About Shannon Ridge

By Lisa Rowlands

High in the hills of Lake County, Shannon Ridge vines enjoy the benefits of enhanced sunlight exposure, shallow volcanic soils and a constant flow of cooling winds from nearby Clear Lake. This unique combination of climate and geology, creates perfect growing conditions for a variety of red and white grapes including but not limited to: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Like many Lake County producers, sustainability is integral to the practice here with preservation of this unique landscape at the heart of every endeavour; Shannon Ridge exists in harmony with the various wildlife that shares its space, from ducks to deer, bobcats to bears, mountain lions to the iconic bald eagle.

The ranch around which the vineyards are centred - lovingly labelled Home Ranch by its owners - was acquired in the spring of 1996, on account, not only of its potential for quality viticulture, but also for its stunningly beautiful setting and remarkable vistas. Over the years, the original thirty-two hectares have been dramatically added to, such that today Shannon Ridge farms more then eight-hundred-and-fifty hectares of land including plots in the famed Napa Valley AVA.

Originally much of the sought after mountain fruit was sold to wineries in nearby Napa and Sonoma, however as the ranch grew, so too did the family of wines offered by its cellar. Nowadays around 50% of all fruit is used to produce acclaimed and award winning Shannon Ridge wines, with the remainder still sold on to premium winemakers across California’s most famous appellations.