Clear Lake AVA

Lake County's viticultural roots stretch to the 1870s, when European American settlers planted the first commercial vineyards in the area. By 1884, roughly 600 acres of vines were under cultivation, and in 1893 a Lake County winemaker won recognition at the World Exposition in Chicago. Prohibition ended this first era, and by 1960 only about 100 acres remained in vines. The revival began slowly in the 1960s, when a few growers recognized the region's potential. Lower Lake Winery opened in 1977 as the county's first post-Prohibition commercial winery, followed by Albert Moorhead's Konocti Winery in Lakeport in 1979. The AVA designation on June 7, 1984 provided formal recognition. The region's modern identity was shaped significantly by Jed Steele, who launched Steele Wines in 1991 after leaving Kendall-Jackson, where he had served as the initial winemaking consultant and helped create the Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay. Steele sold his winery to Clay Shannon of Shannon Family of Wines in 2020 and died in October 2025, widely remembered as 'Mr. Lake County.'

• Pre-Prohibition viticulture dated to the 1870s, with roughly 600 acres planted by 1884; a Lake County wine won acclaim at the 1893 World Exposition in Chicago
• Lower Lake Winery (1977) became the county's first post-Prohibition commercial producer; Albert Moorhead founded Konocti Winery in Lakeport in 1979
• Jed Steele launched Steele Wines in 1991 after serving as the initial winemaking consultant at Kendall-Jackson; he purchased the former Konocti Winery facility in Kelseyville in 1996
• Slow industry resurgence in the late 1990s and 2000s brought Wildhurst, Brassfield Estate, Shannon Ridge, and other new producers to the region

Clear Lake AVA is located in southwestern Lake County, California, bordered by the Mayacamas Mountains to the southwest and the Mendocino National Forest to the northeast. Clear Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake entirely within California, occupies roughly half the AVA and acts as a significant thermal mass, moderating temperature extremes and extending the growing season. Elevations range from approximately 1,300 feet at lake level to over 3,000 feet on surrounding ridges and mountains. This range creates striking microclimatic variation: the lake-adjacent Big Valley floor sits at around 1,330 to 1,440 feet and experiences a high Region II to low Region III climate (Winkler scale), while the elevated Red Hills and High Valley sub-AVAs trend warmer due to volcanic hillside exposure but are cooled by afternoon breezes drawn in from the lake basin. Diurnal temperature swings frequently exceed 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit across the region, preserving acidity and aromatic intensity in the grapes.

• Clear Lake occupies approximately half the AVA's total acreage and provides crucial temperature moderation through its thermal mass, moderating both summer highs and winter lows
• Elevations span roughly 1,300 to over 3,000 feet; Big Valley floor sits near lake level while High Valley vineyards reach 1,600 to 3,000 feet
• Diurnal temperature swings of 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit are common, driven by hot summer days moderated by cool lake breezes and mountain-valley airflow at night
• Low disease pressure from dry summers and clean air (Lake County is frequently cited for among the best air quality in California) enables sustainable, lower-intervention farming

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted grape in Lake County, with over 5,600 acres, dominating the Red Hills, High Valley, and Kelsey Bench sub-AVAs where shallow, iron-rich volcanic soils and high elevation produce structured, concentrated wines with strong aging potential. Sauvignon Blanc is the second most planted variety and the region's most acclaimed white, with the Big Valley District AVA producing lush, tropical-inflected styles on alluvial soils, while higher-elevation sites in High Valley and Kelsey Bench yield more mineral, racier expressions. Petite Sirah is the second most cultivated red variety in the county, followed by Zinfandel, which has deep historical roots and is represented by some of the county's oldest heritage plantings. Chardonnay, Syrah, and a range of Bordeaux varieties round out the regional palette, benefiting from Lake County's high UV exposure and cool nights.

• Cabernet Sauvignon: dominant variety at over 5,600 acres in Lake County; volcanic hillside sites in Red Hills and High Valley yield structured, age-worthy reds
• Sauvignon Blanc: the leading white and the region's most distinctive style; Big Valley alluvial soils favor tropical fruit; volcanic upland sites deliver racier, more mineral expressions
• Petite Sirah: second most planted red in Lake County; thrives in the iron-rich soils of the Red Hills and surrounding AVAs, producing dense, inky wines
• Zinfandel: deep historical roots with heritage vineyards dating to the late 19th century, including the Old Stake 1901 Vineyard in the Kelsey Bench AVA

