About Shannon Ridge Family of Wines
Clay Shannon grew up on a Healdsburg farm and built a career managing vineyards for top Northern California wineries, founding his own Shannon Ranches vineyard management company in 1993. On a rainy winter day in 1995 he toured a high ridge above Clear Lake, saw nothing through the clouds, and left uninterested; returning the following spring, he found the extraordinary views the weather had hidden and bought the first 80 acres of what would become Shannon Ridge, established as a winery in 1996.
The family's holdings have grown past 2,000 acres across the High Valley, Red Hills, and Big Valley AVAs at elevations up to about 2,400 feet, with half the fruit going into their own labels, including Shannon Ridge, Vigilance, Buck Shack, Clay Shannon, and the sheep-honoring Ovis, and half sold to premier Napa and Sonoma wineries. In 2013 the Shannons acquired part of the historic Circle O Ranch and discovered a gnarled 19th-century "mother vine" of Zinfandel, now honored with its own rosé, and in 2020 the family acquired Lake County pioneer Steele Wines.
Clay Shannon's high-ridge Lake County estate, founded in 1996 after a cloudy first visit nearly hid the property's spectacular views forever.
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A property almost passed over,Clay Shannon first toured the ridge on a rainy 1995 day, saw nothing through the clouds, and left uninterested, only discovering its spectacular views on a spring return visit.
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A 19th-century mother vine,the Shannons found a gnarled, still-living Zinfandel vine planted by 19th-century Croatian settlers on their Circle O Ranch parcel, now honored with a dedicated rosé.
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Sheep as vineyard employees,a flock of sheep cleans the vineyards, trims excess canopy, and fertilizes naturally, celebrated in the family's Ovis label, Latin for sheep.
"Clay Shannon's high-ridge Lake County estate, founded in 1996 after a cloudy first visit nearly hid the property's spectacular views forever."
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Wines change with each vintage
For an accurate list of current-release wines and library bottlings from Shannon Ridge Family of Wines, please check the winery's official website or contact the tasting room directly. Lake County producers typically rotate vintages and offerings seasonally.
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Shannon Ridge Lake County Walk-In
Taste the wines at Shannon Ridge Family of Wines in the High Valley AVA. Daily 10am to 4pm, walk-ins welcome.
From $10
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