants to allow for just two buds per stalk. We can get some of this juice in their Shannon “field blend” the Wrangler Red, which is another perfect pairing with spicy and smoky barbecue and grilled meats. The basic Cabernet Sauvignon is still one of my “go-to” Cali Cabs, at around $12 per bottle, with black currant flavors and soft oak aging. All of their wines are affordable yet provide complex flavors from sustainable vineyards, proving that they have a very long view of wine production.

 On our last evening we were invited to attend their annual fiesta (check out their website for a video) where not only the wine mucky mucks attend, but all of the pickers and growers and their families are invited. With a “Jupiter Jump” for the kids and a mechanical bull for the adults, it was the most egalitarian wine festival I’ve ever attended, and we were all required to cut the rug on the dance floor, created in Clay and Margarita’s driveway. This trip gave me a sense of place about the wines, but also about the warm-hearted, fun-loving people behind the wines. Lake County is a little off the beaten path, but it is well-worth a visit, to spend some time exploring the lake, hiking the hills, looking for Perini diamonds and obsidian, kayaking the protected wetlands, hunting deer or just sampling some fantastic wines. Take the detour and enjoy California winemaking like they did it back in the day, or at least come by our stores and taste some of their amazing wines.

Daniel Eddy, Fine Wine Consultant for ABC in Gainesville, Florida

Read more of Daniel's wine and food writings at http://www.examiner.com/wine-pairing-in-gainesville/daniel-eddy