Steele Wines, founded in 1991 by Jed Steele in Lower Lake and later moved to the former Konocti Winery facility in Kelseyville in 1996, was the region's most celebrated producer for nearly three decades. Steele, who earned a master's degree in enology from UC Davis in 1974 and was the initial winemaking consultant at Kendall-Jackson, shaped the region's identity before selling the business to Clay Shannon of Shannon Family of Wines in 2020. Shannon Family of Wines, whose Lake County operations include the Shannon Ridge label, farms estate vineyards at 2,000 to 2,400 feet on brick-red volcanic soils in the High Valley and Red Hills. Brassfield Estate Winery, a single-estate producer in the High Valley AVA, farms vineyards from 1,800 to over 2,700 feet and focuses on 100% estate-grown wines. Beckstoffer Vineyards, which entered the region at the urging of Jed Steele in the late 1990s, is one of the largest vineyard landholders and supplies premium Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, primarily to Napa-based wineries.

• Steele Wines (founded 1991, Kelseyville): Jed Steele's flagship; produced multiple labels including Steele, Shooting Star, Stymie, and Writer's Block; sold to Shannon Family of Wines in 2020
• Shannon Family of Wines (Shannon Ridge label): Clay Shannon established his first Lake County parcel in 1996; now farms around 1,000 estate acres across multiple Lake County AVAs
• Brassfield Estate Winery: single-estate producer in High Valley AVA with vineyards at 1,800 to 2,717 feet; farms 100% estate-grown wines on volcanic soils including the Volcano Ridge site
• Notable additional producers: Wildhurst Winery, Gregory Graham Wines, Six Sigma Ranch and Winery, Obsidian Wine Company, and Beckstoffer Vineyards as a major grape grower

Clear Lake AVA is a federally designated American Viticultural Area established June 7, 1984, and a sub-appellation of the larger North Coast AVA. As with all US AVAs, wines carrying the Clear Lake designation must contain at least 85% fruit sourced from within the appellation boundary. There are no varietal restrictions, yield limits, or production method requirements unique to Clear Lake AVA beyond the standard federal sourcing rule. The appellation currently contains five recognized nested sub-AVAs, each with distinct soils, elevations, and climates: Red Hills Lake County AVA (established July 12, 2004), High Valley AVA (July 1, 2005), Big Valley District AVA (October 2, 2013), Kelsey Bench AVA (October 2, 2013), and Upper Lake Valley AVA (effective July 5, 2022, following boundary expansion of the Clear Lake AVA). Benmore Valley and Guenoc Valley are separate Lake County AVAs that lie outside the Clear Lake AVA boundaries.

• 85% minimum fruit sourcing from within the appellation is required for the Clear Lake AVA designation on wine labels (standard federal AVA rule)
• No varietal restrictions, yield limits, or winemaking requirements are specific to Clear Lake AVA; producers have full stylistic freedom
• Five nested sub-AVAs: Red Hills Lake County (2004), High Valley (2005), Big Valley District (2013), Kelsey Bench (2013), Upper Lake Valley (2022)
• Benmore Valley AVA and Guenoc Valley AVA are separate Lake County appellations outside the Clear Lake AVA boundary, not nested within it

Clear Lake AVA offers a relaxed, unpretentious wine country experience compared to neighboring Napa or Sonoma. Located about 35 miles north of Calistoga over the grade of Mount St. Helena, the region's relative remoteness has preserved its quiet, rural character. Visitors find a modest but growing number of tasting rooms, with generally lower fees and fewer appointment requirements than in more commercially developed wine regions. The lake itself is central to the region's tourism identity, offering boating, fishing, and outdoor recreation that complements winery visits. Shannon Family of Wines opened a tasting room facility in a historic schoolhouse on Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks in 2004. Brassfield Estate's High Valley tasting room offers estate-grown wines in a scenic mountain setting. Lake County markets itself as 'The Undiscovered Wine Country,' positioning the region's relative obscurity as an authentic alternative to the well-trodden Napa corridor.

• Located approximately 35 miles north of Calistoga via Highway 29 over the Mount St. Helena grade; approximately 120 miles north of San Francisco
• Shannon Ridge opened its tasting room in a renovated historic schoolhouse on Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks in 2004; Brassfield Estate offers high-elevation estate tastings in High Valley
• Lake County is consistently cited for among the best air quality in California; the lake provides boating, fishing, and outdoor recreation alongside wine tourism
• Lake County markets itself as 'The Undiscovered Wine Country,' emphasizing high-elevation volcanic terroir and an accessible alternative to Napa Valley pricing