Lake County

Question 1

Lake County AVAs

Answer 1

Clear
Benmore Valley
High Valley
Big Valley District
Kelsey Bench
Red Hills
Guenoc Valley

Question 2

Lake County

Answer 2

Directly north of Napa, east of Mendocino.

Viticultural history dating back to 1870s.

10,000 planted vineyard acres.
-80% of wines go to wine not labelled as Lake County.

The AVAs surround Clear Lake.
-Oldest freshwater lake in America.

Question 3

Lake County AVA

Answer 3

Clear Lake
-Mercury polluted.

Question 4

High Valley AVA

Answer 4

Valley runs east-west.

Along the eastern shore of Clear Lake.

High Valley’s valley floor is at 1,700 feet; elevation rises to 3,000 feet.

Volcanic soil.

Rhone Varieties-Bordeaux Varieties-Italian Varieties.

Question 5

Big Valley District AVA

Answer 5

Western shore of Clear Lake.

Cool areas with breezes from the Mayacamas and Clear Lake.

Alluvial runoff and gravel soil.

Zinfandel-Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc.
Sauvignon Blanc is the AVAs specialty.

Question 6

Kelsey Bench AVA

Answer 6

1,600 feet in elevation.

French grapes.

Rosa d’Oro- Italian winery

Question 7

Red Hills AVA

Answer 7

Southern Clear Lake

Mount Konocti- Volcano due north.

Soil is brick red earth and large black obsidian glass from Mount Konocti’s last eruption (13,000 years ago).

Elevation at 2,000 feet.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant grape here.

*Amber Knolls vineyard

Obsidian Ridge Cabernet

Question 8

Benmore Valley AVA & Guenoc Valley AVA

Answer 8

Benmore AVA has no planted grapes.

Guenoc AVA has one winery, Langtry Estate.
-500 acres.

Langtry Estate & Vineyards
-21,000 acres- larger than the AVA
-Petit Sirah & Sauvignon Blanc