August 2024 Newsletter
In This Issue…
Lake County on Vivino
LCWC at International Bulk Wine & Spirits Show
Soil Health and Irrigation Water Management Recap
Grower Conversation Series Concludes
LCWC Seats Board Members
UC Davis Online Vineyard Management Course
Lake County Wines in the News
Grower Spotlight: Kaj Ahlmann
Grape & Wine Marketplace
Weather & Climate Report
Affiliate Sponsor: Vineyard Industry Products
Lake County on Vivino Wine App
The Lake County Winegrape Commission is collaborating with Vivino to enhance its regional presence on Vivino’s app and website.
Vivino is the world’s largest online wine marketplace and most downloaded wine app. Users are able to search for wine information by taking a photo of a bottle’s front label. Consumer reviews populate and allow users to purchase if that wine is available through a distribution partner of Vivino’s. Users can also track their favorite wines and connect with friends to share recommendations.
Now, when users view a Lake County wine on the app or website, they will have access to the region’s history, terroir, sustainability efforts, and educational programs.
LCWC Promotes Lake County Region at International Bulk Wine & Sprits Show
The Lake County Winegrape Commission continued its outreach to trade professionals at the International Bulk Wine & Spirits Show in San Francisco on July 23 and 24.
Clay Shannon, André Guéziec, and Summer Brown showcased a variety of finished and bulk wine samples from the region, including wines from Shannon Family of Wines, Domaine Helena, Obsidian Wine Co., Mauritson Vineyards, Six Sigma Ranch, and Stonehouse Cellars.
Soil Health and Irrigation Water Management Recap
Miguel Garcia from the Napa Resource Conservation District (RCD) conducted a Spanish training on June 26 as part of the Master Vigneron Academy®. Using several hands-on demonstrations, Miguel showed the importance of soil health and irrigation in vineyard management.
Thank you to Thomas Mauritson Vineyards for hosting the event on their property.
Grower Conversation Series
Thank you to all the winegrape growers, buyers, county officials, grapevine nursery representatives, and LCWC Affiliate Sponsors who attended the Grower Conversation events on June 5, June 26, and July 17. These events featured Vineyard Industry Products, Turrentine Brokerage, HotSpot Ag, Ciatti Company, and Allied Grape Growers.
A special thanks to Clay and Angie Shannon for hosting the events at The Mercantile and to Doughbaby for serving gourmet pizzas.
LCWC Seats Board Members
At its June meeting, the Lake County Winegrape Commission seated four incumbent Board Members elected by eligible winegrape growers to serve the 2024-2026 term: Jonathan Walters of Brassfield Estate, Clay Shannon of Shannon Family of Wines, Pilar Luchsinger White of Luchsinger Vineyards, and Padraic Sherlock of Beckstoffer Vineyards-Red Hills.
The other grower members serving on the eight-member Board include André Guéziec of Mount St. Helena Vineyard, Jonathan Holzapfel of Diamond D, Joy Merrilees of Castilleja Farms LLC, and Pete Dodson, Public Member.
The Board appointed the following officers for this year: Jonathan Walters as Chair, Joy Merrilees as Vice-Chair, and Pete Dodson as Secretary-Treasurer.
We thank each of them for their dedication to serving our industry.
Industry Partners
UC Davis to Host Vineyard Management Course Online
Date: September 23, 2024 to December 8, 2024
Instructors: Christopher Che, Karl Lund, Shijian Zhuan
Fee: $1,650
Through online lectures from expert UC Cooperative Farm Advisors and interactive course material, the course will focus on vineyard management techniques and key considerations for producing and harvesting quality fruit.
In the News
Wine County Women Podcast
Michelle Mandro, host of the Wine Country Women podcast, recently interviewed Joy Merrilees of Shannon Family of Wines. They discussed Lake County’s distinct attributes, the grapes that thrive in the region (from Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc to experimental varieties such as Alicante Bouchet and Nero d’Avola), and the region’s entrepreneurial spirit. Joy also talked about her love of landscaping, personal mentors, and favorite type of music. Listen here.
12 Rosé Wines To Drink This Summer
Editor’s note: Full article was featured on Forbes.com
Shannon Family of Wines Mother Vine Rose 2023:
This brand new release, with only 700 cases produced, is made from 100% cinsault grapes from a vineyard that was planted back in 1870 called Mother Vine Rose. After acquiring an adjacent property on their ranch, winemakers at the estate unearthed an old vine. Cuttings were sent to the University of California, Davis—known globally for its viticulture program—for analysis, revealing it was planted around 1870 by the original homesteaders. Hailing from Croatia, the family brought a single cinsault vine and propagated it, with nine original vines remaining to this day. The newly discovered vine was pruned and is thriving. Cuttings were taken to Guillaume Grapevine Nursery in France, which cultivated four acres of cinsault vines from the original mother vine for Shannon. Five years later, Shannon Family of Wines bottled their first wine from these vines. A labor of love spanning nearly 150 years, they named the wine “Mother Vine.”
Congratulations to these Lake County wines, which Catherine Fallis recently reviewed on her website, Planet Grape Wine Review.
- Sol Rouge 2019 Cinsaut (Red Hills Lake County), 93 Points
- Shannon Family of Wines 2023 Mother Vine Rose High Valley, 92 Points
Congratulations to these Lake County wines, which Wine Enthusiast recently reviewed:
- Hidden Vines 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Hills), 93 Points
- Myka 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, 92 Points
- No Name Road 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Hills), 92 Points
- Ovis 2019 Nero d’Avola (High Valley), 92 Points
Grower Spotlight: Kaj Ahlmann
Kaj Ahlmann of Six Sigma Ranch | Photo credit: Karen Pavone
The road that led Six Sigma Ranch & Winery patriarch Kaj Ahlmann to Lake County was circuitous. Viticulture was a far cry from his former 25-year career as a high- level executive at General Electric, a corporate job that demanded extensive world travel.
“I was 50 years old when my boss (GE CEO Jack Welch) asked me to move again, so I decided it was time for a lifestyle change,” says Kaj. “I thought, ‘You’re going to do something that you have a true passion for.’”
He pondered memories of his childhood on his grandfather’s farm in Denmark. “I had my first little piece of land when I was 14,” he recalls fondly, “and I managed to grow enough food for the family.” Tired of the Midwest climate in Kansas City where he was based, he did an about-face in November 1999 and came to California to look for land.
“I had some idea about what I was looking for,” he said, “and I’ve always enjoyed a good glass of wine.”
Marketplace
In the market for bulk wine? Visit the Marketplace page of the LCWC website for an up-to-date list of Lake County bulk wine, grapes, and vines available for sale.
LCWC recently distributed this buyer guide and printed lists of available grapes and bulk wine for sale. Please feel free to download and share the file.
Weather & Climate
View July Report from Dr. Gregory Jones.
Affiliate Sponsor: Vineyard Industry Products
