Clear Lake - Wine Region of the Day

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Clear Lake

The Clear Lake AVA is located in Lake County, California and located on 5,000 acres. Half of the area contained within the boundaries of the AVA is the actual Clear Lake itself. The lake is the largest natural lake found entirely within the state of California and is considered to be the oldest in North America due to its unique geology.  The presence of the lake has a great influence on the temperature and climate of the region, resulting in less variance between daily and nightly temperatures than in neighboring AVAs. The Clear Lake AVA is quite cool for California, which is suitable for grape varietals that enjoy the cold, like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

 The first wine grapes were produced by European immigrants to Lake County.  Prior to Prohibition Lake County produced more wine grapes than Napa but was able to recover after repeal due to a lack of transportation infrastructure. Prior to Prohibition, the wine produced from this area was of high quality, Charles Hammond, of Upper Lake, won prizes for both red and white wines at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893.  His vineyard, Ma Tel, however was destroyed by raising water after the construction of the Cache Creek Dam in 1914.

Kelsey Bench Lake County - Wine Region Of The Day

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Kelsey Bench Lake County 

Kelsey Bench - Lake County received its designation as an AVA in 2013. Located on 2,338 acres, Kelsey Bench is a sub-appellation of the Lake County AVA. Kelsey Bench consists of red volcanic soils of eroded fertile blocks of clay and loam from Big Valley, resulting in wide swaths of gravel deposits and well-draining soils. Warm days are offset by afternoon breezes carried down from the ridges of the Mayacamas mountains. The afternoon cooling of the region often results in 50-degree diurnal cycles, a key to retaining acidity in mature wine grapes. The region is known for its production of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, and Merlot.