This week we continue our journey into California wine country with Lake County. Lake County is an appellation of origin designating wine made from grapes grown in Lake County, California, which is east of Mendocino County and north of Napa County. This area is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, but around 40 varieties are grown in the appellation.
This week we discuss:
- History of Lake County wine region
- Lake County grapes in other area wines
- Climate, geography and what makes this place so special
Wine Recommendations
Shannon Ridge 2015 High Elevation Petite Sirah – priced around $20. This wine is made from 100% Petite Sirah and spent 9 months in French and American oak. It has aromas of star anise, black currant and minerality. It’s full bodied with medium acidity and medium plus tannins with flavors of blueberry, cranberry, coco, wood, and a touch of green. We love the texture of this wine and it’s pleasantly complex. To us, it’s kind of like drinking a dark chocolate covered blueberry and it’s an interesting style of Petite Sirah.
Find out where to purchase this wine here
Looking for another Petite Sirah from Lake County? Check out episode 30 of our podcast.
Jed Steele’s Shooting Star Merlot 2011 – priced around $14. This wine has a nose of red and dark fruits like plum and baking spice. Also, a fuller bodied dry wine with medium plus acidity and medium tannins. This wine is fruit forward which is what I would expect from a merlot but still complex with flavors of red and dark fruit, spice and vanilla. It’s a soft and round wine without being flabby and still has quite a bit of acidity so it probably could age longer. The 2011 might be hard to find because their 2014 is the current release.
Find out where to purchase this wine here
Did we peak your interested in Lake County wines? Or were are already a fan? Let us know you thoughts on this episode and any recommendations by leaving us a comment below.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download