Lake County wine
| Wine region | |
 |
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| Type | U.S. County |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1861 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California, North Coast AVA |
| Sub-regions | Benmore Valley AVA, Clear Lake AVA, Guenoc Valley AVA, High Valley AVA, Red Hills Lake County AVA |
| Total area | 1,329 square miles (3,442 km2) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 8,800 acres (36 km2) |
| Grapes produced | Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Gamay Beaujolais, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Muscat Canelli, Nebbiolo, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Roussanne, Sangiovese, Sauvignon blanc, Sauvignon Musque, Syrah, Tempranillo, Viognier, Zinfandel |
Lake County wine is an appellation that designates wine made from grapes grown mostly in Lake County, California, located north of Napa County. Although each region within the county has unique viticultural attributes, all are influenced by Clear Lake, the largest inland body of water in the state of California. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted grape varietal, with Merlot a distant second.
Lake County includes five designated American Viticultural Areas:
The Benmore Valley AVA was named for Benjamin Moore, a local 19th century cattle rustler. The valley is a high depression in the mountains of southwestern Lake County, and is much cooler than surrounding areas. There are no wineries located within the boundaries of the AVA, and most of the grapes produced there are sourced by Geyser Peak Winery.
Half of the area contained within the boundaries of Clear Lake AVA is Clear Lake, the largest body of freshwater in the state of California, and the namesake for the county. The moderating influence of the lake on the surrounding area results in a climate with less diurnal variation in temperature than surrounding areas. Clear Lake AVA is one of the coolest climates in California, which has led to success with grape varietals like Sauvignon blanc.
Established in 1981, Guenoc Valley AVA was the first American Viticultural Area designation granted to an area with just a single winery. Guenoc Valley is a small inland valley comprising an alluvial fan of Arroyo Seco and Conejo Loam series soils isolated from surrounding areas by rocky ridges.
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