Heinen’s Road Less Traveled: Discover the Wines of Lake County, California
When searching for a new and interesting wine region to feature in Heinen’s Road Less Traveled collection, we did not have to look far past the infamous Napa Valley. Located to the northeast of Napa is Lake County, California a burgeoning wine region that we are thrilled to introduce to our customers!
Separated by the Mayacamas Mountains and centered around the idyllic Clear Lake, Lake County has been producing wines of quality and value since the first vines were planted around the Guenoc Estate in the 1850s; however, it was not was formally recognized as a defined California growing region until 1981.
Since then, several families have established roots in Lake County, producing high-quality estate wines for a fraction of the price of their Napa neighbors. Furthermore, several large wineries, including Kendall-Jackson and Beckstoffer, have recognized the quality and value coming out of Lake County and have made significant investments in planting and cultivating in this region.
Lake County has a similar climate to Napa, resulting in ripe wines of good structure; however, distinct red volcanic soil from Mount Konocti (an active volcano in the Red Hills and High Valley sub-regions of Lake County) along with a high elevation give this region and the wines produced in it unique character and edge.
When exploring Lake County, our wine experts set their sights on several winery partners, all of whom focus on sustainability, value, and producing high-quality wines from this California hidden gem.
Shannon Family Winery
At the forefront of sustainability and responsible farming is Clay Shannon. A cowboy and farmer at heart, Clay is a pioneer in the Lake County wine industry, producing wines of varying qualities while respecting and protecting the land.
Using sheep for natural fertilization and cover crop management, drip irrigation to reduce water usage, and dry farming techniques to conserve resources, Clay Shannon has taken responsible farming to a new level.
The grapes produced by the Shannon Family Winery are farmed, grown, picked, vinified, and bottled from start to finish by the winery itself, which happens to be a rarity in the wine world. Their entry-level Shannon Ridge wines are extremely drinkable and outperform many other wines from California that retail at twice the price.
While this winery crafts amazing everyday varietals, they also offer an amazing Petite Sirah; an uncommon French grape (known as Durif) that produces dark, rich red wine, often with peppery spicy notes.
Brassfield Winery
Operating in the volcanic soils among the hills of Lake County is Brassfield Winery.
Focused on terroir, this winery hangs its hat on the notion that a wine can reflect the character of its origin and climate. Their vineyards are higher elevation, which results in concentrated wines with great depth. While many Lake County wineries do not dabble with Pinot Noir, Brassfield’s cooler elevated vineyards allow them to produce a rich, spicy Pinot Noir that is unique to them and their vineyards.
Their hearty red blend, aptly named ERUPTION, is a high-scoring darling of wine critics and pairs beautifully with steak, beef stews, and rich pastas.
Dancing Crow Vineyards
Known for their French-style wines that are higher in acidity and lower in alcohol, Dancing Crow Vineyards is a fourth-generation family-owned estate winery in Lake County.
Named after the crows that would flock to their vineyards and eat the fresh hay that was laid around their first vines, Dancing Crow Vineyards focuses on sustainability and operates on 50 acres of high-elevation volcanic soil. Our wine experts were particularly taken by their Sauvignon Blanc, which offers beautiful floral expressions not often found in California Sauvignon Blancs.
Their flagship wine is mineral driven in style, making it a perfect aperitif or partner to fresh seafood.
Obsidian Ridge
With a name like Obsidian, it’s not hard to guess that this winery is rooted in the volcanic soils of the Red Hills of Lake County.
Operating on several key sites within Lake County, Obsidian Ridge is known for their Cabernet Sauvignon, which comes from a single vineyard (Obsidian Ridge Vineyard) located at the top of the Mayacamas Mountain range. The mountain climate is unforgiving, producing tiny grapes of extreme intensity, resulting in a concentrated wine with a deep, dark color and intense aromas that cannot be replicated elsewhere. A similar red wine from Napa would easily retail for $100 or more.
Interestingly, the red wines produced by Obsidian Ridge are exclusively aged in 100% Hungarian oak as an homage to the founder’s Hungarian heritage. They are possibly the only winery in the world ageing wine this way. This unique practice gives their reds a spicy, herbal flavor that other more common oak barrels cannot achieve.
Domaine Helena
Easily the smallest winery that we’ve explored is Domaine Helena: the passion project of Andre Guezlac, an Alsatian-born winemaker who recognized the uniqueness of Lake County and its potential for producing great wines.
Located on the western side of the Mayacamas Mountains at the base of Mount Helena, Andre Guezlac’s certified organic and fully sustainable vineyards yield French-inspired, complex, and age-worthy wines known for their restrained style and lower alcohol content.
The Cabernets from this vineyard are some of the most unique, low-production wines our experts have tasted. Sometimes less than 200-300 cases are produced of each vintage, making these wines almost rare. Intense color and beautiful aromatics are the hallmark of this high-altitude vineyard, and the wines can only be characterized as elegant, polished, and very well crafted.
